We drove down to Everglades City looking for airboats and gators. I have always wanted to ride an airboat through the Everglades.  There was a TV show when I was young which had the airboats speeding through the Everglades hitting small sandbars and bouncing across. Without having to say it, there were always gators waiting for airboat to make a mistake.

Driving South from Siesta Key we came to Wooten’s  just past the turn to Everglades City.  Wooten’s does not only have the airboats but also kayaks and swamp buggy tours. The swamp buggy, I could enjoy if they would let me drive.  The Kayak, I could think of nothing good coming out of me in a kayak with gators swimming around me. But it was the airboat that we had come looking for.

The standard airboat at Wooten’s will hold about ten to twelve people. We got there early and sat just in front of the captain.

Soon we pulled out from the dock and went in search of gators.  That is the one thing everyone was wanting to see.  Our wish was soon granted the Captain spotted one swimming toward us.

He move the airboat up to the side of the gator to give us a closer look.

After seeing a couple of gators, the Captain showed us what the air boat could do.  Because of the loud engine everyone had head set to cut down the sound.

Try the link  to get some idea of the ride.  Airboats and gators

Sorry I filmed my leg for a while, but it will give you some idea. While at Wooten’s, we also saw manatee and a eagle’s nest. But most of all I got to see airboats and gators.

One interesting thing was the airboat Captain ask where we were from in Kentucky.  I told him that I doubted if he would know our town.  Long story short, his grandparents lived in our county and he grew up not to far away in Logan West Virginia. So here’s to a local guy having fun in Florida with airboats and gators.