Swimming with the manatees - blue springs, orange city, FL

[SeaSickDrop]

i do it all the time, i put a hose in the water and toss some lettuce and their will be 4 that come and i get in and swim with them. You dont have to pay to do it

[jsanford35]

@manisi134 @manisi134 go ahead take your chances you must have seen one of the rangers that doesnt care. read the blue springs state park home page clearly says there that you cant. i have seen people arrested first hand with my own two eyes, if a DEP officer catches you they wont look the other way. go ahead continue to misinform people

[cali4236]

wish i could go there

[jsanford35]

Swimming with the manatees is ILLEGAL at blue springs. I live 10 minutes from there and go swimming/diving there all the time. They wont let anyone in the water in the winter anymore and make everyone get out if one comes in the summer. and for people that are still going to argue check the website

[manisi134]

@jsanford35 I went there today and swam with 4 manatees. The ranger saw me and didn't say a word. I am posting the video later. There is nothing wrong with swimming with Manatees as long as you are a respectful observer. We didn't follow them, they came up to us and clearly were interested in us.

[jsanford35]

Swimming with the manatees is ILLEGAL at blue springs. I live 10 minutes from there and go swimming/diving there all the time. They wont let anyone in the water in the winter anymore and make everyone get out if one comes in the summer.

[KoreaRwkz]

This is a good song.

[flauterfli]

Excuse me, but did you TIE them up? o-o

[Hydemepls]

THIS IS ILLEGAL, I do research in the springs and even we arent allowed to pet them. You people chase them out to certain deaths when you do stuff like this during cold weather. Rules are there for a reason..Apparently the rangers werent on duty that day or you would have been out of the park in a heartbeat for doing such a thing. You want to swim with them go to citrus grove or whatever..where they arent in a refuge.

[Guitarplayer219]

@Hydemepls Out of the park? Try a huge fine, they are endangered, and any sort of physical contact is illegal. If you touch a manatee, you take the chance of one day killing it. This is stupidity. Just watch his natural behavior, and if they approach you, ignore them. And @flauterfli those are tracking devices, those manatees were just released by a rehab, and they're tracking them to make sure they're fine.

[manisi134]

@Guitarplayer219 "any sort of physical contact is illegal." Then what about Crystal river?

[Guitarplayer219]

@manisi134 Read the law, you can swim with the manatees, any sort of physical contact is illegal. You can't touch any endangered animal in the wild. But the law for manatee's in the wild specifically states that you cannot touch a manatee in the wild. And the top comment is ignorant, when you pet a manatee it imprints it to humans, causing it to approach boats. It;s the same as feeding alligators, except the tables are turned when people feed alligators.

[manisi134]

@Guitarplayer219 What are you bitching about? I never said anything about touching a manatee. I said that we swam with them. Check out the video green freak.

[Guitarplayer219]

@manisi134 You are a contradiction, you quoted my 6 month old comment, and questioned it, and I answered. No need to be ignorant.

[jammyboy67]

I hate how they dont allow you to swim with them anymore in florida.. gay

[bigbluecar]

I'm watching MonsterQuest and they're investigating this supposed unknown sea creature. Looking at the eye witnesse's video...it's a manatee. duh. Just wanted to see some footage on here to confirm it. Ok, now I feel smart.

[legodude88888888]

i went there yesterday

[dab0ttom3itch]

This is NOT aloud at Blue Springs State Park!

[XxXxPOISONxXxIVYxXxX]

best place to go camping i miss florida :(

[karlchebator]

the manatees didn't seem to mind we have to many laws to many rules and no common sense

[violetavap1114]

Looks like americans are very stupid!!!!

[annebensaullie]

i love manatees like the video

[schottd000]

I love the video jordan! WE miss you and love you!

[violetavap1114]

you not allowed to swim with the manatees...you ppl dont respect the rules.

[lexmark136]

rules are meant to be broken you goody-2-shit

[SssFiressS]

Yes, you are, you just have to fallow the rules, like at mine, ur not supposed to put both hands on it because if u do and it takes off, ur riding a manatee! That's not allowed either, but if it was, that would be awesome!

[lanebros91]

3/6/09 i was there

[airboyac]

I would give anything in the whole world to swim manatees. I would swim with them all day if i could. Manatees have always been my favorite favorite animal. I love them so much.

[spidergal777]

airboyac:

i LOOOOVE manatees! last time i was at blue springs, it was august and everyone was singing and stuff and then they started to scream and get out of the water but i was in shock so i went to sit down on what i thought was a rock. i sat on a manatee! i screamed it startled me! haha i was like "WHY IS THIS ROCK MOVING?!"

[mrcaptjake]

Its totally unlaful to swim with manatees there. If you want to legally swim with them you should pick a legal reptable operator. Citrus County FL is the only place legal to swim with these gentle giants

[Kuku1123]

i so love to do that XD

[payne36]

GREAT VID! they are such sweet mammals ^_^

i live a little over an hour from Blue Springs and i've been meaning to go there with my sister and nephew :) but wait you can't swim with them anymore!?!!? :'( thats not cool dude..

[XOmamitabonitaXO]

i been there like a year ago a guy was bitten by a alligator right on the head....sucks for him...but you are not suppose to swim with the manatees ...hey just sayin!

[sirormadame]

what laid-back friendly mammals! this makes me love florida :)

[newlamboindriveway]

i dont mean to sound like a bitch but i live walking distance to blue springs just letting u no swimming with the manatees is actually a felony at blue springs lucky u didnt get caught

[harpomania]

I should have said you are not allowed to swim them anymore. But you can at Crystal River.

[a69a59b]

uh yes u are im doing this in 2 weeks

[harpomania]

The park website says you are not allowed to swim with or contact the manatees. Bummer! I would love to take my kids snokeling with them. I live up in Jax and have been there but not when the manatees were there.

[windonthewater]

People have harassed the manatee to death. I think every person who touches one ought to hauled off to jail for 10 year minimum. They are not plump anymore. They are thin and cold and miserable and all these idiots are jumping all over them.

[SoulGlowActivater]

What song is that?

[skippedabeat]

@SoulGlowActivater Ocean Size Love by Leigh Nash

[mkkkproductions]

wow! i went to that same place a few days ago! its beautiful! i accidentally sat on a manatee thinking it was a rock lol! it started moving! i rode a manatee!

[Spammyguy712]

Awesome vid! Love Blue Springs!

[sandyFL100]

Thank you so much for this. It is an awesome place with awesome creatures. Stayed at the State Park Cabins (1993) ~and the colder the weather, the more manatees are in the Spring enjoying the warmth of the hot spring~the temperature at the head of the springs is like bath water. Check out Florida State Parks~we are loaded with natural stuff~praise God for these creations & hope they are protected Respectfully

[nyctoorl07]

Wonderful place we loved it we actually got a chance to swim and touch them  lets take care of them and not destroy whats theirs. NATURE !!!!

[Guatemala911]

Watercows? Funny!