Manatee trips in FL?

[Blake]

HI everyone, my family will be in Florida in April and i was wondering about manatee snorkel trips. Are kids able to go (4yrs & 6yrs old)? any recomendations as to who I would go through? any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[I Dive]

Birds Underwater in Crystal River is who you want to go with

 

[aardvark200304]

Search this forum for Manatee Harassment before deciding. There area a lot of problems in Crystal River and some problem operators. Check for Decopixels posts.

There has been a lot of video documentation on the harassment and the shops don't like it, often threatening the videographers. I just receive this this morning even though I don't even own a video camera. I've just posted internet links to the videos on my website. My thought is if you don't want to be taped violating the law, then don't violate the law.


Video of Divers at Crystal River
Thursday, January 15, 2009 9:41 PM
From:
This sender is DomainKeys verified
"John L. Russell 3, Investigato" <russellpi@earthlink.net>
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To:
"John L. Russell 3, Investigato" <russellpi@earthlink.net>
Be advised that it is unlawful to videotape dive students and clients without our consent. Please review the Florida Laws below.

Fla. Statue 934

Illegal Videotaping is a violation of the right of privacy and it is a criminal violation. Any videotaping without consent can not be used as evidence for any court hearing or trial. Since it is a crime we can prefer charges and sue in civil court for the destruction of the videotape.

Anyone whose communications have been illegally intercepted may recover actual damages or $100 for each day of violation or $1,000, whichever is greater, along with punitive damages, attorney fees and litigation costs. Fla. Stat. ch. 934.10.

Fla. Statue 493.6101

(17) "Private investigation" means the investigation by a person or persons for the purpose of obtaining information with reference to any of the following matters:

(b) The identity, habits, conduct, movements, whereabouts, affiliations, associations, transactions, reputation, or character of any society, person, or group of persons.

(g) The business of securing evidence to be used before investigating committees or boards of award or arbitration or in the trial of civil or criminal cases and the preparation therefore.

493.6120 Violations; penalty.--

(1) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter except s. 493.6405 commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.


We will pursue any violation of criminal and civil law to protect our clients.

Please govern yourself accordingly.

John L. Russell 3

Dive Instructor/Licensed Private Investigator

Russell and Associates, Private Investigators, Tampa, Florida
Sunsation Dive Charters, Tampa, (FL) Florida
Captain John L. Russell 3's Scuba Dive Tampa Fl, Florida Dive Site

Aardvark

 

[brucetrinity]

Wow ....have no idea who John Russell is but he seems quick to quote FL Statutes that have little or nothing to do with videotaping the public. If the taping is done on private property it may be trespassing but that's not part of any of the quoted Statutes. I have no idea what the circumstances are but, in general, this part: "Be advised that it is unlawful to videotape dive students and clients without our consent." is incorrect without specific supportive detail. Posting, selling, etc. of the video is a different topic.....mostly covered under FL 540 .... lots of exclusions apply.

 

[Fox-Cousteau]

HI everyone, my family will be in Florida in April and i was wondering about manatee snorkel trips. Are kids able to go (4yrs & 6yrs old)? any recomendations as to who I would go through? any help would be appreciated. Thanks

contact Capt. Joe with Fun To Dive in Sanford. Great guy. I highly recommend him.

 

[Blake]

thanks for the info to those who replied, has anyone used adventure diving before?

 

[Missdirected]

thanks for the info to those who replied, has anyone used adventure diving before?

No. The only one I know to steer clear of is American Pro. We use Birds. If you click my sig line, there is a link to Birds in the first post.