Finding Places to Get Lost.

I rubbed my eyes as we drove. Getting up at 4am wasn’t something I would ever grow accustomed to. We arrived before 6am, to a small building off the highway. A painted sign, the kind you can put your head into and pretend you’re in the picture greeted us before the entrance: “I swam with the Manatees” it said in faded blue, cracked letters.

I made it a point to be the first one into the briefing room. I took careful mental notes of the rules of interacting with a manatee. Be a manatee, just float.

We were split into 2 groups for a ride down to the marina in Crystal River – the ONLY place in the world where you can do this. The sun rose over the horizon as we loaded onto the boat with the captain. In drifting speed, he took us out on the river and had us keep watch for disturbances in the water.

We saw our first group shortly after sunrise. The Captain had us slowly get into the water. My snorkel wasn’t fitting correctly so I kept breathing in water. I couldn’t see anything in the murky water. For some place called “Crystal River” it was anything but. “Look behind you!” the captain called. I lifted my head and felt something on my legs. A manatee! But it was gone. Agonizing minutes went by but all I saw was sea grass and murk. Did I get up at 4am to float in muddy water?

We piled back on to the boat to find another location, checking up river. Arriving in the cove, a nose broke the surface. Same as before, we all quietly slipped into the water. This time, I had a new snorkel, so I could breathe easier. As I mindlessly floated over to the place we had seen the manatees, I thought to myself “Do not be disappointed if this doesn’t happen.You’ve seen them from above the water and that’s enough.” Visibility was still low. Tufts of sea grass floated before me. And then -- a face.

It was alarming, this large grey face floating in front of me. Then a second face appeared. They looked at me with curiosity, tilting their heads. After a few seconds, the first one swam right towards me. Within touching distance, she rolled over and exposed her stomach. I reached out a hand and she rubbed against it. The second one came by, swimming between us, and I rubbed her back. In seconds it was over.

When we arrived back at the building after our trip, peeled off our wetsuits and changed into dry clothes, I marched outside with determination. I went right up to that “I swam with manatees” sign, stuck my face in it and took a picture to commemorate it.