Family Adventure Charters — Local services in Homosassa Springs

Manatee Swim Tour at Crystal River, Florida

Lacey (Tour Guide/Co-Captain) I had an amazing experience thanks to Lacey! She was incredibly knowledgeable about manatees, their habitat, and all the living things around us. Her understanding of the underwater limestone springs was especially impressive and added so much depth to the tour. Lacey had great communication—not just with me, but with the other tour guides along with the boat captain as well. She was friendly, professional, and very helpful throughout the trip. When I needed assistance getting a better view of the manatees, she jumped in right away and helped move me closer to the front without hesitation. She answered every question with patience and clarity, and her calm, adaptable attitude made the entire experience smooth and enjoyable. It was clear that she works well with the whole crew and genuinely cares about making sure everyone has a great time. Lacey is a fantastic guide, and I highly recommend her to anyone looking to learn and enjoy a great experience on the water.

Rick (Boat Captain) I had the pleasure of working with Captain Rick, and I can confidently say he is an outstanding boat captain. His deep experience on the water was immediately evident as he skillfully navigated through both open waters and tricky shallow depths, effortlessly maneuvering around obstructions. What really stood out was his unwavering focus on safety, ensuring that all passengers felt secure throughout the journey. Captain Rick's knowledge of local waters was exceptional, and he demonstrated an impressive ability to spot and guide us to manatees, making for a memorable and educational experience. His expertise was matched by his courteous and professional demeanor—he worked seamlessly with his co-captain/tour guide, Lacey, creating a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone on board. Whether you're looking for a knowledgeable guide or a skilled captain who can handle any situation, Captain Rick is the one you want. His attention to detail, navigation skills, and dedication to both safety and enjoyment make him a standout professional on the water. Crystal M....

This excursion with Family Adventure Charters was amazingly outstanding. I highly recommend using this service on your swim with the manatees. I was a little apprehensive before we arrived but immediately upon arrival, I was made to feel welcomed and at ease by Tonya. It was, as stated in the name, a family feeling. Tonya aided us in selecting our wetsuits, then introduced us to Lacey and Captain Rick our tour guide and boat captain. They were both extremely knowledgeable and experienced while working in unison. Captain Rick navigated the waters, other boats, swimmers, and under water obstructions with ease that only experience brings. As a Coast Guard approved Captain, he advised us on all the boating safety rules, showed us where all the safety gear was stored and assured, we knew without question, we were in great hands. Lacey, our tour guide for the adventure, simply put was awesome. She proved to have an immense amount of marine knowledge and experience. You could see she absolutely loves what she does. She instructed us on everything we would encounter, how to interact with the manatees, what to expect and then located a pod of manatees to swim with. She assisted us in getting over to the manatees and being able to watch them in their environment without being intrusive. It was evident, Lacey has been doing this for a long time. She taught us about more than just the manatees and their habitat. She taught us about other marine life, the fisheries, the environment and how the Crystal River springs plays a part. As we selected the longer tour, she took the time to show us a couple of the underwater natural spring heads, how they create the environment the manatee lives in, and allowed us to swim down to them and experience the clarity and coldness of the ground water. As if all this wasn't enough, I even got to swim with a couple of schools of large mullet. Very Cool... I highly recommend booking with Family Adventure Charters for your...

We booked with Family Adventure Charters around 2 months ago. We picked a good time to come, as the Manatees were just starting to move into the springs from the coast, as the Gulf temperature has dropped below 70 degrees.

Everything went as planned. Captain Tim gave us an excellent introduction to what to expect, and what was expected from us to maximize our experience, with the least disruption to the Manatees. His equipment was good - and the wet suit was a necessity, as you're in the water for quite a while.

Captain Graham got us on the Manatees right away, although the first ones we came upon were sleeping, and we left them alone. My partner got cold and got out of the water after about 45 minutes. I opted to make one more pass around the spring, and on my way back to the boat, I was directed towards a Manatee that was now near the dive boat. It was a male, and after a minute or two of keeping my distance, he approached me, and we interacted for 15 minutes or so when a female came up and chased the male away. The next hour was simply amazing, as I continued to interact with the female, and various other manatees came up and nuzzled the female and myself. I would separate from the female, and she would come back over and continue the interaction. It really was amazing!

Be quiet in the water - let them come to you. It really does work. I got an experience that I will treasure the rest of my life. Seeing the manatees in their natural environment, along with a baby and its mother, was worth the price of the charter. Being able to spend an hour + in an intimate interaction, was priceless.

Thank you Capt Tim and Graham....you were great! And right on with your tips for a successful interaction...