“Man-A-Tee”

While Jamie and I have swam with manatees a multitude of times, each time is special in its own way. These beautiful mammals always bring calm to our hearts, and the way they move, come up to you for a nudge or nibble on your hand, and the sweet squeaky sounds the baby make, tunes you in to the beauty that is Life. It was Jim’s first time swimming with manatees, and Jane got to see them swim beside the boat.

We found a tour company that allows children of any age, and they even had a wetsuit for a 2yr old. While the water was cold and brisk, we wanted Bronte to come into the water for a chance to swim with them. She loved seeing them with her grandma on the boat, and by the time she got into the water, she knew what to look for. I eased her into the water, and she didn’t seem to flinch with the coolness of it. “No, warm water,” was her response. I put a couple foam noodles under her, and glided her to the nearby springs where the manatees were nestled around. She kicked her feet, and paddled along, singing “man-a-tee” the whole way. She got to see grandpa and Jamie in the water, and while she did not look beneath the surface, manatees swam beneath her. It was an incredible experience, one that we were sorry to leave. However leaving became necessary, and once back on the boat, we were all in violent shivers that spilled our hot chocolate from our hands. Bronte, of course, remained un-phased as the rest of us tried to regain warmth in our bodies.

Afterwards we went to a local restaurant and ate fish and burgers, making our trip to Crystal River another one for the books. Our day trip out of Disney World was worth it, and I even got my fix of Dunkin Donuts for the drive home!