About halfway through these many decades of wanderings, we were to share in an adventure experience that was so different... A distinct contrast to our meanderings to that point of the compass... It was not so much a pursuing of a challenging adventure goal, but more like an allowing of a wild experience to unfold. There were no heights, no distances, depths, or times to be met - but more so of just an awareness to be gathered in; not really a 'trying' but instead more of a calming. All of this was to result in a slowing down of the whole day out with some gentle beings, even what felt like a slowing of time itself... Often the challenges of adventuring can be in the extensive preparation, continual skill development, and pushing ones' fitness levels, which are quite necessary for safety and enjoyment out there. Yet in this experience our greatest hurdle was in ensuring we got linked up with the best guide we could find. We were out of our element and partnering with an experienced adventure leader would provide us the guidance we needed for interacting, and also interpreting the moments with these so peaceful giants. Our moments that day were to be shared among the Manatees... To simply lose ourselves within their element. Manatees are 'known', but not fully understood it seems. They have such a majesty in their bearing, with their soft movements and slow measured motion through the waters. These graceful beauties hide themselves away as they graze in shallow and marshy areas. They are often over a thousand pounds in size, yet move through their element with ease, like a dancer might. We heard many sounds while slowly swimming with them as they conversed in a language all of their own. How we wished we could speak even a bit of it...
They seem to also use touch for communication, much like other intelligent species, and Manatees have unique ways of expressing things both with their faces and through their movements.
They live many years and have demonstrated the capacity for long memories, intuitiveness, and learning. No wonder they have been referred to throughout history as the 'wise ones'... I love their small but intense, knowing eyes... Yet I am so sad about the scars of interaction with us they have most often suffered through contact with propellers. We were to experience the ways in which Manatees are so very curious as they checked us out, looking over at us with what I sure were shy smiles; even bumping up against us, maybe hoping for a little scratching.
I cannot help but wonder and believe that there is so much more to be learned from softer adventures of this kind, with such graceful and gentle creatures... and also to ponder over all of that which their being here helps us understand...
I suspect there is a wisdom within the Manatee not fully understood yet. These beautiful beings are linked through folklore to water elementals of legend such as mermaids. They are a sacred animal in some areas of the world too; believed to have once walked as fellow humans - all of which now having shared moments with them I now accept to be true.....
DSD
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