Looking for a unique vacation experience . . . look no further than Crystal River, Florida where you can get right in the water amongst the “sea cows” and swim with the Manatees.
Located just hours from Orlando and Tampa, Crystal River and Homosassa are the only places in Florida where you can legally swim with the manatees in their natural environment. Both are approximately two hours northeast of Orlando and 90 minutes north of Tampa. It is a great side trip if you’re planning on visiting any of the amusement parks in Orlando like Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, Sea World, WonderWorks and so much more.
Pick the right time of the year
It is very common to see manatees in this area of Southern Florida all year but the best time to visit is in the winter between November and March. As the waters in the Gulf of Mexico begin to get cooler the manatees head towards the warm, 70-degree natural springs of Florida. They generally swim 3-5 MPH but are capable of going up to 26 MPH in short bursts.
Go with a tour group but find one that fits your needs
This is a personal choice but consider the following as you decide which group to go out with:
- Do you like to adventure with a group or a more private experience
- Most tour groups are locals but you want one that will provide some history and personal experience with the Manatees to give you a nice comfort level
- Does your group provide additional services like food and drink or media (more on that later)
- Ask them a few questions online and gauge their response time and how well they answer your questions . . . this will be a good indicator of their customer service
On the Reel
The Simpsons: Bonfire of the Manatees (2015)
Starring Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright. Directed by Mark Kirkland.
This Season 17 classic has Homer messing up badly (of course) prompting Marge to leave. She becomes involved with a marine biologist who is committed to saving endangered species, specifically, manatees.
Leave the photos and video to your tour group
This is another personal choice but, coming from someone who films everything while vacationing, I am very happy I chose not to do so here. This is such a unique experience you really want to be entirely present at all times. You don’t want to be distracted. You’ll appreciate this more the first time one of these gentle giants is a foot from you.
The filming should be part of the service if you’ve chosen your tour company well. Your guide will not only take photos and video (with ideal equipment for underwater work) of you and your family interacting with the Manatees you’ll also have the option of buying a DVD of your adventures afterward so you can re-live the memories over and over again in future.
Finally, accept the fact that you won’t look particularly attractive with your snorkel on. There really isn’t two-ways around that one so think practical . . . not aesthetic!
Be respectful of your surroundings
The water can get crowded in certain areas and sections. You will be instructed not to move too quickly, so as not to startle the Manatees, but also be aware of other swimmers. Think of yourself as a defensive swimmer, always being aware of traffic patterns.
Don’t worry about the water temperature . . . it is fine
You’ll be equipped with a wetsuit that will not only keep you warm but will also keep you afloat with no effort on your part. When you first get in the water it might feel a bit chilly but a few things will change that quickly:
- Adrenaline (especially the first time you are actually near a Manatee)
- Swimming will heat your body up
- Once you get into the tributaries where the Manatees hang out the water gets warmer naturally
Get comfortable with a snorkel
This was a tough one for me but I’d never been taught the proper way to use snorkels. The good news is the wet suit will keep you from accidentally submerging below the top of your snorkel so no worries there. Your tour guide should be able to help get you fitted but keep the following in mind:
- Make sure your mask and snorkel are the correctly sized for your head and mouth before you depart and use the boat trip to make any necessary adjustments
- Practice breathing through your mouth (even if it doesn’t come naturally) using the snorkel while you are still on the boat
- Use some sort of mask defog (again your guide should take care of this but remind them in case they forget)
- Avoid taking your mask on-and-off once you get in the water
Leave all of your aggressiveness at home
One of the first things your guide will tell you is to not be aggressive in the water. Do not splash or make sudden movements and do not pursue the Manatees. You may touch them but very gently and never around the face. These are incredibly gentle creatures who have no natural predators so they don’t really know how to deal with aggressiveness. When they are comfortable they will come to you. Not surprisingly, the babies tend to be more trusting and friendly.
Go with a group of friends or a partner
This is definitely a shared experience. Having a group will quell any fears anyone in the group might have about being in the water or mixing so closely with wildlife. It will also help you not get lost once in the water. Finally, and please take my word for this, you will absolutely want to talk about what just happened the second you get back in the boat . . . and most likely for many days afterward.
Leave your guide a tip
As with any servers, tips are an important source of your guide’s income. Our guide, Dusty with Plantation Adventure Center, was fantastic. He not only had technical expertise but also the experience to fully prepare us for our adventure. As a bonus, he was also a seasoned photographer and videographer so we had plenty of great pictures and video to take home with us.
Relax and enjoy yourselves
It is so much fun and such a unique experience that you quickly lose any fear or trepidation you may have had. Once you are in the water among the Manatees you take on their calmness. They move so slowly and with such grace that you almost feel you are a natural part of their world and begin assuming their mannerisms. It is a wonderful soothing sensation . . .
Have you ever been on an underwater adventure? We’d love to hear about it!
