Word comes back from the dolphins that the professor's DINGHY is malfunctioning and causing chaos in the seas. The Critter Gitters head back to the drop site, but are hindered by an approaching hurricane. True to form, the professor comes through with the latest in underwater transportation technology.
Nick and Annie finally get their chance to do what they had come to Florida for in the first place: search for the mystical manatees. Their quest leads them on an adventure through the untamed wilderness. Aided by clues from Mr. Belcher and a wayward hermit named Trapper Nelson, they make their way up Crystal River. But when they find themselves surrounded by alligators, the professor picks them up in his amazing new Seair Flying boat. It is from this vantage point in the sky that they find what they were looking for.