Manatee Grayton Beach

Beach Fanatic

Jun 25, '08 · 5:52 PM7,608

My son and I were in my kayak, while my brother and his son and step son were in another at the beach at Grayton Beach State Park. People on the beach were pointing, and someone shouted and warned us that 'an animal' was in the water. My first thought was that describing anything in the water as 'an animal' was quite peculiar. I mean 'fish' would seem more appropriate. I saw a shadow under the water and suspected it to be a large manta ray, but when the nose of a Manatee surfaced for air, I knew that an unexpected pleasure was found.

I had my 8 year old son catch up to me and I joined him back in the kayak and we followed the big beauty. I've swam with manatee before on a number of occasions in the Ocala Florida area in some springs, but never in the ocean. This particular manatee was covered in barnacles and algea. My brother was able to get out and take an underwater pic of it with his digital, and I'll have to see about getting it. While catching up to it there were two very nice sized baracuda by it. Funny, later, when paddling back I told a man that and his daughter shouted "I told you Daddy. I told you I saw a baracuda." Apparently she had told him and old Dad didn't believe her.

My son was terrified as we pulled up alongside the manatee, as it was rather large, but not the largest I've seen. My kayak is 9.5 feet long and the manatee was a bit longer and much wider. I was able to get out of my kayak and as the it passed me I allowed my hand to pass along it, giving it a friendly pet. My son chose to stay in the boat. The manatee was heading east and I'm sure was spotted by a number of other lucky beach goers.

Flroida comes through again with something special.

Replies

Beach Fanatic

Jun 25, '08 · 6:53 PM#2

What a great day! I've swam with them before, once, and they are so gentle...at least that was my experience.

Beach Fanatic

Jun 25, '08 · 7:07 PM#3

I was able to get out of my kayak and as the it passed me I allowed my hand to pass along it, giving it a friendly pet

OMG, how awesome.... wish I could have been there and done the same

Beach Fanatic

Jun 25, '08 · 7:27 PM#4

It swam past Eastern Lake around 1:30-2:00, heading eastward. It looked like a 10' log floating along the first sandbar. Some kayakers down here followed it awhile too.

SWGB

Jun 25, '08 · 9:28 PM#5

That's kind of odd that it wasn't in a group. I called a friend in PCB to let the beach service folks know it was coming that way and to be careful with jetskis and parasail boats.

Darlene is my middle name, not my nickname

Jun 25, '08 · 9:32 PM#6

That's kind of odd that it wasn't in a group. I called a friend in PCB to let the beach service folks know it was coming that way and to be careful with jetskis and parasail boats.

2 years ago at the beach in Seagrove a lone one swam right past us while we were waist deep in the water. It was so awesome!

Beach Fanatic

Jun 25, '08 · 9:37 PM#7

I didn't think they came this far north. They are all over where I grew up south of Sarasota and in Crystal River. Don't swim with them/touch them though, it is illegal to "harass" them in any way. (not to say that I didn't swim with them when I was 15).

I took a friends 6 year old twins paddling in Boca Grande over Memorial Day weekend, one of them started to melt down, couldn't go on any further, and that is when a mamma and baby manatee came to visit us. They checked us out for a good 35 minutes. My little friend was so amped after that she paddled almost all the way back to our dock.

bean

Jun 25, '08 · 9:58 PM#8

manatees. cool sighting.

Beach Fanatic

Jun 25, '08 · 10:11 PM#9

It swam past Eastern Lake around 1:30-2:00, heading eastward. It looked like a 10' log floating along the first sandbar. Some kayakers down here followed it awhile too.

%&#@!

And I was just sitting in the house then. Maybe we need a big siren or something down at the beach...

Beach Fanatic

Jun 26, '08 · 12:21 AM#10

%&#@!

And I was just sitting in the house then. Maybe we need a big siren or something down at the beach...

It wasn't long after a fisherman reeled in a 3' or so mackerel. People clapped when he pulled that in. I probably would have missed the manatee if my friend hadn't seen people heading to the shore and looking out at the sandbar.

Some of these manatees from around Big Bend and southward have been known to venture along the Panhandle to the Mississippi Sound between Dauphin Island, Alabama and the Alabama mainland and along the Mississippi coast towards the Mississippi River, then head back east. I've heard of a few sightings of single cows making this treck. A friend said he saw one wobble ashore on Grayton Beach one night when he was a kid.

Beach Fanatic

Jun 26, '08 · 8:10 AM#11

Sighting about 3:30 near Watersound just cruising yesterday. Thought it was a large manta ray

Beach Fanatic

Jun 26, '08 · 8:26 AM#12

We saw one while we were out surfing a couple of years ago! Was coming right at us and we were relieved once we realized the big black shadow was a manatee, not a giant shark!

