Airboat ride over the everglades

The wetlands and marshes are amazing. When you can get way out in them, up close and personal, they are quite different from my previous perceptions.  From the airboat for as far as you can see in any direction, the floating vegetation (sawgrass, spikeweed, fireflags, cat tails, and of course many water lilies) looked like any solid prairie land, except it grows in 2 or 3 feet of water.  There are some paths, or channels cut thru the vegetation that motorboats can navigate.  Since most grasses are way over your head height, I can imagine a 'tourist' could easily get lost. 
The island we are staying on is about 19 miles long and is only a small part if the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee. The Corp of Engineers has dredged a channel around the island, with the spoils of the dredging being piled high on the island side to form a dike, which protects it from the hurricane flooding.  But what is most interesting is at the water's edge of that dike are where the alligators live, sunning themselves on the bank.  Let me tell you ..... when you are twenty feet away from a BIG alligator who is just laying there staring at you ..... you KNOW that you are on HIS turf.   I'm glad airboats are fast, just in case.
There are many nature walks and paths in this area, one of which passes immediately behind our motorhome parking spot.   We have been advised not to take the dogs with us on our walks! :)

Tomorrow we move southward.  Even with the expense of staying on the keys, we have decided it is a must do.

Later,
Marilyn for the Three Travelers