Gulf Coast Expeditions

07/26/2026

Baby manatees will stay with mom for anywhere from 1-3 years! This time is a very intense period of learning for them as mom will show them where to go to find food, fresh water, warm water and safe places. They will travel together over and over to these same spots until the now adolescent manatee remembers where to go once they go out on their own.

07/21/2026

Pssst, 15% off with code SUMMER26, pass it on!

07/21/2026

Even though we're not in "Manatee Season", summertime viewing conditions can be awesome! We got to spend some quality time with this sleepy Sirenian yesterday and make some very happy guests. Want your chance to share in this experience before the summer is gone? Give us a call at 352-220-6038 or go to our website at www.gcexpeditions.com and use code SUMMER26 to get 15% off our regular price thru Aug 15.

07/19/2026

🚨 End of Summer Sale! 🚨 What better way to finish off the summer than to join us at Gulf Coast Expeditions to swim with our Manatees in the cool refreshing waters of King's Bay here in Crystal River! From now until August 15th we're offering our all inclusive Manatee Swim Tour at 15% off our regular price! That gets you everything you need for a guided, personal, no more than 6 person tour of our Manatees and our springs. Direct bookings only, so give us a call at 352-220-6038 or go to our website at www.gcexpeditions.com and book now using code SUMMER26! See you soon!

07/17/2026

While usually pretty solitary animals, manatees will sometimes play together and get a little flirty, especially early in the mornings. That's why we always recommend our earlier trips!

07/12/2026

Not just on 4th of July weekend, as you're moving around our beautiful King's Bay this summer and all year long, keep it slow and keep an eye out! The springs areas especially are full of boats, swimmers and especially manatees!

07/08/2026

Also, babies and moms need time to imprint on one another! This is important for the health of the calf. If you see a tiny newborn manatee, observe from a distance and let mom and baby get to know each other better!

It’s a fact!
Manatees do not form permanent pair bonds like some animal species. Breeding and birth may occur at any time during the year and males assume no responsibility for raising the calf. Mothers nurse their young for one to two years, so calves may remain dependent on their mothers during that time. Find more facts at savethemanatee.org/facts

06/14/2026

We had a special visitor today just past Three Sisters Springs🐬 ! Dolphins will occasionally come up into King's Bay in Crystal River to feed on our HUGE mullet. Near the end, you can see one lucky cormorant just escape with his breakfast.

06/13/2026

How long can you stay underwater? A manatee will come up to breathe about every 2-5 minutes when they're active, but can hold their breath for more than 20 minutes when they're sleeping! And when they come up to breathe, manatees can exchange up to 90% of their oxygen in just the time it takes them to get a breath (humans average about 10% per breath)! They would win all kinds of breath holding competitions.

06/11/2026