| Florida is a mass of swamps, lakes and
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| | Most airboat companies require a
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| rivers and one of the best ways of getting
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| | reservation but some of the larger
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| around in this environment is in an
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| | companies operate every 30 minutes
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| airboat, particularly in the Everglades.
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| | throughout the day and you can often just
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| With its flat hull and large pusher
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| | turn up and ride. If you are planning a
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| airplane propellor on the back an airboat
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| | night trip then you definitely need to
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| is able to ride over both land and water
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| | book in advance.
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| with minimal impact on the environment. It
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| | Types of Florida airboats
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| needs only a fraction of an inch of water
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| | There are really two types of Florida
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| under the hull.
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| | airboat ride, the traditional style small
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| If you are staying pretty much anywhere in
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| | airboats that hold a handful of people,
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| Florida, particularly in Central or
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| | typically up to 6 passengers and the large
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| Southern Florida, then one of the most fun
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| | barge type airboats built specifically for
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| things you can do is go on a Florida
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| | airboat rides that can take as many as 18
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| airboat ride
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| | to 20 passengers at a time. Both are fun
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| Riding in an airboat is truly
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| | to ride in but the smaller boats are more
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| exhilarating. One minute you could be
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| | manoeuvrable and somehow you just feel
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| drifting slowly down a creek shrouded in
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| | more in touch with your surroundings in
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| mist and surrounded by tall mangrove and
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| | the traditional style airboats.
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| cypress trees festooned with Spanish Moss
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| | In some places you can even rent an
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| and the next minute you are speeding along
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| | airboat and drive it yourself though
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| a narrow channel cut through 8 foot high
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| | naturally they are not as fast as the real
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| reed beds at 45 mph with the engine racing
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| | airboats.
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| at full throttle just feet from your ears.
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| | Typical Florida airboat ride prices
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| The highlight of our first ride was when
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| | Tours can range from 30 minutes up to
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| the captain shot straight over a bank and
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| | several hours. Expect to pay around $20
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| then did a 360 degree turn without any
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| | for a 30 minute trip, $30-$40 for a one
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| warning. The whole experience was a bit
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| | hour trip and $40-$60 for 90 minute trip.
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| like riding a rollercoaster but without
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| | Children (3-12 years old) generally pay
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| all the ups and downs.
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| | about half the adult rate and under 2s go
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| Once you are out in the wetlands you
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| | free.
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| should get the opportunity to see a wide
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| | Self drive rental airboats cost about $30
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| range of Florida wildlife in their natural
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| | per hour.
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| habitat; anything from soft-shelled
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| | There are a lot of companies competing for
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| turtles, bald eagles, numerous water birds
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| | business so look out for discount airboat
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| such as blue herons, cranes, egrets and
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| | ride coupons in visitor guides and even on
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| anhinga and of course alligators.
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| | the airboat companies own websites (see
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| Your best chances of seeing an alligator
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| | our Florida airboat rides directory).
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| is on one of the night time airboat rides
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| | Copyright 2005(c) Stephen Downs, the
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| when their eyes are picked up in the light
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| | Florida Review and Travel Guide.
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| of torches shone into the darkness.
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| | This article can be reprinted freely
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| Because alligators are cold blooded, they
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| | online, as long as the entire article and
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| take a while to get going in the mornings
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| | this resource box (with a live link) are
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| particularly during the winter months so
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| | included and the article is not changed in
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| you are generally more likely to see them
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| | any way (apart from grammatical
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| during the afternoons than first thing in
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| | corrections).
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| the morning.
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|
