12/14/05

More on Manatees

Do you know what a manatee does when it's eating cabbage?
1. it holds the cabbage in its front appendages-- while seeming to smile at you
2. it sort of "stands up" under water and floats around
3. it eats the cabbage
4. it starts farting constantly underwater--while smiling at you
5. it continues to fart and smile a bit, then swims slowly outside again


This was taken from a comment made by the lovely, L, in the post below. I thought it was interesting and it reminded me of something that happened on yesterday's field trip.

We're all standing on a dock looking at the manatees. All the chaperones have spent 10 minutes making our charges understand if they make noise that the manatees will go away or not swim towards us. We see a big one swimming towards the dock and everyone is holding their breath just waiting to see how close it will get. It takes about 5 minutes for it to get to the dock (the whole time I'm waiting for some child to burst from the physical impossibility of keeping quiet one second longer). It gets close to the dock and lifts it's snout out of the water to breathe and then slowly dives under the dock. Just it's tail is left in view and it gives a little "wave" with it and 5 pounds of manatee shit comes swirling out. This ended the group silence. The funniest thing I heard screeched was "Oh look! He gave us a present!"

Something about the manatees freak me out. I think a horrible way to die would be smothered underneath one.

6 comments:

r.fuel said...

Reminds me of the time I went to see the hippos at the zoo.

Anonymous said...

You seem to have a love-hate thing going on with the manatees.

Anonymous said...

Too funny! On our last family trip to WDW Epcot a few years back we were at Epcot checking out "The Living Sea". I love dolphins, so we were watching them swim around in the huge tank there. Sweetpea was 8 at the time and was really into watching them swim around and play. Then, really loud, she starts hollering, "Hey! Mommy! That big dolphin is trying to poke the other one with a stick!" We look to see what she's talking about, along with everyone else within earshot....and there they are, by now you know, as we did, it wasn't a 'stick', oh, it was a 'woodie' all right. All the adults looking at the same thing burst out laughing...I guess you can tell what the dolphins were doing!?! We were laughing too hard to try to explain. It wasn't until she was older, she got it...it still cracks me up today.

Chickie said...

R. Fuel - I keep my distance from the hippos. Thier poop splashes too far.

Anne Arkham - I am drawn to them yet repulsed by them. Kinda like the Cabbage Patch Dolls.

Bonanza Jellybean - I'm really thinking of taking a swim with them. I feel like since I'm here in Florida I should start taking advantage of what the state has to offer.

TXSM - Dolphin porn! Too funny!

Anonymous said...

We don't have manatees in Ohio and I am glad. I hate poo of all kinds; especially if it's in the water. I prefer my zoo animals not to leave "gifts".

Chickie said...

MCB - When I saw the stuff floating in the water my first thought was "Ew. People swim with them." If I go swim there I'll make sure to not get any water in my mouth.