Gators, Airboats & Florida Wildlife 🐊🌴

After saying goodbye to our blue Mustang, we flew across the country to Orlando.

From there we picked up our next car… a very standard Chevrolet 😂

A slight downgrade in excitement… but still perfectly functional.

We headed straight down to Okeechobee, where the landscape quickly changed.

Flat. Very flat.

And incredibly green… with waterways stretching in every direction.

> Motel Life

We checked into a small local motel where the staff were lovely… and there was also a resident cat wandering around.

Naturally, I made a new friend 🐈😂

> Sunrise at the Lake

An early start for our airboat adventure.

We stopped at Publix to grab pastries and juice, which we enjoyed by the edge of Lake Okeechobee.

The morning was alive with birds and wildlife.

Even on the drive in we had spotted Crested Caracara, which immediately got me into full wildlife-spotting mode 😜

> Pre-Flight Entertainment 😂

While we were waiting, a truck pulled up nearby.

A large dog jumped out…

…and the truck slowly followed alongside as the dog went for a walk 😂😂

Only in America.

> Airboat Adventure

Soon our boat arrived and we climbed aboard, taking seats up near the pilot.

Headsets on… and off we went.

The moment the boat picked up speed, the wind rushed past as we skimmed over the water and reeds, sending birds scattering into the air on either side.

It honestly felt like we were flying just above the water.

Our pilot pointed out different species as we went, while we all scanned the water looking for gators 🐊

And they did not disappoint.

> Wildlife Spotting

Among the birds we saw:
• Herons
• Purple Gallinule (incredible colours)
• Roseate Spoonbill (bright pink!)
• Moorhens (much bigger than ours)
• Storks
• Pelicans
• Egrets
• Ducks

And of course…

Plenty of alligators… from small youngsters to much larger adults. 🐊

A fantastic experience.

> Towards the Coast

Next, we headed towards the coast.

With a slight detour, of course.

We stopped at a lovely little wine shop called Oo La La! Wine Bar, where we were offered a tasting within minutes of walking in.

Would have been rude to refuse 😂

> Hutchinson Island Drive

We then followed the scenic coastal road along Hutchinson Island.

Palm trees lining the road, ocean views on one side… a completely different feel from the desert landscapes just a couple of days earlier.

> Lunch Stop

Lunch was at Drift Kitchen & Bar.

And yes… I ordered an iceberg lettuce salad 🥗

Simple, fresh and surprisingly satisfying.

> Wildlife Checklist Continues

Along the way:

✅ lizards 🦎
✅ a roadrunner

> Manatee Moment 🐋

Next stop was the Manatee Observation and Education Center.

Inside, we were learning about these gentle creatures when suddenly a staff member rushed in to say a manatee had entered the dock outside.

Cue everyone dashing outside.

And there it was.

A beautiful Manatee, slowly swimming, lifting its nose to breathe before drifting back out again.

A very lucky moment 👏

> UDT-SEAL Museum

A little further along we stopped at the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum.

The museum had an impressive collection of equipment, vehicles and exhibits covering the history of the Navy SEALs and their predecessors.

One interesting highlight was learning about their role in recovering returning space capsules.

> Final Stop – Titusville

Finally, we made our way to Titusville, where we checked into our apartment above the Hardware Store Brewing Company.

An open-plan space with an industrial feel… and a great base for the next few days.

A brilliant day filled with wildlife, water and a completely different side of America.Read more