Make your way to Plantation on Crystal River, where you meet your guide and get suited up in a provided wet suit in the heated changing facilities. Cruise into the manatee habitat in the greater Kings Bay estuary and springs, and then slip into the water when manatees are sighted.
Coffee, hot chocolate, and dry towels are available on the boat, and the in-water guide will take videos and photos throughout the tour (available for purchase). In colder weather, manatees are even more plentiful, and the boat is fully enclosed during the winter months.
Interaction with the manatees is limited to “passive observation” to ensure your manatee encounter doesn’t harm the fascinating, slow-moving creatures, and this tour concludes at the original departure point.