Life is all about moments … from the small instances that we don’t think twice about or the larger occurrences where we are thrown outside of our norm. Experiences that test us and push us over the edge. That edge is our comfort zone, and sometimes all we need is a little push. Swallow your fear, gather your courage (it’s already there), and take that leap of faith. Ready or not, it’s happening, and the everyday adventure that we call life is upon us. This is NonaVentures, and this is living for every moment.

For this month’s adventure, I decided to finally embrace the typical Floridian lifestyle and go airboating. It’s pretty sad, actually. I’ve lived in the Lake Nona area for 16 years (it’ll be 17 years in August), and airboating is kind of just the staple activity in this state. How on earth has it taken me this long to experience this?!

With several options available to choose from, I chose Wild Florida. Going to Wild Florida gave me a decent excuse to go on a short road trip and feel like I was getting away. As Andrew and I arrived, we passed a giant sign notifying us that we were in the right place (it’s easy to feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere going down backroads).

Our group was called to the dock to get ready for our trip. We made our way down the lengthy, winding dock to reach the area where all of the airboats were waiting. As our group of about 20 stepped upon the boat, we grabbed pairs of headphones to protect our ears from the loudness of the boat. We were given some minor rules for our safety and in case of an emergency, and the next thing I knew, we were off.

The fan turned on, and the noise filled the air. It was loud, but not unbearable, even without the headphones. I decided to keep them on the whole time to look the part. We reached speeds of about 35 to 40 miles per hour, and as we flew across the lake, I was taking in all the views. Birds were flying alongside the boat, and we even spotted some eagles. It was a perfect day for airboating. and the temperature was spot on.

Next thing I know, we’re chasing down some baby gators that were spotted. Now, all I could think about was “Swamp people live!” I kept laughing a bit to myself because everyone was so excited to see the gators and I kept thinking (as a typical Floridian), “Just go outside. It’s Florida.” The state is known for gators. This part of the tour I didn’t care for because I grew up with a lake in the backyard and always saw a gator or two swimming around or basking in the sun. I had hoped the entire experience wasn’t going to be chasing gators. I just wanted to reach top speed!

We sped back up, and the driver began turning, which felt like drifting and being on the edge. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t grab ahold of the bar near me. A part of me felt like I was going overboard. We rode over the marsh as if we could glide over everything, and as we continued to glide over the water in the openness, a little swamp water landed in my mouth, no biggie.

I chose the hour-long tour at 4:30 p.m., hoping to catch the sunset and, boy, did I choose correctly. The sun began to set about halfway through the tour, and the skies turned the perfect golden color, painting flames across the lake. The tour costs $49.50 per adult and $41 per child. The experience was fun, but I’m not sure I’d choose airboating over regular boating. I have more of a need for speed than for hunting down gators and other wildlife.

Have an experience that had adrenaline coursing through your soul? Challenge me to live YOUR moment at nicole@nonahoodnews.com or fill out our NonaVentures column form at nhn-nonaventures.paperform.co