Rare manatee sighting in deep waters of Florida Keys

NEAR ISLAMORADA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Manatees are a common sight to see along Florida’s coastal waters, making it a surprise to see them gracefully swimming through deeper water.

While out on his boat in the Florida Keys, Captain Nick Stanczyk, who owns a private fishing charter in the area, spotted a group of the gentle creatures just outside a reef, and less than a mile off the coast of Islamorada on April 16.

He shared video of his encounter on Facebook, writing, “First time I’ve ever seen them in 100 feet of water!”

According to SeaWorld Orlando, Florida manatees rarely travel out to deep ocean waters, but have been spotted as far offshore at the Dry Tortugas Islands, which is about 50 miles west from Key West.