The other, wilder, Florida

WE are paddling gently through the Florida Everglades backcountry swamps on a sun-drenched early June morning.

I am desperately trying not to capsize or puncture my one-person kayak after yet another polyester-crunching collision, trapped by the tentacles of overhanging mangroves, festooned with thick, scary spider-webs.

A cloud of mosquitoes obscures vision, sinister alligators and ‘snapping’ turtles wait in the wings, the sudden leap of a silvery mullet out of the water is enough to make your heart almost stop.