Photos © Toni Davis
fewerthannone@aol.com

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On our way back into Naples Frank stopped at
Ochopee, FL.  To be more specific,  he stopped at the
Post Office there.  This is the world's smallest,
functioning Post Office.  And believe me,  it is tiny!!


I hope everyone can read the story.

It's a little one room shed..

but it's fully functional.

Afterwards,  Frank decided I needed a little excitement.
A little further down the road was a place called
Wooten's.  They have a small zoo out back and a
gift shop in front.  So where is the excitement?

Oh,  I forgot to mention....
it's called

WOOTEN'S AIRBOAT RIDES
and believe me,  it is exciting!!

Let me introduce Billy.  He was our pilot for this trip...and
we couldn't have asked for better.  Notice there are no
rails on the side of this boat...and there weren't any
life jackets or seat belts either!!

Before the ride,  I noticed this little

gator just hanging out around the pier.

This is the beginning of our journey.

We passed the grasslands and

scooted through some very narrow openings.  Now remember,
even though the pictures look like we were sitting still,  we
weren't!  We were zipping around the swamp at what seemed
like 100 miles an hour!  Billy didn't even seem to slow down
for the curves!!!  With the roar of the engine, and the wind
in our faces,  it was glorious!

We passed groves of "walking trees".  They are called that because
of the way they send out shoots from the branches.
 It makes them appear to be moving.  These trees are protected
 and if you harm one of them,  you have to plant two in its place!
They are called Mangroves.

Some of the swamp wasn't so wet.

Other spots were a mix of grassland
and trees.

Unknown to me,  when we came around
this little bend,  Billy had a surprise for us. 

It was an area that was only covered in a couple of inches of water.
He decided we should do some donuts out there!!  
It was wonderful!!!!!  And it wasn't the only surprise he had....

meet Betty.  Billy pulled up to this area and hollered
Betty, Betty!  And out comes this gator!

He walked around the sides of the boat,  
and Betty followed his every footstep.  

Once when Betty was nesting,  he got too close to her nest. 
 And according to Billy,  she got in the boat and 
was biting everything she could reach!  I'm not sure
if that's true,  but it made this close seem
too close for me!!!

Bye, Betty.

Of course,  there were other gators in the swamp besides Betty.

We sailed over water that didn't seem
deep enough to support us.

We had to return much too soon.
But on the way back in,  Billy decided to
jump the pile of dirt at the end 
of this trail.

Airboat rides are so much fun!  If you get the chance
to go on one,  do it!