The Simple Life - Swimming with the Manatees

It seems strange that I've been going to Crystal River, Florida for 33 years and never really thought about the manatees.  I remember seeing one on my very first visit there during the winter of 1984.  We were in a small ski boat just taking a ride on the river.  A manatee came up right beside the boat and I was terrified.  It was nearly as big as the boat.  I didn't know anything about them at that time and it terrified me to think about being in the water with them.

That was 33 years ago and I've long ago gotten over worrying or even thinking about the manatees being in the water with us when we swim there.  I don't recall seeing any since then but I'm sure they were there.  As you can see in the video, the one we encountered was swimming right there where we were, just below the surface and no one but us noticed.

I love Crystal River and if the economy there were better and jobs more abundant, I'd love to live there.  There's no telling what the future holds; maybe we will end up there. For now occasional weekend trips to stay with family will have to suffice.

 This is the Three Sisters Springs area.  You can't take a boat back in there.  You either swim or go in a kyak or canoe.

 You can see the Crystal River Power Plant in the background.  That's the major employer in the area.  You either work there, in health care or the school system.

 A few words about kyakers - they are everywhere now!  I see more and more of them every year.  There are a lot of boaters, as you would expect.  The number of people in non-motorized boating vessels just keeps growing.  Important to remember that because you have to be alert and vigilant.  It gets pretty crazy in the areas where people are boating, swimming, snorkeling, diving and kyaking.

 This is the main channel.  It's almost all no wake zones in Crystal River now.  When I was first married, more than 30 years ago, we water skied in this area and in the canals too.  The conservation of the manatees has become a major concern.  If you want to go boating somewhere that you can go fast, Crystal River isn't for you.

 Someone is building a round house at the end of the canal where my in-laws live.  It's very interesting and I can't wait to see it when it's finished.

 So, houses are as varied as boating vessels.  There are mansions and there are old, run down homes like the one above. 

All new homes are on stilts due to new building codes.  I loved the color of this one.  It's also four stories tall.  I would not want to climb all those stairs all day long.