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Close encounters with Florida gators

ST. CLOUD, Fla. — The closest most of us in West Virginia have ever been to an alligator is watching Troy yell, “Choot ’em Elizabeth!!!” on the History Channel.  However, folks who live in Florida have learned to coexist with the pre-historic creatures.

Gators, as they are known to the locals, are a fact of life.  They are as common in Florida as opossums in West Virginia.  Boaters in Florida learn to keep a sharp eye out for them while running across the water.   Anglers tend not to get too excited when one swims within a few feet of their boat.   Golfers have learned to give them a wide berth on the golf course.  But Gators represent a business opportunity as well as an educational opportunity for Chris Passmore and his team of air boat captains at Marsh Landing Adventures.

“No more than six people on the boat at any one time. It gives you a little more intimate setting and you don’t have to look over 20 people to see something,” said Passmore after a tour of the backwater marsh of West Lake Tohopekaliga. “We’re ecotourism so

Most gators on the tour have become conditioned to the air boat and are willing to sit quietly while guides provide an educational discussion about them

we pride ourselves on getting close to wildlife so you can see it and we can talk to you and educate you about it.”

The hour long tour started as a slow ride down a canal from the dock on a very loud boat.  Ear protection is highly recommended and provided.  Captain Chris entertained us with few fun spins and high speed 360’s on the water in the airboat, which can best be described as a jon boat with a Chevy Big Block engine attached to a mine ventilation fan.   Eventually we settled into concentrating on the star attraction of the tour, the abundant gators in the area.

“They’re like family. Sometimes you get to see them, sometimes you miss them,” said Passmore. “They are the star attraction and they are very territorial so pretty much when I pull up on a spot, I can tell you what gator we’re going to see.”

Passmore didn’t disappoint on his promise.  Our first gator was submerged with only its eyes and snout visible a few feet away.  After a discussion about some of the gator’s biology and habits, we moved to another section of the swamp where two large gators were teamed up.   The encounter with a 12 to 14 foot alligator only feet away can be unnerving, but according to Passmore these particular reptiles have become accustomed to the tours.

“They can move quick, but they are more docile than aggressive.  An alligator only wants to be left alone.  As you could see I was within a few feet of those big gators and if you don’t agitate or bother them, they’ll leave you alone,” he explained. “But you pull up on some new ones that don’t know us yet, they’ll hiss or run off, but after we’re there for a couple of months showing them, it’s just like me and you here.  You don’t bother me and I won’t bother you.”

While it’s called a “swamp tour” you’ll not see the thick cypress forest and long strands of Spanish moss hanging from branches you would typically associate with a swamp.

“It’s a marsh area, we do have those areas here too, but this is more of a marsh area where a lot of wildlife comes in like hogs and deer,” he said. “A lot of your cypress swamps have deeper water and a lot of those things can’t live out in there.”

The area is actually the northernmost headwaters of the famed Florida Everglades.

“Shingle Creek flows into Lake Toho and forms the headwaters of the Everglades,” said Passmore. “From here, it’s pretty much swamp and marsh everywhere we go.”

Gator sightings aren’t guaranteed on any of the trips and the guides don’t feed the gators, but chances are pretty high you’ll get to see a few up close.  It’s an experience Passmore would like for everyone to have.

“We pride ourselves on teaching people about our ecosystem.”





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