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A well-known waterway is located in Lake County, where visitors can experience “the most beautiful mile of water in the world”, as was written over 70 years ago by a leading sports writer.
 
The Dora Canal, which links Lake Dora and Lake Eustis, is lined with towering cypress trees draped with Spanish moss, and is a safe haven for nesting herons, egrets and ospreys. The Canal was originally called the Elfin River, but a steamboat captain, along with a team of laborers, made the waterway passable in the late 1800s.
Several guided scenic tours are conducted each day through the Canal, such as Capt. Dave’s guided tours. Using a small boat, Capt. Dave travels through the canal for a 90 minute journey, describing the varying types of plant and animal life that can be seen on the shores. During the tour, Capt. Dave tells the story of the canal and the changes that have occurred, while watching for the many herons, turtles, egrets and other birds that are native to Florida.
The natural beauty of the canal captured the imagination of Hollywood, when a portion of the Humphrey Bogart classic movie “The African Queen” was filmed along the waterway. It provides visitors with a taste of how most of Florida looked before it became more populated.
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