King's Spring

King's Spring is part of the Crystal River/Kings Bay spring system on Florida's Gulf Coast, a shallow, spring-fed area known as a winter refuge for manatees. The spring vents produce clear freshwater flowing into the bay, and the site is popular for snorkeling and diving with manatees rather than for depth or reef structure. Depths here are shallow, generally in the range of a few metres down to around 6 to 9 metres near the spring vents, making it accessible to most skill levels. Visibility can vary seasonally depending on rainfall and algae growth in the bay, but the spring itself often runs clearer than the surrounding waters. The main draw is the close, regulated interaction with manatees that gather here in cooler months, and local operators enforce guidelines on approach and behavior to protect the animals. Divers have also reported gray snapper around the spring, sharing the water with the manatees that draw most visitors here.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Gray SnapperLutjanus griseusReported here · unconfirmed