We booked semi private manatee tours for Saturday and Sunday and could not have been more pleased. Memphis and Jake on Saturday found multiple manatees and were able to get some fantastic video and pictures of us with these animals. They were both extremely courteous and attentive, just what we have come to expect from the Adventure Center as we have been there several times over the past few years.
The next day was beyond special as we were able to swim the Three Sisters Springs with Dave and Dustin. Not only were the springs magnificent, quiet and relaxing, the best was when we returned to the boat.
A large manatee was just across the canal, so of course we jumped back in and were able to swim right up and watch it eat. By the way, the word "munch" had to have originated from someone who had listened to a manatee eat. Shortly after, a cow and calf swam up to us and seemed more personable than any of the manatees from other days. The calf then rolled over and moved its flippers rather oddly at first until we recognized what it was doing. Our son had had a crush on a young lady in high school who was hearing impaired, so we had practiced sign language a bit years ago. This manatee was signing to us; well after a fashion. I thought I recognized,"Good morning", and ,"Goodbye", but with those short little flipper arms, it was really hard to tell.
I asked Dave and Dustin when we got back to the boat if they had been teaching they them, but they just feigned ignorance. I'm sure instructor manatees to communicate is probably a violation of some federal marine mammal protection act or something.
Nevertheless, if you see a mamma manatee with a large notch in the left side of her tail, maybe you can talk with her baby a bit.