Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 12:04 pm
dude_88 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 01:43 PM
Has anyone ever gone to Florida and swam with the manatees. I just got back and it was great. It was so peaceful being in the water with them. They are truely gentle giants.
kielo91 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 02:53 PM
Well, I haven't before. But I've always wanted to. I've dreamed of swimming with both dolphins and manatees before. I didn't dream literally, just thought about it. Sounds like you had fun. Tell us more about it. I'm interested.
dude_88 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 04:49 PM
we went to crystal river, fl. and went through this service called bird's underwater. we woke up and went to the store at 6 in the morning. we put on wetsuits and left soon after that. when we got to one of the major springs named Magnolia Springs we got out of the boat. they have these set off areas where no one can go except manatees called sanctuaries. the spring was in the sanctuary so we waited outside of it. all of a sudden one swam out and let us scratch it. about an hour passed and everyone was in the boat except me an my dad, when 4 swam up to us and surrounded us. u think it wouldnt be scary but it is when a 1,500 lb. animal is swimming up to ur face. we scratched and rubbed them untill they decided to leave and then we left. it was the most exciting animal encounter i have ever had. i encourage anyone who ever has the chance to do it to do it. it is so peaceful swimming with an animal that is so huge but so gentle.
kielo91 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 05:46 PM
That sounds very neat! Just thinking about it brings eagerness to my soul. How I wish I had the opportunity! Perhaps someday, but until then, I'm stuck in ol' Indiana, where corn grows and cows are raised. Exciting, huh?
So, are you planning any other 'animal encounters' in your future trips? I'd think that after that neat experience, you would be eager to do something related to that again!
dude_88 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 07:17 PM
well im from the delta in mississippi so instead of corn we got cotton and instead of cows well we dont have any livestock but we dont have much wildlife beside deer and other game animals so it was great to get out and away from the farms. i dont know where ill go next. im lookin for somethin new
kielo91 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 08:06 PM
Something new you say? Hmm.. Been to SeaWorld? If you've been to the one in FL, you could try the one in Ohio. It's actually Six Flags, but there's still sort of a 'zoo' there. I've been there before. There's two portions of Six Flags: An amusement park, and a zoo-like park. Unique, but the zoo-like park is not very well put together in my opinion, nor are there very many different variations in animals. But they do have interesting dolphin shows, along with sea otter, sea lion, and walrus shows. Those are cute. You could try Six Flags, it's not a bad attraction. Just something new if you haven't already tried it.
dude_88 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 08:33 PM
thanx for the advice. ill look into that
Raindragon Posted: Jan 20 2004, 10:17 AM
Ooooh, you're so lucky! I love manatees and I've always wanted to swim with them. Same with dolphins. I'm mad about marine life and want to conserve it, so to get in with them would be a great plus in my life!
kielo91 Posted: Jan 20 2004, 03:00 PM
You're welcome, Dude.
I love marine animals as well. Most of them are so pleasing and serene. It would be an honor to be with some of these peaceful creatures (especially manatees), and spend some time observing their enthralling ways of living. Every creature has such a fascinating way of life, it amazes me. And it would amaze me even more if I could spend some time with them.
Okapi_07 Posted: Jan 20 2004, 05:52 PM
manatees are really cool they have an exhibit at the columbus zoo(one of only three facilities to care for manatees(and there are only about 5 in florida)) ive never acctually touched one but i have been splashed by one(one of the manatees was spooked and smacked its tail on the water like a beaver and water went pouring over the glass wall ) and you can get really close to them at eye level or from above the exhibit is really cool it has real mangroves growing around the edge of the pool and a huge murral of the sky and the ocean and islands behind them and a 190,000 gallon tank with manatees, ducks, sea turtles, rays, and ton of fish and there is a big boat house (to hid the gates to off-exhibit tanks) and a dock that the keepers walk out on btw has anyone ever seen them eat? its really funny they sometimes use their flippers to hold the food but usually use their lip(their upper lip is divided into two finger-like things kind of like the mouth parts pf some invertabrates) its very entertaining
dude_88 Posted: Jan 20 2004, 09:15 PM
when i was in the water i saw one grab onto the anchor rope and eat algae off of it. it was really neat how it used its hands to hold onto the rope.
