Cold snap yields record manatee count, big crowds at Blue Spring State Park in Orange City

ORANGE CITY — With a turn toward cold weather in the forecast, a record 663 manatees were counted on Tuesday at Blue Spring State Park, according to the park’s Facebook page.

And they had plenty of company, as a line of cars to enter the park stretched along French Avenue most of the morning on a path that included a 1/3-mile crowd-control loop on a dirt road leading toward the French Landing boat ramp on the St. Johns River.

Yet not everyone had to endure the traffic.

Bob and Diane Hungerford, snowbirds from Kalamazoo, Michigan, rode their bicycles to the park along the shaded bike trail from Beresford Park in DeLand. The retirees traveled by car from Titusville to DeLand, where they unloaded the bikes for the final 4-mile commute.

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“We did this last year and we enjoyed it so much,” said Bob Hungerford, 69, a retired banker. “It’s a nice cool day, so we thought we’d come back. We don’t see these (manatees) in Michigan.”

Tuesday's record tally follows a weekend manatee influx that yielded counts of 548 of the docile mammals on Monday, when long lines of cars filled with eager manatee fans also arrived at the park’s gate.

Over the weekend, there were 454 manatees sighted on Sunday and 512 manatees counted on Saturday, after low temperatures dipped into the high 30s overnight.

In a trend that has continued this week, the St. Johns River dropped to a chilly 60.8 degrees on Saturday, prompting the warm-blooded mammals to enter the spring run, where the water temperature hovers at a comfortable 72 degrees year-round.

On Tuesday, the river water temperature dipped to an even colder 59 degrees, said Cora Berchem, director of multi-media and research associate with the non-profit manatee protection organization Save the Manatee Club.

"That's the coldest we've had so far this winter season," Berchem said. "The colder the the river water gets, the more they need that warm spring water. That’s what drives the manatees into Blue Spring."

The weekend visitor count included at least 16 adoptees of the non-profit manatee protection organization Save the Manatee Club: Lesley, Una, Annie, Rocket, Philip, Paddy Doyle, Lily, Lucille, Gator, Deep Dent, Aqua, Moo Shoo (with her calf, Phyllis), Flash, Nick and Whiskers.

More could have been hiding in some big groups in the lower part of the run that were harder to see, according to Save the Manatee Club.

In the Blue Spring parking lot on Tuesday, license plates represented an array of states including New Jersey, Wyoming, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

At least one of the visiting groups was making a second attempt this week.

“We tried to come here yesterday, but we couldn’t even get close to the park,” said Ken Cote, 69, who was vacationing in Daytona Beach with his wife, Kathy. “We decided to come back today when it’s not a holiday. We’ve never seen manatees, except on TV.”

Even for Floridians accustomed to seasonal manatee sightings, the hundreds of creatures floating quietly in the spring was impressive.

“I’ve seen manatees before, but nothing like this,” said Cindy Broyles, 65, of St. Pete Beach. “This is amazing. This is the most I’ve ever seen.”

Manatees facing tough times

Manatees have been starving to death in Florida waters in 2021, with a record-breaking 1,075 deaths reported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as of mid-December.

The rash of deaths has been so devastating, particularly in the Indian River Lagoon, that wildlife officials announced they would take the unprecedented step to feed manatees in Brevard County this winter. Poor water quality has decimated the seagrasses and vegetation that manatees rely on to survive.

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For now, the St. Johns River around Blue Spring has enough food to support the hundreds of manatees that rely on it, said Mona Russell, a ranger at Blue Spring State Park. A ban on aquatic herbicides in the Blue Spring region has been in place for years.

“There’s still plenty of vegetation along the river, so the manatees here are not affected by a shortage of food,” Russell said.

Volusia County seeks manatee watchers

As manatees are arriving in big numbers, Volusia County is seeking volunteers to participate in Manatee Watch, a program that identifies the presence of the mammals in local waterways.

Residents who live on the water, spend a lot of time near the water, or are avid boaters are encouraged to become manatee watchers.

Manatee Watch coordinators will host two upcoming training sessions:

The first runs from 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 7 at the Stetson Aquatic Center, 2636 Alhambra Ave., DeLand.

A second session is slated for 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 12, at the Marine Discovery Center, 520 Barracuda Blvd., New Smyrna Beach.

“The Manatee Watch training is a great opportunity to learn all about Florida’s official marine mammal,” said Debbie Wright, Volusia County’s manatee protection program manager. “With the help of volunteers, we can get a better understanding of how manatees are using Volusia County waterways.”

Manatee Watchers are trained to observe manatee behavior, document manatee sightings, photograph manatees and sketch scar patterns. Information gathered from Manatee Watch volunteers provides vital information, including behavior, movement within waterways, habitat use and individual identification. Participants will receive a packet of training materials.

The Manatee Watch program is open to individuals, families, businesses and civic organizations. Participants should be at least 16 years old.

The training is free, but advance registration is required. Those interested should contact Chad Murch at ManateeWatch@volusia.org or call 386-736-5927, ext. 12839. Visit volusiamanatees.org for more information.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Manatee count sets record at Blue Spring State Park