A lot of divers are coming down to do Manatees and then do guided dives with the two Holy Trinities of manatees/guided dives. Which are:
Homosassa: Sunshinerivertours (best tour for money)
Air Tank Divers (hysterical boat captain)
Riverside Resorts ( High End Hotel, many rental options)
Crystal River: Birdsunderwater (best tour for money)
Manatee Dive and Tour (best eductional tour)
Port Hotel and Marina (Most options- tour, various boat size rental)
Where are the "Watch us Launch" companies at Crystal River? Don't know, don't care.
With the Two Trinities, if the boat captain hits you up for tips, the owners hit the captain over the head with an anchor. Also, being serious, the boats are in the water. There is NO RISK of you or your kids slipping and sliding on a ramp next to a boat someone is trying to unload from a trailer. That this also means your tour time isn't being wasted is a plus but not the point. Again, please, be informed. Ask the company before you book. Just thinking about the image of a squashed human under a boat trailer at a public ramp. It doesn't matter how much less the tour is compared to the companies who pay to dock their boats when safety is an issue. Yes, a docked boat tour will run you the $29.50 plus about $20.00 for full rental gear (give or take) and it's worth it. The "Watch us Launch" companies (as they are known in the area) are much less (unless they try to burn you but that was supposed to have stopped), but again, what is safety worth?
Camping. I want ideas. If you have a portable thing, Encore is a decent place. But for tents, anyone have suggestions? Costs? Details, all that.
MajorD (ret)
Homosassa: Sunshinerivertours (best tour for money)
Air Tank Divers (hysterical boat captain)
Riverside Resorts ( High End Hotel, many rental options)
Crystal River: Birdsunderwater (best tour for money)
Manatee Dive and Tour (best eductional tour)
Port Hotel and Marina (Most options- tour, various boat size rental)
Where are the "Watch us Launch" companies at Crystal River? Don't know, don't care.
With the Two Trinities, if the boat captain hits you up for tips, the owners hit the captain over the head with an anchor. Also, being serious, the boats are in the water. There is NO RISK of you or your kids slipping and sliding on a ramp next to a boat someone is trying to unload from a trailer. That this also means your tour time isn't being wasted is a plus but not the point. Again, please, be informed. Ask the company before you book. Just thinking about the image of a squashed human under a boat trailer at a public ramp. It doesn't matter how much less the tour is compared to the companies who pay to dock their boats when safety is an issue. Yes, a docked boat tour will run you the $29.50 plus about $20.00 for full rental gear (give or take) and it's worth it. The "Watch us Launch" companies (as they are known in the area) are much less (unless they try to burn you but that was supposed to have stopped), but again, what is safety worth?
Camping. I want ideas. If you have a portable thing, Encore is a decent place. But for tents, anyone have suggestions? Costs? Details, all that.
MajorD (ret)
