Wiggle and tug to don a wetsuit. I gotta say; these things are not figure flattering! Strap on the mask and goggles, grab a floaty noodle and down the ladder we go into the Homosassa River. Nothing. Just the slow realization that 70 degree water is soaking into the wetsuit. Brr. We floated and paddled a little in the direction the boat captain suggested.
Then, it took my breath away. Right beside us appeared a wrinkled, whiskery nose followed by a very large bulbous body with a pretty large paddle of a tail attached. The manatees were right beside us. They blew out breaths like mini whales then submerged sometimes in a slow motion power dive out of sight and sometimes just to loll along the surface right beside us. They really liked Kent the best. He had a number of very close encounters.

My favorite close up
I was floating calmly waiting for another manatee to make an appearance. From below appeared first a nose. Then the wrinkly but kind of cute face. It just rose up from the bottom of the river sort of like a cloud or a bubble. Effortlessly. On an angle that brought it just inches from my face. The bubbles from its exhale tickled my ears. We both just floated there for a few, just sharing some space. It quietly went on its way. Surreal.

My least favorite close up
The manatee swam right at 90 degrees from me so it approached my side. It started a very shallow dive and I felt it glide against my wetsuit as it went just beneath me. I kept thinking I hope it doesn’t need to take a breath right now. I gasped and sputtered through my snorkel and had to force myself to lie still so I wouldn’t kick it. Very unnerving…still cool.