Mighty man
What a man, What a man, What a mighty, mighty Good Man.
Helen Truszkowski
There's nothing like two guys with a common interest chatting away. Fast cars, football, actually, no, in this case alligators. And it seemed to make no difference at all that whilst one of the guys (ie. George) was just 5 years old, his new soul mate was pushing 55. And believe me what this guy - Lyle Thomas - doesn't know about alligators you could fit on a postage stamp.
Based at Boynton Beach Florida, Lyle is president and founder of Loxahatchee Everglades Tours. Whilst there are dozens of other businesses in South Florida running rides through the wetlands, it's no exaggeration to say Lyle Thomas has revolutionised the industry.As many of his competitors venture one way or the other ( ' which will it be Sir ? Stan's yawnful lecture or Dan's vomit-inducing, roller-coaster spin through the saw grass' )
Lyle Thomas successfully nurtures that delicate and potentially tempestuous marriage between Entertainment and Education.' All of our tours' he says ' are designed to show respect for, and teach appreciation of, our natural resources.' Sure Lyle, that's it in a nutshell, but the fact that you can lead a group of kids to a spot where a mother alligator's protecting her week old hatchlings is a bit more than that. In fact it's out of this world.
A regular visitor to the Evergaldes since the mid 1960's, Lyle's fascination for the Evergladesfirst led him to start a business as a fishing guide. To this day he remains an avid angler and environmentalist who knows the Evergaldes and its natural inhabitants like the back of his bronzed hand.
It's his dogged, hands-on approach that has contributed to the unique appeal of the Loxahatchee Tours. He not only operates one of the airboats himself but also personally trains rookie guides. His boats are custom-designed to protect the area's fragile ecosystem. The propulsion systems are able to turn two propellers (instead of one) at a slower and safer speed with reduced noise and exhaust emissions. Even the custom hull design of his boats limits the boats sliding on turns and subsequent damage to plant life.Heck, Lyle's even adopted a local road as part of a programme implemented to beautify Palm Beach County.
Whilst plainly appreciated (get another look at George's grin) there's more to this than the flash and dazzle of high-speed. Lyle's boundless devotion for the Everglades is simply contagious. The kind of teachers that treat learning about the environment as though it were a prolonged dental appointment would have gained a lot that day watching George's eyes grow to the size of (forget saucers) twin frisbees as Lyle closed in on a pair of mating moorhens, a crane that was managing life with one broken leg, hatching alligators and a crash course in how to handle a snake. George left grinning with an alligator's tooth in his pocket.
Tourism may be flourishing in Florida; still it doesn't take a genius to figure out Lyle was notdrawn to this business by the lure of a quick buck. Fighting the sort of odds that would weaken even a grizzly's knees he's still struggling today to find enough funds to refurbish hiseducation centre.
Established as a national park in 1947 the Everglades was actually declared a World Heritage site by the United Nations in 1979. It's arguably the most precious natural treasure in Florida, yet given little merit as such. Lyle needs all the support he can get and the battle is far from being won.What a man, What a man, What a mighty, mighty Good Man ? Yes, he is.
Guided one-hour tours are available seven days a week. The last tour departs by 4.00 pm.Adults $30.00, children (aged 11-15) $15.00, children (aged 6-10) $10.00, under 5's are free.
Loxahatchee Everglades Tours Inc.
15490 Loxahatchee Road
Boca Raton,
Florida 33076
Telephone USA (561) 482 6107
Telephone USA (561) 626 9637www.evergladesairboattours.com
The Nature & Heritage Tourism Assoc. of Palm Beach County comprise various organisations concerned with the protection of the county's tourism destinations. Telephone USA (561) 626 9637
Helen Truszkowski
There's nothing like two guys with a common interest chatting away. Fast cars, football, actually, no, in this case alligators. And it seemed to make no difference at all that whilst one of the guys (ie. George) was just 5 years old, his new soul mate was pushing 55. And believe me what this guy - Lyle Thomas - doesn't know about alligators you could fit on a postage stamp.Based at Boynton Beach Florida, Lyle is president and founder of Loxahatchee Everglades Tours. Whilst there are dozens of other businesses in South Florida running rides through the wetlands, it's no exaggeration to say Lyle Thomas has revolutionised the industry.As many of his competitors venture one way or the other ( ' which will it be Sir ? Stan's yawnful lecture or Dan's vomit-inducing, roller-coaster spin through the saw grass' )
Lyle Thomas successfully nurtures that delicate and potentially tempestuous marriage between Entertainment and Education.' All of our tours' he says ' are designed to show respect for, and teach appreciation of, our natural resources.' Sure Lyle, that's it in a nutshell, but the fact that you can lead a group of kids to a spot where a mother alligator's protecting her week old hatchlings is a bit more than that. In fact it's out of this world.
A regular visitor to the Evergaldes since the mid 1960's, Lyle's fascination for the Evergladesfirst led him to start a business as a fishing guide. To this day he remains an avid angler and environmentalist who knows the Evergaldes and its natural inhabitants like the back of his bronzed hand.
It's his dogged, hands-on approach that has contributed to the unique appeal of the Loxahatchee Tours. He not only operates one of the airboats himself but also personally trains rookie guides. His boats are custom-designed to protect the area's fragile ecosystem. The propulsion systems are able to turn two propellers (instead of one) at a slower and safer speed with reduced noise and exhaust emissions. Even the custom hull design of his boats limits the boats sliding on turns and subsequent damage to plant life.Heck, Lyle's even adopted a local road as part of a programme implemented to beautify Palm Beach County.
Whilst plainly appreciated (get another look at George's grin) there's more to this than the flash and dazzle of high-speed. Lyle's boundless devotion for the Everglades is simply contagious. The kind of teachers that treat learning about the environment as though it were a prolonged dental appointment would have gained a lot that day watching George's eyes grow to the size of (forget saucers) twin frisbees as Lyle closed in on a pair of mating moorhens, a crane that was managing life with one broken leg, hatching alligators and a crash course in how to handle a snake. George left grinning with an alligator's tooth in his pocket.
Tourism may be flourishing in Florida; still it doesn't take a genius to figure out Lyle was notdrawn to this business by the lure of a quick buck. Fighting the sort of odds that would weaken even a grizzly's knees he's still struggling today to find enough funds to refurbish hiseducation centre.
Established as a national park in 1947 the Everglades was actually declared a World Heritage site by the United Nations in 1979. It's arguably the most precious natural treasure in Florida, yet given little merit as such. Lyle needs all the support he can get and the battle is far from being won.What a man, What a man, What a mighty, mighty Good Man ? Yes, he is.
Guided one-hour tours are available seven days a week. The last tour departs by 4.00 pm.Adults $30.00, children (aged 11-15) $15.00, children (aged 6-10) $10.00, under 5's are free.
Loxahatchee Everglades Tours Inc.
15490 Loxahatchee Road
Boca Raton,
Florida 33076
Telephone USA (561) 482 6107
Telephone USA (561) 626 9637www.evergladesairboattours.com
The Nature & Heritage Tourism Assoc. of Palm Beach County comprise various organisations concerned with the protection of the county's tourism destinations. Telephone USA (561) 626 9637
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