[nanci2539]

Has anyone done this excursion with their grandchidren?

I went on line and the popular place seems to be Crystal River which is a little more than an hour from here.

My grandaughter will be here at the end of March and I'm looking into fun things to do. She loves water anything and has a fondness for sea life.

There are so many manatee tours in Crystal River that not knowing one from the other, I can't decipher which is the best.

Input would be appreciated as well as other towns preferably closer to the Villages that offer manatee tours.

Thanks

[buggyone]

That is a great thing to do with grandkids - as long as they are not too young and are not afraid of the water.

Crystal River is the closest. Eat lunch at The River House. It is fun to watch the monkeys on Monkey Island while you eat in the dining room.

[nanci2539]

Thank you - can you recommend a place at Crystal Lake - it seems from my search there are several - which one did you go to?

[ewstanley]

We went several weeks ago. It was amazing. It was a very cold day and there were a lot of manatees out. They have two tours a day. They supply wetsuit, snorkle mask and fins. They will also videotape your encounter and you can purchase a copy of the DVD. I would highly recommend it. There are several tours out of Crystal River and we have only used Birds. I understand that there are others. I can still picture those friendly giants nudging me. You watch a video before you go out and can only touch the manatees with one hand. You are not able to disturb the manatees but they will come right up to you like a giant dog. I scratched their backs and they seemed to really enjoy it as much as we did.

[ewstanley]

How old is your grandchild? The current can get pretty fast in some areas, there is a shallow place that they usually take small children for their experience.

[nanci2539]

My grandaughter is 11 and is on a swim team so she is an excellent swimmer.

Can you direct me to a site? The sites I've gone to state the boat leaves at 7AM and you need to be there by 6:15AM which is too early.

You said there were two times - is there one later or do you have the site I can go to?

Would you say the end of March is a good time to see the manatees?

[ewstanley]

I think that it is the end of the manatee season. My daughter is coming in mid March and we are going then. I think that you might want to call and see exactly when the manatee season is. I think that it all depends on the weather. http://www.birdsunderwater.com

[ewstanley]

I believe the second tour is 11:00 am or 11:30 am.

[cappyjon431]

I used to lead groups there when I was a young man (I worked as a divemaster for many years leading divers and snorkelers Crystal River). My wife and I still go regularly, sometimes we paddleboard to Kings Spring and Three Sisters Spring (located along Crystal River). The last time we saw over 20 manatees in a very small area.

As far as tour operators, I recommend American Pro Diving on US 19. They run a very proffesional operation, all safety equipment is provided, all of their guides are certified divemasters, all are trained in CPR and first aid and all of their captains have USCG 100 ton licenses. Ask for Sean Bradley and tell him Jon from Nekton recommended his operation--he'll make sure you and the kids are well taken care of.

[renielarson]

What company you rent a boat from is important. Some companies require you to rent scuba diving gear in order to rent the boats. We are not scuba divers and this was not an option for us. We are boaters and swimmers but not scuba divers.

I wish I could remember the name of the company we rented the pontoon from but I can't. It wasn't the best kept pontoon but it did the job and we were happy and it was cheap!

We took the pontoon out on the river and found the manatees. The manatees love to suck on the ropes hanging from the boats for some reason...I have no idea why. But they came up, grabbed onto the ropes and then we were able to "pull" them in...right up to us! From this vantage point, we laid on our bellies on the deck of the pontoon and could pet them. The grands on our boat were ecstatic to say the least!

We then went to the restaurant down river next to Monkey Island and ate while watching the monkeys play. It was an experience to remember...especially for our grandchildren.

I'd be willing to do an internet search to try to find the company we used if anyone is interested. Just let me know.

[normgreg]

Originally Posted by ewstanley

We went several weeks ago. It was amazing. It was a very cold day and there were a lot of manatees out. They have two tours a day. They supply wetsuit, snorkle mask and fins. They will also videotape your encounter and you can purchase a copy of the DVD. I would highly recommend it. There are several tours out of Crystal River and we have only used Birds. I understand that there are others. I can still picture those friendly giants nudging me. You watch a video before you go out and can only touch the manatees with one hand. You are not able to disturb the manatees but they will come right up to you like a giant dog. I scratched their backs and they seemed to really enjoy it as much as we did.

Before you touch manatees check the laws. This website will give you the information that you need. http://www.savethemanatee.org/Tips.htm
Touching may be considered harassment under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
They are wonderful to watch. I've seen them several places in Crystal River & Homossasa. My tip is to go during the week, the week-ends can be VERY crowded.

[swrinfla]

I hope that folks don't dismiss the idea of visiting Homosassa Springs State Park some easy miles west of The Villages!

The State Park is a fascinating venue, where the care, feeding and protection of manatees, waterfowl, eagles and all such critters is paramount.

From The Villages, west on SR-44, just through Lecanto, then southwesterly on CR-490 to Homosassa at US-19.

A couple of blocks south on US-19, the park is on the right-hand side of US-19.

Take the 20-minute boat ride with wonderful and amusing commentary, then explore the park's extensive but easily-explored grounds where you will meet Lu, the state's only official resident hippopotamus, who turns 52 years old during the next couple of weeks of 2012.

$13 per adult, entry fee. AARP and/or AAA membership deducts 20% from this.

Roughly an hour from TV.

SWR

[Schaumburger]

Originally Posted by swrinfla

I hope that folks don't dismiss the idea of visiting Homosassa Springs State Park some easy miles west of The Villages!

The State Park is a fascinating venue, where the care, feeding and protection of manatees, waterfowl, eagles and all such critters is paramount.

From The Villages, west on SR-44, just through Lecanto, then southwesterly on CR-490 to Homosassa at US-19.

A couple of blocks south on US-19, the park is on the right-hand side of US-19.

Take the 20-minute boat ride with wonderful and amusing commentary, then explore the park's extensive but easily-explored grounds where you will meet Lu, the state's only official resident hippopotamus, who turns 52 years old during the next couple of weeks of 2012.

$13 per adult, entry fee. AARP and/or AAA membership deducts 20% from this.

Roughly an hour from TV.

SWR

I went to Homosassa Springs State Park this past October when renting in TV. Definitely worth a visit. Very enjoyable. I used my AARP card for the discount. I love manatees!

[riverfisher]

Crystal River is the only place in the U.S. where you can legally swim with the manatees. This is because Crystal River is a national Wildlife Refuge and tour operators there carry permits to offer this adventure issued by the Department of the Interior. There are many operators to choose from however Trip Advisor makes it easy to narrow your selection down. After narrowing down your selection, place a phone call to each, ask lots of questions and by then you will know which company you should choose. Swimming with Manatees is truly a unique experience and one that can only be had in the little town of Crystal River. This is a wonderful adventure for both adults and children of all ages. Hope this has helped.