Torontonian
Contributor
On the morning of Sat. Aug. 26, 5 of us went to Adventure Diving at 8am, for a manatee snorkeling and diving trip at Crystal River. We were with Adventure for a night diving trip the night before, review here
Again Dave is the captain and Shawn the DM on the big pontoon boat. Im the only diver while my wife, a couple/friend, and mother-in-law were all snorkelers. For my MIL it was her first snorkel trip. We took her to local pool to practice with the snorkel gears beforehand. I was told theres another group on another boat, but the pontoon boat they were taking us (same one we went out for night diving the night before) only had us. It was like a private charter for the 5 of us, great.
Because of the water temp at 72F, everyone needs to wear a full wetsuit. It took longer than I thought, for everyone to try and find a suitable wetsuit. It must have been about 9am by the time our boat went out. We all had our own mask/fin/snorkel. On our way out we saw an American Pro boat coming back. American Pro is another shop I had considered booking us on, for the tours at Crystal River and also Rainbow River (in the afternoon). I counted 10 people on the boat, so there must be 7 or 8 snorkeler/divers. If we had book with them, it would mean there would be 12-13 of us in a big group. That was one comment I remember reading that you can be in a large group of people with American Pro. At that time, I felt fortunate that we made the right booking.
The morning tour was to be snorkeling (including me, no diving) with manatees first, then a one-tank dive for me at a location of my choice. Dave and Shawn both looked for manatees. We saw some more boats (all with more people) that were also trying to find manatees to snorkel with. We eventually came to one location where there were two boats with people in water. Nearby there was a small wooden pier and Dave saw some more manatees that we could try to go play with. Shawn and I got into the water first, the water was not that clear, viz maybe 5-10.
I found a small manatee as it swam by below me. I reached down to pat its back but it continue swimming. Then I saw it was eating some weed below. I followed it and yell to others that I found one. The others begin to come down, but then I lost track of it. My MIL came down, and immediately needed help. I swam right over to help and found I could stand there in mud, maybe some seeweed. By that time that manatee had swam away. Some other people from another boat also came near us.
Dave spotted another one and pointed out to us. We swam in that direction. Shawn and I both found it. While Shawn helped others, I followed the manatee to under the pier, again it was eating. It was like she was sucking up some bunches of sea grass. When the others came by or were adjusting their gears, we lost that manatee again. Dave saw two swimming away. People from the other boat(s) that were near us, continued looking, just as Dave kept looking. Dave spotted more coming by, by then went away. This continued on for a while. Then Dave told us to get on and wed move to another location with frequent manatee sighting. I had told my group that manatees are found easier in the winter, and that in the summer time like this we may or may not find manatees. It will be great if we find some, but did prepare them just in case they didnt see manatees so that they wont be very disappointed.
As we were heading away, we saw two more pontoon boats filled with people. They were both quite full, maybe 20 people each, and both were American Pro. Boy was I glad we were not on one of those boats with American Pro.
It took 15-20min ride to get to another location. Dave saw two large manatees, maybe 3. Shawn and I (the two experienced ones) got in first, the others followed. This time my MIL was much better. Well, the manatees didnt want to stay, and were moving away. We looked a little more. Then Dave decided we need to go elsewhere. While we were cruising, it began to rain. But we also looked and saw different birds, and learned their names.
It was another 10-15min. to get to another location with manatee sighting. Two large manatees actually came by the boat and we all saw them. This time Dave told Shawn and I to get down only and have others wait. The two manatees were playing with each other, but not interested in us. We got near them, then they swam away. This went on a few times, until they were far away and kept swimming away. We decided to head back. We knew Dave tried, and we did see those manatees too, but they just dont want to play with us. Shawn explained that larger manatees often dont play with people, but the juveniles are the ones that often play with people.
We were heading back, and I decided Id like to dive at the Kings Springs cavern again. The other places all sound just like an ordinary shallow water dive. The viz wasnt good. Dave and Shawn said its usually a lot more clear than this. But could be the rain, or some other factors that made those two days having bad viz. At that time, a plastic bag I was using flew out. Dave turned the boat to go to that bag while Shawn picked it up. We then realized they cared about not polluting the environment. That impressed me.
Well, on our way back, there was one more manatee sighting. This time it was a smaller one, I guess thats what Shawn called a juvenile. Dave stopped and had Shawn and I go down. This time we were able to catch up and played with it. Others followed in. This time we really had a treat. This manatee did allow us to pat and rub its back, behind the two front flaps. It swam away, then came back to be rubbed. Away and back. This time everyone saw them. My MIL is the only one (clinging to a noodle most of the time) that did not get to pat or rub the manatee. She said she saw 3 manatees, which I later explained it was the same one that swam by her 3 times. We all had a good time, before getting back on the boat, happy.
By the time we got back to Kings Spring, it was 11:45am when we started our dive. This time it was Shawn the DM and I. Water viz was still poor, maybe 10. Inside the cavern was again 30. We still didnt see too many fish. Saw some blue crabs, but fewer than last night, and did not see the big one. Near the end we saw a big eel. Shawn later said it was about 3 and it was the biggest he saw. At the end when we came out of the cavern, Shawn took me to the manatee monument again. The dive still lasted 45min, with 1200 psi remaining. This dive wasnt as good as the night dive before (well, the night factor made it more interesting), but still pretty good.
