Another successful High Adventure Trip

[Buffalo Skipper]

Every other year since 2000, our troop does a Manatee trip. We drive down to Crystal River (8 hours) and take a day swimming with manatees. This year was the most spectacular ever. We saw an estimated 200-300 manatees. The water was cold, but the wet suits helped. Though there were way too many "tourists" (like us) stirring up the sediments in the morning, when we came back in the afternoon, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves, so the water was crystal clear. Afternoon manatee numbers were down to 50-60 or so, but many of these were as curious about us as we were with them. One even caught up with me from behind and nudged me (surprised the stew out of me!) and then proceeded to do repeated rolls and ended up going nose-to-nose with me! Too bad I spent the whole roll of film on the water proof camera in the morning when it was cloudy and crowded.

 

Most importanly, of course, the scouts had a great time and most can't wait to come back in 2 years.

 

What made the trip extra special, was the snow day on Friday, and being able to drive 2.5 hours in the snow while heading east after leaving the scout hut. For almost half of our scouts, it was the first time they had ever seen snow. Nothing stuck, but that was beside the point. We had snow and manatees in less than 24 hours.

[JerseyScout]

Sounds awesome.

[GKlose]

Personally, I would be afraid to swim with manatees -- one of them might start thinking "mmmm!" and decide that I was to be its next spouse. :-)

 

Guy

[OldGreyEagle]

I've been to Crystal River, I have seen Manatees, and while Guy, I have never seen you, you are much preferable to any Manatee I have ever seen

[Buffalo Skipper]

Some of the scouts were scared to go in at first, and that is understandable. These things are 10' long and weigh 800-1200 lbs, but I have never encountered so docile a creature. I have hangups about some things here and there, but I never once perceived them as a danger in any way. With the incredible quantities of these creatures in the water, I can only describe the experience of swimming with them in the wild to be surreal.

[GKlose]

OGE -- I can explain it with this analogy. My wife has said that she loves traveling to visit my family (SW Ohio, and Wisconsin) because she "feels like a skinny woman there".

 

So that's the way I'd describe me -- I'd bet I'm pretty darned attractive, to a manatee. :-)

 

Then again, I'd probably be safe if I figured out what "the look of love" is in a manatee's eyes.

 

Guy

 

 

[BrentAllen]

Back in my college days, I was president of the Georgia Tech Scuba Club (Scuba Jackets) and we would run check-out dive classes down to Crystal River. We never saw them in the hundreds, but there were always a dozen or so around. They didn't seem to like the Scuba tanks too much. I never had one swim up to me while I had the tank on, but I did have a couple of younger ones swim right up while snorkling. They always look like they are smiling at you. Cool animals! Sounds like a great trip! Where did you stay?

[Buffalo Skipper]

They were present in those numbers because of the sustained cold this winter. That is not a normal event. Most of what we experienced was snorkeling in 3-5' of water. I was standing more than I was swimming.

We rented wet suits and a pontoon boat at a local marina. The whole trip ran $80/scout. This included all day boat rental, wet suits, gas (900 miles round trip, 2 vehicles), food and camp cost. We stayed at Sand Hill Scout Reservation, about 30 miles south of Crystal River, near Brooksville, FL. Very nice facility for only $25.00/weekend/troop. "Outdoor" hot showers in every camp site (temps for us were in the mid 30s first night, and mid 20s second night--very cold for this area). If you dive, check out these pics. This is an area open only to a select spelunking/diving group which carries their own insurance; it is not even generally known by local scouts: