| After my rather quaint and leisurely scenic boat | | | | regulations. Michelle also mentioned that the Water |
| ride through Winter Park, a rather different | | | | Management Authority uses their airboats |
| boating experience was in store for me: a high | | | | because they virtually float on the water and are |
| speed airboat ride through Lake Tohopekaliga, | | | | less invasive to plant and wildlife than regular |
| provided by Boggy Creek Airboat Rides.We got | | | | propeller driven boats.In addition, the company has |
| started early in the morning and took the first | | | | added swamp buggy rides to their offerings about |
| tour out. The temperature must have been about | | | | 4 months ago. The swamp buggy was completely |
| 45 degrees Fahrenheit or so, and in wise | | | | custom built by a company that regularly builds |
| anticpation we both wore our Canadian winter | | | | monster trucks. We entered this monster vehicle |
| jackets. Good thing, because it gets pretty darn | | | | from its rear end over a ramp and started our |
| cold zooming along at high speed on the | | | | swamp buggy tour.Chad, being the all-round |
| airboats.We were the first ride out of the gate, | | | | talented individual that he is, also took us out on |
| and fortunately we were provided with white | | | | the swamp buggy, this custom-built monster |
| blankets which kept us reasonably warm. Off we | | | | contraption. We went through some |
| went on our 6-passenger airboat, exploring the | | | | solar-powered remote controlled gates onto a |
| coastline of Lake Tohopekaliga, getting a glimpse | | | | working cattle ranch. Florida actually still has a |
| at various types of wetland birds, including bald | | | | pretty sizeable cattle industry, and the historic |
| eagles, ospreys, egrets and cranes that live here | | | | term for Florida cowboys actually is "cow men".On |
| in the Central Florida Everglades. The name of the | | | | our swamp buggy ride we saw a variety of |
| lake means "sleeping tiger" and it extends over | | | | wildlife, including cattle and some awefully cute |
| 11,968 acres.Our captain, "big and beefy Chad", | | | | baby cows. We also caught a glimpse of the very |
| took us around to give us an idea of an authentic | | | | tail end of an alligator, who was doing its best to |
| Florida lake experience. At one point he drove the | | | | hide itself under the leafy vegetation surrounding |
| airboat onto land and got out of the boat to take | | | | a little pond. We also saw some deer and a whole |
| a picture of us. After the picture he really | | | | range of different birds, including the tall sandhill |
| cranked it up as he went northwards on Lake | | | | cranes who seem to be totally unafraid of human |
| Toho. At the northern end of the tour he took us | | | | beings. The ground was pretty wet in some |
| into some sidearms of the lake where we got | | | | areas, and I was amazed that our vehicle was |
| see the marshy wetlands up close. On the way | | | | capable of plowing through all the muck - we |
| back he took his foot off the brake and firmly | | | | even crossed a river!Boggy Creek Airboat Rides |
| put it on the gas pedal. He mentioned that | | | | and Swamp Buggy Tours is a great family outing, |
| airboats can reach speeds up to 65 miles per | | | | and the high-speed experience will even soothe |
| hour, I think we must have been pretty close. He | | | | teenagers' cravings for high adrenaline fun. Airboat |
| even did some gentle turns with the boat which | | | | tours are generally half an hour long, are offered |
| turned into an exhiliarating high-speed slalom | | | | every half hour and don't require reservations. In |
| experience for all us in the boat.I looked over at | | | | the summer, the company offers night rides that |
| my husband, and he had a strange smile on his | | | | are an hour long. Michelle mentioned that on one |
| face. After the ride was finished he admitted that | | | | of the night tours last summer she saw 17 |
| he was really scared, for one thing he doesn't | | | | alligators, who are nocturnal creatures and come |
| swim and he was worried about exiting our | | | | out in full force at night time.Well, we didn't really |
| high-speed vessel. But not to worry, Chad | | | | get a good view of any alligators, but the |
| brought us back safely, and I for one, being a bit | | | | combination of airboat ride and swamp buggy |
| of a high-speed freak myself, was glowing with | | | | tour really kick-started our engines for the |
| the experience - I truly had a blast!According to | | | | day!Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website |
| Michelle Peters, who works at Boggy Creek | | | | called Travel and Transitions ( Travel and |
| Airboat Rides, the company was founded by her | | | | Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is |
| sister and brother-in-law, Margie and Chris Long, in | | | | chock full of advice, tips, real life travel |
| 1994 and operation was started with one | | | | experiences, interviews with travellers and travel |
| 6-passenger airboat. Today, the Boggy Creek | | | | experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural |
| Airboat Rides are among the top 10 Orlando | | | | issues, contests and many other features. You will |
| attractions according to the Orlando Business | | | | also find stories about life and the transitions that |
| Journal. The company now has eight 18-passenger | | | | we face as we go through our own personal |
| boats and two 6-passenger boats.The company is | | | | life-long journeys.Submit your own travel stories in |
| AAA approved and all of its captains are Master | | | | our first travel story contest ( and have a chance |
| Captains who have to undergo a one-year | | | | to win an amazing adventure cruise on the |
| apprenticeship. The Coast Guard does surprise | | | | Amazon River."Life is a Journey Explore New |
| inspections to ensure compliance with all safety | | | | Horizons". |