We were also glad that it would be the same boat that they would take to the Rainbow trip for the afternoon. After getting back to shore we quickly went back to the hotel to check out, bought lunch from nearby Subway, and was ready to go back for the next trip.
Again Dave is the captain and Shawn the DM on the big pontoon boat. Im the only diver while my wife, a couple/friend, and mother-in-law were all snorkelers. For my MIL it was her first snorkel trip. We took her to local pool to practice with the snorkel gears beforehand. I was told theres another group on another boat, but the pontoon boat they were taking us (same one we went out for night diving the night before) only had us. It was like a private charter for the 5 of us, great.
Because of the water temp at 72F, everyone needs to wear a full wetsuit. It took longer than I thought, for everyone to try and find a suitable wetsuit. It must have been about 9am by the time our boat went out. We all had our own mask/fin/snorkel. On our way out we saw an American Pro boat coming back. American Pro is another shop I had considered booking us on, for the tours at Crystal River and also Rainbow River (in the afternoon). I counted 10 people on the boat, so there must be 7 or 8 snorkeler/divers. If we had book with them, it would mean there would be 12-13 of us in a big group. That was one comment I remember reading that you can be in a large group of people with American Pro. At that time, I felt fortunate that we made the right booking.
The morning tour was to be snorkeling (including me, no diving) with manatees first, then a one-tank dive for me at a location of my choice. Dave and Shawn both looked for manatees. We saw some more boats (all with more people) that were also trying to find manatees to snorkel with. We eventually came to one location where there were two boats with people in water. Nearby there was a small wooden pier and Dave saw some more manatees that we could try to go play with. Shawn and I got into the water first, the water was not that clear, viz maybe 5-10.
I found a small manatee as it swam by below me. I reached down to pat its back but it continue swimming. Then I saw it was eating some weed below. I followed it and yell to others that I found one. The others begin to come down, but then I lost track of it. My MIL came down, and immediately needed help. I swam right over to help and found I could stand there in mud, maybe some seeweed. By that time that manatee had swam away. Some other people from another boat also came near us.
Dave spotted another one and pointed out to us. We swam in that direction. Shawn and I both found it. While Shawn helped others, I followed the manatee to under the pier, again it was eating. It was like she was sucking up some bunches of sea grass. When the others came by or were adjusting their gears, we lost that manatee again. Dave saw two swimming away. People from the other boat(s) that were near us, continued looking, just as Dave kept looking. Dave spotted more coming by, by then went away. This continued on for a while. Then Dave told us to get on and wed move to another location with frequent manatee sighting. I had told my group that manatees are found easier in the winter, and that in the summer time like this we may or may not find manatees. It will be great if we find some, but did prepare them just in case they didnt see manatees so that they wont be very disappointed.
As we were heading away, we saw two more pontoon boats filled with people. They were both quite full, maybe 20 people each, and both were American Pro. Boy was I glad we were not on one of those boats with American Pro.
It took 15-20min ride to get to another location. Dave saw two large manatees, maybe 3. Shawn and I (the two experienced ones) got in first, the others followed. This time my MIL was much better. Well, the manatees didnt want to stay, and were moving away. We looked a little more. Then Dave decided we need to go elsewhere. While we were cruising, it began to rain. But we also looked and saw different birds, and learned their names.
It was another 10-15min. to get to another location with manatee sighting. Two large manatees actually came by the boat and we all saw them. This time Dave told Shawn and I to get down only and have others wait. The two manatees were playing with each other, but not interested in us. We got near them, then they swam away. This went on a few times, until they were far away and kept swimming away. We decided to head back. We knew Dave tried, and we did see those manatees too, but they just dont want to play with us. Shawn explained that larger manatees often dont play with people, but the juveniles are the ones that often play with people.
We were heading back, and I decided Id like to dive at the Kings Springs cavern again. The other places all sound just like an ordinary shallow water dive. The viz wasnt good. Dave and Shawn said its usually a lot more clear than this. But could be the rain, or some other factors that made those two days having bad viz. At that time, a plastic bag I was using flew out. Dave turned the boat to go to that bag while Shawn picked it up. We then realized they cared about not polluting the environment. That impressed me.
Well, on our way back, there was one more manatee sighting. This time it was a smaller one, I guess thats what Shawn called a juvenile. Dave stopped and had Shawn and I go down. This time we were able to catch up and played with it. Others followed in. This time we really had a treat. This manatee did allow us to pat and rub its back, behind the two front flaps. It swam away, then came back to be rubbed. Away and back. This time everyone saw them. My MIL is the only one (clinging to a noodle most of the time) that did not get to pat or rub the manatee. She said she saw 3 manatees, which I later explained it was the same one that swam by her 3 times. We all had a good time, before getting back on the boat, happy.
By the time we got back to Kings Spring, it was 11:45am when we started our dive. This time it was Shawn the DM and I. Water viz was still poor, maybe 10. Inside the cavern was again 30. We still didnt see too many fish. Saw some blue crabs, but fewer than last night, and did not see the big one. Near the end we saw a big eel. Shawn later said it was about 3 and it was the biggest he saw. At the end when we came out of the cavern, Shawn took me to the manatee monument again. The dive still lasted 45min, with 1200 psi remaining. This dive wasnt as good as the night dive before (well, the night factor made it more interesting), but still pretty good.
We were also glad that it would be the same boat that they would take to the Rainbow trip for the afternoon. After getting back to shore we quickly went back to the hotel to check out, bought lunch from nearby Subway, and was ready to go back for the next trip.
