Marathon Manatee

In a man-made basin off of Boot Key Harbor, Marathon Florida, we caught some great photos of this gentle giant. Sailor Mike, moored in front of us on Windshadow, dubbed him Marathon Manatee. At first he was so still we weren’t certain if he was alive. Guess he was sleeping because he quickly perked-up after being offered some fresh water. Our friends Steve and Laura, on the sailboat Paradise (paradiseadventures), kept feeding him a steady supply and he rolled onto his back to give them an easier shot.  The US Fish and Wildlife Service cautions not to feed them water because they may modify their behavior and

loose their natural ability to find fresh water sources. But, it is hard to resist! As you can see, they love fresh water! It is hard to imagine that only an estimated 3,400 remain in the wild. We have seen three on this trip and two of those were here at Boot Key.