Airboating the Everglades in Florida

The standard scene at any air boat location - boats leaving and coming -
one way system throughout 

South Florida ranks as one of USA’s fastest growing urban sprawls, yet it harbours remarkable wilderness. Co existing with six million humans the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Wilderness Area in Everglades National Park preserves nearly 1.3 million acres of marine estuary, cypress forest, hardwood hammock, mangrove and saw grass prairie. It is the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. 

Wilderness once encircled humans. Now, we encircle the wilderness. The Americans enacted a wonderful Act – The Wilderness Act which demands that public lands maintain their wild character. Roads, buildings, logging and commercial activities are restricted, if not banned. Wilderness gives a glimpse into what America once was. I like that approach.

Now this is something you will find only in America – where individuals will donate huge chunks of money and / or land for a cause they believe in AND which will be looked after by the State Govt without, in most cases, being eaten up by builders and developers. 

There is the Wilderness Waterway – a marked water way route that is 99 miles  one way only route!! You can prowl the vastness of the mangroves. Rest on beaches.... always keeping an eye open for crocs. Watch fish below the chickees below. And of course the Park has an amazing range of staff to help the tourist plan the journey – be it by car or a trek for a day or a week. 

One of the major attractions of Florida’s Everglades, apart from the alligators, is air boating. These are rather large flat bottomed boats with a huge fan on the rear, a humongous large engine to achieve speed and a major noise polluter on the ’glades waterways. There are various packages available – starting with the basic package of mangrove country for an hour, going up to a swamp and buggy combo or a swamp and animal park combo.

We decided to go on a back country one hour airboat ride. Like many tourists, we were careful in selecting the operator as we had heard many stories of cheating and quick bucks being made.  We met Capt Kenny, a young brash sailor who has been sailing or piloting airboats for the last ten years. A really hunk of a guy. Not friendly, just to the point. Rather taciturn. Wearing his head phones, not much of a talker either.

It must have originally been created as a means of transport thru the glades but then someone noticed its potential as a tourist industry. Today, you see many companies offering such rides. To go on an airboat once is fine but to do this as a career or even daily for a few years require a certain mental capacity and definite attitude.





 It’s a noisy mind blowing business. Day in and day out. Repeating the same instructions to a bunch of tourists who are just waiting to try something stupid!! 

This is an awesome sight - barrelling down at full speed with mangroves on either side. 

 As you will see from the photos, it was a real experience. At speeds of 35 mph, the ride lasts for an hour. We went through a one way system of waterway – mangrove, open area, mangrove and then large expanse. Twists and turns. I repeat, multiple twists and turns. You just hung on for dear life. 

there were  two long alligators, one quite close by.  9ft female and 12 ft male. Kenny stopped and let them come up close to us. He was watchful to ensure no sudden jerk and lift by the gator! 

Kenny had given us head phones to cut off the loud noise of the air boat but I felt that this was unnatural. We had come for the experience and that included being partially deafened. Only then can one feel the real anger of air boating. Kenny claimed that in his ten years, he had never had an accident. Surprising considering he drove the vehicle at such speed in the narrow areas, took wild turns and at strange angles at speed and then stopped. I am sure it’s an accident waiting to happen. We just were happy that we got off safe and in one piece. 

It is said that before the Europeans even came here, the land was occupied for centuries by Calusa Indians who lived on the islands and waterways. They lived with the tidal rhythm of The Ten Thousand Islands. They developed a complex social system and built impressive canals and earthworks. They piled shells into mounds thereby creating dry ground. Most of the nearby Chokoloskee and Sanfly islands were originally Calusa shell mounds!!

The mid 1830’s there were no Calusas left. Three hundred years after the first Europeans arrived from Spain; the culture of south Florida’s original inhabitants had disappeared.  Today there are NO aboriginal people in south Florida. Miccosukee and Seminole Indians arrived on the mid 1830’s and many now reside along the Tamiami Trail.

It was an interesting experience – one which should not be missed when visiting this area.

Text and photographs copyright of the author. No part of this article or photographs maybe transmitted or reproduced by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without written permission. Do contact the author on email -- helpthesun@gmail.com