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Freediving with Manatees

Started by freedivers , Nov 09 2007 10:13 AM

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5 replies to this topic

#1 freedivers

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Posted 09 November 2007 - 10:13 AM

While attending DEMA last week, I was fortunate enough to take last friday and head on over to freedive in Crystal River for the unique privilege of interacting and shooting footage of the resident manatee population. Our boat headed towards the clearest section of the river system and I was fortunate enough to capture footage up close and personal of a single manatee.

Since my trip didn't have the agenda of doing a story, I just pieced together some of the footage into a two minute piece and hope it will inspire others at the unique experience this afforded me and others who were there as well.

<embed src="http://services.brig...d_f8/824577910" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=1299131217&playerId=824577910&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://services.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedi...ShockwaveFlash" height="312" width="480">


Enjoy!

Edited by freedivers, 09 November 2007 - 10:14 AM.

Cliff Etzel
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#2 DandyDon

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Posted 09 November 2007 - 10:59 AM

How neat. Took my daughter's family to do that once in murky Kings Bay. Not as good as that, but we all loved it, still. You can kinda see the resemblance to elephants when they walk along the bottom. Thanks for sharing!
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#3 ScubaDrew

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Posted 14 November 2007 - 01:55 PM

That is very cool. Manatees are one of my favorite creatures. I would love to dive with them one day...
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#4 Latitude Adjustment

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Posted 14 November 2007 - 03:07 PM

Most diving with manatees is freediving, there are few places scuba is allowed with them or for that matter needed. My daughter and I snorkeled with them in a spring on Crystal River I believe was called Seven Sisters years ago and with two in Key Biscayne Parks marina. :D
FMP warns you not to get above them but the juvi's would go under you and then surface so you would scratch their backs but to an onlooker it appeared that you were riding them.

Edited by Latitude Adjustment, 14 November 2007 - 03:08 PM.

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#5 Scuba Nymph

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Posted 15 November 2007 - 01:28 AM

Very nice footage!! I had the opportunity to swim with the manatees in June. I wish the visibility had been this good then!!
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#6 Mermaid Lady

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Posted 31 December 2007 - 12:38 AM

Very nice footage!! I had the opportunity to swim with the manatees in June. I wish the visibility had been this good then!!


There was one in Blue Spring when we were freediving there in 2004. It pretty much sat on the bottom.
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