Florida Travel: How to Swim With Manatees in Crystal River
By Kevin Mims
I kind of obsess about manatees and what they're up to. If you're the same, you might want to check out these webcams, where you can take your obsession to the next level.
Crystal River
Live river cams are posted at the MacRae’s boat ramp on the beautiful Homosassa River, the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park's boardwalk and underwater observatory, and The Plantation on Crystal River Resort on Kings Bay in Crystal River. discovercrystalriverfl.com/live-river-cam.
Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Center
TECO has two cams set up for viewing manatees, Nov. 1 to April 15. Links: MVC Cam East (webcameast) and MVC Cam West (webcamwest)
Florida Power and Light Riviera Beach
The most ideal manatee viewing opportunities at Manatee Lagoon occur when cooler temperatures are sustained over a period of two to three days with minimal cloud cover. visitmanateelagoon.com/manatee-cam.
Save the Manatee Club Cam at Blue Spring State Park
This one's my favorite. There are always lots of manatees at Blue Spring when it's cold, plus the Save the Manatee Club posts plenty of addtional info to go along with the feed. savethemanatee.org/savethemanateecam
Speaking of the Save the Manatee Club, these folks do some incredible work to help protect endangered Florida manatees and their habitat. Consider donating to the cause or joining the club.