Capt. Tate offers "Creepy Creature" night swamp tours for October

Have you ever been eye to eye with an alligator in its natural habitat at night? Their eyes glow in the dark. It's an eerie sight. That opportunity begins this weekend for the month of October.

Did you know it is rumored cannibals lived in the area years ago? Hear the tales and see the locations they roamed.

Capt. Eli Tate has been regaling visitors with local history and lore of the Texas/Louisiana swamps for over 25 years and he's introducing the "Creepy Creatures Wild Night Ride" for the Halloween season. The one-hour night tour will explore the swamp tunnel, offer up-close animal encounters and visit cannibal sites every Friday and Saturday in October and Halloween night with tours starting at 7 p.m. There is special pricing for the nighttime tours: $19 + tax for 12 and under, $29 + tax for 13 and up. Babies ride free. You must call ahead to reserve your spot.

The daytime tours will also still be available. The daytime tours are approximately 1½ hours and run year-round Tuesday through Sunday. They are closed Mondays except on holidays. Weekday tours start at 10 a.m. Sunday tours start at 2 p.m.

People come from around the world to see what the Sabine River Swamps have to offer in flora and fauna. Tate personalizes each tour by learning his patron's names and making them part of the tour, even naming some of the many gators seen, the same as the people on the boat.

The boat is covered with a canopy and you get a cool breeze when the boat moves between locations. The vessel is quiet, so it doesn't scare the wildlife. They have become so familiar with it and know it poses them no danger, that they tend to swim in closer when Tate whistles. Besides alligators, egrets, eagles, wild boars and more are frequently seen.

"This is the only place in the country you can see all the different types of swamps in one area, because of the elevations," said Tate. Besides tourists, Tate also hosts botanists, geologists, biologists and other scientists, because of the unique ecology of the Sabine area. He said when a skeleton was brought up by Bridge City's Robert Vail several years ago, he had scientists that came to study the area and found locations occupied by Atakapa Indians, nomadic tribes which are rumored to have been cannibals.

Tate not only promotes water activities, but also promotes other attractions in Orange County. He has a brochure rack in the ticket office and always invites people to explore other area sites.

"My boat will hold half a bus. While I take those on the tour, the rest visit other local places such as Shangri La and the Art Museum. Then they all eat together in a local restaurant." The groups then switch and the other half go on the swamp tour.

Tate says the best time for gators is when it is cooler, but not cold. October is prime time for swamp cruises. He also said there has been growth in the gator population since TS Harvey, so there are gator encounters every trip.

If you are ready for your tour of the swamp call 409-883-0856 to reserve your spot for daytime or the special night tours or visit http://www.swampandrivertours.com Daytime tour tickets are $39.00 + tax for 13 and up and $25.00+ tax for 12 and under. Babies are free.