Day 2 - Snorkel the Day Away

The 4:30 wake up call was rough on the group but everyone rose to the challenge, made it to breakfast on time and were on the bus by 5:30 headed to Crystal River to meet American Pro Diving for our snorkeling adventures.  Here we are all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed . . .

Photo by Mrs. Sutterlin

Manatee Snorkel ~ by: Barbara N.

Photo by Dakota M.

Hey Y'all! Today we all shared in the exciting experience of snorkeling with manatees. We all hopped on the bus at an early 5:30 am just to catch the thrilling experience. After we got all of our gear including wet suits, mask, snorkel, and flippers. We all shared in a laugh when Mrs. Sutterlin forgot all of her gear on the bus when we were setting out onto Crystal River. Once we were able to locate the manatees, by seeing them come up for air or seeing swirling forms on the water surface, we climbed in the water and were able to share in a memorable experience that will last a lifetime. We were all pleasantly surprised when we got in the water and were able to see not one, but several manatees. There were sometimes up to eight manatees in the area at a time. We were able to safely touch them, when they were not eating (their diet mainly consists of sea grass). We stayed in the water for approximately an hour and a half, interacting with several different manatees. From what we could observe they were mostly male manatees going after two primary females. Not only was the experience fun but it was also very educational.

Photo by Dakota M.

I learned that manatees have huge lungs that are about 3 feet long and they can hold their breath for about 20 mins. We also learned that the number one killer of manatees is cold weather because they easily get hypothermia. As we were swimming with the manatees, we observed that many of them had strange scars on their backs. Our instructor,Sean told us that many of these manatees had been hit by boats, but now there are laws that help prevent these ugly scars.  Sean also showed us a portion of manatee skeleton, that died due to Red Tide, which is an infestation of an algae that is harmful when eaten by the manatees. From the skeleton we could see the skull of manatee and saw the unique molars of the animals, in which they can move from the back of the mouth to the front. These set of molars can be replaced 24 times in their lifetime. We also saw the huge, strong  ribs that protect the lungs of the manatee. Sean also showed us the unique vertebrae of the manatees, most mammals have 7 spinal disks, but for some mysterious reason, manatees have 6.   These manatees were very playful and fun and I made many memories. I learned much about an animal that I knew little about before. Peace everyone!<3 Barbara

Photo by Dakota M.

Rainbow River Drift Snorkel ~ by: Maria L.

Photo by Dakota M.

After a fun filled morning snorkeling with manatees, we traveled over to Rainbow River to continue our snorkeling experience.  We enjoyed lunch in a park near Rainbow River and then boarded our boat to embark on our journey. Rainbow River is actually a freshwater spring at Rainbow Springs State Park, with various different springs feeding the river.  Springs come from aquifers, which are underwater collections of ground water stored in rocks. These springs caused the temperature of the water to be around 72 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit.  During our boat ride out to the area where we began snorkeling, our tour guide, Sean, informed us about the various animal species living in Rainbow River. He pointed out turtles, bass, sunfish, blue gill fish, cormorants, herons, and more. Not only did we see these species while on the boat, but also when we began snorkeling in the chilly but clear water. While snorkeling we were able to see these species up close and very personal.  Also while snorkeling, we had the chance to find fossils and shells along the river floor.  Fossils and shells were abundant because the river is made up of limestone deposits.  Many students found shells, fossils, and even shark teeth during the snorkel.  We could also dive down into underwater caverns to find deposits.  Throughout our entire journey, we snorkeled for about 1 1/4 miles.  Personally, my favorite part about the snorkeling trip was seeing cormorants, which are birds that dive underwater and continue to swim around underwater. Not only did we see some amazing wildlife and nature, but we learned about the uniqueness of Rainbow River and the species that inhabit it.  Our lives will be forever changed after having experienced the thrill that is Rainbow River.