Everglades Airboat Rides Fun Facts And Info

There might come a time when you will visit Florida, whether it is a long holiday or just a few days of rest and relaxation. The truth is, Florida is a great place to escape, with many things to do, and one of the most fun activities is, you name it, Everglades airboat rides! Now, of course, we might be a little biased since the Everglades are where our captains are natives. We love taking people out on an airboat ride and making them have a good time. That’s what we do best. So to entice you a little, we thought of dropping a few fun facts and tidbits of info, convincing you once and for all that airboat rides are the best thing for you.

Everglades airboat rides glide

Starting pretty strong, you have to know that airboats aren’t like any other boats. You don’t just float around; the airboat kind of glides on the water. Airboats have a gigantic propeller at the back, above the water’s surface. It’s more like skimming over the surface, but this has a lot of tremendous implications.

Firstly, as a lot of plant life resides close to the water surface, skimming does less damage to those plants. We go by without interfering with such plants. What’s even better is that due to our propeller being outside of the water, we don’t damage or get stuck into the plants under the surface.

Secondly, that giant propeller can make you go fast, meaning Everglade airboat rides are a lot of fun. You don’t just stay bored on a slow-going cruise; you can enjoy a thrilling and fun time. It’s a win-win situation for both you and the plants. You get a fast and fun ride while nature stays safe!

The first airboat was made using an airplane propeller.

Here’s another silly bit of trivia for you. The first officially documented airboat was called the ‘Ugly Duckling’ and was made by hooking up an aerial propeller to a test boat. We can thank Dr. Alexander Graham Bell for this creation in Nova Scotia back in 1905. That was a long time ago. More than one hundred years have gone by since. Imagine the noise, and more so, the ingenuity and sheer madness behind all this endeavor. As crazy as it sounds, this was the precursor that led to the creation of airboats. The first airboat to be brought to Florida was officially in 1920.

Airboats aren’t just for tourism and nature exploration.

The reason we use airboats in the Everglades is simple: they are the best way to navigate across those difficult swamps and mangroves. Airboats are agile and nimble but also very flexible. It is why the U.S. Coast Guards also use them, and even the military and special forces. A great example of the usefulness of airboats was during Hurricane Katrina, where they became the best method of extracting, saving, and helping New Orleans flood victims.

Everglades airboat rides mean you can see better.

What is the link between airboats and visibility, you may ask? It’s a fair question, and the answer is simple. Unlike some traditional boats where you are seated close to the water level, airboats have significantly elevated seats. It means you can see better, and you can see a lot further too. That elevation gives you a significant visual advantage when you’re exploring or on a reconnaissance mission of sorts. In a place like the Everglades, you can spot alligators a whole lot easier!

Those are just a few facts and bits of info about everglades airboat rides. We could sit here all day and write some more, but we prefer seeing you in the flesh to make you discover the best that Florida has to offer. Book your airboat ride and get ready to not only find the Everglades in its full glory but also look forward to our captain telling you some more unique and extraordinary stories about airboating in the Everglades.