Biologist Matt Clemons of Aardvark's Florida Kayak Company gets an up close and personal view of a manatee from his kayak. (Photo by Steve Kingery)

Crystal River/Kings Bay is the winter home to hundreds of manatees. Although Save the Manatee Club does not support swimming with manatees or disturbing their natural behavior, we do want our members and their friends to be able to view manatees in their natural habitat with an emphasis on doing it the right way.

Last year, Save the Manatee Club launched the first ever "Do Not Disturb" kayak tours, and they were wildly popular. Everybody had a good time and saw plenty of manatees! Click here to see photos and read more about last year's tours.

All for one and one for all! Participants on the first "Do Not Disturb" ecotour set out with high hopes of seeing manatees in the wild, and they weren't disappointed. (Photo courtesy of Matt Clemons)

This year, we are once again teaming up with Aardvark’s Florida Kayak Company. The cost is still the same -- $40 per person -- and includes an experienced guide, kayak, paddle, and life jacket, plus a “goody bag” of manatee items and information. Aardvark’s will generously donate 50% of each tour fee to Save the Manatee Club. And participants can now kayak if they are 13 years of age or older, provided anyone under 18 years of age is accompanied by an adult.

We have also added a new feature. If kayaking isn’t your thing, then come join us for a pontoon boat ride in Crystal River and Kings Bay. The cost for the pontoon ride is also $40 per person with no age limit to participate, and proceeds from the pontoon ride fees will benefit Save the Manatee Club. Children who are two years of age and under ride free and children three to five years of age ride at half-price. All children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

The three-hour tours will be kept small for the utmost enjoyment. There will be a maximum of 20 participants on each kayak tour and eight participants on the pontoon boats. So call us at 1-800-432-JOIN (5646), Monday through Friday, to reserve your spot today. We will need at least two weeks’ notice to book your tour. (Phone reservations only please.)

This year, pontoon boat rides are also available. (Photo courtesy of Homosasssa Springs Wildlife State Park)

Whether you participate in the kayak tours or the pontoon boat rides, the $40 fee includes an educational presentation on manatees, which will be conducted before you go out on the water. The tour will start at 8:30 a.m. on your scheduled date in the conference room of The Port Hotel in Crystal River.

Learn all about manatees, how to observe them, how not to disturb them, and meet other Save the Manatee Club members and manatee lovers. This is truly the opportunity of a lifetime to see manatees up close and personal. So get on board! We hope to see you there.

Dates for the 2006 - 2007 "Do Not Disturb" Tours
Participants should meet at 8:15 a.m. in the conference room of The Port Hotel in Crystal River, Florida. Call 352-795-3111 for directions.

X = tour is offered

For more information and to reserve your spot, please call Save the Manatee Club at 1-800-432-JOIN (5646). Please allow a two-week notice to book your tour.

• Not a member of Save the Manatee Club? Adopt-A-Manatee and join today!
  

• Tour participants are responsible for all travel, hotel, meal, and incidental expenses. The Port Hotel and The Comfort Inn in Crystal River are offering discounted rooms to all tour participants. Room rates are $55.80 per night plus tax (up to two people). Please call Teresa at The Port Hotel at 352-795-3111 or Henry at The Comfort Inn at 352-563-1500 to make your reservations.
  

• While in the area, be sure to stop by and see manatees (including the ladies in our Adopt-A-Manatee program) at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.

Return to the Manatee News page