Beach Fanatic

Jun 26, '08 · 8:43 AM#13

Beach Fanatic

Jun 26, '08 · 1:45 PM#14

It wasn't long after a fisherman reeled in a 3' or so mackerel. People clapped when he pulled that in. I probably would have missed the manatee if my friend hadn't seen people heading to the shore and looking out at the sandbar.

Some of these manatees from around Big Bend and southward have been known to venture along the Panhandle to the Mississippi Sound between Dauphin Island, Alabama and the Alabama mainland and along the Mississippi coast towards the Mississippi River, then head back east. I've heard of a few sightings of single cows making this treck. A friend said he saw one wobble ashore on Grayton Beach one night when he was a kid.

Wasn't there a story in the last year or two that one made it all the way up the river to Memphis?

SWGB

Jun 26, '08 · 5:00 PM#15

It wasn't long after a fisherman reeled in a 3' or so mackerel. People clapped when he pulled that in. I probably would have missed the manatee if my friend hadn't seen people heading to the shore and looking out at the sandbar.

Some of these manatees from around Big Bend and southward have been known to venture along the Panhandle to the Mississippi Sound between Dauphin Island, Alabama and the Alabama mainland and along the Mississippi coast towards the Mississippi River, then head back east. I've heard of a few sightings of single cows making this treck. A friend said he saw one wobble ashore on Grayton Beach one night when he was a kid.

Your friend is either pulling your leg or that was one ugly person pulling themselves out of the gulf. Manatees are water based creatures only and never come ashore.

Beach Fanatic

Jun 26, '08 · 5:10 PM#16

Your friend is either pulling your leg or that was one ugly person pulling themselves out of the gulf. Manatees are water based creatures only and never come ashore.

This was before he took to the "adult" bottle or any mind-altering extracurriculars; said he saw it with his family and some other Grayton regulars, would have been in the 1980s. I have no idea what he saw, but he described it as "some type a sea cow or something." SNL Landshark? Mermaid (which manatees were once mistaken for by lonely/drunken sailors)?

SWGB

Jun 26, '08 · 9:57 PM#17

This was before he took to the "adult" bottle or any mind-altering extracurriculars; said he saw it with his family and some other Grayton regulars, would have been in the 1980s. I have no idea what he saw, but he described it as "some type a sea cow or something." SNL Landshark? Mermaid (which manatees were once mistaken for by lonely/drunken sailors)?

I should have originally added that he should get his eye sight checked. It was probably a sea turtle. Not much else crawls out of the water here.

The bold part still gets me, I realize it was a long journey, but it seems like they hadn't seen a woman ever to make that mistake. :blink:

got any pics?

Jun 27, '08 · 5:32 AM#18

My son was terrified as we pulled up alongside the manatee, as it was rather large, but not the largest I've seen. My kayak is 9.5 feet long and the manatee was a bit longer and much wider. I was able to get out of my kayak and as the it passed me I allowed my hand to pass along it, giving it a friendly pet. My son chose to stay in the boat. The manatee was heading east and I'm sure was spotted by a number of other lucky beach goers.

Flroida comes through again with something special.

Awesome! I am green with envy :cool:

Beach Comber

Jun 27, '08 · 9:25 AM#19

If that manatee was wearing a black, one-piece bathing suit, it was likely my ex-wife. People have confused them before...

Beach Fanatic

Jun 27, '08 · 9:46 AM#20

A friend said he saw one wobble ashore on Grayton Beach one night when he was a kid.

Mayhaps it was a giant walking catfish. I believe at one time in the species' history they were land mammals, notice the "toenails" on the front flippers.

Edited Jun 27, '08 · 9:50 AM

Beach Lover

Jun 27, '08 · 10:04 AM#21

If that manatee was wearing a black, one-piece bathing suit, it was likely my ex-wife. People have confused them before...

Beach Lover

Jun 27, '08 · 10:06 AM#22

We saw one come up to the edge of the water 5 years ago in front of One Seagrove Place. I had just used the last film in my camera (which is one of the reasons I went digital) and did not even get a picture of it. It stayed around quite a while and several young men were petting it. What a wonderful sight.

got any pics?

Jun 27, '08 · 10:08 AM#23

If that manatee was wearing a black, one-piece bathing suit, it was likely my ex-wife. People have confused them before...

Now that right there is plain funny :funn:

Beach FanaticAuthor

Jun 27, '08 · 9:11 PM#24

Great comments. I also saw a scorpion with my kids while they were down and just got back from Seaside where I saw Coach Sean Payton of the N.O. Saints. Of course, he recognized me from my book and asked if he could take a picture with me lol