Q: We are visiting Florida and able to snorkel in April. We would like to experience a snorkeling manatee tour. What do you recommend, and who may charter such tours, and where are they located? What is the cost?
A: Thanks for your question.
First, you should know that manatees may not be in Florida's waters in April. Manatees generally live in the ocean and come inland only when the ocean water temperature gets too cold for them -- or when they have gotten so used to warm-water power plant discharge that they don't want to leave! It's possible that you'll still see manatees in Florida rivers, springs and canals, but be prepared for the possibility that the manatees may have gone back out to the ocean by then. April in Florida is generally not cold.
You may want to read about my experience on a manatee snorkeling tour before you go. This article shows you how the company I went with does things, and contact information is provided. Many manatee snorkeling tours are located in Citrus County (you'll find a helpful Citrus County guide directory here) -- on the Gulf of Mexico north of Tampa -- because manatees flock to the warm springs there every winter. Cost varies from company to company, of course, but you should get several hours for between $50 and $100.
Choosing the right tour guide to take you to see the manatees is important, as you'll read in my article. You don't want to be just one in a crowd of people on the tour, which will overwhelm the manatees and make your experience less enjoyable. You don't want a tour guide who suggests you go up to or touch the manatees -- view them from a distance, but allow them to swim up to you when they want. Also, preferably, you want a guide who knows about more than just the manatees and can tell you about the springs, nature, other area wildlife and even history of the surrounding area because manatees are just one part of the environment.
These are just a few tips for choosing a manatee tour guide -- or any wildlife-watching tour guide. See more about ecotourism and ecotour guidelines on our What Is Ecotourism? page.
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