I took the boys to swim with the manatees on Friday down in Crystal River, Florida. I did it during a solo camping trip that I took a couple of years before Thatcher was born and I’ve been looking forward to sharing the experience with them for several years now. They’re at a pretty good age for some more adventurous experiences and they’re both pretty brave….which makes life fun. It also seemed appropriate for Earth Day as the very endangered Florida manatees are making a pretty significant come back.
We met up with River Ventures, a company I would gladly recommend to anyone interested…or even those who aren’t, and participated in a quick classroom discussion about manatees and how to safely navigate the waters to snorkel with them, before boarding our boat. We had a great day and I’m thrilled the boys not only had the experience, but enjoyed it as much as I did.
The material in the short video below is from our trip. The photos in the gallery are favorites provided by River Ventures from past days. During Florida’s colder months, the manatee population in that area hang out in a warm spring…which makes for much better viewing and even more up close and personal encounters. My first time was in the spring and I’ll never forget it. While this time we were in murkier water in the larger body of the lake, experiencing it with the boys made it even more unforgettable.
Good Morning Gloucester 