Great TripAdvisor find for us - 2 middle-aged adults with 2 teenaged girls. Garl took our group (3 small families) on a slog through the Everglades first, where water would be in the rainy season. We were stunned by the beauty of blooming bromeliads hanging from fragrant cypress trees, wild orchids, beautiful song birds, not to mention snakes and Princess, the regal gator who tolerated our presence and photos. WEAR PANTS AND WATER SHOES. After we had a quick lunch break, we began our kayaking tour of Nine Mile Lake and the mangrove trails, seeing many alligators and learning to respect them, but not be afraid. Garl took time pointing out the indigenous plants and animals, talking about their life cycles or nesting behaviors. It was unforgettable. Because of the wind, our salt water kayak wasn't meant to be. But our group agreed that we really wanted to go gator watching at night so we stuck around, taking a break to see where the roseate spoonbills and wood storks nest before moving on to Anhinga Walking Trail where we saw numerous water birds - including Anhingas and herons - and even a fledgling red-shouldered hawk. Here began our count of alligators, including two young ones no longer than a yard stick. As the sun went down, the gators began to move. Garl had supplied us with flashlights and we counted dozens of them over the course of our walk. Thanks for a most memorable day and evening, Garl!
And thanks for giving us a ride back to Key Largo and regaling us with wonderful true stories - python wrangler!