With greenery exploding across its banks and exotic alligators, turtles, and manatees to see, it’s little wonder why this houseboating destination is so popular. The St Johns River has been attracting recreational water-lovers for years and you’ve most likely heard some things about it—but how well do you know it, really? Check out these fun facts shared by www.nbbd.com to test your knowledge of this absolutely gorgeous destination.

The St Johns River is one of the few rivers in the entire country that actually flows north.

Unspooling for over 310 miles, this river is the longest in the state of Florida.

From its beginnings in the swamps south of Melbourne to its end in the Atlantic near Jacksonville, the St Johns River has a total drop of less than 30 feet, or about one inch per mile—meaning this is one of the "laziest" rivers in the world.

During periods of low water, the play of the tides can create a reverse flow as far as 161 miles upstream from the river’s mouth.

The St. Johns basin is really an ancient intracoastal lagoon system—when sea levels dropped and barrier islands rose up as obstacles preventing water from flowing back east to the ocean, the water pooled in the valley and gradually seeped northward about 300 miles, effectively forming the popular St. Johns River that houseboaters have the pleasure of exploring today.

Photo credited to www.sjrwmd.com (St Johns River Water Management District)