JACKSONVILLE AIRBOAT FIELD GUIDE
Glide the Wild St. Johns: Captain Dewey’s Eco Airboat Tour
A local-led airboat experience on the Lower St. Johns River—30 minutes to a full day—combining high-speed wildlife viewing with visits to ancient Native American mounds.
Glide the Wild St. Johns: Captain Dewey’s Eco Airboat Tour.
Skimming the tannin-stained channels of the Lower St. Johns River, an airboat driven by Captain Dewey Noland of Central Florida Charters cuts a low, humming silhouette across floodplain marshes and oxbows. The Eco Airboat Tour stitches together adrenaline-tinged wildlife encounters—alligators, bald eagles, occasional manatees and wading birds—with a close-up look at the river’s deep human history, including several Native American mounds.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Alligators, Eagles and River Birds
The Lower St. Johns River is ecologically rich; on a single outing you can encounter alligators, bald eagles, manatees and a variety of wading birds as you traverse marsh channels and floodplain habitat.
Ancient Native American Mounds
Long before airboats, the river was dotted with Native American mounds; the tour includes visits or views of several of these archaeological features, tying natural history to human story.
Go Where the Locals Go with Captain Dewey
Led by Captain Dewey Noland of Central Florida Charters, the Eco Airboat Tour emphasizes local knowledge—routes and highlights shaped by years navigating the Lower St. Johns.
What the day feels like
What the Trip Feels Like
Expect a brisk, sensory ride: the airboat’s thrust across open water and through winding channels, the sudden hush when wildlife appears, and close quarters with river-edge habitat. Tour lengths vary—short bursts for sightseeing or extended voyages to mound sites, swimming holes and riverside stops—so the outing can be a quick wildlife run or an immersive local exploration.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this tour suits—and who it most appeals to.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Dress for the weather and bring snacks and drinks—no glass containers.
Tours are offered in multiple durations: 30-minute, 60-minute, 2-hour and a full-day 6-hour option that visits mounds, a swimming hole and river restaurants.
The operator will reach out prior to your experience with specific meeting-location details.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long are the tours?
Tour options range from 30 minutes to a full 6-hour day.
Where do we meet for the tour?
The operator will contact you before the experience to provide meeting-location details.
What should I bring?
Dress according to the weather and bring snacks and drinks; do not bring glass containers.
Are children allowed?
Yes—the tour is offered to all ages.
What will we see on the trip?
Expect wildlife such as alligators, bald eagles, manatees and wading birds, plus visits or views of Native American mounds on the longer itineraries.
Who operates the tour?
The Eco Airboat Tour is operated by Central Florida Charters and led by Captain Dewey Noland.