Swim with Florida Manatee|
Swim with Manatees Sunday 27th January 2008 3 day manatee swim adventure Swim with manatee in their winter home, experience them close-up by small boat in a relaxed peaceful setting. Use your snorkels and masks (no fins) to swim with these gentle creatures in water between 3ft and 8ft deep. We can photograph or video them in shallow springs and see some of the amazing wildlife that Florida, the sunshine state, has to offer. Group size will be ten guests maximum. This means we don't crowd the manatees plus we all get wonderful encounters and great photos. We need a minimum of 5 guests to make this trip run. |
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We depart early on Sunday morning 27th from Singer Island, Palm Beach Shores... so please fly into Palm Beach Saturday 26th or before. We return to Singer Island, Palm Beach Shores late on Tuesday evening so you should book your return flight out of PBI for Wednesday 30th or after. |
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Sunday Sunday afternoon we will check in at our picturesque riverside motel cabins in the beautiful area of the crystal springs. This area is idyllic with Spanish moss hanging from old-growth trees, where pelican, egret, osprey, anhinga, ibis and heron make their homes. There are many varieties of fish too, including mullet, largemouth bass and tarpon. This place is truly a nature-lovers dream come true. Our riverside cabins have large beds, color TV, coffee makers, and private bathrooms, and are in a wonderfully relaxing setting, that puts me in mind of 'Huckleberry Fin'. |
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Monday swimming with Manatee At 8am it's all aboard on a cruise upriver past Monkey Island towards the freshwater springs. If we're lucky we will see the beautiful morning mists over the lake, a real treat of Northwest Florida. We can enjoy the pretty trees laden with hanging moss, the water birds and the lovely scenery. Everyone can be a lookout for our manatee friends. Our first manatee of the day is always a wonderful sight. When we find a good area we will stop and anchor the boat and be free to enter the water to snorkel or photograph these gentle giants. We will spend most of the day in the manatee's favorite places, you can swim or stand with them in shallow 72f (20c) water. Hopefully we can get some wonderful photos of these amazing creatures whose closest land relative is the elephant. Some are sleepy, some are inquisitive and playful, others just love to have a belly rub and roll over with joy if you oblige. Lunch will be picnic style onboard our pontoon boat. We can spend some more time with the manatee before a scenic afternoon cruise back to our cozy cabins. The late afternoon/evening will be at leisure. You may want to rent a canoe, go fishing or just enjoy the climate on your verandah. In the evening there are some great local restaurants to try....fresh sea food is abundant here. -Highlights: Riverside Motel facilities; |
| Tuesday swimming with Manatee This morning we are off to swim with our manatee friends again. Maybe you'll recognize one from the day before. Don't forget to bring that camera along; if you bring an underwater camera even better(available locally). After another morning with the manatees we will return to a shared late check out cabin for a hot shower. If there is time we may choose to visit The Homosassa Springs State Park (entrance fee extra). We will then drive back to Singer Island and you will be taken to you Palm Beach Shores motel for you last overnight. -Highlights: Riverside Motel facilities; |
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Please be aware Our group needs to be at least 5 participants to run the trip, so please do not book flights until I have confirmed to you that five deposits have been received. If we get less than five your deposit will be refunded. E-mail or phone to reserve your space. Remember book early space is limited to maximum ten places. The tour may be done in a different order. Manatees are wild animals, and we can never guarantee how many we will see. However we always choose the best times of the year to visit them, and have not had a day without manatees so far. |
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The early morning mists over the crystal springs are beautiful... |
| It's good to take forty winks now and again... |
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Pelicans in the branches... |
| Manatee floss their teeth daily... |
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Bob with a friendly 3000 pounder... |
| Kazuyo's Manatee friends... |
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Give me a tow ... |
| Always remember to floss ! |
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