Manatee Springs, which is near Chiefland, Florida, is a popular week-end get-away for locals as well as a destination for travelers. We arrived on Friday night and Saturday morning it was crowded with scuba divers, kayakers, anglers, manatee lovers, and picnickers.

Scuba divers here are getting ready to explore the depths of “The Catfish Hotel”, a sinkhole named for the abundant catfish that divers often find 90 feet below the surface of the water.  But, first they have to get through the duckweed. The sinkhole carries water to Manatee Spring.

Manatee Spring is a delicious pond sized very deep water body surrounded by cedar trees that attracts scores of Manatee at a time that swim around close to humans. Swimming in Manatee Spring is a delightful experience. The water is blue green and as fresh as can be imagined.

The Manatee are willing to get very close to humans. They are gentle, calm and amazingly agile for their very large size.

The come out of the water for air and you can catch a glimpse of their elephant like snouts.

A turtle was sunning itself on a rock.

Apollo made friends with a little girl and they enjoyed watching the water for Manatees.