Has anyone ever gone to Florida and swam with the manatees. I just got back and it was great. It was so peaceful being in the water with them. They are truely gentle giants.
kielo91 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 02:53 PM
Well, I haven't before. But I've always wanted to. I've dreamed of swimming with both dolphins and manatees before. I didn't dream literally, just thought about it. Sounds like you had fun. Tell us more about it. I'm interested.
dude_88 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 04:49 PM
we went to crystal river, fl. and went through this service called bird's underwater. we woke up and went to the store at 6 in the morning. we put on wetsuits and left soon after that. when we got to one of the major springs named Magnolia Springs we got out of the boat. they have these set off areas where no one can go except manatees called sanctuaries. the spring was in the sanctuary so we waited outside of it. all of a sudden one swam out and let us scratch it. about an hour passed and everyone was in the boat except me an my dad, when 4 swam up to us and surrounded us. u think it wouldnt be scary but it is when a 1,500 lb. animal is swimming up to ur face. we scratched and rubbed them untill they decided to leave and then we left. it was the most exciting animal encounter i have ever had. i encourage anyone who ever has the chance to do it to do it. it is so peaceful swimming with an animal that is so huge but so gentle.
kielo91 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 05:46 PM
That sounds very neat! Just thinking about it brings eagerness to my soul. How I wish I had the opportunity! Perhaps someday, but until then, I'm stuck in ol' Indiana, where corn grows and cows are raised. Exciting, huh?
So, are you planning any other 'animal encounters' in your future trips? I'd think that after that neat experience, you would be eager to do something related to that again!
dude_88 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 07:17 PM
well im from the delta in mississippi so instead of corn we got cotton and instead of cows well we dont have any livestock but we dont have much wildlife beside deer and other game animals so it was great to get out and away from the farms. i dont know where ill go next. im lookin for somethin new
kielo91 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 08:06 PM
Something new you say? Hmm.. Been to SeaWorld? If you've been to the one in FL, you could try the one in Ohio. It's actually Six Flags, but there's still sort of a 'zoo' there. I've been there before. There's two portions of Six Flags: An amusement park, and a zoo-like park. Unique, but the zoo-like park is not very well put together in my opinion, nor are there very many different variations in animals. But they do have interesting dolphin shows, along with sea otter, sea lion, and walrus shows. Those are cute. You could try Six Flags, it's not a bad attraction. Just something new if you haven't already tried it.
dude_88 Posted: Jan 19 2004, 08:33 PM
thanx for the advice. ill look into that
Raindragon Posted: Jan 20 2004, 10:17 AM
Ooooh, you're so lucky! I love manatees and I've always wanted to swim with them. Same with dolphins. I'm mad about marine life and want to conserve it, so to get in with them would be a great plus in my life!
kielo91 Posted: Jan 20 2004, 03:00 PM
You're welcome, Dude.
I love marine animals as well. Most of them are so pleasing and serene. It would be an honor to be with some of these peaceful creatures (especially manatees), and spend some time observing their enthralling ways of living. Every creature has such a fascinating way of life, it amazes me. And it would amaze me even more if I could spend some time with them.
Okapi_07 Posted: Jan 20 2004, 05:52 PM
manatees are really cool they have an exhibit at the columbus zoo(one of only three facilities to care for manatees(and there are only about 5 in florida)) ive never acctually touched one but i have been splashed by one(one of the manatees was spooked and smacked its tail on the water like a beaver and water went pouring over the glass wall ) and you can get really close to them at eye level or from above the exhibit is really cool it has real mangroves growing around the edge of the pool and a huge murral of the sky and the ocean and islands behind them and a 190,000 gallon tank with manatees, ducks, sea turtles, rays, and ton of fish and there is a big boat house (to hid the gates to off-exhibit tanks) and a dock that the keepers walk out on btw has anyone ever seen them eat? its really funny they sometimes use their flippers to hold the food but usually use their lip(their upper lip is divided into two finger-like things kind of like the mouth parts pf some invertabrates) its very entertaining
dude_88 Posted: Jan 20 2004, 09:15 PM
when i was in the water i saw one grab onto the anchor rope and eat algae off of it. it was really neat how it used its hands to hold onto the rope.