A wonderful surprise at Boot Key Harbor Dingy Dock

 We maneuvered our way into a spot on the crowded dingy dock and noticed a crowd on the opposite dock looking into the water and taking photos.  Being a bit nosy I had to go see what the excitement was about. We had seen glimpses of these big guys on the ICW and in other areas of warm water but to have one so close, was just to cool! What is it you ask?  Manatees, also known as Sea Cows or gentle giants. These big guys and gals are adorable. He or she was near the fresh water hose hoping someone would turn it on.  They love fresh water and some locals will run hoses near their docks to attract them.  It is against the law to harm them, touch them and or give them water as they are an endangered specie. They love fresh water so much they will drink it rather than eat. Not a good thing. An adult manatee can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh as much as 3500 pounds. The average length is 10 feet and 1000 pounds.  Manatees are far sighted, meaning they do not see clearly at close ranges. This can be very dangerous for them causing them entanglement in crab trap lines, fishing line and tangle with boat props. They can also mistake garbage for floating plants. Any and all of these have caused harm and death.  We see so much garbage in the water on our travels. Whenever possible we retrieve it hoping that our little bit of work helps.

His tale