Captain Steve

Captain Steve

We just got home from our family vacation to the Gulf Coast (more of that to come later).  While in New Orleans, we took an airboat tour of the swamps, just south of the city.  If you are ever in the area, there's lots of things to do, but I would highly recommend you take an afternoon to visit Airboat Adventures and Captain Steve.  The tour was everything their website promised, and more.  Perhaps what made the tour so great, was our captain, and guide, Steve.

Steve is a guy that seems to have things figured out.  Of course, we only spent two hours with him, but you can really tell he loves what he does - or does what he loves - either way.  Throughout the tour, Steve gave us all kinds of information about the swamps, the animals, the history of the place.  Did you know that Confederate soldiers were taught to sew up their battle wounds using Spanish Moss from the swamps?  You do now.  How about the fact that pirates settled parts of southern Louisiana?  Cool, right?  Or that alligators love marshmallows?  They do!  

Steve knew his way around acres of swamp - that kind of all looked the same to me - better than most people know the way around their neighborhood.  He reached right in the murky swamp water and grabbed an alligator by its tail and fed others straight from the boat.  Steve said he used to get out of the boat and mess with the gators out in the water or on the islands, but he's getting older and his wife worries about him - especially since people put videos of him and the gator's escapades on youtube - so he stays on the boat now.  Even though he's more cautious now, he has fun at work, and made sure we all had fun, too.

Steve's love for what he does resonated throughout the Louisiana swamp that day.  He was so happy to share his passion and answer our questions.  He even brought out a baby gator for everyone on the airboat to hold.  Even though we were the last tour of the day, we felt welcome, had a great time, and learned so much from our captain.  I wish I had half the excitement for my job that Steve has for his.

We should all take a page from Steve's book, and learn to have a little more fun in life.  Find out what we love - and do it - and share it with others.

I guess you could go to any old tour company and see the swamps.  However, if you really want an intimate experience with a true frontier, and a lesson on life, look up Airboat Adventures - and ask for Captain Steve.

Spanish Moss

Showing us "what NOT to do"

Feeding the gator

This house was on the swamp right at the end of the tour.  Steve said people ask him all the time if it's his.  His reply, "If that was my house, I wouldn't be on this boat."  After the tour, Harry said, "I bet he'd still be on the swamp boat anyway."