Thursday Tickle

Bonjorno!

Manatees!

Oh hi there (Manatee Guides)

Need I say more? I could fill up an entire blogpost with just pictures of these majestic creatures. Basically a cross between a hippo and a sea lion, the manatees are a definite must-see when in Florida.

Even though I am a huuuuge animal lover, creatures from the deep have always frightened me beyond belief (traumatic experience from the movie ‘Jaws’, anyone?). However, when I read about the possibility to swim with manatees, I was as excited as a little kid on Christmas morning.

There are several places all over Florida where you can either spot manatees from a boat or canoe, or get your flippers on and actually swim with the animals. A (very) brief summary:

- Crystal Rivers: during wintertime, about 20% of the manatee population in the Florida Gulf Coast heads to Kings Bay near Crystal River. You can kayak, take a tour by boat or swim with the manatees.

- Blue Spring State Park: another winter refuge for a large amount of manatees. Here, you can take a boat tour on the river but swimming or snorkeling with the animals is strictly forbidden.

- Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park: this state park offers a little something extra: an underwater viewing area to experience the underwater world of the manatees while being able to keep your body safely on dry land. 

Possibly the best selfie ever (Ellen Cuylaerts on Sportdiver)

Swimming with these awesome mustached animals is something you cannot miss. Sadly the manatee is an endangered species. Many of the wildlife parks and refuges have conservation programs set up where you can get more in depth information. Because of this, it’s even more important, to respect the animal’s natural habitat and treat it with the dignity it deserves.

As usual, we’ll leave you with a little live footage to really put the ‘tickle’ in our Thursday Tickle. Below is a Youtube video uploaded by a user named William Drumm. He'll immerse you in the habitat of these gentle giants on an amazing snorkeling trip. You can also check out a clip over here from the people of Crystal River called: 'How to swim with manatees' Enjoy!

R & B