Boating and Lakes in/near Orlando (Eustis, Conway: live in, dangerous, safe)

[mateo112]

I am curious about the lakes and boating in or near Orlando. My husband and I are moving to Orlando in August from Colorado. My family and I are from Florida, however, I haven't lived there since I was a kid. When I did live there we were very into boating and would go to the lakes and ski/wakboard/go tubing. In Colorado of course there are no gators or anything else really to worry about getting eaten by.
Do many people have boats and take them out on the lakes around Orlando? If so which lakes are good? Is it fairly safe to wakeboard or do other water sports? How concerned do you have to be about gators?

[annerk]

There's no set answer, it depends on the lake. Some are infested with alligators, others might have a stray gator or two but are overall safe.

You also have to worry about bacteria levels in warmer months.

[Crane's Rooster]

Boating is wildly popular here due to our distance from the coast. Some of the larger lakes are Butler chain of lakes, Lake Dora, Lake Brantley, Bear Lake, Lake Conway.

[BMWZ4RUlz]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Boating is wildly popular here due to our distance from the coast. Some of the larger lakes are Butler chain of lakes, Lake Dora, Lake Brantley, Bear Lake, Lake Conway.

Are there gators in Conway? Butler chain??

[idr591]

Originally Posted by dshawg1

Are there gators in Conway? Butler chain??

Yes and Yes. Shouldn't necessarily deter you; just be aware.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by dshawg1

Are there gators in Conway? Butler chain??

Gators live in practically every natural body of water here.
I do lots of Jet-Skiing on Lake Dora/Harris/Eustis, and to say they are infested with gators wouldn't be far from the truth.
Are they aggressive? No, but I would avoid falling in the water.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by mateo112

I am curious about the lakes and boating in or near Orlando. My husband and I are moving to Orlando in August from Colorado. My family and I are from Florida, however, I haven't lived there since I was a kid. When I did live there we were very into boating and would go to the lakes and ski/wakboard/go tubing. In Colorado of course there are no gators or anything else really to worry about getting eaten by.
Do many people have boats and take them out on the lakes around Orlando? If so which lakes are good? Is it fairly safe to wakeboard or do other water sports? How concerned do you have to be about gators?

Usually, the noise of the motors and people keep the gators away. You also want to stay away from shorelines where the gator nests are and they become protective.
Skiing/wake boarding here gets iffy here because of the ameba that lives on the bottom of lakes and becomes more active once the temps get into the 90s which means May-October most years.
You just have to be more aware of whats in the water here, but it doesn't mean give up on the boat.

[Crane's Rooster]

Gators in Florida is just like sharks in any coastal region, bears and moose up north, coyotes out west, etc etc. They are there, respect them, but more often than not they will likely just avoid you.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Gators in Florida is just like sharks in any coastal region, bears and moose up north, coyotes out west, etc etc. They are there, respect them, but more often than not they will likely just avoid you.

Yep, saw a gator and a coyote this week. We have coyote here in Florida now, but actually saw a big coyote coming out of a cornfield in Illinois. Beautiful creature.

[Crane's Rooster]

I honestly think bears and moose are more dangerous to people. They are much smarter than gators and lose their fear very easily.