Springs: Scenes From a Kayak

If you've ever visited Spring Lake, you probably explored aboard a glass- bottom boat. Since 1945, the boat ride has been a quintessential San Marcos activity. This fall The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment is also offering kayak trips. I jump at the chance, making a reservation months in advance.

On a beautiful fall morning, near the headwaters of the San Marcos River, over 200 springs gurgle on the bottom of the lake. They look like sandy craters. Because the lake is spring fed, the water is crystal clear. I glide over the surface. I can see all the way to the bottom as I peer over the edge of the kayak. It is mesmerizing.

At one of the larger springs, called Cream of Wheat, white sand appears to bubble up from the depths. Under pressure, the water is expelled from the Edwards Aquifer, the rocky subterranean place where water is stored. Springs are common in this part of Texas and along with limestone caves, disappearing rivers, and sinkholes, they make up an ecosystem known as karst.

Along the edges of the lake, enormous, bald cypress trees, their knobby knees poking up from the water, offer a glimpse into the timeline of this special place. They have been living here for hundreds of years. Osprey, cormorants, heron, many turtle species, spotted gar, and other fish also make the lake home.

A young woman in a nearby kayak laughs, and asks our guide if we will see a mermaid today. From 1951 to 1994, an amusement park called Aquarena Springs operated around Spring Lake. Women dressed as mermaids, along with Ralph the diving pig, entertained crowds from underwater theaters. Although the park no longer exists and the theaters have been removed to restore the lake's natural habitat, San Marcos still feels a connection to the mythical creature. Quirky mermaid sculptures pop up all over the city. I have my own fascination with mermaids, and as I float through the still waters, I imagine exploring this place in mermaid form, diving deep, following watery pathways into the remote and mysterious layers of the aquifer.

Archeological studies confirm that Spring Lake has been a site for human gatherings for thousands of years, and scientists believe it is one of the longest continuously inhabited places. Local indigenous peoples identify the springs as their place of origin, where they emerged from the depths and came to live at the surface. Every year, they celebrate this sacred spot. Today, I do the same.