Today we took our kayaks to the Rainbow River in Dunnellon, FL. It was a long and boring drive, but well worth it. We picked up a very cheap waterproof camera on the way there and tried to get some underwater images. We didn’t get in the water (too cold) so we were basically shooting blind. Plus we have zero videography skills, so we apologize for all the shakiness and lack of focus.
We kayaked a total of approximately 6 miles starting at KP Hole and paddling upstream to the headspring, then downstream to the Highway 41 overpass. It was a lot longer than we thought and we’re pretty sure we won’t be able to use our arms at all tomorrow. The fish and underwater vegetation were not as colorful as I thought they’d be, but it was still very pretty. The water was amazingly clear the entire length of the river. In some areas Jacob was actually scared because it was so deep (and we could see clear through to the bottom)!
As for wildlife, we saw tons of turtles and birds – including a sort of duck-bird that floats like a duck then swims as fast as a speeding bullet underwater. We saw a variety of cranes a couple of hawks. In the less populated parts of the river the birds were extremely talkative. We may have seen one otter but we’re not 100% sure on that. No gators, and (surprisingly) not a ton of fish.
All in all we had a great time and really enjoyed the sights and sounds of the Rainbow River. We’ll be visiting again for a 2-night camping trip next month and look forward to exploring the state park.