October 26, 2021 - Crystal River, Florida
My fall trip to the Crystal River Springs are what inspired me to finally start a travel blog. It was such an incredible experience that I‘m learning not a lot of people have done before! It is definitely a bucket list item that I got to check off (next is swimming with sharks. 😉)
When you first arrive to Crystal River, you soon learn what a great job this town takes care of it’s wildlife. People here are so passionate about keeping the manatees safe from humans. Manatees are such gentle giants and I first saw one when I was standing on land at the popular spring for the manatees and saw them gliding by in the shallow, clear water. They come up for air every few minutes too, and you get to see their adorable mushy faces for the first time and hear them breathe air. It’s just a moment that makes you know how beautiful this world is and reminds you how small you are.
To swim with the manatees, all you have to do is get some goggles and a wetsuit and go for a swim, they rest on the bottom of the springs and swim around in pods. For my trip, I decided to do the guided tour where a boat takes you out to a very popular spring that the manatees like to be active in. The guide was amazing and told us so much information about these creatures. I was so excited, but nervous. Right when I got off the boat and started swimming, a manatee was just hanging onto the ladder of another boat nearby. I was so scared that I was just going to bump right into it! You don’t truly understand how big they are until you are right next to you or right underneath you. Once I warmed up to the idea of accidentally bumping into these sweet babes I was truly in heaven. They were so curious and kind to humans. One momma swam right along me and turned her belly over for tummy scratches. Magical does not even begin to describe the experience. I highly recommend going to this place and having a bit of a sojourn yourself.
Comments