FORT MYERS, Florida - I pulled my kayak paddle through the water and hit something solid - a giant gray creature, lurking just below the surface, seemingly oblivious to my presence.

"Sorry, sweetheart," I said, as if the manatee brushing up against the boat could hear me.

And who am I to say that it couldn't?

This was one benefit to the chilly temperatures we experienced in southwest Florida last month: We had perfect conditions for a close encounter of the manatee kind at Lee County Manatee Park.

The park is located on the Orange River, alongside a discharge canal from a nearby Florida Power and Light plant, which warms the water as its equipment cools.

When the ocean temperature dips below 68 degrees, manatees make a beeline to the park, with its bath-like water temperatures.

And so do humans, drawn to the massive, docile creatures.

On the morning of my visit, the gulf was listed at a nippy 58.4 degrees. The canal, meanwhile, registered a toasty 76.2 degrees.

According to an 8:15 a.m. posting at the park, there were 135 manatees observed in the area.

There were probably twice that many humans.

There are numerous places to observe the creatures from land here, including a pier that juts into the river. But for the best view, you'll want to rent a kayak.

The guide who assisted us into the water gave us these instructions: Do not touch, feed or provide water to the manatees.

But she didn't cover what I most wanted to know, so I inquired: Any chance these giant mammals, which can grow as large as 3,000 pounds, will knock over my boat?

Won't happen, she said. And so I set out.

Shortly after entering the water, a manatee sidled up to my raft and rolled over onto its back - as if it were a dog, asking me to rub its belly. I resisted the urge.

Unlike other locations in Florida where you can interact with manatees - the Crystal River area north of Tampa is probably the most famous - the water here isn't clear, so it isn't always easy to see the animals until they're right up next to you.

At least twice I was surprised by an animal as it came close, with a blow of its snout and a swipe of its tail.

The animals here are Florida manatees, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee. They typically grow to about 10 feet long, weighing in at 1,000 pounds or more.

They're herbivores and consume as much as 5-10% of their body weight in aquatic plants every day.

Despite their size, they have little fat to keep their bodies warm and are susceptible to cold stress.

A statewide manatee count in 2022 estimated the Florida manatee population at between 8,300 and 11,700 - up slightly from seven years earlier.

In 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reclassified Florida manatees from endangered to threatened.

Manatees have few natural predators - the biggest threat to their survival is humans, who destroy their habitat and injure them with boats.

Many of the animals I saw from my kayak had the tell-tale scratches on their backs from previous encounters with motorboats.

The Orange River, thankfully, is a no-wake zone so the water here is safe.

Except, perhaps for an errant kayak paddle in the water.

If you go: Lee County Manatee Park

Where: The park, at 10901 Palm Beach Blvd. in Fort Myers, is about 15 miles north of Southwest Florida International Airport.

When: The park is open 8 a.m. until sunset year-round, although your best chances of seeing manatees are December through March.

How much: The park is free, although there is a charge for parking. Kayak rentals are $26 for a single for two hours, $52 for a double. Guided tours are also available.

More information: leegov.com/parks/parks/manateepark, manateekayakingcompany.com