It just keeps getting better and better each day!!!! Getting up at 4:30 am was so worth it. We started off with a hot continental breakfast before boarding our charter bus around 5:30am. After a quick briefing on today's activities everyone took a needed nap 1 hr nap. It was time to wake up approximately 30 minutes before arrival at the Pro Dive shop so we could watch a safety video on swimming with Manatees. At the Pro shop we were met by our guides for the day - Dude (Mike) and Mr. Todd - both expert Manatee spotters and guides we were told. Masks, snorkels, fins and wet suits were handed out to make sure everyone had the correct size flippers and the most snug wetsuit possible that you could get onto your body. What a sigh, 33 people undressing.....down to their swim suits and then pulling on their wet suits. Some of us were lucky to get a perfect fit right away, others had to make them selves get out of the suit and then try on another one. Once back on the bus our driver took us 10 minutes down the road to the where Pro Dive docks their boats for the Manatee swimming excursions. We divided up into 2 fairly equally sized groups, boarded the vessel and headed out into the channel - the Crystal River. "Dude" gave us a run down of the safety procedures of the pontoon boat and how we should and should not behave and act around the Manatees. Todd quickly spotted several Manatees, got in and made sure this group of Manatees wanted for us to interact with them today. We got the thumbs up and quickly got our masks, snorkels and fins on.
With the air temperature not being much higher than 40 degrees the 72 degree water felt wonderful as we eased ourselves off of the boats into the channel. Each of us also entered the water with a life west to be used as a floating device. Time for the BIG question - Were we going to actually get to see and touch Manatees or would they not want to interact with us? We were in luck and found a nice big group of about 12-15 Manatees that ranged from 2 young juvenile Manatees to over 10 ft long adults. Often if you found one resting on the bottom, others would quickly arrive. It was almost like they did not want to be left out of what ever it was that was going on - people admiring them, paying attention to them and scratching their backs and bellies. At first the skin felt very slimy (alga growth), then once you scratched some of the alga off you were able to feel the sandpaper like skin. A Manatee can stay submerged for up to 20 minutes before needing to come up for air. Once they came up for air we would be able to observe their tiny little eyes, hairs on their stubby snouts and come face to face with them. As we were all interacting with the Manatees, "Dude" recorded it all. Awesome!!! What was really awesome was to see a juvenile Manatee nursing. Manatees' mammary glands are located under their pectoral flippers. This too was recorded on the DVD. Before we knew it we had stayed in the water for an hour give or take a few minutes.
Here came the test - would we freeze like popsicles once we got back onto the boats and took off our wet suits. It WAS very cold, but surprisingly not as freezing cold as we had all anticipated. On the boat ride back to the dock, Todd and "Dude" made sure we warmed up some by serving some VERY HOT chocolate. We returned to the pro dive shop to do some shopping, watch our DVD and just soak in the adventure we had just experienced.
For lunch we boarded the bus again and headed to KP Hole Park and the rainbow River. We hung up our "wet" suits and towels, grab our packed lunches and sat down in a warm sunny area and enjoyed a very tasty lunch. As we sat there Kristin heard and then actually spotted a baled eagle. When it was announced that we would leave for our second adventure of the day. the realization that we had to get back into those "wet" suits became chillingly real. This time the boats took us upstream about 1.5 miles and anchored. Like old pros we got our gear on and got into the water. Mr. Todd went ahead of us with the dive flag and this giant blob of yellow, black and blue began moving. Get this - you DO NOT have to kick when there is a 1 knot current. Not too many of us got it, so Mr. Todd made the group turn around and swim up stream to slow us down. Along the river "Dude" pointed out land marks such as chimney vents, caverns, fish and birds. The water was crystal clear and once you realized all you had to do was lay on your tummy, put your head down and float, absorption of this beautiful underwater world became easy. We stopped several times to free dive at a few caverns, look for treasures - fossils, and observe different fish. Mrs. Rhodes found a pieces of petrified wood.
We got a cake for Quintas since today was his birthday. This gave everyone enough time to get their stuff back to their rooms, hang up any wet stuff before it was time for the PIzza Party.
We had dinner this evening with the World Strides students form Montevideo and Elkton Middle Schools. It was nice for everyone to get to hang out together - especially the adults. MMS and EMS had their wrap up of the day right after dinner and we met at 7:30pm. This pm we recapped our Sea World experience along with today's fantastic excursions. Before free time we celebrated Quitas with cake and song.
It's hard to believe tomorrow is our last day here. We have a crammed packed day planned at Bush Gardens so we can leave for the Tampa airport around 2:30pm. Stay tuned!!!!!
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