Last Updated on May 6, 2024 by Nicole
Swimming with manatees has been a lifelong dream of mine. Recently, while visiting Florida, I was able to spend a couple of days in Crystal River, home to the National Wildlife Refuge for manatees. During our three-hour adventure, we explored the manatees’ natural habitat, swam alongside two of these gentle giants, and snorkeled in the stunning natural springs of Three Sisters Springs. It was an incredible experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone visiting that area. In this blog post, I’ll share our journey to help you prepare for your own bucket list adventure!
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Our Journey to Crystal River
My husband, our 19-year-old daughter, and I spent a few days enjoying Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando before renting a car and driving approximately 100 miles (about 2 hours) to Crystal River. The drive was straightforward, especially after navigating past Orlando’s traffic.
We arrived around 1:00 PM and checked into the Plantation on Crystal River for one night. The hotel is beautifully situated right by the river and features a large pool, restaurant, and bar with sweeping river views. We enjoyed a lovely afternoon at the pool soaking up the sun and scenery.
While the hotel could use some updates, with rooms that need repairs, we found the food to be tasty and the staff friendly and welcoming.
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Crystal River and the Manatees
Crystal River is known as the “Manatee Capital of the World” and is the only National Wildlife Refuge in the United States designed to protect the habitats of Florida’s official marine animal.
No other location has as many manatees as Crystal River, Homosassa, and the waters of Citrus County. Each winter, 500 to 1,000 manatees migrate to these areas, drawn by the natural spring systems that maintain consistent temperatures between 72° to 74° F (23° C).
Despite their large size, manatees are incredibly gentle. They are peaceful creatures that avoid aggressive behavior and live harmoniously within their underwater environments.
From mid-November to late March, manatees migrate from the cooler waters of the Gulf of Mexico to King’s Bay, the headwaters of the Crystal River. This area hosts the largest wintering aggregation of manatees in the United States. The shallow springs maintain a temperature of around 72°F year-round, essential for the manatees’ survival.
While there are manatees in Crystal River after March, their numbers significantly decline. Some choose to make the warm Florida waters their permanent home.
We visited in late April and learned that around 20 to 40 manatees were still in the area.
Preparing for Our Swim with Manatees
We booked a three-hour tour that included a knowledgeable in-water guide and a photographer, and it was an amazing experience.
While it’s technically possible to swim with manatees without a tour, I highly recommend booking one for several reasons:
- There are numerous rules and regulations to follow;
- Protecting the manatees is crucial, and experts can help ensure that happens; and
- A guided tour will help you find the manatees more quickly.
Our tour began at 7:30 AM, and although there were several other time slots available throughout the day, we were advised that an early start yields better results.
With less boat traffic, manatees are easier to locate and observe, and there’s less disturbance in the water, which helps keep it clear and calm.
The tour began on land, where we were suited up in wetsuits. Although the water temperature is consistently a comfortable 72° to 74° F, you’ll often find yourself floating and observing rather than swimming, making it beneficial to wear a wetsuit for warmth and buoyancy.
After dressing in wetsuits, we watched a brief 10-minute video about the rules and regulations for interacting with manatees. Most of the guidelines were common sense, like avoiding touching the manatees, not blocking their path, and never positioning yourself between a mother and her calf.
Some rules were specific to this experience, such as remaining still when near a manatee, tucking your arms close to your body, so you don’t frighten them away.
Next, we boarded the boat.
Boating to the Manatees
Our boat was spacious and flat-bottomed to suit the shallow river. It had long benches on either side, providing ample room for everyone.
Each participant received a snorkel set and had the option to use a foam noodle for buoyancy. Throughout the trip, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and bottled water were freely available.
In just a few minutes, we arrived at the spot where the manatees were known to hang out. Several boats were already there, so we spent about 15 minutes looking for manatees away from the crowded areas. Given that there are fewer manatees during this time of year, each boat hopes to find its own few, allowing for more space for everybody.
Manatees need to surface for air every few minutes, so you can spot them by scanning the water for signs of movement. As they swim underwater, they create little ripples on the surface.
Our guide and captain skillfully spotted some swirls and found a mother manatee with her calf.
Swimming with the Manatees
Our guide entered the water first to locate the manatees, then signaled for us to join her.
Unlike many pictures you might see online, the water was rather murky, making it challenging to see clearly. A recent storm had washed in saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico, damaging the seagrass that usually keeps the waters clear.
Finding the manatees required some detective work. I quickly learned to identify their outlines against the water’s surface, which initially appeared differently colored. Following an outline led me to see them moving and eventually surfacing to breathe.
I had the most incredible encounters with two manatees on four separate occasions as they emerged for air. There were moments when I floated right above a manatee as it swam upwards. Even though I couldn’t move out of the way in time, the manatee would glide past me, surfacing just inches from my face.
On one occasion, I was chatting with our guide and didn’t notice a manatee surfacing nearby until its head appeared right between us. It caught me completely off guard, but it was a remarkable experience.
Adult manatees typically measure 9-10 feet in length and weigh around 1,000 pounds, but some can exceed 13 feet and weigh over 3,500 pounds. It’s astonishing that a creature of such size can be so stealthy, but that was my reality on this trip.
I am deeply passionate about ethical and authentic wildlife experiences, having enjoyed many around the globe. If you share this passion, check out these articles:
Snorkeling in Three Sisters Springs
After about 45 minutes swimming with the manatees, our guide asked if we wanted to snorkel in Three Sisters Springs, and everyone eagerly agreed.
Three Sisters Springs is about a 15-minute boat ride from where we were anchored. Since motorized boats aren’t allowed inside the springs, we were dropped off at the water entry point and snorkeled in from there.
Three Sisters Springs is a stunning natural site, featuring crystal-clear waters and a peaceful atmosphere. The area is named after three natural springs that flow from deep underground, supplying a continuous stream of vibrant turquoise water.
Visitors can experience the springs in various ways, including leisurely kayak or canoe trips to enjoy the calmness and observe the vibrant marine life, especially the manatees.
If you prefer staying on land, the springs are surrounded by elevated boardwalks that provide panoramic views and excellent points for watching the wildlife.
We snorkeled among the three springs for approximately 20 minutes, marveling at the colorful fish and diverse underwater life. While there aren’t typically manatees there at this time of year, the springs were incredibly serene and beautiful.
Exploring the springs up close was fascinating. Unlike swimming with manatees, we could dive to our heart’s content, exploring the springs’ depths. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever dreamed of swimming with manatees, make your way to Crystal River, Florida. Winter is the ideal time to witness dozens of them, but there are always a few to see year-round. Enjoy the stunning scenery and the gentle nature of these beautiful creatures. It’s truly a remarkable experience.
