We spent two days with the folks at Crystal River Watersports and loved every minute!
On 3/14, John was our dive guide to explore Blue Grotto and Devils Den Springs about an hour north. He was very patient as he helped me correct bouyancy issues and then lead us through both springs. We had a Virgil the turtle sighting at Blue Grotto and were swarmed by Brim who ate the turtle food purchased when checking in. We tested our nerve at Devils Den, where John gave us flashlights in order to follow him through the dark and seemingly tiny crevices as we wound up and down through the cave. I would not have attempted this without a guide!
On 3/15, we took the early boat with Captain Jim and Adrienne to snorkel with the manatees near the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. We were told this is the only place in the US that you are permitted to swim with manatees. We were taught to dog paddle with our arms and not to kick our feet, and when encountering the manatees to “be a starfish” and stay still without initiating contact. The weather had been cold so it was the perfect time to see many of these huge mammals, including moms with babies, in the warmer springs. Although we were not permitted to disturb these beautiful creatures, some were playful and came right up to us. One adult bumped my mask with its nose then rolled over under my arm as if to say, “Please rub my belly!” Many were quietly resting or feeding but several were quite active, swimming back to us and bumping or lifting us repeatedly. They seemed to want to play with us. One followed us back to the boat as if it did not want us to go. Such an awesome time! Adrienne got some great pics too! Thank you to everyone at Crystal River Watersports for these great experiences!