DAY 7: TO CRYSTAL RIVER

After a busy breakfast with pancakes again, now also waffles, cinnamon cupcakes, and desserts, we got into the car around 9:00 (not everyone who wanted to eat had a seat at breakfast, we were just in time)

The goal of the trip was Crystal River to swim with manatees, also known as sea cows, the next day. The beginning of the journey was not very exciting, but the last part was much more so. Lots of old forests, huge ranches, many cranes, beautiful nature. We arrived at the hotel much too early and decided to explore Crystal River. At Kings Bay, we first saw large fish in the water, pelicans, and we thought we caught a glimpse of a manatee every now and then. Then we walked to a bay a bit further, and there we indeed saw the first sea cows passing by from a distance. There are various springs there that provide water above 20 degrees, and the manatees are attracted to them. The ranger could or would not name a suitable company to go out with, so we asked at the hotel. However, he mentioned the Three Sisters as one of the best spots. Ultimately, we ended up at Pro Dive USA. Fortunately, we could still join the snorkeling trip at 8:00.