Swimming with Manatees

It was snorkeling actually, with no fins and no splashing that might startle the manatees during their rests. This was the second time I’d actually had an opportunity to swim with manatees in Crystal River. The first time was on my checkout dive for scuba diving certification some 30 plus years ago. That day we saw the manatees munching on what I thought was either hydrilla (native to Asia, Africa, and Eastern Australia) or elodea (native to South America) both considered invasive water plants here. FL Fish and Wildlife officers patrolled the area where we were making sure the manatees weren’t disturbed in any way. On this more recent (Spring Break at Three Sisters Springs) manatee swim the manatees, we saw manatees that were not resting but rather shoveling vegetation from the river bottom that looked like bright green hair when we pulled some up with the anchor. Although we saw no Fish and Wildlife peeps on patrol this trip our captain and guide, Fred and others plying the waterways did a good job of making sure kayakers and swimmers alike stayed out of restricted areas. They had all of us (my husband, myself, and a couple of grandkids) view a video about the rules and regulations regarding manatees and manatee etiquette in general. The wet suits we wore helped make the swim more tolerable but once we saw the manatees all thoughts of the cold dissipated. I swam parallel to a big mossy backed fellow and when he rose for a snoutful of air I let my palm slide along his back. All in all snorkeling with manatees in their natural habitat is an amazing experience. I know I won’t forget it but having underwater video and photos (including some serious footage of someone’s thumb) are great ways to keep the memories of this kind of trip fresh too.