Manatee Refuge
by Chanda Singleton GriesëOn my birthday in 2022, we donned our hats, jackets, and required face coverings— in Blue Springs, we witnessed wintering manatees gathering. Last time I’d visited this quiet place, my daughter became a participant in the project to count the manatees— her picture posted in a magazine. This year proved to be the best yet for these refugees— a record count for posterity— a whopping 663. One could tell them apart by their markings ripped into their flesh by razor-sharp propellers as they slowly passed under the ships’ bellies— not fast enough to avoid injury.Read more on my substack page here.
