Silver River (Springs), FL

[Slim to None]

My fiance and I took a sunday cruise over at Silver River, which starts at Silver Springs Park from the springs and flows into the Ocklawaha River. Had a great time with a picnic lunch and beautiful weather! Here's some pics from the cruise.

http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/FL_SurfGator/SilverRiver2-10-08005.jpg
Beagle watching for monkeys!
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/FL_SurfGator/SilverRiver2-10-08010.jpg
Gator sunning in the weeds
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/FL_SurfGator/SilverRiver2-10-08008.jpg
Monkies! This branch hung 1/2 over the river!
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/FL_SurfGator/SilverRiver2-10-08019.jpg
Monkey w/ baby monkey!
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/FL_SurfGator/SilverRiver2-10-08015.jpg
Big Spotted Gar!
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/FL_SurfGator/SilverRiver2-10-08016.jpg
Sunken old wooden boat
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb28/FL_SurfGator/SilverRiver2-10-08020.jpg
Silver River

[Loki]

Great pics, Slim. Looks like you guys had a great time!


Mike

[shaggy3131]

Slim to None

Thanks for the great photographs. The photos are one of the things I like best about the forum. Keep 'em coming.

Slim to none is close to a day late and a dollar short.

Take care,
Aubrey (Shaggy)

[bobreeves]

Great photos, Slim. And some really beautiful scenery. Keep'm coming.

[lakebiker]

Great pics. Don't fall overboard there. ;D ;D
012

[Willie]

Great shots there and I would be sure to keep the beagle tied in or it may become gator bait...............That is so strange for us up north to even think about riding by a gator like that............keep the photos coming.........What is the dogs name, I have a beagle, Dustie aND a black lab, Onyx.............and they love the boat and really like to go crabbing with me..Willie 010

[Slim to None]

my beagle's name is Lilly. and dont worry she had her leash tied to the front seat! we saw probably 15 gators sunning. the coolest was about a 12 footer that we went right over top of. he was laying on the bottom about 4' underwater in the ribbon grass! it was awesome to see one underwater swimming by. definetely NOT the place to go swimming!!! the monkies used to be in Silver Springs Park, but they tried to round them up back in the early '90s, to no luck. the monkies just moved right outside the park! smart animals!

[koolj]

I was down at Homasasas Springs at Crstal River one time and a guy rode us around looking for manatee and we went by an ISland that had Monkies on it

[Slim to None]

kooj- yea that was called monkey island, in the Homosassa River. cool place down there. i'm always over in crystal river, which is about 15 minutes north of homosassa (by truck)

[koolj]

I would love to get back there some day - I was there 10 years ago before my Carolina Skiff - I was on my 1 year anniversary - we camped in that area for about 3 days before we ventured on down to the Keys - it was a great trip

[Dave]

Great pictures Slim. Good lookin' river and man, I really love those clear waters you guys have in Florida 010

Dave

[Slim to None]

1stSGT- this particular river is spring fed, so it stays crystal clear year round. even in some of the deeper holes & bends where it's 30 feet plus, you can still see the bottom! the sunken boat pic was about 15' down, to give you some idea of the depth clarity.

[Dave]

Nice. I wonder if that's the river the local NC dive shops take their students to (somewhere in FL) to get them certified. 006

Dave

[Slim to None]

1stSGT- probably not the same river, as swimming isn't "allowed" here. you can, as long as lawman doesn't see you.

[Dave]

Or a 12' gator ;D

Dave

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Great pics there slim.Swim in that water? 004 004 004 004
You gotta be CRAZYto do that in those waters man.

[Slim to None]

we dont so much "swim" as just jump in to cool off, then climb right back in the boat! with the water being crystal clear, you at least get a few seconds warning before mr. gator chomps at your feet ;)

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

I've been with sharks before had no problem, but gators? i really think they are 10 times worst than sharks.

[o2bfishn]

Slim to none and Nothing Else,

You are both crazes, gaters and sharks, whats you's thinking. (sorry, working on my southern there). Man I have been called nuts and insane before, and have been known to do some stupid things from time to time, but swimming with gators and sharks, no way. You’er all crazier than me.

Think man, all I was looking at was a night in jail, but gators and sharks play for keeps and your on (in) their backyard, home turf so to speak. Stay in the boat ,please. Thank you. (we got to get drunk together some weekend).


02bfishn 012

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Slim to none and Nothing Else,

You are both crazes, gaters and sharks, whats you's thinking. (sorry, working on my southern there). Man I have been called nuts and insane before, and have been known to do some stupid things from time to time, but swimming with gators and sharks, no way. You’er all crazier than me.

Think man, all I was looking at was a night in jail, but gators and sharks play for keeps and your on (in) their backyard, home turf so to speak. Stay in the boat ,please. Thank you. (we got to get drunk together some weekend).


02bfishn 012



Woud love to.(get drunk not eaten)

[FLboy3]

Gators is one thing we have plenty of here in florida. As a kid growing up here, it was nothing to jump into a lake and swim from one side to the other. I don't know what happened but I wouldn't think of it now. There didn't seem to be as many gators back then. Then they placed them on the endangered list and the population started to grow. And since people couldn't kill em, they started feeding them an calling them pets. Now they ain't scared of you anymore. And the population of the gators is so great now that they are opening gator hunting seasons now. They really need to be thined out because its a shame to have to be so scared to take a dip in the lakes and rivers anymore. That use to be part of growing up here in florida. Then came the movie JAWS and then no one wanted to swim in the ocean anymore. Its crazy how the media and movies can change the world. I will still swim in the salt water, but don't even want to fall overboard in the lakes, even for a minute. And if you really want to see some crazy people, go to just about any of the popular lakes around here in the summer and see people skiing, tubeing, swimming off their boats. They have a death wish...........

[Slim to None]

FLBoy is right, the gator population has exploded in recent years. but it's not really that big of a deal. i grew up swimming in our local lakes. and still do without thinking twice about it. you do however, have to have a lot of respect for them! as long as you stay in the middle of the lakes and away from areas where you have either seen gators, or an area that looks like gators live in, you're okay. i've been on a wakeboard and was pulled right over top of a 6' gator. we were WAY too close to shore (to stay on the glass calm area of the lake). needless to say i wasn't doing any tricks where i might fall off near that gator!