The Tingey's (Miami Edition): June 2009

While Mom and Dad were here we also took a short trip to the Everglades. I've had an air boat tour of this unique and kind of creepily serene place in mind since we've moved to south florida.

I didnt have any reservations about going on the tour until we were actually boarding the tiny tin boat with a looming lightning storm in the distance. Our red- necky guide informed us that he'd try to keep us out of the rain but we would get wet. Then Dad handed me the bright orange ear plugs which i knew nothing about beforehand and we were off before I could jump back to safety. As we floated away from the dock into alligator infested murky water I couldn't bare to look up. Geoff and Dad had these excited grins on their faces and I had a death grip on both of their arms.

After the guide informed us that the gators can jump out of the water more than half the length of their body I began to fear them as well. I wondered why in the world a mother of a helpless 9 month old would risk her life for a glimpse at an ugly swamp.

So the guide had this piratey- good ol' boy aire about him. He was barefoot, missing some teeth, decked out in camo from head to toe, and spoke with a growl almost. His guiding went something like this... say something half-way threatening/ half-way comical then rev the engine before the passengers could respond and propel the boat slip-slidding sideways down the swampy alley only to stop a minute latter to growl out another threatening/ comical fact like "these gators have 80 good reasons for you to stay in the boat... they're called teeth." and rev the engine again.I wondered why in the world i hadnt researched how airboats worked as i could barely watch when the boat glided sideways as i imagined the wind catching the tin can just right and us fallign face first into the gloppy mud only to be eaten alive by 14 more than man-sized gators. i just expected it to be a straight slow shot around the place. i wondered if the airboats were suppossed to turn sideways or if this was a user error due to the questionable state of our guide.

I finally grew more comfortable and was amazed at this beautiful habitat. During the trip we saw 7 alligators,

countless beautiful birds, cat tails, lilly pads, and a couple turtles. I was so glad i went but happy to be back on dry ground again and go kiss my baby.

Harry S. Truman once said of the everglades:

"Here are no lofty peaks seeking the sky, no mighty glaciers or rushing streams wearing away the uplifted land. Here is land, tranquil in its quiet beauty, serving not as the source of water, but as the last receiver of it. To its natural abundance we owe the spectacular plant and animal life that distinguishes this place from all others in our country."

but of course the crowning jewel of the day was when dad got to hold an alligator.