Crystal River FL

[HobcawChaos]

Our troop is heading down to Crystal River, FL over President's Day weekend. The plan includes snorkling with manatees, the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, and the Crystal River Archeological State Park. We'll only be there 2 days...anything else we should try to squeeze in or comments/advice on the proposed plan?

 

TIA

[Thomas54]

 

 

If you are renting a pontoon boat I will recommend Crystal Lodge Dive center over Crystal River Divers at Plantation. Both are good but the Lodge Dive center is more scout friendly, its cheaper and its a shorter drive to main manatee center.

 

You are getting wetsuits?

 

Rainbow river is near by and is a good day trip.

[perdidochas]

I think you've got a pretty ambitious trip planned, as it is. I wouldn't add anything. Swimming with the manatees is great.

[dg98adams]

It's not cheap but my kids had a blast. My inlaws live near there.

I think there's a Scout camp down close to Homosassa.

 

http://www.weekiwachee.com/

[eagle90]

As i look out at our 20+ inches of snow and 20 foot piles of snow in parking lots, I envy you guys spending a weekend like that! Count your blessings!!

 

Dale

[sailingpj]

Where on the river are you planning on going? I'm just curious because there is no swimming allowed in many Florida State parks this time of year. That is for the protection of the manatees.

[nolesrule]

Sand Hill Scout Reservation is near Weeki Wachee,about 25 miles south of the Homosassa / Crystal River area. It's our council's primary camp, and I staffed there as a youth for summer camp, but honestly there's plenty else to do. Someone mentioned Rainbow River, there's good tubing if the water level is high enough (I haven't checked), and there's a few rivers good for some relaxing canoeing.

[Kudu]

Get a snorkeling with manatees quote from "Adventure Diving" in Crystal River.

 

http://floridafundive.net/

 

They treat our Troop very well:

 

http://inquiry.net/scuba_diving_merit_badge/index.htm

 

If you decide to squeeze in their Rainbow River Drift Dive, be sure to ask them how to find the Spanish Doubloons:

 

http://www.inquiry.net/scuba_diving_merit_badge/rainbow_river_drift_dive.htm

 

These high-quality Spanish treasure props (from a movie filmed there) can still be found in the sandy bottom near the rope swing.

 

The closest Scout Camp to Crystal River is the McGregor Smith Scout Reservation (24.7 miles from Adventure Diving):

 

http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/flying_eagle-mcgregor_smith_reservation.html

 

At 10,950 acres, there is plenty of room to camp your Patrols Baden-Powell's minimum 300 feet apart

 

Florida could forever change the way you do the Patrol Method!

 

Yours at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

http://kudu.net

 

[nolesrule]

Forgot about McGregor Smith. Haven't been there in a long long time.

[Kudu]

HobcawChaos,

 

If you get a chance to schedule a hike, the wild orange trees have begun to drop ripe fruit. Wild citrus is usually sour, but our native Florida Scouts go wild over the stuff every January and February.

 

somenolesrule writes:

 

Forgot about McGregor Smith. Haven't been there in a long long time.

 

It sits in the middle of a vast protected Southwest Florida Water Management area, but funding for the Boy Scout camp itself barely squeaks through the Council's budget process every year because nobody seems to know that the camp is open again.

 

Alligators, bald eagles, magnificent old trees, and wild orange and tangerines. A truly awesome wilderness experience for those of us who are more used to tiny Boy Scout camps set in the middle of encroaching suburbia.

 

Oh, and hot showers all year (which are rare in the north except at summer camp).

 

McGregor Smith is a Boy Scout camp worth supporting.

 

Yours at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

http://kudu.net

 

[nolesrule]

"It sits in the middle of a vast protected Southwest Florida Water Management area, but funding for the Boy Scout camp itself barely squeaks through the Council's budget process every year because nobody seems to know that the camp is open again. "

 

It's in need of a PR campaign. I knew about the sale to SWFWMD, and the lease to the council, but no one ever talks about it. Thanks to the reminder, I'm going to suggest it to the 2 troops I am UC for. I know in the 5 years I've been their commissioner, neither has been there.

[UCEagle72]

My goodness ... not much further than Camp LaNoChe for me!

 

[HobcawChaos]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Wetsuits are a definite. Crystal River Water Sports located near the Day's Inn is taking us snorkling. They were chosen for the sole reason that the Girl Scout Council in West Central Florida uses them, something that makes my troop trip approval go much easier. Kudo - that Rainbow River Drift Dive looks awesome and could definitely be a trip in our future - nice bit of progression, too!