Florida´s Manatees |
Story by Andy Clark (Holiday Divers Senior Journalist) |
Ironically, just days before I had ‘experienced’ an earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Rictor Scale – as I sat on a train, underground on the American Subway. I had been witness to the ground opening up, concrete support pillars crumbling under the weight of the roads and buildings above, fire and flooding. It had been horrific! The difference with my experience – that I could get up out of my seat, walk back out through the attraction doors and onto the streets of Universal Studios none the worse from my ordeal. An opportune and welcome respite from the rigors of Disney and all it entailed, American Pro Diving Centre had advertised the occasion to ‘dive and snorkel with the Manatee’ and offered a multitude of daily guided excursions with these gentle marine giants. All within an easy drive from Kissimmee, I seized my chance, gathered my diving kit and to the soothing melodies of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘America’, I headed north in search of the KFC on Highway 19. With kit in hand I boarded the American Pro Diving vessel – an aluminium floating platform with an outboard and a canopy – and cast off. It had the capacity for 22 divers/snorkelers Dave told us. I felt a little conscious we numbered just three – joining me were two Americans who had travelled from Massachusetts for the whole Manatee experience. ‘It’s a hell of a lot easier with three!’ Dave assured me. As we rounded a corner I could see a similar vessel anchored up. There were already a number of snorkelers in the water and as I watched, a solitary Manatee surfaced, snorted and submerged again. ‘There’s two here!’ Came cries from the water.
My kit was on. I was poised for an immediate and strategic entry. All was still. And then, away from the group another Manatee rose. Our vessel, engine cut, came to a standstill and Dave prepared to anchor. I made my entry and finned gently to ‘the last sighting area’. The Manatee had definitely been here – I couldn’t see a thing for the muck it had kicked up! It was quite an eerie sensation swimming pretty much alone in the vastness anticipating some huge mammal I had no previous knowledge or experience of to come up at me out of the gloom. Despite majority reports of their gentle nature I had my apprehensions! Kings Bay is huge natural freshwater harbour with depths rarely exceeding 2 metres. The whole area nominated a wildlife haven it offered every creature comfort a Manatee could wish for. During high season (November – March) it was not uncommon to swim with 50 or 60 Manatee and by all accounts there shouldn’t have been any at all during my visit (June). Thankful that ‘by all accounts’ was in this instance wrong, I happily finned about in the early morning sunshine full of expectation. Several minutes had passed before my first ‘ interaction’. After many sightings but little contact, I decided that ‘playing with the humans’ was not on the Manatee list of ‘things to do’ today! They were running rings around us quite clearly. But my enthusiasm and tenacity paid off and before too long an inquisitive adult honoured with its presence and allowed us the privilege of administering some ardent T.L.C. Cautiously at first, the visits would last just a minute or so before turning tail and disappearing into the clouds of freshly suspended silt before the obvious pleasure of having its back rubbed was all too much to abstain. You could almost see the pleasure across the big happy face. With back, head, fins and tummy rubbing going on, ‘playing with the humans’ was after all turning out to be really quite agreeable! I wasn’t sure what to expect on this package – you hear so many stories of badly run tours with too much energy and emphasis on relieving you of your money and little interest on whether or not it was money well spent. I was sceptical and prepared to speak out! As it happened, I had no need. We were in the water just after 0900 and were not in the least rushed through our ‘dive and snorkel with the Manatee’ experience, as advertised. In fact Dave, ‘never tiring of these interactions’, expressed so much enthusiasm for the day that I came away with a good deal of admiration for him. Approaching midday we made our way around to Kings Spring. Dave and I would dive, while the Massachusetts couple could snorkel if they so wished or just while away the afternoon in glorious sunshine and perfect peace. With my eagerness to dive, the water clarity seemed to improve. A stride entry and a descent to the ‘Manatee Monument’ displaying pleas for conservation of these beautiful creatures lovingly carved into a marble block headed with an equally well-sculptured Manatee figure. Sixteen metres to the bottom and an opportunity to explore the large limestone cavern, its walls encrusted with fossils, its floors inhabited by Ghost shrimps, Blue crabs, Mangrove snapper and Catfish was an absolute joy. My torch beam bouncing around the ceilings would occasionally fall into shallow passageways. Fixed on the entrance, I would follow the beam and as safely as possible, push myself a little way in. I could wholly understand the desire to penetrate deeper, to explore and open new realms. But alas, lack of experience and common sense prevailed; I content myself with the cavern, rummaging around for fossilised sand dollars and happy in the knowledge that I would live to dive another day. It was a shame to leave Kings Spring and all that it offered. I had the feeling that it would be my first and last such encounter. It had been an incredible day and a more than acceptable extension to the whole Disney trip. The Disney magic had accompanied me up Highway 19 and remained through the entire Manatee experience and I was truly glad of it. Picking my way-back down the road map, through late evening sunshine and long shadows, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I could share the adventure in the comfort of our Kissimmee villa.
