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Editor's Note: This article was written circa 2000.  Details have no doubt changed.  If anyone has more recent experiences, please post them to the comment blog section below.

CITRUS COUNTY, FLORIDA, USA  - Every year they come by the hundreds to find warmth and shelter and a familiar habitat. No, I'm not talking about Snowbird's retreating from frigid northern regions like New York or Chicago, I'm talking about manatees.

The folks in Citrus County, 70 miles north of Tampa and 60 miles northwest of Orlando, have always remembered it this way. The clear springs and abundant plant life here make this playground perfect for the gentle seas creatures and have made Citrus County famous world wide for its manatee population.

Once threatened with extinction, the manatee population is now growing, thanks to the stringent protective law. Each year many tourists now learn about the plight of the endangered creatures first hand by donning a wetsuit and snorkeling the warm springs where the manatees come to escape the cold winter ocean temperatures.

Protection of the manatees is taken very seriously and the rules are strict: no chasing, riding or otherwise harassing the manatees. Swimmers must allow the animal to approach them, not the other way around, and never touch with more than one hand at a time. The rules didn't damper the experience in the least.

Early Birds
Since the best time to snorkel with the manatees is early morning, our adventure started before seven A.M. as we donned our wetsuits. The air was cool, even cold by Florida standards, but the water in the springs is warm, one of the principle attractions for the manatees.

We boarded a pontoon boat and cruised through the mist covered waters past boat channels and waterfront real estate towards the springs. The captain had no sooner turned off the engine when the boat was surrounded by curious manatees. We were again reminded of the rules before adjusting our snorkels and face masks and jumping in.

We didn't have to worry about not approaching the manatees, they immediately began to approach us. Since they have no natural enemies, the manatees regularly made contact with their awestruck human visitors, and seemed to particularly enjoy being scratched under the flippers. At one point, I found myself surrounded by a swirling, graceful underwater ballet as three baby manatees played a game of tag, seemingly oblivious of my presence.

Swimming with the manatees isn't difficult or too physically exerting. There were young children as well as seniors on our trip. If you want a lifetime of stories to tell your friends, and the videos to prove them, do not miss this rare opportunity to interact with nature.

Planning your Own Manatee Adventure
The folks at Bird's Underwater in Crystal River will get you set up. Licensed Coast Guard captains and scuba diving instructors, Bill and Diana Oestreich know the subject of manatees intimately.

Tours are regularly conducted in October through March and at other times of the year, depending on whether or not any manatees are in residence.

Reservations are a must as the trips regularly sell out. Bill and Diana also video tape each tour. There is no better souvenir of your trip to Florida than Bird's gorgeously produced video of you swimming alongside your new underwater friends.

Call Bird's at 352-563-2763, or click to their website at www.BirdsUnderwater.com.

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