Several manatees spotted off S.C. coast
Boaters encouraged to be aware, be careful around rare animals.

Associated Press

CHARLESTON - More than a dozen manatees have been spotted off South
Carolina's coast this month, and the state's wildlife department says
boaters should be cautious when they see the endangered species.

Most of the rare, 1,000-pound mammals have been seen in or near Charleston
Harbor, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. The manatees
are coming north from Florida to graze on spartina and other underwater
plants.

The manatees are usually seen in the shallow waters where they feed, with
many of them spotted around marinas, said state biologist Tom Murphy.

"Any time you have manatee in the area, you should use common sense and go
slow," he said.

There are an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 manatees, and each year they are
threatened by motorboat propellers and toxic, nutrient-related red tides.

The secret to spotting one might be dripping water, which seems to attract
them, said Joan Seithel, a Natural Resources worker who handles sighting
calls. "People frequently see them when they are washing their boats," she
said.

The department gets about 100 sighting reports a year, most of them near the
harbor, Beaufort or Hilton Head Island.

MaryLou and Richard Thomson were watching seven or eight dolphins this month
near Mount Pleasant when they spotted a manatee. A pair emerged among the
dolphins and lolled within 10 feet of their boat.

"We just saw this kind of blob slowly coming out of the water," Richard
Thomson said. "It's a unique experience, one of those experiences that just
suddenly comes on you. It was beautiful."

Several days later Gary Ponder, Mount Pleasant's staff engineer, saw what
could've been the same pair.

"Two noses just poked up out of the water. We didn't realize what it was at
first," he said.

The pair did swirling back rolls and disappeared. "It was pretty awesome,"
Ponder said.
----------------------------------------------------------------

We Floridians have been fighting with the manatee huggers for several years.
We've made terrific headway with the state, but the Feds haven't budged.
Hopefully our fellow boaters in SC will join the fight once they start
seeing their waterways shut down too.

Next thing you know, they'll be in Chesapeake Bay. Just think...slow speed
zone outside of any marked channel...and slow speed zone within 1/2 mile of
shore.

It's commmmmming!

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:50:13 +0000, NOYB wrote:


Next thing you know, they'll be in Chesapeake Bay. Just think...slow
speed zone outside of any marked channel...and slow speed zone within 1/2
mile of shore.

It's commmmmming!

At least one has been to the Chesapeake, and New Jersey, for that matter:

http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet95/0180.html

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:58:05 -0400, thunder
wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:50:13 +0000, NOYB wrote:


Next thing you know, they'll be in Chesapeake Bay. Just think...slow
speed zone outside of any marked channel...and slow speed zone within 1/2
mile of shore.

It's commmmmming!

At least one has been to the Chesapeake, and New Jersey, for that matter:

http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet95/0180.html

How about they just eliminate them from the ecosystem and be done with
it?

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 12:09:30 -0400, HarryKrause
wrote:

Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:58:05 -0400, thunder
wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:50:13 +0000, NOYB wrote:


Next thing you know, they'll be in Chesapeake Bay. Just think...slow
speed zone outside of any marked channel...and slow speed zone within 1/2
mile of shore.

It's commmmmming!
At least one has been to the Chesapeake, and New Jersey, for that matter:

http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet95/0180.html

How about they just eliminate them from the ecosystem and be done with
it?

I've arranged for one to move into your bathtub. Sorry.

Good - I wonder what manatee tastes like - beefsteak or chicken?

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:58:05 -0400, thunder
wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:50:13 +0000, NOYB wrote:


Next thing you know, they'll be in Chesapeake Bay. Just think...slow
speed zone outside of any marked channel...and slow speed zone within
1/2
mile of shore.

It's commmmmming!

At least one has been to the Chesapeake, and New Jersey, for that matter:

http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet95/0180.html

How about they just eliminate them from the ecosystem and be done with
it?

I was actually hoping they'd all swim up Harry's way and shut down *his*
boating waters. It'd be poetic justice, since, afterall, it was a
Clinton-appointed judge ( Emmet G. Sullivan) from Washington DC who ruled in
favor of the Save the Manatee folks, and threatened to hold Sec. of Interior
Gale Norton in contempt for not conforming to the judgement and implementing
the manatee zones.

