Loving Those Gentle Giants

Florida residents and visitors alike enjoy peering at manatees at the Big Bend Power Station’s Manatee Viewing Center.

It’s cold in Florida and that’s good news for residents and tourists who want to see manatees in the wild. Those lovable, lumbering marine mammals typically head for the warmest water they can find in winter. Often, that’s an electric company warm water discharge canal. So about two weeks ahead when the weather turned a bit nippy here in central Florida, I headed out to the Big Bend Power Station Manatee Viewing Area in Apollo Beach, FL.  Visiting this seasonal attraction is fun and free! Watching the 1,000-pound manatees surface – their snouts poking out of the water as they breathe or their flippers turning in the water — is a great family activity. You might check out my original story about the manatee viewing experience on SouthernTravelNews.com.  When you go to the power plant site, however, you’ll be viewing manatees as they surface. You won’t have underwater views.  If you want to see the full animals in their underwater world, head for the Lowry Park Zoo, which has a wonderful underwater manatee viewing area. The zoo charges admission, though, so if you’re seeking a free eco-activity, head for Big Bend. It’s just off I-75 at the Apollo Beach exit. I always take out-of-town visitors here for a brief visit, and they love it.  While the manatees are the stars, you’ll also likely see birds and fish. I spotted Snook and a Great Blue Heron on my recent trip. The site also has a small museum and a nature walk experience. If you enjoy nature, this is a great spot for a 30-to-90 minute  eco-experience.