Florida Swamps
Along with hurricanes, Florida is famous for its swamps. And it’s not just the Everglades (which I’ve learned is, in actuality, a very large river), they are all over. Here in Central Florida, people are as likely to have an airboat as they are a speedboat sitting in their backyard or hitched to their pickup truck. Why is Florida so swampy? Well, it’s basically flat, for one thing. And we get a lot of rain, for another. Just to put it in perspective, over 30% of Florida is wetlands. So there are lakes, rivers, estuaries, every form of water you can imagine (except ice!) is prevalent.
When you think of the swamps, you think of alligators, of course. But the swamps are home to many unique animals, such as the Florida Panther and manatees. A variety of turtles, too, and of course many water birds make their homes in the swamps. And of course, snakes, frogs, lizards; there is a whole food chain in action here.
I had an opportunity to go on a swamp tour recently. It isn’t hard to find a place that offers the tours in this area. The one I went on was in conjunction with a ‘fish camp,’ organized by a local group of ladies. What is a fish camp, you may ask? Fish camps are casual restaurant/bars along the water that serve up fried seafood, sweat tea, hush puppies, etc. They are akin to family-run barbecue joints that have a certain vibe (those types of barbecue joints can be found around here as well). I loved the atmosphere, as well as the gator I had for lunch!
We did see some alligators (other than in my basket) poking their heads up, and water birds. But the biggest surprise, in terms of animals? Cows! There were farms with cattle grazing all around. Some of the cows even had ventured into the water (something I certainly would not do)! I’m still curious about that. Don’t they ever get attacked by alligators?
Water has historically been an ongoing problem for Florida, whether it’s in the form of hurricanes, flooding, or just general swampiness. Back in the early 1800’s, US soldiers sent here considered Florida hideous and miserable, believing that it would be better left to the Seminole Indians. It was not until the late 1800’s and early 1900’s that people began trying in ernest to make Florida habitable by ‘draining the swamp’ and finding ways to control the water. In the 1920’s Florida’s initial crazy land market emerged (it certainly wasn’t the last), on the heels of the first railroad in the area being build along the east coast. Despite hurricanes and other water-related challenges, Florida has clearly now become a top desination for vacatons or moving. It’s fascinating to think that this part of the country is really the newest, and was initially considered fit only for vermin and mosquitoes!
Front row seat in a swamp tour!
The downside of this development, however, is that controlling the water has done a lot of damage to the very environment that many today hold dear. The good news is that there is a great deal of awareness among Floridians, and many protections have been put in place. Even so, we all need to understand that these wetlands are their own unique ecosystem with many animals and plants that aren’t commonly found anywhere else in our country. As a new Florida resident, I’m still learning about how we can protect our wetlands. I believe it’s the responsibility of anyone visiting or living here to respect that aspect of our incredible state.
At the Lone Cabbage Fish Camp, with the only Alligator I hoped to meet!
Water is central to many of the activities around here. Many peoplle enjoy kayaking as well as every other type of boating. Fishing is popular, and anyone who has heard of Florida knows about our beaches. For me, I’m happy any time I’m on the water or even at the beach. But I have to admit, there is nothing quite like exploring the swamp in an airboat!
Manatees, in a local canal
Not all Gators are in the water. Sometimes you find Gator in a Basket!