Happy Holidays to all at WP! It has become a holiday “tradition†for me to post a “Peace on Earth and Goodwill Towards Manatee†piece and this year’s has a little different twist... as most people never see photos with myself included as I'm more of a photographer - not a photographee. 
For my birthday, earlier this year, my husband surprised me with a gift of a painting of me communing with a manatee (etc., also a jack and a river otter too, yes there are river otters there!) - here is a photo of that painting:

So I decided to showcase other photos I’ve taken here of me communicating with one of my favorite marine mammals - the Florida manatee! :-)
Yes, I did take all these photos of me/manatee (camera held out at arms length), While the photographs may not win any awards for technique or composition, they show what can be done when the visibility in the springs was less than perfect a few weeks ago. Note these manatee have taken a particular interest in me. Manatee are naturally curious and since they don’t have many natural predators some manatee will choose to investigate you very closely - as long as you, well.........., I always say “act like a manateeâ€! Plus it is imperative that you try to go during a very quiet (non-busy) time for the best manatee observances.
I did note one thing in these photographs though that is possibly a little bit scary.....? On the higher resolution originals of these photographs below I noticed bits of algae clinging to my tiny, transparent facial hairs.... Am I becoming too much like a manatee?
Hope you enjoy the photographs and Happy Holidays! Carol
Two Air-Breathing Mammals

Underwater Communication
