- [Robert voiceover] In today's video
we go to the Manatee Festival in Crystal River, Florida
and of course, we see plenty of manatee
at the Three Sisters Spring among other things.
♪ I'm riding ♪
♪ Riding riding ♪
♪ Riding with my RV ♪
♪ My RV ♪
♪ Wherever I want to be ♪
♪ Because I'm free in my RV yeah ♪
- [Robert voiceover] This video is sponsored
by Custom Covers.
- [Robert] Okay, we are at Crystal Isles RV resort,
and this is the joke of a site they have given us here.
I'm gonna start lying about by length
because look at that, it's like a triangle of a site,
and all we get is a little sliver of lakefront view.
It's not paying any attention to me.
[Robert Voiceover] Okay, let's go to town.
I think I made a wrong turn here.
It turns out, this weekend they are celebrating
the Manatee Festival, so this whole area,
you know, the Heritage Village,
is kind of off limits tonight.
I don't think we're supposed to be
going through these streets right here.
Okay, Plan B, I've heard of this place
called the Crab Plant, and they're supposed to have
excellent seafood.
- [Robert] Crab Plant.
- [Robert Voiceover] Mm yeah, the crab chowder is excellent.
- [Robert] Crab cakes
- [Robert Voiceover] They are great too, and so is the view
right here by the water.
Our grand total, and a very serious pelican.
It is so peaceful out here.
(slow jazz music)
Since it is a Friday evening, I take advantage
of the scenic surroundings and make my weekly
YouTube live video, 6:00 PM eastern, like every Friday.
Fly, pelican! (laughing)
I love how they land too.
- [Robert] Maybe he'll start flying any minute now.
(jazz music)
See them fly.
(jazz music)
Actually you know, what I'm doing, I'm taking ...
I'm making a live broadcast on YouTube.
- [Robert Voiceover] We go next door,
across the marina rather to the Cracker Bar, very lively.
(live rock music)
There's the Crab Plant where we just ate.
(rock music)
Okay, let's go, we're tired.
Maybe we'll come back tomorrow.
(rock music)
(quiet suspenseful music)
It is a huge RV park.
Well, goodnight.
- [Robert] Well, good morning from our muddy campsite.
Today, we're going to the festival, that Manatee Festival.
- [Robert Voiceover] They have these shuttle buses here
that take you from the Crystal River mall
to downtown, very convenient, and it's a very short ride.
It's cloudy, and a chilling morning here,
for Florida anyways, but it's great for manatee viewing
because when it's cold they come into the spring,
which is at a steady 72 degrees year long.
We however, get some black coffee to warm up and wake up.
Isn't this the same stuff they have at the RV show?
- [Robert] You have an antique vehicle here?
(smooth guitar strumming)
It's a Victorian tiny house.
- [Robert Voiceover] There's even a petting zoo.
Yeah, all kinds of stuff here at the festival,
but what we really want to do is go see the manatees.
Not these ones, the real ones.
There's the Heritage Museum, the former city hall I guess.
This is by the way another free shuttle
that takes us to the nearby Three Sisters Springs
where all the manatees come to hang out in the cold weather.
- [Woman] That water is amazing.
- [Kid] They're probably as heavy as one.
- [Woman] It's a spring, so it's 72 degrees.
I know, I want to see the baby.
(jazz music)
- [Robert voiceover] It is a beautiful spring.
We walk around on this boardwalk,
and there are some people swimming with the manatees.
It's another tour, and there are several companies
that will offer that kind of tour to you.
- [Robert] Okay, let's go back.
That's where all the manatees come in
through this canal I guess.
Well, it's getting crowded.
(jazz music)
There they are.
- [Robert Voiceover] Check them out.
It looks beautiful, and it's not even sunny.
(jazz music)
We keep walking on the boardwalk
watching random manatees here and there.
There is a family coming into the spring.
By the way, they all come into the spring
through this narrow canal right here.
They are such unusual creatures, aren't they?
Even though they look fat, we learned
that they're actually not, they just have a very large
rib cage, and that's why they are so sensitive
to cold temperatures, you know.
That's why they come into these springs every winter
through this narrow canal.
Check it out, it barely fits between those pylons.
Over there, they keep swimming with the manatees.
It would be cool to like rent a canoe or a kayak,
some other time perhaps.
Look at them all right there like waiting
to get into the spring.
- [Robert] Okay, let's go back.
- [Robert Voiceover] Now, before we continue,
let me tell you about our brand new sponsor, Custom Covers.
These steel covers keep your RV protected
and out of the weather when you are not using it,
and they come in a variety of colors.
Available in 29 states with a two to four week lead time.
Give Lisa a call at 501-455-4442,
and be sure to ask about the special
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(people chatting)
- [Robert] Bottles flattened.
- [Robert Voiceover] Okay, let's get a drink
and a bite to eat here at Norton's.
It is kind of early, so the place is not too crowded yet.
They have a beer called Mad Manatee,
and we have the fish dip, you know,
so we can eat something else later.
Strange to see in Florida, everybody all bundled up.
It usually doesn't get this cold down here,
and it is in the 40s today.
(jazz music)
Barbecue sauce.
I thought we were in Florida, but it's 48 degrees.
What's up with that?
We walk towards the music, and I hear music.
(rock music)
Mm, so much seafood.
(rock music)
- I want a whole lot of noise for this band.
(crowd cheers)
- [Robert Voiceover] And there's the DJ.
(country music)
Hmm, Irish Pub.
And we're back by the Heritage Village
at the area where we wanted to go last night,
and everything was closed down
because they were setting up for the festival.
I love looking at antique cars, and now,
there is a line to tour the tiny house.
Let's go into the Karma Cottage here,
buy some incense maybe.
There is a bunch of cool stuff in here.
- I feel much better now.
- [Robert Voiceover] There is this other area
with live music.
(woman singing)
It is called the acoustic stage,
and I feel kind of sorry for this talented young woman
playing the guitar in the bitter cold.
Well, not that bitter, but it is Florida
we're talking about.
We get the gloves and the scarves out of storage
whenever it drops down to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
♪ And for one desperate moment there ♪
♪ He crept back in a memory ♪
♪ God it's so painful ♪
- [Robert] Savethemanatee.org,
don't you think there are plenty of manatee?
- [Robert Voiceover] Well yeah, they are actually
listed as an endangered species.
Let's go into the Irish Pub.
- [Robert] Perfectly served Guinness.
- [Robert Voiceover] We continue.
Oh gosh, (laughing).
Look, matruscas.
- [Robert] This is like a pier here.
That's where the festival is happening,
and that's right there where I did my live video
on Friday, yesterday.
(jazz music)
- [Robert Voiceover] And they have another band playing now.
We're here at the main stage.
(rock music)
Let's continue walking to warm up
as it is still a cold day in Florida.
- It's a fountain, the fountain of youth.
Cafe.
- [Robert Voiceover] Gotta have some coffee,
and just as were are about to back to the RV,
the sun comes out.
It's a miracle.
The shuttle takes us back to the car.
We decide to end the night at the highly recommended
Vintage on Fifth, seems fancy.
How about some bubbly?
We get some fried green tomatoes,
and of course, Prosecco.
It looks like we're closing down the place.
We are going to call it a night because tomorrow ...
Tomorrow, we are going to see the mermaids
at Weeki Wachee Springs among other things,
but before that, let's fly the drone a little bit.
(smooth electric rock music)
Oh by the way, Weeki Wachee, that's gonna be the next video.
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