If you’ve never seen a manatee in the wild, NOW is the time!
Wait…what’s a manatee?
Manatees are large aquatic mammals that generally swim slowly and graze on seagrasses. These docile creatures grow between 8-13ft as adults, and in the US you’ll find them primarily in the Southeast US.
Crystal River, Florida is known as the manatee capital of the world. Manatees are federally protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Fish and Wildlife Service, which helped the population rebound tremendously over the last 25+ years, after being listed as endangered in 1973.
Manatees are often hit by boat propellors since they can be difficult to see and move slowly, which is why many animals have old scars on their back and tail fluke. They can also have a difficult time finding enough food, since seagrass beds are declining globally from poor water quality, climate change, and other human impacts. So if you’re boating, don’t forget to lift your prop!
Why is now the best time to see them?
As temperatures drop in the winter, Florida manatees swim upstream into springs, which are a constant temperature year round. These are perfect for manatees in the winter! In Crystal River, the headwaters are a balmy 72°F year round, so you can find over 100 of manatees snuggled in the springs on a given day during cold weather.
Where can I see them?
You can visit multiple locations throughout the state of Florida, but Crystal River is known for their manatees. One great location is Three Sisters Springs, which is a part of the Crystal River National wildlife Refuge.
To take advantage of the boardwalk, visit the Three Sisters Springs welcome center in downtown Crystal River to purchase your day pass. Discounts are available for military members, or if you have a national park pass! Three Sisters Springs offers shuttle options from the welcome center that leaves roughly every 30 minutes – just enough time to check out the educational material at the welcome center! If you require handicap accessibility, parking is available for you directly at the boardwalk, which also has wheelchair accessible ramps. Just note, there is NO water access from Three River Springs due to erosion along the coastline – but you sure get a great view from the boardwalk.
If you want a once in a lifetime experience, I highly recommend signing up to swim with manatees!
Wait, I can swim with manatees?
Yes! Break out that bucket list and add this. For a swim experience, you’ll receive safety briefing on interacting with the manatees in their home (remember, this is their safe haven, and we want to respect their space) and a wetsuit. You’ll visit the springs on a pontoon boat, and receive a mask, snorkel, and fins, as well as a pool noodle. The noodle helps you stay at the surface so you don’t disturb sleeping manatees. The tour company you choose will give you the low-down, and I loved my experience with River Ventures in Homosassa a few years ago. It was SO cold the day we went, and they graciously provided hot chocolate to help us warm up!
