Florida Manatees

A friend of mine who lives near Tampa has invited me to stay with him when I am in the US at the end of next January to spend a few days see the Florida manatees.

I have wanted to do such a trip for many years and would like to get any advice I can get on how to return to Australia with "the shot"

Don

Shoot WIDE and get close. Visability will on the lower end of the scale so an ultra wide (weitwinkel) angle lens will let you get close enough so that the visability does not ruing the shot.

1. Go VERY early in the morning (at first light)

2. go in a kayak or canoe, as quietly as possible

3. forget scuba, just snorkel. get in water as quietly as possible

4. move slowly & quietly. let them approach you. *

some are friendly and rub up your wetsuits as a kitten does your leg

5. go on a weekday !!!! better viz, fewer people, happier manatees.

The suggestion made above for wideangle is correct.

Manatees can be found in many places in Florida.

* It is illegal to chase or harass manatees. however, if they come to you, that's cool.

Once the first noisy motor boat full of tourists & scuba divers shows up (around 8am) many of them take off & head into sanctuary (restricted area).

Bird's Underwater leaves well before all other boats, w/ a 6:15 checkin. It sucks getting up that early, but the encounter is worth it.

I had an just over an hour to myself w/ 4 manatee on a SUNDAY! This was at the main spring in Crystal River. After that, a half a dozen other boats showed up and really stirred things up. Taking pictures then was useless, you couldn't keep them out of the frame.

We moved and went to 3 Sisters Spring. I got a juvenile to follow me back through the narrow area into the springs, where the water was crystal clear, which was spectacular. I'm not sure a fully grown manatee could fit!

I'm told its best on cold days when the sun is out. It was in the 40's yesterday when I checked in, and got into the 50's, so I wouldn't say it was very cold. It was also cloudy. I still had a blast.

That sounds awesome Ryan! I'd love to see some pix.

Cheers

James

Belly Scratching

There were manatee coming and going...

Cool shots Ryan

Wow, these are great! I love the self-portrait Ryan.

Cheers

James

Don,

Pray for cold fronts from the North in January. You will usually get the cold front, but last Jan (05) it was too warm for a couple of weeks and they went out to feed/rest in deeper, darker water.

Ahem, Ahem, Ahem, do I hear an echo?? Who I wonder clued in Ryan?

Regardless, well done Ryan, on a Sunday too, see I wouldn't even go on a Sunday and you made me wish I had!!!

As far as a canoe or kayak, yea right........ <_< Tomorrow AMs temp there will be a balmy 36 degrees, Thursday will be a balmier 32 degrees. Perfect, Perfect for manatee, they will be basking in the warm, shallow water near the clear springs. The wind will be north at 10 knots or so, wind chill, yes. There is a good slack tide for 3 sisters if we end up there. The 72 degree water and sun coming out (somewhat tomorrow, but not totally clear like it should be, we will see.......) anyway the water feels great for 3 hours or so!! In a kayak you will freeze your *&%$* off, even if you wear a drysuit, but go ahead, I'll go with Bird's who only have 9 people going out tomorrow and stay warm behind the plastic sheeting, drinking hot cocoa and being first out.

BTW, the manatee don't usually retreat into the sanctuaries, the sanctuaries are set up where most of the manatee traditionally like to sleep, especially when it is cold and where the new mothers feel most at home with calves, etc. So the manatee frequently retreat from (not to) the sanctuaries in the AM to go feed, etc., that is why you need to get there early, before the manatee exodus. Yes manatee retreat into the sanctuaries later on if very much harassed, but the great network of volunteers, education, rules, etc. really greatly curtails this, thank goodness. Still, yes go mid-week.

I'm going tomorrow AM, diving on Florida's East Coast was so horrible today that I just high-tailed it back home here, 1 hour south of manatee land. I've got extra accoutrements picked up from Ryan just day before yesterday, I'll certainly be able to use them more on our loveable manatee than in the current soup that is the East Coast when the current quits running north and the seas are confused!

And, Uh??? viz on the lower end, oh please, you obviously haven't been out at the proper times or at the outflows of the springs. I frequently go there and see manatee in 100 ft viz, only problem then is there can be so many manatee that they stir it up and mess up the viz from too many manatee!! Yes, viz can be bad if you aren't clued in by the proper operators (like Birds) where the clear water is, there is always clear water, sometimes more than at other times due to tidal conditions (there is salt water intrusion from the Gulf of course, that is how the manatee get there), wind direction, etc.

It's good to be back home and visiting manatee again!!

PS-You are welcome Ryan

PPS-Don, if you luck out and it is clear and cold you may get the gorgeous rainbow effect through the clear spring water on the manatee backs, faces, etc. It is magical and I have let someone else know that he hasn't even gotten a proper manatee shot until he has captured them in the changing light of the rising sun!!

I agree with the Birds Underwater opinion and suggestion. Having spent thousands of frames on manatees over the past 18 years, I have seen them work and they guide their guests with utmost professionalism.

The best way to make great manatee images is to be taught by someone who knows and respect the creatures. As in any nature photography endeavour, patience pays.

