12/1 Myakka River Boat Tour at Snook Haven

The Myakka River is the only river in Florida that is designated as a "Wild and Scenic River."  This means it has no dams on it to restrict flow and new development along its banks is limited.  More information can be found here:  https://www.conservationfoundation.com/properties/the-wild-scenic-myakka-river/

I am camping for a couple of weeks at Myakka River State Park, which is about 10 miles east of Sarasota, FL.  I will write more about this state park later in the week, but it is a place I have stayed at several times.  I like it because it is so large and has a lot of things to see and do here. Most importantly, the state park contains two lakes and a several mile chunk of the Myakka River.  

I discovered Snook Haven and the boat tours available there a few years ago when a cousin and his wife took me there for lunch.  I went there a couple of years ago when I was in this area, but the boat tours were booked, so this year, I made sure I made reservations in advance.  I also rented a car to go there because parking is very difficult at this very popular restaurant, plus I had some other places I wanted to visit on this trip.  

If you have never been to Snook Haven, you really need to go there for a meal, but check in advance when they are open and if they have entertainment at that time, and plan your trip around those things.  (They often close in hot weather, especially when the mosquitos are bad because they have so much outdoor seating.  They also are seldom open after dark.)

Anyway, the drive in is interesting.  Take Venice Avenue from the town of Venice, and drive east.  At one point, you will think the road has ended, but not to worry, just keep going on this recently paved road.  (It used to be dirt.) 

 

 

You are now, as they say, entering "The Real Florida" or the way it was before the big hotels and incredibly numerous subdivisions took over the state.   It's only a couple of miles down this road.

 

I arrived much too early for my noon boat trip, but got a good parking spot and had time to watch the employees and the musicians set up for the day.  Very good food here, by the way, and you MUST go inside the indoor restaurant to check out the big alligator hanging on the wall.

The musicians were setting up for the day, practicing their repertoire of Christmas music.  Really good!! 

The boats are run by a separate company and are located behind the outdoor restaurant seating.  Best to make reservations for this tour.

A view of the restaurant as we were pulling out.

The boat tour goes downstream.  It is a pretty big river though not terribly deep. 

A log full of cooter turtles and a baby alligator behind them.  All are warming up in the sun after a very chilly night. 

We saw 7 or 8 really big bull alligators keeping vigils on the river banks as we went down the river.  These guys are at least 9' long, and can be as big as 12 or 13' long.  These are the guys you do NOT want to encounter if you tip your kayak!!  The one below jumped into the water as we approached.  Mostly the big bulls are guarding a territory along the river against younger bulls. 

He looks a bit bigger as he got closer!  Additional evidence of his age and size, by the way, is the width of his back.  Younger males are long and thin, but put on weight as they age.  This one is pretty chunky--maybe 500-600 pounds of muscle.

 

 

Another one hiding in the reeds. 

 

 

Looked it up and this very pretty white wildflower is a string lily or swamp lily.   We passed quite a few of these blooming along the waterway. 

 

 

 

Several photos of other big bull alligators.   Some of these guys can weigh several hundred pounds. 

 

 

A pretty view of the river. 

 

 

And just because they look lazy and are often seen laying down, even big alligators can move amazingly fast.  Look at how this one has picked himself up.  

 

 

The tour was a little over an hour long and well worth the price.  Note that you can also rent kayaks and canoes here.  (Think I would pass on this, however.)

 

 

Snook Haven had become a lot busier by the time I returned.  It gets really busy on weekends, however, so best to come on a weekday, as I did.