Airboating the Everglades

Gator in the 'Glades
Everglades National Park, FL
March 27, 2024

 It sounds like we are sitting atop a large engine as the airboat fires up in preparation to set off. 

Yesterday, Chris, Luke, and I set off to the Everglades for some fun and an airboat ride. Typically, when Chris and I head off to airboat we do not see any gators in the wild. Yesterday, however, we saw six! And I also found out why. Don't go airboating in the Everglades to look for gators in July--it is too hot and they are not active. March and April, it seems, are when they are active. 

The Gator and Luke
Everglades Safari Park, Miami, FL
March 27, 2024

It was the first long trip for Chris's new car and I computed the distances pretty carefully to determine that we could get there and back without needing a charge. Of course, never having done a trip like this before I was unsure whether the distance estimate for the battery was accurate. Turns out it was close. I did lose a few miles range each way on the highway--but, I subsequently determined that I should have switched the car into a more efficient mode which might have solved that issue. Lesson learned! We drove 220 miles and ended with 42 miles range. We started with about 280 miles of expected range. All-in-all great first trip.

I took a short video of the airboat experience and the noise from the twin engines. Thankfully they issued us ear plugs for some protection. According to the app on my iPhone, the airboat engines were producing 102-109 decibels of deafening sound.

Luke and Chris with the Airboat at Speed
Everglades National Park, FL
March 27, 2024

While at the park, Luke came face-to-snout with a gator. It was pretty funny and I enjoyed taking the picture. This was the first time we visited Everglades Safari Park during Spring Break. The place was packed, but they handled the crowds efficiently. I like this location because the boats actually go into the National Park. I recommend buying the tickets on-line. It smoothed the check-in process and I was able to remember my National Park Pass and save $7 on each ticket. 

After the airboat experience, we wandered around the preserve and looked a gators and crocodiles, yes they have crocs! We enjoyed a beautiful day in the mid-80s with partly cloudy skies and cooling breezes. It was perfect. And there were no mosquitoes or other biting insects to spoil our outing. 

It is a bit of a drive from Tequesta, almost exactly two-hours each way, but definitely worth the experience. 

I noted that the cars in the parking lot were mostly out of state. I think there was only one other car with Florida plates. 

Florida in the Springtime--what could be better?

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL