There is one place left to see the American Crocodile, and that is at the southern tip of Florida in Everglades National Park. We visited there a few years ago and even helped scientists tag one. That’s about as exciting a boating adventure as you can have.
There are countless other adventures to try in the 1.5 million park acres that span South Florida, but the best boating adventures exist in the 10,000 Islands region that spans the Southwest coast from below Marco Island all the way down to Flamingo.
One third of the park has navigable water, and if your boat can get shallow enough, you can cruise through dense mangrove canopies and witness spectacular wildlife, including the aforementioned crocs. Read this PDF to understand the park’s boating regulations.
A great place to launch is at Flamingo, and then to cruise up through Whitewater Bay and deep into the back channels. Here is a list of marina choices.
Just be careful as you follow the channel markers through the interior channels. Shallow water is just outside the markers, and it’s vitally important to protect the sea grass.
Here are some tips for navigating shallow water.
Want to camp out? Call ahead to find out about availability of elevated chickees that exist along the marked waterways.
This will become a wilderness adventure you’ll never forget.
