It is 5 a.m. and only three hours after I flew across the country to Tampa, Florida from Portland, Oregon. I probably slept a wink at my uncle’s house. I’ve only visited him at his home twice in my life but he is my grandma’s son and his house smells like home. I brought my best friend for this trip and we are excited to go on an adventure.
The sun is beginning to rise and the sky is turning a lighter shade of purple. North on Suncoast Parkway. A toll is coming up. We don’t have tolls in Oregon; do I have change and how much? I pull off the parkway to find my purse but quickly realize I can just get back on after the toll booth without having to pay. Is this cheating? I couldn’t care less because we have an adventure waiting for us, we already bought tickets.
Crystal River Manatee Tour charges a small fee of $65 for an experience that fills your heart for a lifetime.
When I planned my trip to Florida with Sarika we knew we could save money by staying with my family, who happen to be some of the most charming people. So we could both pick an adventure on which to spend our money. She chose Universal Studios for the new Harry Potter theme park and I chose manatees. We got to do both and see a Major League Baseball game, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Pittsburgh Pirates.
I have always loved water mammals. Whales and dolphins are great but manatees are the most gentle. They are more closely related to elephants and have similar toenails. They are called sea cows for the way they graze on seagrass. They are curious and slow, so are a victim to boat motor propellers that chop up their backsides leaving scars. I want to protect these sweet river potatoes but first I must meet one.
Before the Crystal River Manatee Tours greets all ticket holders, we had two other families with us. One family was from Georgia and admitted to genuinely loving peaches and football. The others were from Louisiana and seemed like a nice group.
We all watched a DVD about protective state laws for manatees and how to approach the majestic creatures. One of the most emphasize laws is “do not swim over the manatee.” This is because they breathe air and if you are above one when it needs a breath, you will either hinder the animal from its function and or hurt it in the process. Also, only touch the manatee with one hand at a time to prevent humans from “riding” them. We then all took a brief written test and passed before getting a fitted life vest.
We all boarded a boat and began the tour. Along the ride we learned about Native Americans and got to see a ruin of a temple made of seashells. We saw alligators, wildbirds, river dolphins, and beautiful portions of the Everglades.
Once we stopped at Three Sister Springs we finally met some manatees. It was everything I hoped for and more. Two adult manatees and a baby manatee greeted the group. The baby was interested in me and swam right toward my outstretched hand. I felt whiskers and gave it soft pets along both sides of its face (using only one hand). I was so enamored of this moment I forgot about the adult manatees and Sarika. She was snorkeling and the two adult manatees were headed right for her.
She desperately was trying to swim backwards as they scooped just below her. One was directly under Sarika and it began breaching. The manatee pushed Sarika up to the surface and she slid away to the side. I could hear the muffled underwater shriek coming from her snorkel.
Her gasp and scream forced her to inhale a bit of water and choke. She got out of the water for a true breath. I was nearly drowning from laughing hysterically underwater while witnessing this event. We both were top side coughing drops of water and finishing our reactions. We both fell into giggles of amazement of what we just shared.
The manatees seemed to care enough for this "freshwater human" that they decided for the better it needed help getting some air and lifted her up to the surface.
Our whole trip was a fun success but this tour will live on for the rest of our lives. During the quarantine in the COVID-19 pandemic I made a promise to myself to return and have a new tale to tell. I will go back to dive into the glassy clear spring and experience swimming with manatees with my daughter who has inherited my love for animals big and small, furry and scaled.
Florida has its own issues with this pandemic, so it isn’t safe to travel there yet for our family. My mom is immune compromised. We will return to visit my wonderful extended family and for the love of manatees.
At a Glance
Captain Tim’s Family Adventure Charters
Where: Crystal River, Florida
What: Tours and adventures along Crystal River. Encounter manatees and snorkel.
Status: Buy tickets daily
Official website: www.crystalrivermanateetour.com
Best way to get there: Landing at Tampa Bay Airport Drive 1.5 hours north on Suncoast Parkway. Or from Orlando about 2 hours west via Florida Turnpike.
Admission: $65 per person
Where to eat and stay: www.discovercrystalriverfl.com