"HarryKrause" wrote in message
...
Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:58:05 -0400, thunder
wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:50:13 +0000, NOYB wrote:


Next thing you know, they'll be in Chesapeake Bay. Just think...slow
speed zone outside of any marked channel...and slow speed zone within
1/2
mile of shore.

It's commmmmming!
At least one has been to the Chesapeake, and New Jersey, for that
matter:

http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet95/0180.html

How about they just eliminate them from the ecosystem and be done with
it?


I've arranged for one to move into your bathtub. Sorry.


It's funny how politics and boating are so much intertwined. A
Clinton-appointee (Judge Emmett Sullivan) threatened to hold Sec. of
Interior Gale Norton in contempt 3 years ago for not implementing the
manatee zones. At the time, Jeb was strongly opposed to the
behind-closed-doors settlement between SMC and FWC that had the Feds
meddling in our state waters. He and Sec. Norton argued that it was junk
science supporting the implementation of the zones. The manatee population
has been growing steadily and the numbers suggest that they shouldn't even
be on the endangered species list any longer.

There's a strong battle between the feds and state right now. The Feds said
"implement the zones or we'll hold up dock permits", and the state said
"fine, we'll implement the zones...but you guys are responsible for policing
them". Of course, this puts FWC in an impossible position because they
don't have the manpower.

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 12:09:30 -0400, HarryKrause
wrote:

Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:58:05 -0400, thunder
wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:50:13 +0000, NOYB wrote:


Next thing you know, they'll be in Chesapeake Bay. Just think...slow
speed zone outside of any marked channel...and slow speed zone within
1/2
mile of shore.

It's commmmmming!
At least one has been to the Chesapeake, and New Jersey, for that
matter:

http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet95/0180.html

How about they just eliminate them from the ecosystem and be done with
it?

I've arranged for one to move into your bathtub. Sorry.

Good - I wonder what manatee tastes like - beefsteak or chicken?

It's the other white meat.

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 17:28:09 GMT, "NOYB" wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:58:05 -0400, thunder
wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:50:13 +0000, NOYB wrote:


Next thing you know, they'll be in Chesapeake Bay. Just think...slow
speed zone outside of any marked channel...and slow speed zone within
1/2
mile of shore.

It's commmmmming!

At least one has been to the Chesapeake, and New Jersey, for that matter:

http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet95/0180.html

How about they just eliminate them from the ecosystem and be done with
it?

I was actually hoping they'd all swim up Harry's way and shut down *his*
boating waters. It'd be poetic justice, since, afterall, it was a
Clinton-appointed judge ( Emmet G. Sullivan) from Washington DC who ruled in
favor of the Save the Manatee folks, and threatened to hold Sec. of Interior
Gale Norton in contempt for not conforming to the judgement and implementing
the manatee zones.

The grass in the Bay is pert'near all gone. They wouldn't like it up here!

--
John H.
On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD

NOYB wrote:
"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:58:05 -0400, thunder
wrote:

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 14:50:13 +0000, NOYB wrote:


Next thing you know, they'll be in Chesapeake Bay. Just think...slow
speed zone outside of any marked channel...and slow speed zone within
1/2
mile of shore.

It's commmmmming!

At least one has been to the Chesapeake, and New Jersey, for that matter:

http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet95/0180.html

How about they just eliminate them from the ecosystem and be done with
it?

I was actually hoping they'd all swim up Harry's way and shut down *his*
boating waters. It'd be poetic justice, since, afterall, it was a
Clinton-appointed judge ( Emmet G. Sullivan) from Washington DC who ruled in
favor of the Save the Manatee folks, and threatened to hold Sec. of Interior
Gale Norton in contempt for not conforming to the judgement and implementing
the manatee zones.

How did Sullivan, in siding with the Save the Manatee people "shut down
boating waters"? Did the ruling state that boats weren't allowed in the
waters anymore? Hell, I'll answer....NO.

On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 16:53:44 GMT, Shortwave Sportfishing
wrote:

Good - I wonder what manatee tastes like - beefsteak or chicken?

It tastes a lot like bald eagle, but it's a bit chewy, like a Florida
panther.

bb