In character: this story happened in Leonida, not in real life.
Airboat operators in Grassrivers say October was their busiest month on record, with sunset and night tours selling out weeks in advance.
“People come for the egrets and stay for the quiet,” said one operator from the dock at the edge of the sawgrass, who asked not to be named. “No signal out there. That’s half the appeal.”
The boom has not gone unnoticed in Ambrosia. A spokesperson for the Leonida Sheriff’s Office said deputies had “no concerns about tourism” but were “interested in why some boats come back heavier than they left”. The office would not say whether any inquiry was under way.
Visitors are reminded that the wetlands are home to alligators, that cell coverage ends at the last dock, and that Marine Rescue response times this far out can run long.
This is an in-character story. It happened in Leonida, not in real life.