- Seeing one, Manatee can change your life.
But what about swimming with 100 of them?
Is it even possible?
With so many disappearing with time running out, I travel
to one of their final strongholds to get in the water
and attempt this encounter before it's too late.
A portion of this video is sponsored by Deal Dash.
Our search for the lost city of manatees began
at dawn and the thick fog lifting
off the water was the perfect backdrop.
As we ventured further
into the realm of these mysterious creatures
Manatee have been tied to ocean folklore
for centuries
and are rumor to have been the source
of many sea monster in mermaid sightings.
As I paddled forward, I could hear strange breaths
and tail slaps just out of sight.
The light breaking through the mist danced
across the water and played tricks on my eyes.
And even I admit, my imagination created images
of giant creatures lurking below.
All right, the sun is rising,
the fog is subsiding.
On this trip, we're going somewhere new.
We're going right to the source of the springwater.
And with any luck
the Manatees will accept us
and come in for their closeup.
As with any aquatic adventure, the moment you plunge
beneath the surface is the instant you realize you
are now entering a completely different world.
As my eyes adjusted, I began to slowly swim forward.
I noticed a shadowy figure approaching from the left.
My curiosity propelled me
but just when I thought I was getting closer it vanished
like a ghost, and I remembered to swim with Manatee
you must be brave, be still, and wait patiently.
So I froze and scanned for movement.
Then they appeared.
Seeing the first Manatee of the day was thrilling
with all the news of their disappearance, I was nervous.
We might have come all this way
without being welcome back if nothing else.
Manatee are highly intelligent and just
like their closest living relative to the elephant
it's said they never forget.
One by one, they started to swim closer
and eventually began to encircle me
while slowly pushing our group beyond the murky channel.
And since Park Rangers had officially opened the spring
for swimming, we carefully proceeded
down a narrow and rocky passage
careful to keep our distance from any passing Manatee.
There was a swift current we all swam against
but I was sure this is where they must have come from.
The murky water eventually gave way
to a crystal clear expanse
and it became obvious I had found a Manatee Paradise.
- I want to thank Deal Dash for sponsoring this video.
They helped make this story possible
and without great partners like them
we wouldn't be able to update you
on the current situation facing this species.
Deal Dash is an online auction site that lets you compete
for huge savings on brands you know and products you love.
We're talking up to 99% off guys.
Okay, so let's give this a shot.
There we go.
Every adventure needs a new set of Bi nos.
Am I right? So here's how it works.
You buy a bid pack
you can get like ten, fifty, a hundred, et cetera bids.
Each bid raises the price by 1 cent
and the auction clock restarts
at 10 seconds every time someone else bids.
And I'm gonna bid on these right now, dang it.
So I'm gonna go big.
I'm gonna go 150 bids on the bid buddy.
Ready? 150 Book them
Fingers crossed oh.
We won.
- We won.
- We got Yes.
That was awesome.
Right now there's a good promotion going on.
If you're a fan of Brave Wilderness, if you type
in wilderness as the promo code,
you get one hundred free bids
on the purchase of your first bid pack.
So go check out Deal Dash, have some fun.
Maybe you'll win something like we did today
and now it's time to get back
in the water with the Manatees.
The freshwater springs
of Florida are a Manatee favorite sanctuary for a reason.
The springs stay a warm 72 degrees year round
and serve as an oasis during winter months
as Manatee lacked the body fat
of other marine mammals making them susceptible
to cold snaps.
I know it's hard to believe, but trust me
they get chilled easily.
Although Manatee can grow up to ten foot long
and weigh twelve hundred pounds,
they are a fragile indicator species.
They do not tolerate pollution
or changing climate well at all.
In just the last two years, it has sadly reported
that we have lost 25% of all Florida Manatee.
As I swam further into the Manatees spring
they began to approach in great numbers.
One by one they would appear and then swim off again
almost to test and see
if we were there for the right reasons.
When you're in the water with them, there are
ground rules including respecting restricted areas
no feeding, and the biggest of all
which is no grabbing or chasing a Manatee.
You should always watch
from a respectful distance if they want to approach you.
Trust me, they will.
Manatees are naturally curious and very gentle
but they're also enormous
and not nearly as slow as they might seem.
If they're around you, it's because they choose to be.
If they wanna leave, they can
In the blink of an eye, Manatees are very social creatures
and when they want to make contact, it's abundantly clear.
They're choosing you
almost like a friendly golden retriever.
They will nudge you and extend their flipper to connect
with their new human friend.
This typically lasts
for only a moment or two, then they're off again.
However, what you're about to see is the most
amazing Manatee encounter I have ever experienced.
Manatee have a unique language and can speak to each other
so it's easy to hear when they get excited.
I don't know what this one was saying to the rest
but whenever it was, certainly had them more curious.
So much so.
I was essentially swarmed.
Seeing this many Manatee
in one place was a rare and amazing sight.
Their must have been over one hundred of them.
Their eyes would follow mine
and their connection to me was clear.
Every time one would leave, another would approach looking
for the same attention, and it was easy to get lost
in the awe of their playful behavior.
After about 30 minutes, I had truly lost count
of how many Manatee had approached the camera.
And compared to my previous experiences
I knew that this one was special.
And sadly, perhaps the last time I would ever see so many
in a single place
I could have stayed in the spring forever.
But as lights started to fade
it was time to make our way back to the kayaks.
And for some of us it was easier than others.
We kayaked threw what seemed
like a desert where sea grass once thrived only
to witness manatees struggling to feed
on what little grass remained Manatees need to eat
up to 150 pounds of vegetation each day.
And without thriving sea grass, we witnessed mothers
and calves heading back out
to the frigid sea to find more food
and that should not be happening this time of year.
The loss of sea grass is a big factor
to why so many Manatee are dying, but there are
also more established threats including pollution
and changing weather patterns.
Each year, many Manatee are struck by boats
and unfortunately a lot of them do not survive.
It is truly heartbreaking to see pieces missing
from their tails
and large scars covering their entire bodies.
It's also a reminder that we need to do a better job to look
out for these animals.
If we are to share their habitats for recreation
they are so special.
And aside from our furry canine companions
the Manatee are perhaps human's best friend
at least when we're in the water.
Woo,
wow.
It is never a bad day when you get to swim
with the Florida Manatee, but let's all do our part
and preserving this experience for generations to come
and more importantly, their environment and source of food.
If you wanna learn more about what you can do from home
check the link in the description below.
Save the manatee.org.
That's where you want to go to learn more about the issues.
To help this majestic species, I'm Mark Vinz, be brave.
Stay wild.
We'll see you on the next adventure.
As we journeyed home, the Manatees saw us off and I wondered
if this might be my last encounter with these gentle giants.
I hope we can all do our part to ensure the future
of Manatee, but if you have ever wanted to see one
in the wild, I recommend you don't wait to catch a glimpse
of one of the most endearing animals on the planet.
There are less than 6,000 Manatee left
in the state of Florida, and they desperately need our help
before they disappear forever.