Bayport

       We completed 31.6 miles in 5 hours and 36 minutes to travel from Homosassa to Bayport. Bayport is tiny. The population is only 36. In spite of this they have a bar, the Bayport Inn, which is popular with local bikers. This fly speck of a community is located on the north side of the mouth of the Weeki Wachee River and has a rich history as a port used by Civil War blockade runners. The Union Navy caught 11 blockade runners here during the war and an old Confederate coastal defense battery position can be seen here.
       The City of Weeki Wachee, population 12, is just upriver and it also has a fine bar and restaurant, the Upper Deck. The Upper Deck is located directly on the river and has a dock. At low tide the river below the restaurant runs crystal clear from the spring. You can usually spot a manatee or two swimming by below and there is a white sand city beach right across the river full of sunbathers. This establishment has an expansive menu and the food is excellent. It is also a good place to socialize.
       The Bayport Channel is shallow; if you draw more than 2 feet go at high tide. If you draw more than 4 feet good luck! I come here often because it is gorgeous and we are always alone in the little anchorage. This spot requires 3 foot or less of draft unless you don't mind sitting aground on soft bottom half the day. I anchor 500 yards inside the mouth of the river just south of the channel. It is 3 feet deep here at low tide.

       You cannot anchor much past where we do as the river narrows and has shallow spots. Dinghy further upriver is fine.
       The thing about this place is that it really is pretty isolated. It is surrounded by wildlife refuges that give it that sense of isolation in spite of the fact that it is about 5 or 6 miles from heavily populated suburban areas. Although Bayport and Weeki Wachee do not have a large populations; unincorporated areas along the river and estuary have many inhabitants not counted in their population totals.

       The Weeki Wachee River is beautiful little spring run which stretches about 6 miles long before being overtaken by salt marsh leading to the river mouth. Weeki Wachee Spring is a first magnitude spring which kicks out about 64 million gallons of clear water a day. Most of the lower part of the spring run has waterfront homes on at least one side. The little river gets clearer and more beautiful the closer to the headspring you get. A small boat with an outboard or kayak is the appropriate way to visit the upper river.
If you want to see anything on the river go early in the morning on a weekday and you will see manatees, fish, and maybe a small alligator or an otter. Go on the weekend and you will find a two-legged zoo as the spring is located close to large populations of humans.