It was exciting yet alarming to see so many MANATEES washing up at the shoreline last night! There were more than 7 of these SEA COWS rolling around in the breaking waves …. only a few feet from my toes. Â My first instinct was… “Omigosh! They are hurt!”. Then…. ummmm… maybe not. Was is still mating season? I couldn’t remember! I immediately called our local US Fish and Wildlife office (I have it on speed dial!) to make sure this was not an emergency.
We saw MANATEES mating last year at the Lighthouse Beach and  the year before at Blind Pass… but this looked different. So when I called USF&W and told them there were MANATEES t the shoreline, he kept telling me not to touch them or get close to them. I wanted to say “Of course! They are wild animals and I dont want to disturb them …but I want to know if they need help!”. I starting filming just about the minute I got there so I caught my whole conversation with the fella at USF&W. So it’s funny just to hear my side of the conversation.
So, instead of telling you what happened, you can watch and listen to it on video. This was so cool to see this close encounter! The video is a little long but trust me, I cut it a way shorter than I taped them. I could have stood there for hours- It was so amazing!
So here’s the UPDATE: 8-15-13…. These MANATEES were mating! They weren’t in any danger being so close to the shore the fella from Fish And Wildlife reassured me. I talked to Beth from Blue Dolphin Cottages on West Gulf Drive near this sighting. She said they swam in around 11 am  just north of their property and slowly floated along the shoreline until I saw them at 8 pm. The USF&W guy said it would not be unusual if they stayed there all night as well! But Beth told me they were gone by the morning…. but had funny story for me! Since those MANATEES were on their beach the entire day… they left a few stinky gifts on the beach! Bahahhaha. She posted this photo on their Facebook page and said…
“Wonderful guests volunteered for manatee poop removal!”
I would have stayed on the beach for as long as necessary just to make sure none of them got stranded on the sand – and to enjoy watching them. They are so amazing!
I agree! nine hours would seem like 9 minutes watching these amazing creatures….
I didn’t realize you had manatees on Sanibel. I thought they were all up in the Crystal River area. Great video! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jan – The Manatees winter here because our rivers are spring fed and maintain a comfy 73 degrees. (The colder temps can cause them to get very ill or even death) In the spring when the Gulf warms back up, they head back there. Some of them do stay here year around. We never get tired of watching them. They are such gentle giants and so darn cute!!!
PS- Amazing video Pam!!!!
Thanks Laura! I’m planning on moving to FL next year and at the top of my list for things I want to do are to go shelling on Sanibel and see the Manatees. I’m so excited now that I know I can do both at the same time! Yahoo!
Thank you for a great video. What a life you have! I cracked up listening to your side of the conversation with the USF&W rep. I was thinking… “Just tell him who you are!” Thanks again for a great way to end my day here in Grapevine, TX. Can’t wait for Sanibel in May!
Cathy, we’ve lived in Grapevine/Southlake for 30 years. We also love Sanibel and are going back for 3 months in 2 weeks. Can’t wait. Pam, that was a great video and narrative. We always look forward to your posts! It keeps us going to our next Sanbel trip.
Hope to run into you and Clark on the beach again!
John & Kathie
It looks kind of shallow there. I wonder if the big one got stuck and the others are trying to help him? Looks like he’s trying to move himself toward the end of the video. I hope they’re okay.
Amazing! You’re truly blessed to be able to see this kind of thing on the regular. :)
Sam has been infatuated with manatees since she was very young (3-4 years old) & we took her to Seaworld. I think they court or mate so close to shore because they need to surface to breathe. Loved this video, Pam!! We love seeing them when we come to Sanibel each October. See you soon!! We will be on the shelling cruise October 8th!!
I dunno… maybe it’s a group thing?
They do seem to be having a very intense conversation together.
WOW Pam … awesome video … thanks ! Beth from the Blue Dolphin posted a picture yesterday of them . I really couldn’t tell what they were . I ask Beth if it was dolphins & if they were ok . She said they were manatees & they were mating . My reply back … I guess they are OK then ! We did see a few there when we were there in July , must be a new stomping ground for them . Thanks again Pam !!!
Give us an update of what happened. It is concerning that they are so close and it’s not even low tide yet. Hope they did not get so occupied with their activities they forgot to watch the water level!
Update Please!
I’m with Lisa, looks like the big one was stuck and the others were encouraging. Then towards the end the one comes in an starts nuzzling or nipping and you see the humping motion, trying to get loose or just plain ” happy to see you” ??
Wow Wow Wow, every day I thank whoever has given me this life to live in this place I call paradise!
Thank you for this GREAT video!! They come up to my boat frequently but I’ve never seen them on shore like this…
They wanted to say hi to you Pam! Hope they are all ok & thank you so very much for sharing. That made my day!
Mary Ann
East Granby. CT
Crystal! I have an update for you and everybody else too… yes- they were mating and not in danger but you have to see the photo I just posted at the end of the story.. Ba-hahahaha!
Wow Pam. Thanks so much — that is totally fascinating. I would love to have been there to see them. I did not know that they come into such shallow water to court and mate. Big sweeties!
I had a manatee nudge my foot last weekend in the water off Longboat Key. I was out in the water about chest deep and the manatee came up from behind me and nudged my foot as if to say “Excuse me madam, you are in my way”. I politely stepped aside and watched him/her swim away. Well, actually I followed for a bit (at a distance) because I love to watch manatees. :-)
I also saw three manatees mating off Sanibel Island about this same time of year three years ago and they came up very close to me that time, too.
Awesome sight. You reminded me to put USFW tele number in my cell phone. I see things like this on the east coast and should have that phone number available! Years ago, on Lighthouse Point, we had a “show off” dolphin “play” with us. He would start about 100 yrds offshore and head straight into shore at full speed. When he got to the wave break, he would turn to head back to sea and spray us with a huge shake of his tail. It was AWESOME! So much fun. Thanks for your videos!
That’s hilarious! I would have loved to have seen that!
WOW!!!
Fascinating video, to just walk up on this sight! I agree with Monica, Sanibel is paradise. So many wonderful things of nature to see there – I’m in awe! Can’t wait to come for Shellabaloo 3!
My first beach porn video of a manatee orgy. LOL! Thanks Pam. I enjoy your post.
LOL, Oh Karen… it was difficult to find the words to the USF&W guy. There could have been jokes for days.
Mine too. I could take a few Manatee porn jokes…I think.
OMG! That is too amazing. How I wish I could have been there to see that.
Learn something new from you everyday.
My sis and I are coming down for the shellapalooza (as I have been calling it) and I sure hope we get to see some of the amazing things you have been “talking” about…hundreds of baby sand dollars (and I have never even found a normal size one) and now Manatees! Really looking forward to this and getting to shell with you!
Martha! I’m so excited to spend time with you and your sister at Shellabaloo/Shellapalooza. I’m sure we will find something amazing- it’s always a surprise what will turn up on our beaches. Only a week and a half!
I gotta quit workin’ on this dadgum house and get out more!!!! So cool.
Pam, I was there Thursday for the rained out shelling cruise. Talked to you for a minute on the deck at McCarthys Marine. Went to Blind Pass to do some shelling. Why was the water so brown? Could not even see the gulf bottom. Have never seen it like that before.