During the winter, the Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River, Florida is packed with manatees. However, as the Gulf of Mexico warms above sixty-eight degrees, the manatees leave the springs (which maintain a constant temperature around seventy-two degrees year round) where they have spent the winter. Interestingly enough, a manatee’s body is only about three percent fat. This makes them extremely sensitive to temperature and they can become hypothermic when water temperatures are below sixty-eight.

Despite being void of manatees, the Three Sisters Springs are stunning and worth a visit. The crystal blue water is inviting and in the warmer months you can swim, dive, and kayak in them.