“Manny” the Manatee - Kaitlynn Mackie
Thursday, March 13th, 2008
“One sunny Monday afternoon at the Mote Marine Lab on Summerland Key, Florida, Kaitlynn and crew were having a leisurely afternoon in the sun, snorkeling and kayaking. Tim teased Kaitlynn about seeing manatees. She desperately wanted to see one and told her fellow Bio friends that a manatee could very easily be in the Mote harbor right now. She pointed to a rock and said “that rock looks like a manatee.” Everyone laughed and told her she thought EVERYTHING looked like a manatee. Suddenly, Dori chimes in “Hey, that rock is moving.” Kaitlynn jumped up and screamed “It is a manatee! It really is!!” She’s so excited she almost jumped right in the water but remembered that manatees are federally protected and Florida has a hefty fine for touching a manatee. So, she had the brilliant idea to hold a hose over the water so the manatee will swim over. They are curious and love fresh water. Dr. Carrier said he wasn’t sure if we should do that. Instead, he “ordered” us to wash the kayaks because they were “looking kind of dirty.” We fired up the hose to wash them and the manatee came right over. Kaitlynn smiled so big that tears came out of her eyes. The class decided to call him or her “Manny.” Manny rolled around for us for awhile and then swam away to find some other new friends, completing Kaitlynn’s perfect day.
Please keep in mind that manatees are often harmed by boat propellers. Therefore,
Boaters: obey no wake zones and keep your speed slow. If a manatee is spotted, shut your motor off immediately. It might be “Manny”
