A rare occurrence

It’s manatee season in Florida and you can swim with the gentle giants, under certain rules and regulations. [Photo courtesy Discover Crystal River]

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Posted November 25, 2024 | By Susan Smiley-Height, susan@magnoliamediaco.com

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Coming face-to-face with a manatee is quite simply one of the coolest things a person can ever do. And there is a place near Ocala where you can legally don snorkeling gear and get into the water with the gentle giants — but be sure to mind your “manatee manners.”

As water temperatures drop in the Gulf of Mexico, hundreds of West Indian Manatees make their way to the warm spring waters in and around Crystal River, known as “The Manatee Capital of the World.” The annual influx makes it easy to experience manatees in their natural environment, observe them at Three Sisters Springs and Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, and catch a glimpse while kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding throughout Kings Bay or the Homosassa River.

The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is the only refuge in the United States specifically created to protect critical habitats for the manatee. Manatee “season” runs from Nov. 15 to March 31, 2025. During this time, seven manatee sanctuaries within the refuge are off limits to human activity, giving manatees protected “safe zones.” Refuge managers also have the authority to expand sanctuary areas when manatee activity is high due to cold waters in the Gulf, which can ebb and flow daily. Swimmers and paddlers are not permitted to cross into these protected areas but can still observe from a distance or from various boardwalks.

There are numerous opportunities to take guided eco tours, using responsible passive observation techniques approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Many of the tour operators, hoteliers, restaurants and shops also may offer special enticements during manatee season.

So, the next time you have a free morning and the temperature is a bit chilly, you may want to slip into a wetsuit, pull on your snorkel and submerge your face into manatee territory. If you’re lucky, you’ll see mamas and babies as well as other sea cows up close and personal—just don’t touch them!

To learn more, go to discovercrystalriverfl.com/manatee-authority. For daily updates on the status of expanded sanctuaries, visit fws.gov/refuge/crystal-river