Gulf Coast Gator Ranch and Tours
Moss Point, Mississippi
Meeting alligators face to face might sound intimidating, but after visiting Gulf Coast Gator Ranch and Tours, many travelers walk away with a newfound appreciation for the reptilian creatures. Permitted and regulated by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, the family-owned ranch encompasses 105 acres of protected wetlands along the Grand Bay Estuary in southern Mississippi. Animal lovers can rest assured that the business is a ranch, not a farm; it does not sell or harvest alligators, but rather provides a sanctuary where visitors can view the animals in their natural habitat.
The species has come a long way since it was listed as endangered during the 1970s and 1980s and then decimated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Today, the ranch shelters about 70 alligators, along with migratory birds and other marine life.
Groups can see many of these vibrant animals up close during a high-speed airboat tour of the swamp that is offered seven days a week on the half hour. During the excursion, guests get the chance to hand feed the gators some “alligator chow,” a marshmallowlike snack that draws the animals without provoking aggression. The ranch also has a walking bridge over the area where many of the alligators are enclosed.
www.airboatswamptoursofmississippi.com
Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure
Tybee Island, Georgia
For those who have always wanted to see wild dolphins jumping over ocean waves, Captain Derek’s Dolphin Adventure offers one of the best dolphin-viewing experiences along the East Coast. The company is run by Derek Brown, a Savannah native and longtime commercial fisherman. His boat tours travel along Tybee Island and other barrier beaches, where groups can view sights such as Fort Pulaski, Cockspur Island Lighthouse and Tybee Island Lighthouse.
Brown’s boats are the only vessels in the area with a special wave-making machine that attracts dolphins and provides incredible photography opportunities as the marine mammals perform flips just feet from the boat deck.
“At times, we can get them playing at the back of the boat, which is the highlight of the tour,” said Brown.
The staff goes to great lengths to ensure their passengers have a quality experience. Occasionally, when a pod of dolphins comes into view after a tour, the crew will make an announcement and allow passengers back onto the boat for free. Tours are offered twice a day, though the sunset tour tends to draw more crowds due to the pleasant temperatures and colorful dusk skies. In addition, Brown described how shrimp boats often return to the bay in the evening, bringing large numbers of dolphins trailing after them “like a bunch of little puppy dogs.”
