Florida Manatee Locations Other Than Crystal River

Hi,

I will be in Miami, Florida in January, I have a few days to spare before a trip to Tiger Beach and would love to get some images of the Manatees. I am just checking if anyone knows of any other locations, apart from Crystal River, where it is possible to snorkel with manatees, possibly somewhere closer to Miami?

Cheers,

Nigel

Manatees are highly protected in Florida. Unless anything's changed in the last couple years, Crystal River is the only place where it is legal to get in the water with them

If you are in town next Jan, I would suggest Blue Heron Bridge as a very nice macro site. Also, Jan is Lemon Shark aggregation time. So diving in Jupiter would be very good that time of year.

Thanks for the information, looks like we will be heading up to Crystal River. Unfortunately we will not have time to dive Blue Heron Bridge or Jupiter, but have heard great reports about both.

Cheers,

Nigel

you won't be disappointed with crystal river in Jan. its a special trip

Manatees are highly protected in Florida. Unless anything's changed in the last couple years, Crystal River is the only place where it is legal to get in the water with them

 

If you are in town next Jan, I would suggest Blue Heron Bridge as a very nice macro site. Also, Jan is Lemon Shark aggregation time. So diving in Jupiter would be very good that time of year.

Hi,

where is Jupiter?

Just north of Miami, ft lauderdale, and west palm beach on the east coast of Florida.

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You might also see manatees in the West Palm Beach power plant outflow in Jan? WPB is about 1.5 hours north of Miami. Plenty of dive shops/boats in Riveria Beach and on Singer Island. A quick and easy dive without freezing in Crystal River waters.

Jupiter is farther north.

I think the issue is it would be quite heavy fines if caught in the water with manatees if not in crystal river.

I doubt any of the dive operators around riveria beach would attempt that