Every winter, thousands of graceful creatures — mistaken for mythical mermaids many years ago — glide below the surface in Florida’s rivers and waterways. And you can swim alongside them, like Troop 9005 of Jacksonville, Fla., did last February.
During colder months, manatees slowly paddle into the warmer waters found in Florida’s natural springs. Tour guides can take you to locations where manatees gather, but you must follow certain rules.
Troop 9005 had visited manatees before, booking a tour boat that took the Scouts to places where they could snorkel alongside the animals. They loved it and wanted to go again. After learning in school what a vital role seagrasses have in a manatee’s diet, the girls better understood the need for conservation.
“It really opens your eyes to the environment and how it works and how fragile it is,” says Eagle Scout Emmalyn Custis, 13.
From left, Ariana Barr, Vanessa Reep, Samantha Welk and Georgia Wittemore float above a manatee. It’s important not to disturb these protected creatures.
Fifty years ago, researchers counted as few as 800 Florida manatees in the wild, prompting officials to classify them as endangered. Today, their population is around 11,000.
Though manatees have no natural predators, they are mostly threatened by habitat loss and humans. Many are killed from collisions with boats or from getting stuck in flood control gates. Others starve when they lose their main food source: seagrass.
That’s why there are rules to save the manatees. It’s illegal to touch a manatee (though a manatee can touch you). It’s also forbidden to feed, swim after or bother them.
“It’s the manatees’ home,” Emmalyn says. “We’re here, and we have to respect it.”
Georgia Wittemore peers into the water while using a pool noodle to stay afloat.
The troop planned its outing during the Florida Manatee Festival held in Crystal River. They camped at Sand Hill Scout Reservation, a Greater Tampa Bay Area Council camp, and then shuttled to the tour. Before getting on the boat, the group went over the rules.
“They made us watch a video of what to do and what not to do,” says Kamari Pereira, 12, a First Class Scout. “You shouldn’t move a lot when you’re near them.”
Samantha Welk, left, and Karlin Planteen swim above a manatee. Troop 9005 saw many manatees, including babies.
Then they put on their wet suits and headed out. It was high tide, and the water was murky in some places. So the group tried different spots. When they found a good one, they buddied up, grabbed their goggles and snorkels, and got in.
“We slowly crawled down into the water so we wouldn’t scare any of the manatees,” Kamari says. “When I got in, there was one right by the ladder.”
Once in the water, the girls would paddle a little bit and then simply float with a pool noodle. Even so, the Scouts still had to pass Scouting America’s swimmer test before the trip. This required extra practice in the pool for some, but it was worth it to be with manatees, which occasionally nudged the Scouts.
Georgia Bell and Emmalyn Custis swim above a manatee. Every winter, hundreds of these “sea cows” seek warmer waters in Florida’s natural springs, which stay around 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
“I remember a few manatees bumping into me,” says Georgia Bell, 13, a Second Class Scout.
The Scouts not only spotted many adult manatees, but also some babies.
“The adults were bigger than me, and I’m 4 feet tall,” says Tori Depay, 10, a Second Class Scout.
“They were like cows. They were like five Toris,” Georgia jokes. “The babies were like three Toris.”
Most manatees grow to be around 10 feet long and weigh about 1,000 pounds, similar to the size of an average beef cow. However, some “sea cows” can reach 13 feet long and weigh more than 3,500 pounds.
From left, Tori Depay, Georgia Bell and Georgia Wittemore swim in the Crystal River.
After the troop’s four-hour tour, they went back to camp to help another animal: gopher tortoises. These reptiles make their burrows on the 1,300-acre council property and are at a high risk of going extinct in the wild.
“We placed flags at the gopher tortoise holes,” Emmalyn says.
This helps staff know where the tortoises are so they can better protect the habitat. The troop’s work earned them the Conservation Good Turn Award. After the project, they headed to their campsite to eat, work on their Firem’n Chit certification and light a campfire.
The campout gave the girls a better appreciation for wildlife, and they learned what they could do to help save certain species.
“You’re learning from the animals’ perspectives,” Kamari says.
1. Elephants are manatees’ closest relatives. Scientists believe they descended from the same common ancestor.
2. Despite their appearance, manatees are not actually fat. They have very little body fat, which is why they seek warmer waters in the winter.
3. They can eat up to 15% of their body weight every day. Their main food source is seagrass, which provides many essential nutrients.
4. Babies stay with their mothers for up to two years.
5. In 1493, explorer Christopher Columbus reported seeing three mermaids, writing that they were “not half as beautiful as they are painted.” They were actually manatees.
6. All manatee teeth are molars, and when they fall out, more replace them throughout the manatee’s life.
7. Though they’re sometimes called “sea cows,” manatees can live in both salt water and fresh water. Worldwide, manatees — and the closely related dugong — can be found off the coasts and in the rivers of North America, South America, Africa and Australia.
JL VETERAN 37 MALANG
