STANDING in the cool peace of the Florida swamp, I realised this was a staring contest I was unlikely to win.
And while enjoying the intensity of the alligator’s stare I hope it wouldn’t be over too snappily!
This was the latest thrilling animal encounter we’d shared while visiting Florida’s stunning West coast on a family holiday.
We were in search of the real Florida, not the hyperreal version in Orlando. Real people and real critters, not just a real big mouse. The true magic of the sunshine state kingdom.
Arriving in the coastal city of Punta Gorda we’d not long checked into the Fishermen’s Village hotel overlooking Charlotte Harbour before we were off on a sunset cruise in search of dolphins.
And we didn’t have long to wait.
Within minutes of setting sail our King Fisher Fleet skipper alerted us to a mum and calf playfully gliding through the cool Gulf waters within yards of the hotel.
This happy pair mesmerised me, my wife Annabelle and our daughters Molly, 13 and Maisie, nine, with their joyous sense of fun.
The Intercoastal Waterway that laps at the Punta Gorda shoreline is rich in marine life. As well as our dolphins there are bull sharks, turtles and manatees to marvel at if you’re lucky.
Later that evening, as we munched our way through a delicious dinner of fried shrimp and blackened grouper at the Village Brewhouse, our good fortune was excitedly discussed while recounting the several further dolphin sightings we’d witnessed.
Spot dolphins on a tour with King Fisher Fleet[/caption]
Grilled grouper dinner topped with mango salsa[/caption]
Our luxurious hotel suite was immediately above the renovated wharf’s Brewhouse restaurant, so, after demolishing an outstanding Key Lime pie, we floated upstairs for a contented sleep in gloriously comfy beds.
With a spacious lounge and dining area and huge terrace overlooking the water, the Fishermen’s Village Suites are perfectly set up for families. And with a fully equipped kitchen, we appreciated the chance to prepare an occasional light meal when eating out wasn’t our preferred choice.
We even had a pelican join us for breakfast one morning on our terrace, much to the delight of our girls. Standing in the morning sunshine drying it’s feathers with a prehistoric eye on proceedings, it was wild to witness.
Since reading Naked Lunch many years ago, I’ve had an appreciation for iguanas, so I was a little giddy the following morning taking the short drive from Punta Gorda to the splendidly named IguanaLand.
Home to more than 230 different species of reptiles, we marveled at Ali the 35 yr old Giant Aldabra Tortoise who still has about 150 years left to plod this earth.
Maisie and Molly with Ali, the 35-year-old giant Tortoise[/caption]
Golden sands at the Sunseeker Resort in Punta Gorda[/caption]
Pool at the Sunseeker resort in Punta Gorda[/caption]
Seeing these stunning snakes, lizards and my personal favourite, a gorgeous Rhinoceros Iguana called Donkey Kong, worked up an appetite so it was off in search of food, though this Lunch would definitely not be Naked.
The Harbor Yards Food Hall is set within Punta Gorda’s stunning Sunseeker resort, across Charlotte Harbour from our wharf digs. With local seafood, craft pizza, and Mexican street food among over ten eateries you really are spoilt for choice.
Stunning lobster rolls, crab bisque and spicy ramen were devoured before retreating to the comfy loungers lining the Sunseeker’s gigantic lagoon style pool to snooze off our globally inspired feast.
To top the afternoon off we even spotted manatees in the Bay while enjoying some sundowners. The lumbering mammals gliding serenely past only adding to that blissful late afternoon sense of sunny bliss. A truly majestic moment.
After discovering Punta Gorda’s fab Farmer’s Market the following morning, with its stalls bursting with a wondrous bounty of tasty picky bits, we piled into our huge SUV to seek out more Floridian adventures.
We drove inland for an Eco Tour of Babcock Ranch, a centuries-old, still working, 14,000 acre ranch with four distinct ecosystems, including a huge swamp area.
Our educational trip began by boarding a classic US School Bus, iconic yellow now faded to rust brown, and we ventured into the wilderness to witness a wealth of wildlife.
With wild hogs, wild turkeys and wild horses spotted, all we were missing was Chris Packham from our Really Wild Show. But the best was yet to come when we were led into the dense forested swamp on foot.
As the temperature dropped, and the ambient noises of Babcock’s working ranch faded the swamp’s cool serenity was breathtaking. The blissful silence heightened our senses.
Before long we’d seen soft-shelled turtles, Sandhill cranes and even an osprey high in the dense canopy and soon our expert guide brought us to a halt by pointing into the water.
Just yards from the unlikely safety of our wooden boardwalk, the blink gave it away.
Lazily submerged in the swamp, just eyes and head visible, the alligator would have remained camouflaged had it not been for the blinking.
We were transfixed, thrilled to be able to observe the nobbly monster in its natural home, and before long we had spied three more ‘gators on our skittish stroll through the swamp – each as gripping as the first beast, and not one of them lost a staring contest.
Molly meets a baby alligator at Babcock Ranch[/caption]
Alligator swims through the swamps at Babcock Ranch[/caption]
Babcock had the authenticity we’d craved and as much wildlife to satisfy the keenest eco tourist. So it was a very sated family that left the ranch after a full afternoon’s tour, followed by the inevitable gift shop purchases.
The following morning, after demolishing a genuine American diner breakfast at John Ski’s House of Breakfast, the quality and quantity both equally impressive, we returned to the hotel for a final game of shuffleboard and a chance to reflect on the wonderous wildlife we’d witnessed on our trip.
Punta Gorda is a perfect base for all manner of special animal adventures on land and water and will be a city we will look forward to returning to.
So, to our snappy swamp friend I’ll simply say: ‘See you later…alligator’
