Swimming with the manatees in Florida! Sometimes we forget that great things can be close to home, too. We’re “home” in Florida for about six weeks before continuing on our “around-the-world” trip to Egypt, Beijing, and the South Pacific. This time we headed to Homosassa River springs, about 2 hours from Tampa.
Captain Mike’s set us all up with a wet suit, mask, and snorkel. We watched a video about Manatee Manners with coffee and donuts to munch on while we waited to board the “Magic Bus†for the 5 minute ride to the boat
Those first few steps were torture – cold water hitting warm neoprene, and then slowly seeping into the skin. Luckily, it took only a few minutes to acclimate, and then the search began.
Murky water suddenly dissolved into a flipper and the flipper into a 1500 pound creature! A creature looking quite similar to an alien, no less. An underwater alien! The face that materialized wasn’t something I immediately recognized. A bulbous, hairy nose, tiny eyes nearly hidden in rough folds of skin…I fell in love at first sight!
Letting it approach me, I felt my heart quicken at the sheer enormity of this creature moving toward me. I needn’t have worried, as this gentlest of giants meant no harm and was simply as curious of me as I was of her. We both stared at each other for several long moments. Me, trying to memorize every detail of the wrinkles and folds of this manatee sharing her space underwater with me. I reached one hand out and a flipper was extended in return. As instructed prior to the dive, I lightly scratched the area just behind the flipper.
Almost on queue, “my†manatee slowly rolled over on her back. An invitation to rub its white belly seemed the obvious invitation. Of course I obliged without question. I was being given an opportunity few have ever experienced. I shared a morning swim with something I had only read about before in books.
We are one. I felt that way today. I felt part of the harmony of nature. The bonds we share with those animals depending on us to shield them from human-made dangers are an important responsibility. Monofilament line, sharp boat bows, props and propellers can all hurt these gentle creatures that seem so wise. A little bit Yoda, all wrinkled and wizened, but full of purity of spirit.
One of the warden kayakers whose job it was to protect us from hurting these docile giants put it like this, “If you lived here, you’d do this, too.†She works in the mental health field during the week and volunteers with the manatees on Saturdays. I imagine a swim with a manatee to be better than most conventional forms of therapy any day!