Homosassa State Park

manatee swimming at Homosassa

underwater view of manatee

hippo

alligators

majestic eagle

owls

albino turtle

tortoises

fighting flamingos

Wyatt and I visited Homosassa State Park with our friends from Ocala and their son.  It was his first visit to see animals in a zoo like setting.  We parked off State Road 19 and took the tram to the park.  Wyatt thought it was a train ride.  The park is located on one of Florida’s many crystal clear springs.  My only regret was not bringing my bathing suit to go swimming nearby.  The highlight of the park is manatees.  We could see them swimming from the surface, and in the underwater observatory.  What was more amazing to me were the number of snook and redfish.  I was wishing I could catch and eat a snook, but I’m sure fishing isn’t allowed in the park. 

There were all sorts of other native birds and reptiles, including an albino turtle.  My favorite of the animals was the hippo.  What an amazing creature.  There was also an education center that had fossils and displays.  Wyatt touched an alligator skull and some alligator skin. 

We rode the boat up the river back to where we were parked.  It is definitely a park I would recommend visiting if you are traveling on the west coast of Florida.

Yulee Sugar Mills

I visited the ruins of a sugar mill that ran for 13 years during the time of the Cival War.  Not far from Homosassa State Park, it’s worth the extra few minutes drive to see how sugar used to be made.  Sugar cane would be rolled through big rollers.  The juice that came out was collected and heated and then put through a refining process.  After that they would put the liquid into barrells.  When it dried, sugar crytals remained.

It makes me want to see how they process sugar now.  The only idea I have is from the attack of the giant ants movie, which was filmed at my local state park and beach.  If you like B movies, it’s worth a laugh.

Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins