Ref: Marinell's message on Manatees Last winter I was paddling near Everglades City in SW Florida with the Tuesday Paddlers when a pontoon tourist sightseeing boat ran past us on a plane to somewhere up ahead. When we caught up to it we saw the driver pointing to us (we thought). I was paddling at the head of the group along with friend David at 3.5 to 4 K when suddenly with no warning my kayak was thrown into the air, David said three feet, I don't think it was much more than 18 inches or at the outside two feet. I let out a yell, made a strong brace as I came down. I remember the fall in the air seemed to take a long time, but in actuality was only a couple of seconds. I was paddling the Necki 1.9 an 18 ft X 21" beam 47 lb. Kevlar/carbon fibre kayak. The tourists were roaring with laughter as well as the other six Tuesday Paddlers. It was so nice to provide everyone with some entertainment on an otherwise routine paddle. Pat Moss *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
We live in on the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County on the east coast of central Florida. The Indian River Lagoon is the most biodiverse estuary in the country with some 5000 species, one of which is our beloved manatee. My wife and I had a very similar experience to Pat's while paddling the Banana River at night during a gorgeous full moon. One or more manatees repeatedly lifted our plastic tandem Pamlico at least a foot into the air, as witnessed by our son who watched the whole surprise episode from his single about 20 feet away. While we didn't capsize, my wife in the bow was soaked thoroughly and we had a good 3 inches of water in the boat when it ended. It was a blast! Oh, and one other thing... if you haven't smelled manatee breath your really haven't lived :-) Let me remind everyone again, however, that feeding or intentionally feeding or harassing manatees is illegal as it can alter their behavior in ways that can endanger them. -- Al Vazquez KayakGuide.com tm the Place to Share Kayaking & Canoeing tm *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
A couple of years ago I was approaching Picnic Key from Everglades City and I surprised what I thought was a manatee. There was a big animal trying to get away in a hurry, and then I saw the reptile's tail break the water. It was apparently a salt water croc about 8 or 9 feet in length. Surprised the hell out of me! cya *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Denton" <gulfstream_at_flinet.com> To: "'patmossz'" <patmossz_at_bellsouth.net>; <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net> Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2002 2:33 AM Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Manatee > A couple of years ago I was approaching Picnic Key from Everglades City > and I surprised what I thought was a manatee. There was a big animal > trying to get away in a hurry, and then I saw the reptile's tail break > the water. It was apparently a salt water croc about 8 or 9 feet in > length. Surprised the hell out of me! > > cya > Sounds about an inch longer than the giant golden orb weaver that jumped in my boat and turned me over. This was in a dark, murky mangrove tunnel just north of the Deering Estate south of Miami. I had spotted a crocodile in that area on an earlier trip and did not want to be in the water. My re-entry technique was too complicated for any of you to handle. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Al Vazquez wrote [edited]: > > Let me remind everyone again, however, that feeding or > intentionally feeding or harassing manatees is illegal as it can alter their > behavior in ways that can endanger them. At Chasshowitzka (sp?) Springs County Park, visitors there told me it was legal to feed them their natural foods plucked from the surrounding environment, but you were not supposed to bring things like iceberg lettuce from the supermarket. One guy was pulling some kind of water plant from along the shore and then holding it out for the manatees who would come toward the beach and take it from his hand. Two manatees winter in the little lake in front of the park office, a mother and her calf. They have been coming there for a few years now. One year the DNR took them someplace they would be safer from powerboats, but they returned. I'd appreciate it if someone could check on them and let me know how they are doing as I probably won't make it down to Florida this winter. -Bob Matter Freezing in Hammond, Indiana *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
"Robert J. Matter" wrote: > At Chasshowitzka (sp?) Springs County Park, visitors there told me it was legal to > feed them their natural foods plucked from the surrounding environment, but you were > not supposed to bring things like iceberg lettuce from the supermarket. That sounds like quite a reach to me. "Feeding manatees" is prohibited by law (see below). I can't see how it would matter what you're feeding them, you're still altering their behavior. Even if you got away with it, I think it's a bad idea to feed any wildlife. Yosemite bears always come to mind - a fed bear ends up a dead bear. I felt bad enough letting the manatee continue to scratch himself on my boat. I probably should have paddled away so I wouldn't reinforce that kind of behavior. It is interesting trying to decide where to draw the line concerning our impact on wildlife. Sometimes when paddling Elkhorn Slough near Monterey, California, there are hauled-out seals on one side, and resting sea otters on the other, not to mention all the birds everywhere. At times there is so much wildlife that it seems there is no way to keep from disturbing them and I should just put the boat back on the car. Of course that's usually when I notice a couple of people in rental kayaks running over the otters I just went out of my way not to disturb. Then, as I cringe and look away I spot the rest of their party spooking the seals into the water on the other side. One of the Web sites I put on the manatee photo page has what looks like a pretty good list of the rules. http://www.homesafe.com/manatee/rules-of-the-road.html Here is an excerpt: >Manatees are protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which make it illegal to harass, hunt, capture or kill any marine mammal. Manatees are also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978. Anyone convicted of violating this state law faces a possible maximum fine of $500.00 and/or imprisonment for up to 60 days. Conviction on the federal level is punishable by a fine of up to $50,000 and/or one year in prison. Feeding manatees, giving them water, or otherwise altering their natural behavior can be considered harassment. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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