Crystal River serving as a refuge for the Florida Manatee

CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. - The home of the headwaters of Crystal River is also the only Federal refuge specifically created to protect the Florida Manatee.

Kings Bay is fed by more than 70 freshwater springs, making it the second-largest springs group in the state.

The water is a constant 72 degrees year-round.

In the summer, that makes Kings Bay cooler than the Gulf waters and in the winter, it's warmer.

That constant temperature and beautiful natural environment make a favorable habitat for some of the state's largest water mammals, the manatee.

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At Nature's Discovery in Crystal River, they will take you out on King's Bay to experience the water and have a special experience.  

"We take people swimming with the manatees," stated Puahina Shiver. She is a manatee tour guide for Nature's Discovery.

"You start in our shop. we provide wetsuits, masks, snorkels and pool noodles. We take our boat out along King's Bay where we look for manatees to swim with(and) when we find a good situation, we get everyone comfortable and swim with a manatee."

The daily expeditions into Kings Bay have taught guides like Shiver what to look for in finding the manatees as they float in the beautiful waters offshore.

"We practice passive observation," she said. "We like to keep a certain distance."

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And that is important as it is against the law to touch or otherwise harass marine wildlife like manatees.

"It's the only place in the country that you can legally do it," admitted Shiver when asked about swimming with the manatees.

Visitors can see manatees year-round in Kings Bay, but the chances are better in winter when the air and water are cold.

"During the winter time, we have closer to 500 to 1000 manatees that you're going to swim with," explained Shiver. "During the winter times, you're going to have more manatees coming into the bay than the summer months."

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But the unique features of the bay make for viewing all year long.

"Our guests usually come from all over the world. They don't know what to expect," said Shiver. "Overall, it's an experience that they have forever."

To learn more about Nature's Discovery and how to book your own tour, click here. 

To learn more about Kings Bay, click here.