A Manatee Experience - Continued - Page 3
Do's and Don'ts
If you want to see the main springs, swim (canoe or kayak) past the pilings that have signs marked "Pilings, Danger, Barrier" and follow the stream until it opens up. You will find a large, deep area to the right and to the left. Jon boats and pontoon boats will not fit past the pilings. In the past, I have found manatees in the main spring occasionally. On this year's trip (January 2003), they were there on a regular basis.
Perhaps, it was because the weather was very cold for a long period of time. Speaking of weather, although this is Florida, it can get quite cold. One morning, Veronica and I woke up to 25° temperatures. The dock was covered with ice and we had to scrape ice off the boat seats before we left the dock. Be prepared for this kind of weather and bring warm clothes. Don't forget gloves and hats.
Before you enter the water, there are some manatee rules that you need to understand. These have been put in place
to protect the manatees. Failure to adhere to them can mean a fine or arrest:
Do NOT enter designated/posted sanctuaries for any reason!
Do NOT pursue/chase (swimming after) or corner a manatee while swimming or diving. This includes following manatees for any reason.
Do NOT disturb a resting manatee. Sleeping manatees sometimes rest in a "face-plant" on the river bottom, rising
for air every few minutes. It is unlawful to interfere with these normal activities.
Do NOT attempt to feed the manatees or give them water. Doing so may make the manatee associate food and water with humans, endangering the manatee.
Do NOT attempt to ride, poke, prod, or grab the manatee at any time with any object including your hand or foot.
Do NOT attempt to single out or surround a manatee.
Do NOT attempt to separate a calf from its mother, or any manatee from a group of manatees.
There are also some unwritten rules concerning manatee encounters. They are:
Do enter the water quietly and move around without splashing or making noise. Sometimes sudden noises
and movements will frighten a manatee who will most likely swim away. SCUBA gear is not recommended for manatee encounters,
as the noise of rushing air normally frightens them away.
Do wait for the manatee to show an interest in you before approaching it. Manatees are normally curious, and if you stay
still, floating on the surface - they will normally approach you to initiate the contact.
Do keep your feet off the bottom of the river if it is shallow enough to touch. Walking around will stir up the bottom
and this will reduce 
visibility. This will make your viewing experience as well less enjoyable. It will also be bad for photographers and videographers.
Do remember that the manatee is in charge of the encounter. If a manatee is sleeping or is not interested in making contact,
leave it alone, as your only encounter would probably be seeing it's tail disappear ahead of you as it swims away into a sanctuary.
The rules are common sense and following them is a good thing for you and the manatee. Other good things to learn before entering the water are some manatee behaviors. If you know what they are, it will increase your enjoyment of the encounter. It will also provide you with better photo and video opportunities. Manatees spend much of their time lying on the bottom. There is no reason to dive down to see them. They will come to the surface regularly to breath. When they do, they provide excellent poses for photographers and videographers. They will usually take a breath, arch their backs and then head back to the bottom. Once you understand the movement, you can anticipate what the manatee will do. This is especially important if you are shooting video.