Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Manatee Refuge| My Birthday Visit to Blue Springs State Park











Manatee Refuge

by Chanda Singleton Griesë

On 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.

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