Manatee plumes

Manatees caused these circles on the surface of the upper Manatee River

Mark Stukey from Rays Canoe Hideaway often gets kayakers/canoers who will come back from a day of paddling and swear they saw gators roaming underwater.

"Are there circles on the top of the water?" he asks.

They usually say, 'Yes."

"Those are manatees," Stukey tells them.

With their propeller-like tails, Manatees push water up and down as they move, creating plumes on the surface.

The above pair of manatees were roaming together through the upper Manatee River. They ended up stopping to bask in warm, shallow water. This is why there is a MANATEE ZONE sign in the same area.

The endangered manatees hung out all afternoon.