"If you ain't a little scared, I ain't doin' my job right."
Clyde Beauregard has been navigating the backwaters of the St. Lucie River since before most of y'all were born. Third-generation swamp guide. Part-time gator whisperer. Full-time menace to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission's inbox.
He started giving tours in '87 out of a canoe with a cooler of beer and a flashlight. Now he's got two airboats, a pontoon that's "mostly watertight," and an encyclopedic knowledge of every critter, cypress, and sandbar between Stuart and Okeechobee.
— He has been bitten 14 times. He considers this a good record.
Two hours on the pontoon at golden hour. Clyde points out birds, dolphins, manatees, and tells stories your kids probably shouldn't hear. BYOB. Cooler provided. He will judge your beer choice.
Four hours deep into the backwater. Airboat to the interior, then a guided walk through cypress hammock. You'll see gators up close — how close depends on how quiet you can be. Lunch included (smoked mullet, hushpuppies, sweet tea).
Midnight on an airboat with spotlights. The eyes you see glowing back at you? Those are gators. Hundreds of them. Clyde has names for the regulars. He is not joking. You will meet Gerald. Gerald is 11 feet long.
"Captain Clyde told my husband to stop screaming because 'the gators can smell fear' and I have never laughed so hard in my life. 10/10 would risk my life again."
"I asked if the gator was dangerous and Clyde said 'define dangerous.' Best $95 I've ever spent. The smoked mullet was incredible."
"Took off one star because Gerald tried to board the boat. Clyde just pushed him away with his foot like it was nothing. I need therapy now. But the sunset was beautiful."
(or just say hey, Clyde gets lonely out there)
Clyde does not check DMs, does not have a TikTok, and will never have a TikTok. His nephew made him a Facebook once and he posted a photo of a dead fish and got banned for 30 days.