Where are the Frolicking Manatees?

Three or four manatees spent most of the weekend in our little inlet off Boca Ciega Bay. Two adults and one juvenile, I think. Maybe one more adult. I speculate that the juvenile is the calf that the two adults raised last year, when there was, apparently, at least one manatee baby in the bay.

When we arrived ,our manatees seemed to be the sleepy creatures I have noticed in the past, resting peacefully in the sunshine just below the surface. By Saturday morning, at least two of them were in front of the condo, rolling around very energetically and, on a couple of occasions, jumping right out of the water.

I am a little slow analyzing courtship behaviors, and it wasn't until yesterday morning that I realized what others had known for at least a day. Our manatees were not frolicking, but mating! Today, one is floating around just beyond the shadow of the royal palm. He seems very subdued, breathing occasionally without yesterday's enthusiastic snorts.

After reading about manatee mating on nearby Sanibel Island, I wonder if one female was being pursued by two or maybe three suitors. I wanted to post a link on manatee courtship, but the descriptions seemed borderline pornographic.  I think the party is over today!