“What happens on the airboat, stays on the airboat.”
(Unknown)
My Walk into the Future allows me the freedom to find adventures wherever I happen to be.
I added the Advent Health Watermelon 5k to my running calendar this year. The race brought me back to Winter Park, Florida for a long 4th of July weekend getaway. I enjoyed the race and seeing some of my Track Shack folks in the race village. I needed to get some additional miles in to ensure I stayed on schedule for my Atlantic City Marathon preparation.
I’m always looking for new adventures, so I decided to head over to The Black Hammock for an airboat ride. I visited The Black Hammock on a regular basis when I lived in Oviedo back in the day. It was always a laid-back place to hang out, people watch and listen to some good live music. The Black Hammock is an off-the-beaten path type of place, but it is worth a visit if you are in the Oviedo area.
My sole purpose for this visit was to get out on the water via an airboat. The airboats run every 30 minutes and are a popular destination for locals and visitors. Lake Jesup has one of the highest concentrations of alligators in the state of Florida. There are an estimated 14,000+ alligators in the lake.
There were three families waiting to get on the airboat when I arrived. The adventures on the water started once I paid my fee and got outfitted with ear protection. Fun fact, airboats are loud, and ear protection is needed to ensure an enjoyable experience.
Our captain has over 20 years of experience on Lake Jesup and had a route already created to highlight the wildlife on the lake.
We were able to see turtles, waterfowl, nesting ospreys and alligators. The gators were not moving a lot since it was the middle of the day, and a storm was approaching. The speed and maneuverability of the airboats was impressive, and we were able to get the complete tour in before the rain arrived. The skies opened as we were getting off the airboat. I normally stick around and take pictures from the shore but decided to head out since it didn’t look like the rain was going to stop anytime soon.
I’m sure I will visit The Black Hammock again when I’m back in the Oviedo area. I recommend it to anyone visiting and looking for an adventure:
Irie!
Calvin Williams
Walk Into the Future 