The Complete Guide to the Crystal River Manatees – What you need to plan your trip to this special part of Florida and see its very unique winter-time visitors – the Florida Manatee!
The small town of Crystal River in Citrus County on the “Nature Coast” of Florida is without doubt the best place in North America to see and, if you are really lucky, interact briefly with the very special and quite unique Florida Manatee
Every winter, as water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico drop to the low 70’s Fahrenheit.
Hundreds of manatees migrate up the Crystal River to seek refuge in the warm waters of Kings Bay.
Although the Florida Manatee is classified as endangered. In Crystal River people are allowed in the water to “swim-with” them. And a quite significant tourist industry operates in the winter months to support that.
On busy days conditions are far from ideal and quality interactions are highly unlikely.
Plus there are specific rules (which are changing…) you need to follow. And it all can be quite frustrating plus a bit confusing! Which is why I put together this Guide to the Crystal River Manatees… Use it to get a basic understanding of these wonderful creatures. Then combine it with a bit patience and you should be able to have some incredible interactions with them.
Florida Manatees
A winter’s dawn is a very special time to be out on Kings Bay as the Crystal River manatees return from foraging on the local sea-grass.
Cold and tired, they need the warm spring waters in the refuges in the area to restore their body temperature – Read more…
Original Mermaid?
The manatees of the Crystal River are Sirenians. An order of large aquatic mammals with stout bodies which look a bit like small whales.
Said to be the source of the mermaid myth, their name comes from “sirens”, the ancient term for sea nymphs – Read more…
Manatee Home…
The sign at City Hall says it all… It’s true too, Crystal River is indeed where to come if you want to see these unique creatures.
Peel the onion however and you will find a lot of lingering resentment among local residents towards the manatee – Read more…
Manatee Swimming
The “swim with” program is a major source of contention between the conservationists and the tour operators.
An anachronism dating back to before the Endangered Species Act, it was “grandfathered” through the legislation – Read more…
The Three Sisters
This set of 3 large springs is probably the most unique. And certainly the most inspiring place to truly appreciate the Florida manatee.
Set in a wildlife refuge of pristine vegetation, the Three Sisters is one of Florida’s last remaining urban springs – Read more…
An Opinion
The opportunity to photograph and interact with large creatures like the Crystal River manatees is for me as good as it gets!
Being in the water with the manatees was a fantastic experience, but I left Crystal River with a degree of ambivalence – Read more…
Planning Your Trip
Some key points to understand when planning a trip to Crystal River. So you can make the most of the interaction with the manatees.
Most important is the “special use permit” that will give you the chance of a much close and more photogenic interaction – Read more…
The Future…
What does the future of Crystal River manatee tourism look like? Well… the signs are it will be quite different going forward.
Access to the Three Sisters Spring looks certain to be restricted, you will have to be guided and a lottery system will apply – Read more…
Mantee Article
“Adventures in Wildlife Photography” magazine Anima Mundi published an extended article of mine on the Florida Manatees.
The Manatees of the Crystal River article can be downloaded from this site or from the Anima Mundi site – Read more…
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