Manatee Snorkeling Crystal River -Dive Orlando

 Every Wednesday morning  Crystal River Watersports   at Days Inn Hotel Crystal River , offers the Manatee Snorkeling  Tour for $25 including gear. This special rate has been offered for  2 years. It   has helped many a family  to  participate in a  fun family  adventure that would not have been affordable since the many families  have  lost  their jobs and money is tight. The tour is a full 3 1/2 hours. To book your Wednesday 7:30 AM  manatee tour. Call Julie at (352)795-7033

 Charters  book up fast as the scallop  season draws closer. July 1 starts the  collection of these  yummy scallops. Crystal River Watersports has 2 boats for scalloping tours. Each boat carries 4 persons ,we have the liscense , and supply all   the  snorkeling gear, and catch bags.  Rate is $65 per person .Booking Now!!! Call (352)795-7033

 All across the country, students will be  coming to Florida  to swim with the manatees in Crystal River. Finally getting a break from the frigid cold weather that has  lingered much too long. We have record numbers of manatees this year.  its a great time to  meet  these gentle giants up close and personal.  To book your tour call  Crystal River Watersports (352)795-7033 or visit us online at www.FloridaManateeTours.com , you can book online.

If you spot a sick, injured,  orphaned baby manatee, or a manatee that is being harassed, you should immediately call the FWC. You should also report dead manatees or if you spot a manatee wearing a “tag” or tracking device. YOu can report any of these by calling 1-888-404-FWCC (3922), *FWC or #FWC on your cellular phone, or use VHF Channel 16 on your marine radio. Be sure to give dispatchers an exact location of the manatee.  A manatee with a red or pink colored wound is a fresh wound which should be reported ASAP. Grey or whitish colored wounds may be healed externally, but there could still be internal damage you can’t see. If it’s obviously an old scar, don’t worry about reporting those. Notice the scars on the manatee to the right of this photo. Those are typical of boat propeller injuries.

To schedule a tour with us and meet some magnificent Florida Manatees, please call 1-877-GODIVIN or email ManateeToursl@aol.com

Manatees favor warm, shallow waters around 3-6 feet deep. Florida has many no-wake zones and manatee areas marked for their safety.Florida even has educational programs regarding manatee safety that target boaters. Manatees have no natural predators, but succumb to man-made accidents, such as being struck by boats in areas they frequent. There were 276 manatee deaths due to boats in 2004. Boats don’t always kill the manatee, many are maimed and those who survive their wounds have scars that cover their backs, even their tails and heads. If you drive a boat in Florida’s waters, please be on the lookout for manatees in the water.

To schedule a manatee tour with us, please call us or email, 1-877-GODIVIN or  ManateeTours@aol.com

below is a photo of a manatee from above the water, a boats-eye view.

There are places manatees can be found all over Florida’s coast. There are even places where you may encounter them in Winter when they turn inland, including Homossassa Springs, but the only place with perfectly clear water is Crystal River. Tides can affect visibility, but you can’t ask for a better manatee encounter than the springs of Crystal River. Overnight accommodations can be found at the Days Inn Crystal River, and our shop is located right behind the hotel for convenience. Please call or email us at 1-877-GODIVIN and ManateeTours@aol.com to schedule your tour.

Scout Troop 101 from Winter Park,  Florida to swim with the manatees on Presidents Day.  The group of 22 includes some leaders and family. Everyone will recieve the Manatee Awareness Patch by Crystal River Watersports. The educational tour gives our youth  a chance to see the manatees in their natural habitat. Crystal River Watersports has developed a Power Point Presentation on Manatees that is free to any group wanting  education on the manatees. Call Julie, Manatee  Education Director to book you tour (352)795-7033 or visit us  on our online  educational site  with free downloads to leaders and  teachers  .www.ManateeSnorkel.net

Manatees swim in an up-down undulation. They use their large, paddle-like tail fluke much like other large marine mammals such as dolphins and whales. They use their front flippers to steer in the water, but also to grasp food plants to bring them to their mouth. These flippers have five digits, with toenails on the end of each digit. A female manatee’s teats are located behind the base of flippers. and can be seen cuddling their young and nursing them.

This Valentine’s Day come and meet the manatees with us by scheduling a tour! Just call 1-877-GODIVIN or email ManateeTours@aol.com

Below are two photographs of “kissing” manatees in honor of Valentine’s Day.

In winter there can be over 500 manatees found in Crystal River. They congregate mostly around King Spring and Three Sisters in early morning. Once the sun warms the waters, the manatees then move throughout the river to graze on their favorite foods. Our best tours are scheduled for these early morning periods to give you the best chance at meeting these wonderful animals. Ask about our Wednesday Special! Call 1-877-GODIVIN or email ManateeTours@aol.com to book your tour today.

Manatees do have tastebuds, but whether or not they can or do use them is still relatively unknown. A study in Blue Springs, Florida showed that manatees have preferences for certain foods, but avoid other plants known to be toxic, such as blue-green algae, water pennywort, and spatter-dock.

Come and visit Florida’s manatees! Call us at 1-877-GODIVIN or email ManateeTours@aol.com today.