Making Friends with the Manatee

A whole mess of worldclass activities are taking place this weekend in Tampa: the Honda Grand Prix Indy races, a Seafood Festival in DeSoto and one of largest air shows in the Department of Defense - the Blue Angles aerobatic demonstration team performing at the MacDill airforce base. Despite all that, my mind is on the crystal clear coastline and catching sight of a 2000 pound manatee.

I'm in Homosassa Crystal River, the only place in the United States where people may legally swim with and touch manatees that live in the constant 72-degree spring waters. Manatees are large, gentle aquatic mammals also know as sea cows or dugongs. They have round faces, small peanut-size brown eyes, and tails thought to have inspired the idea of mermaids existing in the West Atlantic waters. Like an elephant, manatees have tusks, whiskers and a long nose, similar to a trunk. They are charming and docile creatures that dine on seagrass beds and freshwater or marine vegetation. But between pollution and habitat destruction the species is in danger of becoming extinct. Also, careless boaters that disregard speed limits often collide with manatees physically injuring and sometimes killing the creature.

In a few days, my family and I will be donning wetsuits, flippers and masks and making our way into the deep to catch a glimpse of a manatee. It's a thrill we've waited several years for. In a roped-off area of the canal, we'll be able to reach out and touch the manatee and learn more about its fragility. I'll be toting along my camera and expecting fabulous photography. More to come as soon as I return in a few days.