Manatee Encounter: Personalized Small Group Swim Experience
5.0
713 Ratings
Crystal River
Experience a personalized small group swim with manatees. Swim alongside these gentle creatures for an extended period of time. All equipment and amenities included.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- 9301 W Fort Island Trail - Crystal River offers the best location to see and interact with the Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, also known as gentle giants. Unlike other areas of Florida, the federal government allows for “passive observation” in the water between manatees and people in Kings Bay. This allows face-to-face interaction with manatees. We provide pre-tour education on passive observation and how to get the best experience during the tour. We also offer a hotel package including accommodations and breakfast with your Florida manatee tour.
Swimming with the manatees and exploring the greater Kings Bay estuary and springs is extremely popular. Manatee tour experiences are best done by snorkeling while wearing wet suits, making the interaction as silent as possible. This way the manatees are more inclined to approach and get close. We maintain new suits and snorkel gear, all included in our manatee tours, as well as full-service facilities for changing. Your in-water guide will be taking videos and pictures of your manatee experience, which will be available for purchase at the dive shop. All our tour boats are fully enclosed in the winter time to protect our customers.
What's Included
- Boat Coats for cold mornings!
- US Coast Guard certified captain and Professionally Insured in water guide!
- Use of Full 5mm wet-suits (for extra warmth), Mask & Snorkels
- Towel Service
- Coffee, Hot Chocolate, bottle water
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- DVD or Flash Drive (available to purchase)
- Swimsuits
Additional Information
In a similar manner to our standard excursions, you have the opportunity to swim with manatees for an extended period of time. With a maximum of 6 participants per boat, we ensure a personalized adventure. The cost covers all gear, including a full 5mm wetsuit, mask, snorkel, as well as towel service. Additionally, we provide hot cocoa, coffee, warm showers, boat jackets, and a heated changing area.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Wet-suits available in children’s size 6 up to 3XL
Location
9301 W Fort Island Trail
West Fort Island Trail
Departure Point: Plantation on Crystal River
Address: Plantation Adventure Center
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(713 Ratings)
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Kdkelley
Apr 8, 2024
A must do - We had such a great time! Orville was our dive master, he was the best. He was so knowledgeable about the area and the manatee. Taught us about their migration, their eating habits, their personalities and how he has bonded with some of them. The boat had a cover and they had plenty of coffee and hot chocolate to keep you warm after you got out and made your way back to the dock.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joseph_b
Apr 4, 2024
Amazing experience!... - Amazing experience! Michelle and Ryan highly recommended!!! I would do it again in a heartbeat! No issues, valued knowledge and very very skilled.
Review provided by Viator
Katherine_f
Apr 2, 2024
Excellent small group experience - Knowledgeable captain! Found us manatees even though it was the end of the season. Our divemaster/photographer took some great shots! Enjoyed the small group and personalized experience. Thank you Laura and Laura!
Review provided by Viator
Jackie_b
Mar 22, 2024
Fascinating experience, swimming with the Manatees - How informative the trip was. How beautiful it was underwater with the fish and manatees. And how hard Orville and our captain of the boat worked to find manatees for us to swim with so late in the season.
Review provided by Viator
Lawbrittain
Mar 10, 2024
Friendly, knowledgeable, and we saw a manatee. - We did a trip on March 9 at 6:30 am. We realized that we were late in the season and may not see any manatees. Captain Mike and Kendra worked diligently to make sure that we did see a manatee. I appreciate how the groups worked together to make sure that all tours got a chance to at least get a glimpse. We realize that this is animals in their natural environment and not a Disney ride. Captain Mike and Kendra provided a lot of information and knowledge about the manatees while they were searching. We enjoyed that almost as much as the manatee. I was a little nervous while in the close quarters seeing the manatee, but Kendra was very patient with me and insured i got the best view possible while at the same time respecting the manatee's space. We will definitely schedule another trip, but next time earlier in the season.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patti_s
Mar 8, 2024
Great guides and experience - Kendra and Corey were great! We did see 4 manatees when we did our excursion on 3/7/24; however due to warmer temperatures in the gulf, the guides were really surprised that there were still manatees in the area. I think to have a greater expectation of seeing manatees you should go in February or earlier. They don’t tell you that on the website.
Review provided by Viator
Davidpn3863oy
Mar 7, 2024
Great time snorkeling with manatees! - From Kari to captain Dave and Cory we had an awesome experience. Up close and personal with many many manatees. Several were very curious and were very friendly . My wife made a friend for life as one wrapped its arms around her and twirled for a few minutes. Saw adults and babies as well as many fish species! Captain Dave and the whole gang were very knowledgeable and took time to share and answer any questions. Thank you so much! Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Resort42335906663
Mar 5, 2024
Love those Manatee faces! - We were booked for a manatee experience through Beatrice Bradley. As we were staying at the Plantation we only walked a short distance to the Adventure Center where they assisted us with donning wet suits (an experience in and of itself), they took us out in a small boat, instructed us in how to use our snorkels ( that I've never done before), and then eased us into the water to snorkel. We had an attentive, informative, woman as our group leader and a humorous boat Captain. We saw many manatees, many with babies, and some of us inadvertently were touched by these curious, gentle " sea cows". The experience was phenomenal and I highly recommend it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z7077asjanem
Feb 27, 2024
Do EVERY visit! - Captain Mark and Captain Laura were amazing! We received a lot of safety information, and they obviously were there to keep us safe as well as protect the Manatees. It was an amazing and humbling experience. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa
Mar 11, 2024
Meh. - I’m really glad to see all these manatee pictures because our experience did not meet any of these experiences.
When considering in doing the tour, I think it’s important to have realistic expectations.
1) no guarantee to see manatees
2) manatees like warm water, but as soon as they are able to leave for the gulf, they do.
3) there are A LOT of boats, snorkelers and kayakers all trying to see them.
4) the water is VERY murky…not clear like the photos.
We departed at 7:15am. It was dark and cold…we were all freezing as we drove around for over an hour trying to find a spot to stop. We had 4 children on our tour and all were very patient, but although no one said it, we were all freezing. We drank all the hot chocolate and 1/2 the coffee to stay warm. We got in the water twice, seeing a manatee for only a very brief moment during the second dive, which 1/2 the boat didn’t want to get back in.
I don’t think any of us were prepared for how cold it was going to be, or how murky the water was. I wish we could have at least seen crystal springs and snorkeled where visibility was better. We made the best of it, but I would never do this again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
