Tours of the Everglades: Experiences Best Shared
Getting on one of the tours of the Everglades is one of the most highly recommended things to do when visiting the southern stretches of the state of Florida. It’s a great way for a bunch of people spending a weekend away from the rigors of work. These ecological rides are also a great way for an entire family to get together and share in the wonderful experience. It will also be a great idea to know what sort of things will happen during one of these eco tours.
Things to Expect in an Everglades Tour
The first thing to expect about these ecological tours is that visitors will be riding on an airboat or a fan boat. These are aquatic vessels that have a flat bottom. Another distinguishing thing about a fan boat is the huge aircraft type fan or propeller that pushes the entire vehicle. This propeller is powered by either a car-like engine or an aircraft type engine.
Guests will be seated snugly inside the boat while the captain pilots the thing. The captain will drive the airboat to various points of interest and make scheduled stops. At each stop the guide will provide information about the said location. Passengers will then be allowed to take pictures.
Note that airboats vary in size. Some can even accommodate a large group of passengers. Regular Miami tours on airboat can usually take in around six passengers excluding the captain. The smaller fan boats have the advantage of going to locations where the larger ones just won’t fit in.
The airboat pilot will tour passengers through different locations and may include the Pine Rockland, estuarine mangrove forests, Cypress swamps, tropical hardwood hammocks, and the Florida Bay marine environment. Make sure to check with your tour company about the locations and attractions of each stopping point.
The most popular attraction in these tours of the Evergladesis an alligator sighting. Ask anyone about the things they loved about the Everglades and you’ll notice that alligators usually pop up somewhere on the top of the list. These reptiles help maintain the ecological balance in these swamp ecosystems. The captain of the fan boat will usually stop at a safe distance so that passengers can observe and take pictures of these amazing reptiles in their natural habitat.
Those who are lucky enough may spot manatees during their fan boat ride. Note that these gentle creatures usually go up to the surface of the water every three or four minutes just to breathe. Manatees actually sleep underwater! How do these manatees breathe when they’re sleeping – they have this floating reflex wherein they float while asleep every 20 minutes or so to breathe in some fresh air.
The wildlife that guests will encounter during these fan boat tours is highly diversified. They’ll find raccoons at mid-day. Visitors will be extremely lucky if they spot a Florida Panther along the way. Roseate Spoonbills, Great Blue Herons, Wood Storks, Brown Pelicans, Pythons,
Anacondas, Largemouth Bass, Florida Gars, and Tarpons are some of the wildlife species that tourists may encounter along the way.
Anyone who loves their natural heritage will have a great time here. Just remember that all of the tours of the Everglades Tours are experiences that are best shared with others.
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