No, not together. Can you even imagine?? I mean, really – is there enough material FOR a manatee wetsuit? Well, I am sure there is based on certain things I have seen (and can never unsee) but that is truly something that should never happen.

But, they kind of do go together since we need a wetsuit to see the manatees. And let me tell you – come next spring, wetsuit fashion will be making a HUGE comeback on the Paris AND New York runways. Kim K will be rockin’ one that Kanye designs! Wait – what do you mean they were never on the Fashion Week runways? According to my dad they were all the rage when he was younger! Even he had one … and THAT is something I can never unsee – even though I never saw it – my mind saw it and that is bad enough.

OK, this is really about the manatees, not the high style of wetsuit fashion. But let me just say, if you are looking for pictures of me in a wetsuit, they don’t exist. Like I said, we were there for the manatees – not the human manatees and I may have threatened death in a pretty scary way if anyone pointed a camera at me. So….we headed back to Crystal River the day that King Tim left. In fact, we left before Tim left. Yeah, the boys were totally thrilled about that. Need I remind them that this is the third year that we have done it so they really shouldn’t be surprised at the time we have to leave? In fact, each year we have stopped at the same D&D for breakfast. Hello, routine.

The past two years we had Capt. Tim and LOVED him. We tried to get him this year – got his company but messages got crossed and we got one of his other guys. I am not sure, but I think he was 15 – but he did just get married – but we are…nevermind. He was really good and very nice. Unfortunately – and sorry to everyone at home and up North – but March was pretty warm here and the waters warmed up nicely so many of the manatees left the Crystal River for the great wide open. There are still some left but the manatee to human ratio was certainly not what we had hoped for!! It also doesn’t help when there are two or three other boats with 15-20 people who are complete morons and surrounding, chasing, or crowding out the beautiful creatures. Yes, I know that they are HUGE but they are also the most gentle creatures I have ever come into contact with. Talking, splashing, and having kids completely freak out in the water with them isn’t really the cool thing to do. Not to brag (ok, I kind of am) but the very first time our boys went swimming with them, Capt. Tim couldn’t stop commenting on how well they were doing and how calm they were with the manatees. Yeah, we were proud.

Needless to say this wasn’t the best manatee year. The water was nice and the weather was great – and we had towels this year! We also went to a little area with a natural spring where we could dive under the water. The boys loved that! We had our cameras but the water was fairly murky – in large part because to the stupid people I just mentioned. BUT…..we still had fun. We were in Florida and with family! And we will go again next year – with Capt. Tim.

And definitely rocking the newest in wetsuit fashion.