A picture from the flyer that advertises Pearl River Airboat Adventures.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
Marion County could soon become a tourist destination for those who wish to take an adventurous boat ride down the Pearl River.
This morning, Gary Blackwell of Columbia went before the Marion County Board of Supervisors requesting permission to operate Pearl River Airboat Adventures from the Columbia Water Park.
Board of Supervisors Attorney Joe Shepard said it would be OK for Blackwell to operate the business as long as boat passengers sign a waiver stating that Marion County is not responsible for incidents or injury. Blackwell said he had no problem with such a waiver and hopes to have the business operating by mid August.
Blackwell said he plans on building a floating dock in the river at the Water Park to give passengers a platform to load the boat from. Marion County Supervisor Raymon Rowell said he is concerned that allowing a business to build such a dock could set a precedent in which other private enterprises start constructing similar objects in the Columbia Water Park.
Gary Blackwell
Blackwell hopes passengers on the Airboat Adventure will see wildlife, especially alligators. “I’m hoping to find a gator place so they (passengers) can feed them,” said Blackwell, noting that Florida and New Orleans have similar tours. “They ought to be able to see an abundance of wildlife on the Pearl River banks.”
The tour will be good for this area, Blackwell said, because, “There’s nothing going on in Columbia. I’m just trying to make some things happen for Columbia and bring some tourism in.”
Blackwell said he has ordered a $60,000 airboat from Orlando, Fla. that he hopes to have delivered in the next month. Blackwell is not sure of what the exact tour route will be, saying he still needs to scope out the river. However, he said the airboat he ordered is capable of going on sandbars to allow passengers to get out and explore the banks.
Blackwell told the supervisors that he could have chosen Monticello as the place to operate the airboat adventure, but he wants “something happening here.”
The tours will be by appointment only and weather permitting, he said. Appointments can be made by calling the Round Table Restaurant, which Blackwell owns. He does not know yet what the charge for the tour will be but said the minimum length will be 30 minutes while some will last two hours.
He added that he hopes the local Boy Scouts take advantage of the airboat adventure to explore the Pearl River and camp.
I think this is a great idea for Marion county. We need more things like this taking place in our town. I commend Mr. Blackwell for trying to make Marion county a better place.
Thank you mean mallard and you are so right that we need activities for a youth and to simply enjoy a relaxing ride on the Pearl:)
Sounds fun & yes we need fun stuff like this!
Wish some1 would open up a Big Water Slide Park too.
Feeding wild alligators in MS is illegal. For obvious reasons, alligators should learn to associate human activity with a source of food. Blackwell may contact me (Ricky Flynt – rickyf@mdwfp.state.ms.us) for more information. I am the Alligator Program Coordinator for the MS Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks.
Question for you, Ricky.
1. Are you posting on work time or your own?
Thanks.
#1.. I see he posted at 7:50 so technically he had 10 min. before he went on the clock
#2.. He could be considered doing his job when he’s informing people of things that are ILLEGAL…
No, I’m not downing what Mr. Blackwell is trying to do, but do you really want every gator in the pearl river thinking it’s free feeding time every time a boat goes up river??? I wish Mr. Blackwell the best in his new venture..
And NO, I didn’t contact Ricky about this…
Surely you meant “. . .alligators should NOT learn to associate human activity with a source of food.” Anyway, I think just seeing the alligators would be exciting enough for most passengers on the tour. And, yeah, Gary, they do feed ‘em in south Louisiana, but you know those coon-asses are CRAZY!!
I wish him luck with his business:)
If he is going to have airboat rides, I will open a fishing charter service, for handicapped people and ones that dont have a boat.
Hey Jesse I wish you all the luck in the world to starting an adventure for the handicap people. We really need more people like you that is willing to start things moving for Columbia.
hey flynt-alligators should be associating human contact with food?really?anyone should be happy to see something fun for kids to do around here!!
I think alligators should associate humans with belts and shoes.