EcoTourism: Dec. 2020

By Capt. Chris Thalmann Contributing Writer


Hello everyone and welcome to…December?!?!The last 10 months have been a long slog for everyone. This time last year most of us in the tourism industry were looking forward to what we’d hoped would be a fantastic 2020. Well, 2020 sure took a different path and brought us all along for the ride too. I don’t know about you, but I am most definitely looking forward to a new and hopefully better year!

If there’s one thing that 2020 has forced me to do, it is to slow down. Normally I wouldn’t say that’s a good thing. But in certain respects, slowing down has been…ok. Even needed. 2020 has afforded me the chance to stand back and really look at how Aqua Adventure Tours operates. What works, what doesn’t, what needs to change and how to make those changes happen. A lot of that involves simplifying things and just getting back to basics.

For me the best place to think about this kind of stuff is outdoors. I’m lucky that I get to spend a lot of time there, and much of that time is spent on the water. Away from the hubbub and distractions of life of land, being outdoors allows me to concentrate in a way that sitting in an office, or a cube, or an airport never has. Outdoors is where some of my best decisions and some of my favorite memories have been made.

If that holds true for you too, I encourage you to get out and explore this month. Yes, December is traditionally one of the busiest months of the year. Yes, it is easy to get overcommitted. Yes, there’s family, friends, work, holidays, events and activities. I know. But…if ever there was a year to find some time or make some time to get yourself outdoors, this is it. December offers endless outdoor and eco-tourism activities here in Palm Beach County. Glorious weather. Beautiful sunsets. Hike an empty trail in the morning. Anchor out and watch the moon come up in the evening.

Paddle the Loxahatchee. Explore the mangroves of Lake Wyman. Snorkel a rock reef at high tide. Explore a sandbar at low tide. Go birding along an ocean inlet, or head inland to Wakodahatchee Wetlands. Look for manatees along the Jupiter Lighthouse shoreline, or dolphins along the ocean beaches. Find the time. Make the time. Just get out there. And enjoy!

At Aqua Adventure Tours we’re back to running only private charters for small groups. Custom adventure charters are our specialty. We’ve done sightseeing trips to Lauderdale and Miami, riverside lunches, guided nature walks, swimming, snorkeling, sandbar and beach exploring, and more. If you need some help exploring outdoors, we’re happy to set up a trip your family will remember for years!

Captain Chris Thalmann

Owner | Aqua Adventure Tours, Inc. • aquaadventuretours.com