American Dreaming - Snapshots in the Big Country

Airboat’n like a swamp man

Ear defenders hug tight against the ears, thumbs up from the pilot perched 4ft above, the great fan roars to life, the tin boat sits atop of the water, the giant propeller kicks in and the boat steadily moves forwards, excitement and anticipation build, the engine roars again and the prop goes into overdrive, we accelerate forwards, the warm wind blows against my face & takes my breath away, I look at my wife and kids they are smiling, laughing lightly, all of the passengers smile from ear to ear, the pilot gives a knowing nod from behind his sunglasses and baseball cap, the occasional bug hits my face, the boat vibrates through my body, I look behind and see spray leaping in the air far behind the boat, I feel alive and happy right then and there with my family on the boat, in the beautiful swamp, under the Florida sun, we glide across the water, birds fly high overhead and all kinds of birds & wildlife jump to life from the Lilly pads and bush as we fly by them, we slow to a meander, the guide shouts in his friendly southern American accent to look across at the alligator hidden in plane sight, just a hands reach away from the boat lays a living dinosaur, the lilly pads & flowers brighten the day, the wildlife, the endless water, Jurassic plants and trees all sit under the big sky of the great USA and there we are in a little tin airboat American Dreaming