As said previously, wide-angle is the norm. either a 10.5 fisheye or a 12-24 zoom should provide great images. Work with natural light (they are the perfect gray card).

Let them approach you and move slowly, respecting their willingness to make contact. NEVER use scuba, you will only stir up the sand and silt while trying to remain neutrally buoyant.

Pray for a cold front courtesy of my nice northern country and you shall be in business.

If you go there between Dec 29 and Jan 11, watch for a guy with a black and yellow wetsuit... it shall be yours truly,

Michel

Forgot to tell you that the picture accompanying my posts was taken at Three Sister Spring!

Michel

Late Breaking Manatee Update!!

This photo just magically appeared amongst my other images it was addressed to Ryan Cannon, .......... hmmmmm?

PS all - Manatee conditions have been spectacular, 30s in the ams, and clear - no clouds the last couple of days. Even the crowds for the holidays couldn't much dampen all the manatee action, it was very civilized and controlled by all the operators, volunteers and enforcement. The babies love to play while the mothers sleep and feed! Bird's is looking forward to all you photographers' visits, just be warned if it is 80 degrees, well you might just as well go to the beach instead, or dive in Rainbow River and take photos of Florida gar, or hop into clear Ginny Springs......... (pretty much no manatee when it is unseasonably warm). Again the photos take care of themselves pretty much, manatee are such good subjects!! But you have to pray for cold weather and hope that the combination of manatee and tidal conditions are just right for the crystal clear water (like this two days ago)!

If you dont want to use a canoe leave your boat 50-100 yards away from the spring entrance and just snorkel up. (bring a flag with you, people will yell if you don't. . . and if you do)

I went last feb and will going again in a few weeks.

It really paid to stay on site for a few hours (we were there for about 5, bring some coffee and and a snack), manatees rolled in and out at different times as well as the crowds. We had the site to ourselves for about an hour and a half at one time.

Wide angle and mabe a high shutter speed to catch light rays when its sunny.

Rent a boat, for the day. You'll need it to stay out. we had pelicans float by, gar swim through, Ive even heard of dolphins.

Yes you can rent motor boats, but I (and others) do not recommend it. Some of the areas where the highest concentration of manatee are (like 3 sister's spring), have widely fluctuating tidal conditions, especially in winter and spring. If you are not familiar with driving through some of the areas and avoiding some areas when it is low tide (alternate long way around by the power plant), then the consequences of making a mistake are just too great with so many manatee around now.

Big problems are created by not only too many boats out among the manatee, but people driving the boats who don't have a clue. Also if someone is yelling at you about flags or whatever, you probably should take heed..........., it may be someone who knows what they are talking about just maybe? I could envision towed dive flags getting caught on and damaging vegetation and tree roots in the tidal flow that can come through some areas and also the rope/flag end points impacting manatee that may be swimming out of the springs as you are swimming in, it can be a very tight in areas like near 3 sister's spring. Also at the main spring there are lots of sanctuary markers that could get tangled with dive flag floats. I would suggest talking with local operators, volunteers and FWC enforcement to get all the data you need to do it properly.

Still to rent a boat for a prolonged period of time is nice, if you have someone to drive (pref a licensed captain) who knows the river and how to visit the manatee areas without impact on the environment and the creatures and you aren't adding to already too much boat traffic at peak times, then go for it. If not, then there are very professional operators that can take you out and probably find the clearest water and largest concentrations of manatee (3 sister's spring or even the main spring is not always the best place), plus hat you on the exact "right way" to do it (all for less than $30 per person). Freediving down on top of a manatee is strictly prohibited as is two hands on a manatee (defined as harassment and is against the law).

Yes, dolphin do chase mullet up there from the Gulf! Very cool! Lots of fish, diving anhinga and cormorants, etc etc. A place we must treasure and protect!

The pictures posted in the previous post show really murky water and I have never encountered conditions that murky near the springs in all my dozens and dozens of trips up there, I suspect those pics were taken in areas away from the springs. Here are the conditions you can expect on a beautiful, clear, cold day when the tidal conditions were perfect right near the springs (the capt from Bird's just thought it might be just right):

http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11272

Let's help, respect and ensure the safety of these wonderful creatures! Still any respectful encounter is a real rush no matter what conditions and a great educational awareness for what to look out for when operating a boat in Florida! Best, C

Well what can I say....I just got back to Sydney from two email & internet free weeks in north Bali. Yesterday when I finally connected again to collect the 400+ work related emails waiting for me I was also catching up with all my favorite sites.

I was really impressed with all the posts on the Manatees and fired up about my forthcoming business trip to the US - I was supposed to be leaving in the morning -when I discovered that the trip has been cancelled at the last minute!

I have wanted to dive with the Manatees for many years and I'm really disspointed it's not going to happen this year - but thanks to all who provided their valuable input as I WILL need it for next year!

Don

Well, I may have that opportunity here shortly as well; however, I'm going around Jan 22 .. My choices will be Saturday the 21st or Friday the 27th. It looks like Birds may be my best choice on such short notice and lack of any plan. Thanks for all the tips.

One question....someone said use natural light..ie no flash however many of the pictures look as though a flash was used. Whats the general recommendation?