Some experiences in life never lose their charm, no matter how often you have them. For me, swimming with manatees is one of those things. For the past two decades, I have traveled to Central Florida every winter around my birthday to swim with these gentle giants. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve done it; each encounter, when I come face-to-face with a sweet “floating potato,” fills me with joy.
Since TG is not a fan of cold-water swimming, I’ve always invited a friend or two to join me on my yearly pilgrimage.
In 2025, two sets of friends joined me, and we had such a great time we decided then & there to meet up again in 2026. Plus, since we’ve moved so far away, getting “the band” back together once a year is as much a treat as the manatees!
TG found a pet-friendly Airbnb conveniently located close to the springs and other natural areas. It had a “Big Chill” vibe, with plenty of space for the five of us (plus two pups), a large kitchen/common area, a fenced-in backyard overlooking a lake, and a spacious deck for drying our wet gear.
We arrived on Monday afternoon and, after settling in, enjoyed all the birds flitting through the trees across the canal.
We prepared our gear for our first visit to the springs the next morning. The air temperature was in the 50s—a bit warm for manatees—but we found over 30 in the swim area and around the anchored boats.
The water in the springs was crystal clear and a beautiful blue. It’s no wonder that on his first visit to a Florida spring in 1513, Ponce de León believed these waters had rejuvenating properties.
And although Florida’s natural springs aren’t literally Fountains of Youth, the National Park Service has noted that “being surrounded by trees, water, or open skies lowers cortisol levels and blood pressure within minutes. The natural world signals safety to the brain. Stress fades. Mood lifts. You remember how it feels to breathe deeply.”
Our first manatee snorkel of 2026 was just as wonderful as it had been the last 20 times I had done this, and with bright sunshine and air temperatures near 80 degrees, we stayed in the water for over three hours before succumbing to the crisp 72-degree water.
Along with the manatees, we swam with multiple painted turtles
And huge schools of fish: mullets, tilapia, freshwater sunfish, and largemouth bass.
While enjoying the manatees, we also found an alligator snapping turtle, which quickly disappeared into the mangrove roots in the shallows.
While we were having fun in the water, TG was back at the house, preparing dinner each evening. He loves to cook and got as much pleasure from us enjoying his meals as we did from eating them!
On Wednesday, we returned to the springs for Round 2. The air temperature was rising, and we saw fewer manatees than the previous day. Even so, there were close to 20, including a mother and her nursing calf.
Though it wasn’t as sunny as Tuesday, the light filtering through the crystal-blue water was perfect for photographing the manatees without a “dappling” effect.
We took a break from the manatees on Thursday to visit two local nature areas: the La Chua Trail in Paynes Prairie State Park and Sweetwater Wetlands.
Highlights included more alligators than we could count, several species of sparrows, a roseate spoonbill, dozens of nesting great blue herons, and fearless sandhill cranes.
On Friday, we returned to the springs for Round 3, but there wasn’t a single manatee to be found. We swam all the way up the run to the lake to no avail.
However, we did come across a 4-foot alligator sunning on a log, which was quite the experience—to be in the water, looking up at an alligator! It almost made up for the lack of manatees.
Knowing that it would be busy at the springs, we decided to spend the weekend topside. Saturday morning, we were up at the crack of dawn for a return trip to Sweetwater Wetlands.
Later in the day, we went back to the La Chua trail at Paynes Prairie, with a stop at the Ecopassage Observation Boardwalk to hopefully see some bison. We were happy to find some reasonably close to the deck and got off a few good shots before we continued on.
We arrived at La Chua at dusk to look for owls, and although we heard plenty of calls of both barred and great horned, it was nearly dark before we spied our first one. It was a great horned, so far away it was nothing more than a tiny dot high on a treetop.
The setting sun painted the prairie a beautiful orange as we headed back to the car.
Sunday morning, we went back to Sweetwater for one last visit. We arrived even earlier than on Saturday – we were second in line for the 7 am gate opening. However, the morning fog never lifted, making for poor light and challenging photography.
As we scouted for owls along a tree-lined path, we momentarily glimpsed a great horned owl before she disappeared behind the moss curtains.
Even so, it was a wonderful morning, and we were treated to multiple beautiful birds, including a marsh wren and a sora – two new birds for me!
Around 9 am, it started to rain, and we hurried back to the parking lot.
We spent a quiet afternoon around the house and drove back to La Chua at sunset for one last chance to photograph an owl. We heard their distinctive hoot-hoot-hoot but were unable to locate them.
The following morning, we returned to the springs for Round 4. Air temperatures had dropped significantly overnight, and when we arrived at the park, the car’s thermometer read 42 degrees. I was certain we were in for a treat, and sure enough, we saw at least 20 manatees in and around the swim area.
We spent another three hours with them and only got out when our fingers got too cold and stiff to work the buttons on our cameras.
We also saw a bald eagle, an otter, multiple appearances of the alligator snapping turtle, and mermaids! The Florida Springs Mermaid Pod was there practicing, and it was fun to watch as they gracefully swam amongst the manatees.
After warming ourselves with a bowl of steaming hot soup, we spent the afternoon preparing to head home the following morning. We had four glorious swims at the springs, multiple birding opportunities, and hours filled with laughter, friendship, and Nature.
What a mana-treat it was to spend the week with people so dear to my heart! As we drove home, I indeed felt my mood lift and my stress fade away.
To view all my manatee photos click here:
To view all my topside nature photos click here:
On The Road with Tall Guy & JET 