Friday, December 2, 2005
YEEEEEHAAAAW!!!!
Our High and Low Speed Adventures at Boggy
Creek Airboat Tours and Swamp Buggy Rides
After my rather quaint and leisurely scenic boat ride through Winter
Park, a rather different boating experience was in store for
me: a high speed airboat ride through Lake Tohopekaliga, provided
by Boggy
Creek Airboat Rides.
We got started early in the morning and took the first tour out.
The temperature must have been about 45 degrees Fahrenheit or so,
and in wise anticpation we both wore our Canadian winter jackets.
Good thing, because it gets pretty darn cold zooming along at high
speed on the airboats.
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Boggy Creek Airboat Rides |
Getting the boat ready |
We were the first ride out of the gate, and fortunately we were
provided with white blankets which kept us reasonably warm. Off
we went on our 6-passenger airboat, exploring the coastline of Lake
Tohopekaliga, getting a glimpse at various types of wetland birds,
including bald eagles, ospreys, egrets and cranes that live here
in the Central Florida Everglades. The name of the lake means "sleeping
tiger" and it extends over 11,968 acres.
Our captain, "big and beefy Chad", took us around to
give us an idea of an authentic Florida lake experience. At one
point he drove the airboat onto land and got out of the boat to
take a picture of us. After the picture he really cranked it up
as he went northwards on Lake Toho. At the northern end of the tour
he took us into some sidearms of the lake where we got see the marshy
wetlands up close. On the way back he took his foot off the brake
and firmly put it on the gas pedal. He mentioned that airboats can
reach speeds up to 65 miles per hour, I think we must have been
pretty close. He even did some gentle turns with the boat which
turned into an exhiliarating high-speed slalom experience for all
us in the boat.
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"Big and beefy" Chad |
Group picture - on land! |
I looked over at my husband, and he had a strange smile on his
face. After the ride was finished he admitted that he was really
scared, for one thing he doesn't swim and he was worried about exiting
our high-speed vessel. But not to worry, Chad brought us back safely,
and I for one, being a bit of a high-speed freak myself, was glowing
with the experience - I truly had a blast!
According to Michelle Peters, who works at Boggy Creek Airboat
Rides, the company was founded by her sister and brother-in-law,
Margie and Chris Long, in 1994 and operation was started with one
6-passenger airboat. Today, the Boggy Creek Airboat Rides are among
the top 10 Orlando attractions according to the Orlando Business
Journal. The company now has eight 18-passenger boats and two 6-passenger
boats.
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Lake Toho scenery |
"This is pretty cool...." |
The company is AAA approved and all of its captains are Master
Captains who have to undergo a one-year apprenticeship. The Coast
Guard does surprise inspections to ensure compliance with all safety
regulations. Michelle also mentioned that the Water Management Authority
uses their airboats because they virtually float on the water and
are less invasive to plant and wildlife than regular propeller driven
boats.
In addition, the company has added swamp buggy rides to their offerings
about 4 months ago. The swamp buggy was completely custom built
by a company that regularly builds monster trucks. We entered this
monster vehicle from its rear end over a ramp and started our swamp
buggy tour.
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Here is the monster |
"If you like the ride, tip the guide" |
Chad, being the all-round talented individual that he is, also
took us out on the swamp buggy, this custom-built monster contraption.
We went through some solar-powered remote controlled gates onto
a working cattle ranch. Florida actually still has a pretty sizeable
cattle industry, and the historic term for Florida cowboys actually
is "cow men".
On our swamp buggy ride we saw a variety of wildlife, including
cattle and some awefully cute baby cows. We also caught a glimpse
of the very tail end of an alligator, who was doing its best to
hide itself under the leafy vegetation surrounding a little pond.
We also saw some deer and a whole range of different birds, including
the tall sandhill cranes who seem to be totally unafraid of human
beings. The ground was pretty wet in some areas, and I was amazed
that our vehicle was capable of plowing through all the muck - we
even crossed a river!
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Sandhill cranes |
The monster wheels churn up the mud |
Boggy
Creek Airboat Rides and Swamp Buggy Tours is a great family
outing, and the high-speed experience will even soothe teenagers'
cravings for high adrenaline fun. Airboat tours are generally half
an hour long, are offered every half hour and don't require reservations.
In the summer, the company offers night rides that are an hour long.
Michelle mentioned that on one of the night tours last summer she
saw 17 alligators, who are nocturnal creatures and come out in full
force at night time.
Well, we didn't really get a good view of any alligators, but the
combination of airboat ride and swamp buggy tour really kick-started
our engines for the day!
Orlando and Central Florida travel stories:
Orlando Off the Beaten
Path
A visit to the Orange
County Regional History Center
Exploring Orlando's African
American Heritage at the Well's Built Museum
A lovely evening walk around downtown
Orlando's Lake Eola
Visual delights served
up on the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour
A walking tour through quaint
historic Winter Park
Our high-speed adrenaline adventure
at Boggy Creek Airboat Tours
Our picnic lunch by the Kissimmee
waterfront
Exploring picturesque Mount Dora
on the "Herbie Express"
Orlando's Loch Haven Park:
Center of culture and arts
Exploring downtown Orlando's
historic neighbourhoods and parks
Learning about citrus at
Florida's Natural Visitor Center
Architectural and natural
beauty at the Bok Historic Sanctuary
Central Florida: a haven
for naturalists and plant lovers
Central Florida's wildlife:
surprising ecological diversity..
Driving home through St. Augustine:
the oldest city in the US
Articles on Golf in Central Florida:
A first-hand
look at ChampionsGate
A first-hand look at the
Royal St. Cloud Links
A first-hand look at Timacuan
Golf and Country Club
Attending the Father
Son Challenge at ChampionsGate
An overview of golf in the Orlando area:
Orlando- Golf's Ultimate Theme Park
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