APOLLO BEACH, Fla. — As the water in Tampa Bay starts to cool off, manatees are making their way over to a cozy little corner of Apollo Beach to keep warm.
Tampa Electric's Manatee Viewing Center is set to reopen for the season on Wednesday, Nov. 1. It's where visitors can get a look at manatees in the wild as they huddle, sometimes by the hundreds, in the clean, warm water discharge of TECO's Big Bend Power Station.
According to the company, manatees have flocked to the canal by the power station since the early 1970s once the water temperature in Tampa Bay drops to 68 degrees or cooler.
And this year, there's a new opportunity for visitors to get closer than ever to our beloved local sea cows.
The center will be opening a new viewing platform on Nov. 15 along with a revamped education center and two new electric golf carts to help transport guests from the remote parking lot.
“We’re pleased we can offer our guests additional elbow room – and the opportunity to see the manatees from an even closer vantage point,” Stan Kroh, manager of Land and Stewardship Programs for TECO, said. “The Manatee Viewing Center is the showcase for Tampa Electric’s commitment to environmental stewardship.”
In addition to the multiple manatee-viewing vantage points, visitors can meet and interact with stingrays in the touch tank and hike a nature trail leading to a 50-foot observation tower.
All boardwalks are ADA-compliant and only trained service animals are allowed. The Manatee Viewing Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.
Although admission are parking at the center are free, TECO welcomes any contributions to support "protecting manatees, preserving their habitats and educating the public."
Each season, TECO says the center draws nearly 400,000 visitors for a total of more than 7 million over the years.