Arthur here, your monocled guide to kind seas and kind habits.

When the water cools, Florida’s manatees drift toward warm refuges—natural springs and a few power-plant outflows—because extended time below about 68°F (20°C) can trigger dangerous cold-stress. In November we also mark Manatee Awareness Month, a perfect time to slow down our boats, lift our voices for conservation, and teach the next beachcomber how to spot a whiskered snout among the ripples. Learn more: FWC: Manatee habitat · FWC: Manatee Awareness Month

Where They Go (and Why It’s Magical)

At places like Blue Spring State Park, hundreds may crowd into 72-degree water on chilly mornings—quiet shapes in glass-clear flow, tails fanning like slow-motion flags. Along the Gulf, Tampa Electric’s Manatee Viewing Center opens its boardwalks each Nov 1–Apr 15, where plumes of warm water become a lifesaving lounge for these sea cows. Admission is free; the view is priceless. Plan a visit: Blue Spring State Park · TECO Manatee Viewing Center

Be a Good Neighbor on the Water

From mid-November through March, many waterways add seasonal manatee protection zones and slower speeds. Keep eyes peeled for “footprints”—those big, circular swirls on the surface that give a manatee’s path away—then idle and give space. If you see one up close, look but don’t touch, feed, or give water, and never chase or crowd them (that alters natural behavior and can be illegal). Helpful references: Manatee Protection Zones (example: Lee County) · FWC viewing guidelines

Quick checklist (shareable):

• Go slow; follow posted manatee zones (Nov–Mar varies by county).
• Watch for footprints, snouts, or a back breaking the surface.
• Observe quietly; no touching, feeding, or watering.
• See distress? Report to FWC Wildlife Alert: 888-404-FWCC (3922) or *FWC/#FWC on mobile. Report online.

Why This Matters

Manatees are marathon grazers, shaping seagrass meadows that shelter fish and filter waters. Our choices—how fast we boat, how clean we keep runoff, how gently we share the shoreline—decide whether calves inherit quiet winters in warm coves or a scramble for survival. Let’s make it the former.

I’ll be the dapper fellow on the boardwalk, cane tucked under fin, tipping my hat as the herd rolls in like living tide.

—Arthur
Fossils With a Story, Art With a Soul.