January 26, 2015

If you read my post “Snorkeling with Manatees, Crystal River, Florida (Jan.1, 2015)” you’ll already know that Captains Mike & Stacy (of Manatees in Paradise) are passionate about Manatees.  They are active members of the USFWS rescue squad. They are also tour operators. They don’t do it for the money, they do it to offer a different kind of experience, one that places the Mantee’s interests first. That’s why any form of harassment, as seen below, really disturbs them…

Capt. Stacy explains “As you know the winter is a “survival” mode for the majority of manatee, you did not see any food at the springs…..the only manatees for the most part that are curious, are the dependent calves who aren’t aware of what their mother must face to feed them. The mother will many times leave the baby in the safety of the sanctuary and swim down river to feed herself so she can in turn, nurse her baby. So you see them trying to relax and sleep mostly….as you saw…….unless people were bothering them…which is the BIG controversy here.”

Capt. Stacy put together this video that compares how Manatee interaction should, and could be, to “How it is Most Days”, showing a “professional photographer” recently disturbing a clearly resting, young Manatee (at time 6:48) to get his photo:

During busy times, as many as one hundred tourists an hour can visit this location (See Love for Florida Manatees Should Have Limits, Regulators Say).

This video by Capt.Stacy shows just one hour’s worth of what Manatees had to endure at the Three Sisters Springs (January 12, 2015):

She adds: “The manatees DESERVE to have their winter home in peace… [and harassment] will unfortunately spoil it for the rest of us…..there are suggestions/campaigns going on to close the entire Three Sisters Springs in the wintering months. Years ago few came, now we have 100,000 plus and so now the manatees are tickled and rubbed into colder waters”. (See Feds Release New Winter Regulations To Protect Manatees In Three Sisters Springs)

Capt. Mike & Stacy advocate an “Incredible Passive Adventure”.   “We want folks to come here and have an amazing, once-of-a-lifetime adventure BUT not at the expense of the manatee”.