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Swimming with Gentle Giants, the Manatees

When I think back on it now, the thought of jumping into the river and swimming with manatees terrifies me. I have, for some unknown reason, a fear of water. Not of lake water or creek water, but deep, dark water, the kind of water where creatures lurk about and can sneak up on you at any moment without notice. The kind of water in which you only have a limited view of what’s around you, but any sea animal can come at you from every angle. It sends chills down my spine just thinking about it. However, for some reason while I was in Florida, I had it in my head that swimming with the manatees was something I just had to do.

I was visiting my mother in Citrus Springs and decided that while I was there I needed to take advantage of whatever the area had to offer. In this case, it was the opportunity to dive in and swim with the West Indian manatee. It is the only place in America where you can legally jump in and get up close and personal with the giant creatures.

If you are unsure of what exactly a manatee is, let me explain. Manatees are slow moving sea creatures that can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh up to 1,300 pounds! They are found leisurely swimming around, grazing on water plants. They have a face, as they say, that only a mother could love. They are gentle marine mammals that simply enjoy basking in the warm waters.

After making the decision to take the plunge, I convinced my mother to join in on the adventure with me. We perused the local tourist pamphlets and found what seemed to be a reasonably priced manatee tour boat and swim company in Crystal River, cleverly named…Crystal River Manatee Tour & Dive.

The day of the swim, we checked in at the office and were given instructions on how to behave in the water with the manatees. Since manatees are an endangered species, they are protected under Federal and State laws including: the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978. This particular law states, “It is unlawful for any person, at any time, intentionally or negligently, to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb any manatee.”

We were told that although we could touch them if we were able to get close enough, we were not to touch them with two hands. We were of course told that it is also unlawful to, poke, prod, or grab a manatee, and that we should definitely avoid the urge to try to ride a manatee.

After the informational portion of our adventure was over, we were led outside to pick out a wetsuit, get our snorkeling gear, and suit up. Having never worn a wetsuit in my life, this was not an easy task. Once my mom and I finally finagled our way into our wetsuits, we headed down the docks to the boat. There we met the boat captain and the two other passengers that would be riding with us.

I must point out that my step-father was also joining us on the boat; however, he was not joining us in the water. His job, perhaps unbeknownst to him, was to be our historian, our photographer, and to document this momentous occasion.

“…there were several “mermaids” lounging around that little cove.”

We all cruised out into the open water for a while then turned into what seemed to be a little cove. There were a couple of other tour boats there as well. We were told we could get out, swim around, and test out our snorkeling gear. My mom and I got out, swam around, and found our way into a small access point into yet another cove. After not finding much there, we turned around and headed back to the area where our boat was. Apparently however, we had missed some “mermaids” that were grooming themselves on some rocks. We learned from several other snorkelers that there was some sort of show or photography session going on and that there were several “mermaids” lounging around that little cove. I am not sure how we missed seeing mermaids!

A little while later, while still swimming around the cove, we heard someone shout, “River dolphin! There’s a river dolphin coming your way!” I quickly plunged under water, both excited and terrified that I might actually see it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quite quick enough and missed seeing a river dolphin too.

We returned to our boat. Although I had missed opportunities to see mermaids and a river dolphin, I was not defeated yet. I was still determined. I was going to swim with the West Indian Manatee!

Once on the boat again, we all waited in anticipation, eyes glued to the water, scanning for that swirl in the water, that tell-tale sign that a manatee is just under the surface. And then it happened. The captain shouted that he had spotted a manatee and pointed out into the distance. He turned the boat and carefully steered it into the direction he had been pointing.

“And to be able to see a manatee calf as well; I couldn’t believe how fortunate I was.”

We all peered out into the water hoping to spot what the captain had seen. And then we saw it. Not just one, but TWO manatees. There they were just swimming lazily in the water, a mama manatee and her calf! I didn’t even think twice about it; I jumped into the water and swam over to where they were, the boat following carefully behind us. There I was, swimming in the deep, dark water that I find so terrifying and yet, I wasn’t terrified. The fear simply left my body altogether. I was so excited to be this close to such an amazing creature. And to be able to see a manatee calf as well; I couldn’t believe how fortunate I was.

Now that I was in the water I could see clearly the immense size of these creatures. Unfortunately, the water was not that deep and had been stirred up by many excited flipper covered feet. I was unable to see underwater even with the snorkeling mask. Therefore, I had to guess where they were and where they would pop up next, which seemed to be a sort of game for the baby manatee. It would pop up in one spot, we would all swim over, and then its head would pop up a few feet away just a minute or two later. The mama manatee gracefully glided through the water, at times swimming underneath me so that I was able to reach down and “pet” it. It had a sort of roughness to it, yet it was covered with a slippery, slimy layer of algae. They did not seem at all afraid or nervous to be around people. The “game” lasted for fifteen to twenty minutes. We would anxiously wait for the manatees’ noses to show themselves, and then swim over in hopes of another close up encounter with the massive animals.

Inevitably, the manatees grew tired of the game and swam quietly away. As for us humans, we boarded our boat and reveled in the beauty and the splendor of the day’s events. We marveled at their gracefulness and size and we shared stories of the perceived playfulness of the calf as we made our way back to the dock. I’ll never forget that day. It was a day I overcame my fear, for a little while at least, and allowed myself to experience the true beauty of an animal in its natural habitat, without cages, without tanks, without a scheduled feeding and viewing time.

I would later find out, much to my dismay, that my photographer/historian step-father was highly unqualified for the job. You see, even though I was so courageous and overcame my fear, even though I swallowed any sense of terror that welled up in my bones to attain such a great sense of achievement, and even though it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, I do not have any pictures to show for it. My photographer failed me. Not one manatee picture! No slight swirl in the water, no blurred picture that one might possibly make out a manatee in, no proof whatsoever that I was there. I was there with a mama manatee and her calf. I swam with them, played with them, felt their slimy skin. But alas, there is no proof… so I guess I just might have to muster up the courage and do it again!