ORLANDO, Fla. — It’s one thing to visit an aquarium and gaze in awe at a 1,000-pound manatee swimming just behind the glass. It’s another thing to share the same water with Florida’s sea cows, encountering them in an up-close and personal way.

Such an opportunity is only possible while visiting the aptly-named “Manatee Capital of the World,” Crystal River, a charming Gulf Coast city that benefits from a large concentration of freshwater springs.

These are primarily found in Kings Bay and the protected Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, the only refuge created specifically for the protection of the threatened Florida manatee. The shimmering, azure-blue water coming up from the aquifer helps give sea cows a warm-water refuge during cool winter months.

Crystal River is the only place in the United States where people are legally allowed to swim with these gentle giants, who reveal to human swimmers their docile nature on guided snorkeling tours. There are several dozen area outfitters to help in achieving this bucket-list endeavor.

One of them is Crystal River Watersports, a family-owned business that started more than 20 years ago.

“People are looking to create memories and experiences. I think swimming with manatees checks that box,” said Mike Engiles, the outfitter’s owner. “It’s something you can only do in Florida.”

The company prioritizes education and environmental stewardship when interacting with visitors on tours.

“There’s that old Jacques Cousteau quote, ‘You will only protect what you love.’ Until people experience something, they don’t have that same appreciation,” Engiles said. “What we hope people take away is an appreciation for the animals and their environment, and how to protect it. At our core, we include education on our tours.”

During a recent tour with Crystal River Watersports, we spotted close to a dozen manatees during the three-hour experience, stopping near Hunter Springs Park to explore Jurassic Spring and House Spring. From there, we ventured over toward Three Sisters Springs, where our captain parked the boat outside of the spring run, which is off limits to kayaks and paddleboards during manatee season. We swam in to find at least six manatees enjoying the quiet refuge.

Crystal River’s beloved manatees have been able to thrive in part due to the community’s conservation ethos, something that is shared by the outfitters and concerned citizens who pitch in for stewardship efforts — like restoring the native eelgrass that the sea cows rely upon to survive. In addition, there are a lot of people keeping an eye on them.

“Bob Bondi’s quote and one that the industry likes is, ‘If I were a manatee, I’d want to be in Crystal River.’ You have 30 tour companies and captains and guides that are out looking,” Engiles said, referring to one of Florida’s preeminent marine biologists who studies manatees. “So if there’s a manatee that’s distressed, it gets spotted.”

All of the outfitters and individuals are beholden to the same passive observation rules and “manatee manners” — don’t feed, disturb, chase, surround, ride, grab, prod, step on or otherwise harass manatees. Crystal River Watersports goes one step further with a Guardian Guides Certification from Save the Manatee Club, which recognizes outfitters prioritizing education and stewardship efforts through four principles.

Regardless of the outfitter, many guides and captains are waiting to help visitors achieve their dreams and cross off a bucket-list item while swimming with manatees.

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