What Are The Best Months to Swim With The Manatees

Crystal River always has a large number of resident manatees regardless of the time of year. Indeed, spanning the past nine years, the manatee population in Florida has experienced a significant surge. This growth has facilitated successful manatee trips every month, showcasing the increased accessibility of these captivating creatures. Generally, manatees are found in warm shallow waters of estuaries, rivers, coastal areas and bays. They rarely swim in areas that are deeper than 20 feet. So during the summer, many of them can be found along the North American East Coast. In the winter months, manatees migrate in large groups to the warm waters of Florida. This makes it easier to find and swim with them in Crystal River.

Best months to swim with manatees

While Crystal River has resident manatees throughout the year, the numbers vary significantly in different months, with fewer manatees in the summer than other months. The best months to swim with manatees in Crystal River are between November and April when manatees are crowded around warm water springs. There are more manatees in Crystal River springs in December, January and February than in any other time, but you will still have a top notch experience in the months of March and April. The water during these months also make it easier to locate and swim with the manatees. For the best experiences, midweek trips (Tuesday through Thursday), early in the morning (6:30 to 8:30 a.m.) is ideal as the springs are less crowded. Manatees are also very active and playful in the morning.

All year experiences at the national wildlife refuge

The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is home to the biggest number of manatees in Florida. During the summer, the area has at least 40 resident manatees that you can see and swim with. In the colder months (November to April), between 400 and 500 manatees migrate to Crystal River and tourists are likely to come across large groups of manatees at the National Wildlife Refuge. So if you are interested in seeing and swimming with manatees at any time of the year, the refuge is a key area to visit.

Effects of the season on manatee tours

When planning a manatee tour, it is important to keep an eye on the season. Manatees are typically more dispersed throughout the summer, found as far north as Virginia and as far west as Texas. But in the winter, manatees move to Florida in huge numbers to take advantage of the warm water gushing out of the springs. December, January and February are the best months to swim with manatees due to the large numbers. Make sure to take this into account when planning your trip.

For more information on planning for and enjoying the most memorable manatee tours, go to the site Swimming with the Manatees.