I will start here, Florida Guys & Gals some help would be appreciated

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BilgeCoolie

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Florida Guys & Gals and any others I need help.
My Wife and I have been married for 52 years. We are lifetime boat operators, fishermen, towing and research vessels plus more. Both licensed for 50 YEARS EACH !!

My wife has very bad Cancer but holding her own right now, she is a hell of a lot tougher than I am. We are on the left coast.

She wants to swim with a Manatee. We have worked in Florida but work is work and always where going to come back.

Of course there are the tour groups, I would like here to have a low key boat ride and just sit there for a day or two to play with the rascal's and believe me I can not wait either. I have a special way with animals.

As I read the fall winter months are best ? Good area to find a boat operator or couple with a conferrable boat ? If I have to I will tow my Marlin out there, maybe just stay. At this point I'm a mess.

So today I made my mind up and will be working on this.

I Thank You for any and all ideas.

What is the best way to do a phone number ?

MG
 
I'm pretty sure it's not legal to swim or play with them. Not legal to give them water from a hose either. I'm in the Keys during the winter (Islamorada January/February/March +/- a few weeks). We see them occasionally in the canal where we stay. We went on a tour in Key Largo on the canals a 10 years ago and saw lots of manatee. Don't remember the name of the tour but it it should be easy to find. Call around...it was in this area of Key Largo. Manatee were on the bay side but the tour also took us thru a canal under Route 1 to the ocean side.

Screen Shot 2025-04-10 at 7.46.51 AM.png
 
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If you are not with a state recognized, regulated tour, it is considered harassment to mess with them. There are springs up around Crystal River that have tours I believe, and you can rent kayaks and paddle around them. Just remember that those things weigh around a thousand pounds or more when grown and eat grass, so each one is going to shit several 5 gallon buckets worth per day, so when you are in the water in a large group of them in a confined spring or creek, you might say you are being marinated in Sea cow poop... Enjoy.
 
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Hi:
Thank You for all your fine thoughts. I have set here for 3 days staring at this replay and I think I will do it in sections to keep my hurt in check. I'm sure what I have done here is not right, but I'm not right either right now. Very Sorry.

Halfhitch you made my day, 5 gallons of POOO POOO at a time. BUT-- when you hit my age that is just about what I do every day, the in the water cleaning would just be nice. Also I'm quiet sure when my wife finally reads this she will agree !

Being a American with the Upmost respect for it's sea creatures how dare I think I could go see them as a free man. I should have known. I have glanced at these tours but want a low key, anchor up and enjoy the few times she has left and enjoy the fountains of Poo Poo.

Wow I lost what I wrote for a while, stressful.
PT 2 Coming and wait for a Sea Cow Story, you will pee yourself.
 
The only places in Florida where you can legally swim with manatees are the Crystal River and Homosassa Springs refuge areas. It is perfectly legal for private or rental boats to anchor up and swim with them. If you want private charters, contact these guys:

https://snorkelwithmanatees.com/crystal-river/private-manatee-madness-tour/

Others on that page also do private charters.

November through March is the best time since hundreds of them are in the springs once the Gulf cools down. There are many more in Kings Bay (Crystal River) than in Homosassa, but it is a lot more crowded up there during the peak season.
 
This is why I started here Boat People, THANKS ALL, we are a breed apart or as a guy I knew, said I was a Cat of a Different Bread.

I will look all that up in a few minutes.

Doc, that is what I wanted to hear and that is it, snorkels full of Poo !, ages 2 and up. that covers me. I have a few things still to do today but will be on it later. I will give a little hint of my Sea Cow 30 years ago. A Elephant Seal Cow, that was madly in love with me and wanted to rip my wife's arms off. They can move fast. Nothing more pee your pants funny, as hearing your wife scream and my pet and telling me it is my fault as she is running by with a 1000 pound cow on hear heels. I have hurt myself from laughing.

I have a another issue, but I will work it out. A close friend who is a for real SkyKing, was, is worried about flights. I go to the doctor this week to find out about her flying. She does not know of this yet. I hope for a surprise. Waiting for Nurse call back today. Part of a worry was flying in and trying and find a private charter, not knowing any body. Her Cancer is very Metastasized in legs, hips and other places. I choke up with tears so I see little. At one point a Surgeon thought of collaring her Femurs to keep it from splitting open.
She does this on NO Pain Pills !
Doctor has no explanation of why she is still alive ! She was to die last summer by the Talking Heads.

So you can understand my wild ideas.

So now my thoughts is to buy or trade my badass toyhauler for a large motorhome. I have a Freightliner with it. I'm trying to get rid of stuff not buy ??? Then I can bring support, Nice's, one is a Nurse Practitioner. They do not no about this yet, but I will call tonight. I did not think this all the way out. I have surprised her with comedy clubs, exabits and more but they are not 3000 miles away.

Renewed Hope Thank You !
More to come.
 
Hi:
Been busy and my wife has done the whole scan Thursday. So in a week or so we will see how it goes for the Sea Cow tour. Just in on a break and will try and talk more in a day or two. Tons of used motor homes out there. Buying new for this and my age does not make sense. I also could tow my most bad ass aluminum boat. 1949 Holt and Van and the very first Valco. Has a removable pilot house. Pure battle ship construction. Back when men where men and built boats for a lifetime. I played in this boat in a barn 60 years ago. It was never used.
 
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