Visiting Crystal River, in the winter, has been on my Florida bucket list since we moved here. Besides being a cute little Florida town on the bay, it’s the Manatee Capital of the World! And you can go swim with them!!
I arranged for us to go on a snorkel trip Saturday morning with Go Local tour company. The captain and guide, Dylan and Derick were fantastic. We had a small group tour. Only 3 of us got in the water because the air temperature was extra chilly!
The manatees come to Crystal River to stay warm in the springs. The springs stay 72 degrees year round. Here are some fun facts about manatees. Considering their size, they have very low body fat – 4-5%. Also, their metabolism is very slow and it’s difficult for them to stay warm. So, they migrate to the warm water springs to get warm. The leading cause of manatee death is hyperthermia. This occurs when they are in water less than 68 degrees.
Manatees have no predators and are not scared of humans. In fact, they are very curious and gentle giants. Did you know their closest relatives are elephants!! Adults average 10-15 feet long and weight 900-1500lbs!
It was incredible to be in the water with them. They were so curious and got so close. I had to remind myself they were friendly!! This video shows one surfacing to breathe. They can hold their breath for 20 minutes when they sleep.
I loved how they would give me the side eye when they swam by.
This video was right at the end of our swim. The one at the end came up to breathe right in front of me. The guide then got my picture with him!! I think he looks like he’s smiling!
After this picture, the guide asked if I was ok. The other two ladies in our tour swam back to the boat about 20 minutes before. I said I was good and he saw my blue lips! He declared it was time for us to go back! Dave told him they would have to drag me out! That’s exactly what he did!
Dave shot this video of one eating stuff off the boat lines.
It truly was an incredible experience. I highly recommend it! Crystal River is a cute old Florida town. I didn’t take pictures of our meals. They were delicious. We went to St. Johns Tavern Friday night. The Rueben was yummy. Saturday we went to BubbaQue’s BBQ. Another delicious meal and the brisket was fantastic. We stayed at The Retreat at Crystal River. Lovely hotel. I highly recommend!
As always, thanks for reading!
Mom
So glad you had an amazing experience! Your videos are awesome! Thanks for posting!