Key to this adventure is a pair of inflatable paddle boards we recently acquired. I had been wanting one for a couple of years to make it easier to get on the water…and more importantly to the fish…at home and on the road where my trusty kayak is impractical to have on hand. The investment necessary to secure one stable enough for me to fly cast from was hefty. So for all the wanting, I had been reluctant to pull the trigger. But a chance exchange (if you believe in that sort of thing) with the staff at a local kayak rental shop had me staring up at one that just might work…and for about 1/2 the price. You see, the establishment once rented AND sold, and still had a few new-old-stock items lying around that they were just itching to be shed of. The trade off? Not rigged for fishing, and anything but stealthy in nearly glowing bright yellow, green and orange. Did I mention that it was nearly 1/2 off? Perhaps it’s the influence of my mother that makes me nearly giddy in the face of an undeniable bargain.

If you ever have the chance to meet her, try this. Tell her you like her blouse, shoes, purse…anything of that sort. My money says she will bypass the customary “why thank you” to tell you, with a gleam of mischief in her bright eyes, at which thrift store she found it, exactly how LITTLE she paid for it because she was there when everything pink was marked down, and how it was also senior day which gave her an ADDITIONAL half off of the already ridiculously low “pink price.”

Whether propelled by nature or nurture, the bargain was bait enough and the deal was done. Although the weather called for overcast skies and a chance of rain, the day was set to be the first in over a week that was warm enough to be comfortable out on a paddle board. So we inflated them, loaded them into the #CariVan (one of our prerequisites for procurement was that they fit), and headed over to Hunter Springs Park.

The springs that feed into the Kings Bay area of Crystal River, while not as famed nor densely populated as Three Sisters Springs, are also a favorite thermo-regulatory hangout for Florida Manatees in the colder months. Cold water temps can be quite dangerous for the Manatee, and even the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico can dip to deadly digits for them. So the constant 72-degree water of the area springs provides these sensitive mammals comfort, safety and rest.

We had seen them from the seat of a kayak a couple of weeks ago on our first foray into the bay, and were more than a little excited at the prospect of viewing them from a new perspective on stand up boards. As it would happen, however, it was while seated on our boards that I had the sweetest interaction with one of these gentle giants.

Instructional signage, mandatory video presentations at all dive and paddle shops, and advise from the volunteer “manatee watchers” that are present at most local springs during busy season recommend what is referred to as “passive observation.” Manatees are generally curious creatures and are more likely to approach and interact with you if you simply park yourself on or just under the water near the surface and relax. Most of the springs and resting areas are roped off to offer the sea cows a safe haven from unwelcome molestation and a choice as to whether or not they want to interact with, at peak times, the hundreds of human visitors present in and around the water to view the yearly spectacle.

So when we saw the boundary to one of the small inlets was open, we decided to paddle over, have a seat on our boards, and just see what might happen. And what did happen felt nothing short of magical. We had noticed earlier in the day that there was a rather interactive little fellow, probably a juvenile, hanging out at the opening to Jurassic Spring. By little, I mean somewhere in the 5-700 pound range. Adults typically average between 8 and 12 hundred pounds. Sure enough, within minutes of floating at the mouth of the inlet, curiosity got the better of the young male and he approached my board…first nosing it, then running his back along the underside.

But he wasn’t satisfied at that and circled back around and swam up alongside. I tentatively extended my fingers into the water and ran them over his relatively small noggin and a little ways down the texture of his algae-covered back. Connecting so closely with a creature in the wild is a rare and thrilling experience to be sure. And then he did something that I will not soon forget. He began to roll…first onto his side, with what looked like a wink, and seemed to reach out his flipper…and then onto his back in the same manner as a puppy begging for a rub.

I got in a quick scratch, but with no anchor, his rolling made me drift just far enough that I could no longer reach without going for a swim myself. So what did he do? Came alongside again, and wasted no time in rolling over to beg for more attention. I was grinning, laughing and tearing up a little all at the same time. Such a profound experience offered by the small action of a simple creature. Such a feeling of joy at the recognition of connection. As I replayed the encounter that afternoon in the cinema of my mind and could still feel it in my chest, I wondered what might happen if we all could find the courage to interact with each other like that. Open. Willing. Trusting. Not that easy, huh? Well, as long as we say so…