Road Blog: Nocturnal airboat

Road Blog: Nocturnal airboat

The following behind-the-scenes information and personal reflections of Scott Fais were collected along the meandering journey of life.

Things that “go bump in the night” are always louder in the dark. In Osceola County, there are quite a few bumps with teeth.

After most 9 to 5 clock watchers go home and the sun sets, Boggy Creek Airboats goes back to work.

During the warm season, you can climb aboard an airboat at night. Boggy Creek Airboats, south of U.S. 192 in Kissimmee, hauls adventure seekers out onto Lake Tohopekaliga.  Most folks want to see one thing: gators.  We’re no different.

On a “school night,” our favorite photographer and I climbed aboard an aluminum airboat with a group of friends.

Margie Long, the vice president of Boggy Creek Airboats, is a marketing maverick. She understands television production and the time needed to produce a good piece of work.  Instead of placing us on a boat with guests, Margie set us up with our own boat -- a production airboat.

One problem: we need people to join us.  Having an empty tour, an empty ropes course, empty zoo and in this case, an empty boat, doesn’t provide a lot of reaction shots.  To fill the steel benches, we asked some colleagues of News 13 and friends of Central Florida On Demand to join us on the water. 

Kim, Adam, Bob, Cristen, Cara, Kendra, Jackie and Neil all jumped at the chance to ride.  Plus, Assistant Director of Enhanced Programming (a.k.a. my boss), John Handiboe, joined us.

Upon arriving, our guests are encouraged to wear eye glasses to prevent taking an insect to the eye.  Insect spray is also a good idea.  Plus, earmuffs will help drown out the sound of the engine (lifejackets are onboard good forbid).

Upon leaving the dock under a full moon, we slice across the top of the water’s surface with ease.  Airboats are smooth.  They take waves and glide right across them. 

Since it’s dark, how is one suppose to see the creatures of the night?  Capt. Wayne drives and operates a spotlight at the same time.

It wasn’t long before we saw our first gator.  It wasn’t all that big; two years and two feet at the most.  As the evening went on, we saw several small gators.

Feeling confident and a little adventuresome, I took the plunge.  Wayne lent me his boots and over the edge I went.  In 18 inches of water, I sifted around in the middle of the Lake Toho.  Green swamp grass populated the surface, concealing what lingered underneath. 

Without using good judgment, I reached in and pulled some of the grass up in my hand.  It had the consistency of hair or a hair weave -- a green hair weave.  I resisted putting it on my head and making a fashion statement.  I also resisted Adam Kingsley’s request to do some push-ups.

Wayne later said I was the only passenger he “lost” on a boat.  Therefore, he has a pretty good safety record I would say.

Most rides last an hour and start at 9 p.m.  The boats don’t head out onto the water until after sunset.  Arrive early to enjoy the view.  Upon our arrival, I realized we had a “hair emergency.”  I forgot the gel/clay to keep my “do” in place.

Cara, who does my TV hair, came the rescue with the use of suntan lotion we found in news car #64.  She poked, prodded and spiked my hair to pro in the setting sun.  It was no match to the wind-in-your-face, flattop look.

Kim Kingsley thought the sounds of birds, frogs and other creatures of the night sounded as if they were “mad” at us for invading their space.  I thought it sounded like natural Florida, unspoiled by neon, traffic and passing car radios.  But we all agreed, spending the night on the boat was not in the plan.  Wayne said if we would have found ourselves grounded or breached on a sandbar, that we would never have gotten home until sunrise the next day.  I don’t think he was joking.

Be ready to see the gators, and be ready not to see them.  Some nights are better than other, much like Florida on a Tankful stories.

Until next week, safe travels,
SCOTT