Manatee Moments
"Exploring the world of the Manatee"
If I were to write on Manatee what would I say?
I could mention how tiny their little faces seem disproportional to their large bodies. I could recite from all the web pages about how their purpose is to indicate the health of shoreline environments. I might talk about what percentage of that huge body is large lungs, allowing them to stay down longer so they can sleep, and tell you how long they can hold their breath. I could say some scientists think they are most closely related to Elephants. I might mention humans often call them Sea Cows because they eat mostly sea grass found on the ocean and stream bottoms. I could mention their average slow speed in mph.
But all those details found on the manatee web pages are from curiously odd perspectives, quite removed from the Manatee themselves. Sort of like describing your neighbor by their top walking speed, or what they most commonly eat for lunch. That they may have evolved from hunter gatherers, to agricultural and now are in a kind of a suburban industrial age human. Or that scientists still debate if your neighbor evolved from Ape or is actually something else. These hardly let us know who your neighbor is, or what their day is like, and what they care about in their world.
So let us start over and skip to what they are like to behold.
If I were to write on the Manatee ... these beautiful amazing friends ...
I would say how beautiful they look as the water reflects and shimmers above them. That they are Beautiful Gentle Giants of the Florida Coast. I would share that they are the most calm and mellow beings I have ever met.
They love to hang out and share space with each other and maybe a few of us at a time. Smaller groups is always better and more personal. The Manatee mom's gently nurture the tiny babies. They rise to the surface so the babies can get air and still suckle on their breasts.
When a little older the small young one's ride around with their mouths stuck on mom's flippers. She guides them everywhere they go for a short time close beside her. If you look closely you can see a young one on the next photo on her side.
Manatee like to say hi to equally gentle humans. Sometimes mom's bring their babies up beside the kayak to show them off and enjoy sharing the space. I've had kids come up beside the kayak and grab my paddle hand and then slowly roll over to have their bellies rubbed, and lay there for a moment getting petted. Such gentle kind souls.
This next kid was so excited he got up on his mom's back with his face out of the water for a closer look. All of the next images were blurry of course as she rolled him back into the water as mom's often do. But I got this first view.
I could say how slowly they swim up stream in the mornings after it warms up. That they enjoy the clear water and stopping all along the way to munch grass. How they spend their days way up stream in the lush areas laying about and eating grass. By late afternoon when the sun starts to change color they begin drifting down stream. Letting the current carry them at the waters slow gentle speed. Just drifting along with no hurry at all.
I might mention how even mostly grown kids float beside the mom and will raise a flipper up and drift along side holding her back. When a boat comes along mom will direct all the kids to quickly move to a small safe cove and stick their noses to the shore. They stay huddled together and wait as far from the middle of the stream as possible. When all is clear she motions them to go back to drifting with the currents gently down stream.
I would share the precious moments with mom and dad drifting down stream touching flippers watching youngsters swim along just ahead of them exploring. The perfect family together on a beautiful day.
I could say the joy found on a person's face when they first see a Manatee, and how much they are overjoyed when they touch one. That this is the prize moment of their entire vacation. A chance to touch such a wonderful calm Being.
These are few of the wonderful moments I know of the Manatee's world. A small taste of the wisdom they share. Life in a graceful world of peace and gentleness. Of a slow pace and great appreciation of what is real in life.
A world in Harmony with All There Is.
Living in Love and Grace.