Meet Josephine, the first alligator to steal my heart. (Chances are, she’ll be the only alligator to steal my heart.) The 7-year-old gator is a farm-reared pet at Swamp Fever Airboat Adventures, where we got the opportunity to hold her. I was surprised by the rubbery feel of her skin and the soft texture of her belly. The handler said Josephine loved being held, especially on cold mornings. After all, as a cold-blooded reptile, Josephine can’t produce her own heat. She must have felt pretty toasty by the time our gang was done with her.
The cuddle session was the culmination of our airboat adventure on Lake Panasoffkee, a 4,820-acre lake in west central Florida, on Dec. 29. Our tour started at 9 a.m., a bit early for the swamp’s reptilian sun seekers to make an appearance. Captain Kyle maneuvered the airboat through the backwoods of the Withlacoochee River system, pointing out natural springs, explaining the cypress swamp root system, and identifying wildlife.
As our airboat zipped through the lake, we saw little black birds that seemed to pop up and run across the water to escape. Captain Kyle said the coots have lobed feet that create little paddles for pushing away the water while they dash across the surface of the lake. We also saw moss-draped trees filled with cormorants and anhingas, wings outstretched to dry in the morning breeze. Those birds dive into the water to catch fish, but they lack the waterproofing oil that other waterbirds have, so they must dry out on land between dives or risk being unable to fly. Other sightings included bald eagles, osprey, herons, wood ducks, hawks, and a few turtles.
We didn’t see any big alligators, but Captain Kyle steered into a little cove, where he pointed out the silty swirling water at the entrance of a gator den. He said it took about six months for him to pinpoint this location, where an 8-foot mama gator hangs out with her babies. Several toddler gators dotted the shoreline.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, “About 1/3 of alligator nests are destroyed by predators (mainly raccoons) or flooding. The average clutch size of an alligator nest is 38. For nests that survive predators and flooding, an estimated 24 live hatchlings will emerge. Only 10 alligator hatchlings will live to one year. Of these yearlings, 8 will become subadults (reach 4 feet in length). The number of subadults that reach maturity (6 feet in length) is approximately 5.”
Speeding through the swamp was exhilarating, but I also loved the peaceful moments when the boat slowed to a crawl with stunning reflections in the still water.
After the boat ride and our date with Josephine, we gathered around a big fire pit and snacked on treats from the resident food truck while the kids played cornhole.
I now officially have Swamp Fever, and I hope to visit this place again!