Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
Bird's. Do not use American Pro! Cattle boats, they harass the animals, and are just a shoddy operation. Big but shoddy. There is an old thread with links to videos of them screwing with the animals and corralling them for visitors. Not only illegal but stressful to the manatees. But you can get a PADI manatee diver specialty with them.
I took my girlfriend to Crystal Lodge Dive Center a few years ago. The dive center is operated by a Best Western so you know the rooms are clean and very close to the water. The operaters were fantastic, although expect more snorkeling than diving when checking out the Manatee. When in the area, ask about a drift dive on the Indian River. We really enjoyed this dive after a few days of taking pictures of the sea cows. We were there in January and it was a bit chilly on the boat ride out to the springs so be better prepared better than I was.
Enjoy, Jon
Bird's. Do not use American Pro! Cattle boats, they harass the animals, and are just a shoddy operation. Big but shoddy. There is an old thread with links to videos of them screwing with the animals and corralling them for visitors. Not only illegal but stressful to the manatees. But you can get a PADI manatee diver specialty with them.