MANATEE FACTSThe name Manatee derives from the Spanish ‘manati’ which in turn comes from the Caribbean word meaning ‘breast’. Manatees are large, aquatic marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. They are classed as herbivores but have been known to take small amounts of fish from nets. They are thought to have evolved from four legged land mammals over 60 million years ago and are closely related to the elephants and the hyraxes. They comprise three of the four living species in the order Sirenia, the other being the Dugong. Manatees differ from the Dugong in the shape of the tail and the shape of the skull. Manatees tails are paddle shaped whilst Dugongs tails are forked and similar to that of a Whale. Manatees are slow moving (swimming normally between 3 and 5 mph), non-aggressive, curious creatures. They enjoy warm waters and have been reported to congregate in numbers of up to 50 or 60 in Kings Spring, Crystal River. The population of Manatees (West Indian Manatees) in Florida (the northernmost range of their migration) is thought to be between 2000 and 3000 and fossil remains show they have inhabited the area for around 45 million years. They can reach ages of 60 years and can move freely between salt water and freshwater. The head springs of the Crystal, Homasassa and Chassawohitzka Rivers maintain water temperatures of 72°F during the winter months (high season - November to March) when congregations of Manatees have numbered as many as 400! This is obviously the best time to visit the area. Manatees have no natural predators but recorded Manatee deaths indicate 20%-40% are the direct result of human activity, the majority of which are boat collisions. All three-Manatee species are listed by the World Conservation Union as ‘vulnerable to extinction’. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission work endlessly to ensure its survival. Conservation Status: Vulnerable
American Pro Diving advertise 12 different dive sites, night dives, dive tuition (PADI Open Water Certification), kit hire and waterfront accommodation with 1, 2 or 3 bedrooms. At the marina you can swap experiences and mull over the days events in the comfort of the Sea-Grass Pub & Grill overlooking the river. AMERICANA2 days diving in the Crystal River, Rainbow River and Manatee Springs. PRO PACK3 days diving in the Crystal River, Rainbow River, Manatee Springs, night dive and Paradise Springs. NARCOSIS4 days diving in the Crystal River, Rainbow River, Manatee Springs, Blue Grotto, Devils Den and Paradise Springs. SNORKELERS’ DELIGHT2 days snorkelling in the Crystal River, Rainbow River and Homasassa River. For more information on packages and prices, visit the American Pro Diving site:- Go on! Extend the magic of Disney!
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That was the news some two weeks before, news that had escorted me through the inky black of early morning and into a crimson dawn, across the folds of a limp and lifeless road map and up to Highway 19, Florida. ‘You can’t miss it!’ Dave Middlestadt had assured me. ‘It’s right next door to KFC!’ 
The Manatee attraction at Kings Spring is just one of a number of snorkelling/diving experiences American Pro Diving offer and just one of a handful of opportunities to encounter Manatees. The Homasassa Tour is advertised as the ‘premium Manatee encounter’ and is described as being suitable for children due to the shallow depths of the Homasassa River.