Crystal River Manatees: Swimming with Florida’s gentle giants at Three Sisters Springs
A sudden underwater tap from behind signalled the start of an encounter of a lifetime as underwater giants suddenly cruised past stunned swimmers.
There was immediate relief and disbelief at the same time.
A sudden tap on my leg from behind meant we all had to lift our feet up, stay still and float quietly.
We watched in awe as an immense sirenian and her calf suddenly glided silently past us, just centimetres away, on their way into a famous, spring-fed lagoon, unperturbed by our presence.
Only a second earlier, our party of five snorkellers had been observing large freshwater bass at the entrance of a narrow channel that led from a canal in Kings Bay, part of Crystal River, to a spring-fed inlet called Three Sister Springs.
Once the manatees had passed by, we were permitted to continue in the same direction.
Barefoot and sporting wetsuits over our togs, were only allowed to use our arms to slowly swim and float – as per Florida law – towards the springs, in case the aquatic herbivores were present.
My husband and I had waited years to take our children to the US – and to Crystal River in Florida, specifically – just to swim with wild manatees, which were said to once be mistaken for sirens of the sea in Greek mythology.
Crystal River, in the town of the same name on the west-central coast of the US state of Florida, is dubbed the ‘Manatee Capital of the World’ because it’s one of the few places where people can legally swim with the gentle giants, particularly in winter when they head to the warmth of the area’s natural springs.
Named for its usually year-round transparent water, the river, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico, comprises a network of interconnected springs that sprout from a massive underground freshwater reservoir called the Floridian Aquifer.
There are 824 documented springs in various waterways across the entirety of the Florida Aquifer, with more than 70 springs in the 11km-long Crystal River alone.
Hundreds of Florida manatees – a subspecies of the West Indian Manatee – head to the warmth of the springs to escape the colder ocean temperatures during the northern hemisphere’s winter, with the Three Sisters Springs being one of their favourite haunts.
On this occasion it had been unusually difficult to spot any of the once endangered – but now listed as threatened – species despite it still being winter, thanks in part to inclement weather stirring up the river in the days and months prior to our visit.
My family and I had already spent the previous two mornings disappointed following two unsuccessful manatee spotting tours.
So, on our third and final day in the area we splurged and booked a private morning tour with the Plantation Adventure Centre in a final attempt to hopefully come across the docile animals.
The mixture of joy and relief that the kids finally got to see at least one mum and her offspring up close in clear water was immeasurable.
At that point, we were just thrilled we finally saw a manatee, before we had even entered the Three Sisters Springs.
As we slowly proceeded along the channel towards the famous spring, the water changed from the murkier colour of the canal to amazingly crystal clear.
As we approached the main pool the channel opened into a giant, secluded natural inlet, enveloped by a lush green wetlands forest.
It didn’t seem real at first.
For a split second I thought we were back on a fake but impressively realistic-looking set at Disney World in Orlando before my brain realised the tranquil setting was, in fact, not only real but a real-life oasis.
Enhanced by the surrounding ferns, tall moss-draped trees and other vegetation, the approximately 23 hectare body of freshwater emitted a turquoise hue as some fingers of the early morning sun peaked through some of the wetland habitat.
The transparent water was bordered predominantly by limestone and other sedimentary rocks.
The serenity of the setting was mesmerising.
The Three Sisters Springs, a natural freshwater spring in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, maintains a consistent high water clarity and quality and average year-round temperature of about 23C, making the spot an ideal manatee sanctuary.
It derives its name from three distinct spring vents within the main pool, dubbed Deep Sister, Pretty Sister and Little Sister, which comprise a total of 19 freshwater springs.
They are the source of the warm water that then flows out through the Spring Run and into Kings Bay.
On arrival into the main spring area our joy turned to gratitude as – thanks to stunning visibility in the Three Sisters – we immediately spotted several other sea cows already hanging out in various parts of the lagoon.
The marine mammals have thick grey, wrinkly, leathery skin with round bodies that taper to a flat, paddle-shaped tail.
They have whiskers on their snouts and two front flippers with nails – similar to elephants – one of their closest relatives.
Adult manatees average about 3m long from snout to tail and weigh an average of 450kg but, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC), they can grow to be more than 4m long and weigh more than 1,588kg.
Despite their size, the mostly slow moving creatures are quite agile.
They can roll over, swim upside down, do somersaults or move vertically in the water and it’s not uncommon to see calves, in particular, doing so as they frolic near their mum.
They are also friendly, inquisitive and short sighted.
While visitors are not permitted to approach or touch manatees, some of the more curious and social gentle giants will often choose to interact with humans by swimming up to check out a snorkeller, particularly if the manatee is in a playful mood.
While none seemed playful at 7am on this particular morning, I was filming on my GoPro Hero 12 Black camera when a mother and calf opted to swim back and forth right underneath my daughter, while another surfaced for a moment, poking its mouth out of the top of the water to take a breath.
Nearby, on the other side of a roped off refuge – where people cannot enter – a heavily pregnant manatee chose to rest and did not budge from the same spot for the entire hour we were there.
West Indian Manatees
The aquatic herbivores spend up to eight hours a day grazing on seagrasses or other plants.
They can also spend up to 12 hours a day either resting on the bottom of the river or suspended near the water’s surface when they are not playing or travelling between their favourite hangouts.
In the USA, the Florida manatee inhabits the state’s coastal waters, rivers and springs, though some are occasionally spotted as far west as Texas and as far north as Massachusetts during warm months, according to the FWC web site.
Although there are subtle differences, the Florida manatees are related to Australia’s dugongs as well as the Amazonian manatee, the West African manatee, and the now extinct Steller’s sea cow.
Dubbed the sirens of the sea – or the springs, in this case – the scientific name for manatees and dugongs is Sirenia, which is said to have come about thanks to early explorers mistaking them for mythical mermaids.
This includes famed Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, who in 1943, documented that he had seen “three mermaids” that historians now believe were manatees.
Wildlife haven
Even without manatees in residence, the serene Three Sisters Springs is a wildlife haven.
While there, we spotted various types of fish and even watched an anhinga – a bird similar to a cormorant – dive and swim right to the bottom of the lake where it caught a fish right in front of our eyes.
More than 100 species of birds have been documented within the Three Sisters Springs area alone, including ospreys, Sandhill cranes, gallinules, limpkins and more.
The water visibility was so stunning we were even able to spot several large freshwater crabs moving about on the sandy bottom and between the rocks.
When and where to see Florida Manatees
The peak observation season for Florida manatees is from November through to April, with the aquatic mammal’s population swelling to its largest between December and February.
For those who prefer to stay dry, wild manatees can also be spotted from boardwalks that overlook the Three Sisters Springs Refuge or in various parts of Crystal River while kayaking or paddle boarding.
They can also be seen in the educational enclosure at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in the nearby town of Homosassa, where injured manatees are rehabilitated and returned to the wild.
The park, which comprises several other animal species, also serves as a refuge for any sea cows deemed non-releasable.
Visitors to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park can partake in several immersive opportunities to learn more about a diverse range of species, from whooping cranes to alligators to the park’s most famous resident, Lu the hippo, who turned 65 in January, 2025.
VISIT
WHAT: Manatee tours
WHERE: Plantation Adventure Centre, 9301 West Fort Island Trail Crystal River, Florida, USA
CONTACT: plantationadventurecenter.com
WHAT: Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park
WHERE: 4150 S. Suncoast Blvd, Homosassa, Florida, USA
CONTACT: homosassaspringswildlife.com
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about things to do and see in the Citrus County area, please visit Discover Crystal River at discovercrystalriverfl.com
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