I Had The Time of My Life

Friday February 28, 2014
Blue Spring State Park
Orange City, FL

 

 

 

 

At the end of our paddle to Hontoon State Park we are a little tired.   We stop along the outside edge of the spring run at the barrier which prevents boats of any kind from going up the spring run.   We don’t see any manatee inside the barrier and David goes on to the dock.

I stay to experience the sunset on the water.  I’m starting to turn around and head for the dock when I look over to my right and just about where I’m going to put my paddle in the water is a very large manatee.  I gasp I’m so surprised.   He slides right under my boat.  I hold on to the sides just in case he decides to rise up.   It’s amazing to see a manatee tail under your kayak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He goes on under and then turns around and comes back to my boat where he nuzzles the side as if looking for algae.   Then he puts his nose up right on the edge of the boat as if to smell it.  Then he puts his face out of the water as if to look at me.  I am sitting completely still not even hardly breathing.  I cannot believe this.  It’s amazing to see his eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He goes under and up on the other side.  He hangs around the boat for what seems like a very long time.  I don’t move.  I think he is leaving but no he turns around and another manatee comes back with him.  Now I have two of them investigating the boat and I suppose me.  

It’s just amazing.  I feel like I’m in a wonderland watching them.   They put their heads up, their backs up.  

 

 

 

 

They roll, they swim up to the front of my boat and arch their backs.  They come next to my boat and arch their backs.  I see them open and close their nose holes to breathe.  It’s fascinating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their skin looks leathery.  Like their elephant kin.  I am very surprised about that.  I don’t know what I expected but not that.  Slimy maybe.  Or more like a fish. Their whiskers are bristles.  Their eyes are gentle.  Am I anthropomorphizing to say they seem kind??

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no one here but me and the manatee. 

Then there are three.  Two of them under my boat at one time.  I don’t care if they dump me in.  I’d love to swim with them.  

The light is getting dim.  I know I need to go in.  David must wonder what happened to me.  But I just can’t leave. 

The pictures here aren’t even the beginning of my time with them.  It was hard to take any at all I was so fascinated with just watching them.   But I knew I would want to remember this time forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They are on both sides of the boat.  I’m talking to them and telling them I can’t pay attention to them all if they are on two different sides.  They keep putting the tops of their heads out of the water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally after about 25 minutes, as the sky is losing all its light they are far enough away from the boat for me to get my paddle in without hitting them or frightening them.

I say good bye and thank you for one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.  I turn my boat around toward the dock and paddle away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I get back to the dock David is there waiting.  He can see I am as excited as I have ever been.  I was very calm during the entire time with the manatee.  It must be their gentle presence.  But now I feel like I could explode

He takes multiple pictures of my reactions as I try to both describe what happened and get calm enough to get out of the boat.

 

 

 

 

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Recalling this now it is still thrilling. 
It was just more wonderful than I can possibly express; something I will never ever forget.
I had the time of my life and I owe it all to them.

 

I know some will suggest, if I’m so crazy about manatee,  why don’t I go over to Crystal River and swim with them.  And the reason is that I would feel like I am supporting an exploitive commercial operation.  I’ve kayaked up there and the number of boats in the area is absurd.  I am assuming there are actually some wildlife persons assigned to protect the manatee there but the small area they have roped off for them to “rest” in seems not enough to me.   And after this simply fabulous encounter with no motors, no one yelling and screaming- no one else anywhere around - I feel almost as if they chose me.