On day two of our Bike & Springs Paddle, we were advised by Amy from The Holiday Inn Express in Crystal River to try paddling the Chassahowitzka River and see both the Seven Sisters Springs as well as the Crack. This waterway is quite vast and opens to the gulf. Since this was on our way home, why not!
We arrived at the Chassahowitzka Campground and paid our $5 dollar parking fee, picked up our free waterproof river maps and launched our SUPs. I made the stupid mistake of trying to lift my SUP from a awkward stretch and strained some back muscles–Yikes! Fortunately Wendy had some Ibuprofen and after about 1/2 hr they kicked in enough I could continue with only a few zings.
The first part of the paddle to the Seven Sisters was a bit like being in Twin Peaks episode– not sure what was going on here with the people in the photo sessions, but heck, the lighting was a photographer’s dream that hour of the morning so good for them.
The caves looked a bit daunting for a free dive and I was not about to try with my back issue so we just observed from above.
We then headed down river to find The Crack, which even with the map was not easy to find. When you think you have reached the end, keep going. It’s narrow and you can see where the gators have been lying in the brush the night before.
This body of water is tidal so it’s a bit of a catch-22 to seeing the crack. At high tide, the water is a bit turbid and too deep for clarity and you can’t see the crack where the spring head is, but it makes for a smooth paddle. At low tide, you will need to walk through the shallow sections, but you can definitely see the crack in clear spring water and beach your crafts while you explore this feature.
The video below will give you an overview. Enjoy.
I Paddle 4 U 
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