Airboat!

With my sister and brother-in-law visiting us for several days, we decided to try a new experience. Sue and Len suggested taking an airboat ride. Lake Okeechobee is a little over an hour away and Dave made reservations with Kenny from Okeechobee Airboat Rides, and he was the best!

There were only the four of us, so that was even better, so we had lots of personal attention. We even stayed out longer than the one hour tour advertised.

Going through the backwaters was so much fun (sometimes with inches of water) and although we zoomed around, we also went slow so that we could see more. 

Kenny is very environmentally aware and knowledgeable about the lake, birds, plants, and animals, including alligators, which he conveyed info about through the headsets. We even stopped, shut off the engine, and sat and listened to all the swamp sounds. Seeing and hearing the eerie calls of the moorhens, gallinules (including the iridescent purple whose photo below from the internet), and coots brought back memories of when we crossed the Okeechobee Waterway and lake.

Dave was infatuated with the airboat's 6.0 liter, V-8, fuel injected motor and sat in the back with Kenny. 

This was a fantastic outing and we definitely recommend the experience!