One of my all time favorite things to do when I am in Crystal River is swim with the manatees.
These adorable creatures flock to warmer waters when the temperature in the Gulf of Mexico gets below 68°F. Despite the fact they can weigh in at over 1200 pounds, their stomach and intestines make up most of their mass. They actually have very little body fat for their size. Most of the time, they can be observed eating (10% of the body weight a day) or resting on the bottom. While resting, they only surface to breathe once every 15 minutes or so.
The first time I swam with the manatees was on a charter in King’s Bay. Setting out in the early morning hours, we were treated to a lovely sunrise…
Before dipping into the waters, we were given reminders of manatee etiquette. No chasing, no feeding, you may only touch a manatee if it comes close to you and then, only with one hand. As we floated, it didn’t take long for a juvenile manatee to come investigate…
I was amazed at it’s curiosity. It circled us and nudged in closer…
I happily watched as it fed on the grasses…
Before swimming off into the darkness. Back on the boat, we were treated to a glimpse of the mother and calf…
The next time I swam with them was in Three Sisters Springs. They didn’t seem quite as curious here and spent nearly all the time resting on the bottom…
Manatees have no natural enemies, except man. Every year, hundreds of manatees are injured or killed when their slow moving paths cross boats. You can see the propeller scars on this manatee…
While the manatees here weren’t as curious, some of the fish were…
Now, I’ve swam with them, kayaked with them and watched them from above. I never get tired of happy manatee faces!
HMMH!
The Wandering RVer 
Thank you so much for this post! The joy I felt when swimming with manatees at Crystal River all came flooding back as I read your post and saw your photos. I’ll never forget the excitement of having a calf come face to face with me as he looked at me through my mask while his mama stayed close by. Since that experience many years ago we have kayaked with them and watched them from land. You made my day with this post 😀
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Thank you Beth, I’m glad it brought back some good memories. Aren’t the calves so darn cute?!?
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Wish this had a love, love, love, love button! HMMH–of the human nature (my personal favorite!).
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Awww, thanks Dawn! HMMH Always!! Miss you!
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Thanks again for sharing. You are having lots of unique experiences. I’m happy for you!
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Thank you. It’s always an adventure!
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I am so bummed that we didn’t even get to see any manatees, much less swim with them, while we were in Florida. We were just never quite in the right place at the right time. What a fantastic experience! It obviously makes me sad that humans are the only problem for these peaceful, gentle creatures. Perhaps the more people learn about them, the more protection they’ll get. It’s nice to think about anyway.
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You’ll definitely have to put it on the “to do” list next time! There are tons of regulations with them in mind, but not enough enforcement.
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That is so cool. It is too bad that they get killed and/or tore up by motor boats. I never realized they had no predators – they look like a tasty treat for a shark.
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I don’t think they go in deep enough water for sharks to bother them. It’s interesting they can thrive in salt or fresh water.
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This is wonderful, Laura! We spent so many years in Florida, but we never got to swim with the manatees. You have really captured their gentle spirits. 🙂 ~Terri
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You are so lucky to have swam with manatees! I’ve seen them from above/shoreline at Manatee Springs State Park and Everglades NP (and a third spot I can’t recall at the moment), however I’ve never been close to one. They are wonderful, gentle creatures!
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You would absolutely fall in love with them.
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