Our guide, Carlos, exuded a joking vibe from the moment we met him. He’s well above 6 feet tall, tan and seemingly carefree. Except, that is, when you ask him about snakes.
“Should we try to smack them with our paddle?” asked a teen from Cincinnati.
“No, that can have some very bad consequences,” he said, very seriously.
“If you see one, try to back away,” he said. “And remember, poisonous snakes float, non-poisonous ones do not.”
Ah, very good to know, I thought to myself.
With that cleared up we hopped into our respective canoes and kayaks. With a breeze in the air, and a tree canopy overhead, we began our 2-hour trip on Shingle Creek, and I found myself wishing for a run-in with a snake or a large alligator. (It makes for a much better story after all.)
Instead, my sister — we’ll call her Eagle Eye — spotted two baby gators camouflaged in the thick cat tails and neon green duck weed. I pointed them out to the teen and her mother, who admittedly don’t partake in outdoorsy adventures, just to get a reaction.
“They’re so cute,” the teen squealed.
Next, we spotted oodles of red, squishy, cocoon-shaped objects stuck to trees, rocks and leaves. “What are these, Carlos?” my sister asked. “Apple snail eggs. Try smooshing them; it’s really fun. It’s okay, they’re an invasive species.”
I was so intent on flattening these guys that I ran my sister, at the head of the canoe, smack into some low-hanging Spanish moss and branches.
Oops.
We turn around and headed upstream for the journey back. Past the skimmer bugs and something that could pass for either a fox or a coyote. As we hopped out on the shore, a chorus of frog squeaks welcomed us back. Not a bad way to spend the morning. The best part of all: We had the creek to ourselves. Maybe we’ll have better luck snake-spotting next time.
If you go: Wear some bug spray; this is Florida, after all. Other excursions include an adventure course where you can scramble across aerial walkways, culinary classes and bird-watching classes (ask nicely and Carlos will bust out his iPhone birding app). It’s all open to the public and available most days of the week. Call ahead to make reservations.
Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
4012 Central Florida Parkway
Orlando, Florida 32837
407-206-2400
www.ritzcarlton.com
Thanks to the Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes for hosting me.
This story was first published on i.seekissimmee.org.