10 years ago I went to Crystal River and swam with the manatees in February. It is difficult to explain the experience. Amazing.
LOL, all of us looked like human manatees (or whales) in our wet suits except for one rather well built girl about 18-20.
Suddenly, from behind us, swimming north, a huge manatee swims by like 20 feet off shore.
We jumped in the water and swam next to it for about a minute.
He (she) made eye contact with both us, which was really cool.
Still makes me feel sad, though.
I don't think a manatee can survive in the open ocean like that.
I suspect it looks like a giant ham sandwich to barracuda and other coastal predators.
I have no idea where it came from.
We have no manatees in Fort Lauderdale that I know about, either in the ocean or in the Intracoastal Waterway.