Florida Vacay - April 2019 - Marsh Boats & Alligators
|
| Today's activity was riding an Airboat! We headed west out to the Blue Cypress Recreation Area and Marsh Beast Airboat Tours. |
| |
 |
|
|
Here's our ride. The Marsh Beast!
|
| |
 |
|
| A different airboat has a Lycoming six-cylinder aircraft engine to drive it's propeller. I'm not sure what the Marsh Beast had. |
| |
 |
|
|
Notice the headsets for each seat. The airboat is loud, but the headsets provide ear protection as well as allow you to hear Captain Kenny speak.
|
| |
 |
|
| An airboat returns from the marsh. |
| |
 |
|
| Happy campers. |
| |
 |
|
| Group picture just before boarding the boat. |
| |
 |
|
|
Lynnette is ready to go!
|
| |
 |
|
| So is Ellen. |
| |
 |
|
|
Heading out. This area used to be a farm, but was restored back to marsh.
|
| |
 |
|
| There is lots of wildlife in the marsh. Notice mother duck and baby ducklings to the right. |
| |
 |
|
| Colorful bird. Captain Kenny is a bird expert and told us what kind it is, but birds aren't my thing, and I promptly forgot. |
| |
 |
|
| This one I know: an Osprey. With little Osprey's in the nest as well. |
| |
 |
|
|
It's kind of neat how the marsh boat just cruises over the surface vegetation on the water.
|
| |
 |
|
| Our first alligator sighting! |
| |
 |
|
|
There's another one.
|
| |
 |
|
| A baby alligator -- notice the yellow stripes. The baby alligators hang out in the vegetation for safety. Apparently, there are a lot of things that like to eat them. Including bigger alligators. Where's the love? |
| |
 |
|
| Cruising on a big patch of open water. |
| |
 |
|
| |
| Lynnette checking out a Gator. |
| |
 |
|
|
You can just see the alligator's body under the water.
|
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
 |
|
|
No shortage of Alligator sightings....
|
| |
 |
|
| Having fun! |
| |
 |
|
|
Captain Kenny in action.
|
| |
 |
|
| Bird in a tree. |
| |
 |
|
| Another Osprey in his big nest. |
| |
 |
|
| Cruising fast down a narrow waterway. |
| |
 |
|
|
Spanish moss hanging from the trees.
|
| |
 |
|
| Another massive Osprey nest. With Osprey. |
| |
 |
|
| All too quickly, our fifty minute airboat ride was over and we arrived back at the base. |
| |
 |
|
|
There were numerous airboat ride outfits.
|
| |
 |
|
| But I strongly recommend: Marsh Beast! |
| |
 |
|
|
Yeah, buddy!
|
| |
 |
|
| Much better than flying in airplanes! |
| |
 |
|
| We celebrated our successful airboat ride by going to the Tiki Bar & Grill in Sebastian for a late lunch and cocktails. |
| |
 |
|
| Loving life at the Tiki Bar. |
| |
 |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
| Looking out at the Indian River. |
| |
 |
|
|
Lynnette and her Bloody Mary at the Tiki Bar & Grill.
|
| |
 |
|
| Then it started clouding up. A thunderstorm was coming. Bruce wanted a selfie but Lynnette is getting a little anxious. |
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
 |
|
| The thunderstorm did come. This is the view from the car driving over the bridge to Sebastian beach. We were getting hit with hail the size of peas! |
| |
 |
|
|
I can't remember rain when I've ever seen rain this hard. But we made it. Good day!
|
| |
 |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|