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There are more pictures to come but you will have to wait. A sample of some in the following image
What is gray, 15 to 20 feet long, weighs up to 2300 pounds, and will roll over and let you rub its belly ? Give up ? It's a manatee, and it is not your average Yugo-sized endangered species.
Manatees frequent Florida's rivers and springs from mid-November through March or April. There are only about 1,200 of these gentle giants left in the wild. They are protected with sanctuarys that prohibit the entrance of people and boats. Speed limits are enforced to keep boats from hitting the slow-moving manatees that swim just below the surface. This does not always work, however, becouse many wear the scars from a close encounter with a motorboat. The manatees' numbers decrease every year.
We arrived in Crystal River on a Sunday afternoon following the 8 hour journey. Monday morning we got an early start despite the overcast sky and generally gloomy weather. This, together with the fact that we didn't know where to look for the manatees, made for a discouraging day. The manatees that we saw were not very friendly, and there were countless boats around us trying to do the same thing we were.
That evening, while looking around in the gift shop adjacent to our motel, the owner overheard our negative remarks. He suggested that we try another spot a series of small springheads off the beaten path where the water was known to be clearer.
Exited about learning of a new place to catch a glimpse of some manatees, we rushed out as soon as the marina opened ready to get into the water. The sun was coming out, and upon arrival at springheads, we had several manatees all to ourselves. We spent the whole morning rubbing these over sized puppydogs. Many of them, if they liked you, would roll over to get their belly rubbed. As the morning continued, several boats arrived, bringing with them many other swimmers. They began stirring up the bottom with their fins and making the water cloudy. It was almost to the point where we could not see the manatees.
Our last day was perfect. The water was clearer than the previous day, and we decided to go back to the same spot. When we got there, we were all alone with 6 playful manatees for about 2 hours. The visibility was almost 40 feet in the water. By mid-morning, manatees were everywhere. We played with the manatees for the remainder of the morning. Realizing that our time with the manatees had expired, we reluctantly started back on our long trip home.
Manatees are attention hounds. They are very friendly despite their otherwise intimidating appearance. They love tobe touched, but there is a fine line between touching and harassing. You can usually tell when they don't feel like playing. Bothering a resting manatee or diving underwater to touch a manatee is prohibited. You can, however, touch a manatee while swimming on the surface.
I'll always remember our encounter with the manatees. Viewing the manatees in their natural habitat has made a deep impression on me. Manatees live in a very fragile environment that must be treated with respect and dignity. I just hope that these gentle creatures will be around for future generations to enjoy.
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