sharing with the manatees

This was one of the first few times I went out on the river in my own little canoe. I heard a noise in the water and was a little worried, not sure of what it was. Steven said not to worry, it was most likely manatees! Well, these mammals (sea cows) are quite large so I was still a little scared. See and read more about them here.

Steven said don't worry, I could just get my canoe over to the side of the canal . . . they are not going to bother us, he said. As you can see by the photo, with my hand up at my mouth, I was in awe. It is hard to get a photo of a manatee at all as they don't come up above the surface much, but I think you can see a bit of one in front of me. They swam around and were possibly even mating for several minutes.

It was an amazing natural occurrence to be part of and after a while I was not so scared. Earlier this year they had come to our canal and swam in front of our dock, but this was the first time I had been in the water, albeit in my canoe with them. And just this last week, I looked out my living room window to see a dolphin fin rising above the water in the canal, right in front of our dock!! Will wonders never cease . . . .

Here is calm so deep, grasses cease waving.... wonderful how completely everything in wild nature fits into us, as if truly part and parent of us. The sun shines not on us, but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiver and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing.
 ~ John Muir