Florida men paddleboard across alligator-infested lake to raise awareness for conservation efforts

TAMPA, Fla. - Right before sunrise on New Year's Eve, Mason Gravely, 33, from Palmetto, and Jordon Wolfram, 32, from Lakeland, launched their paddleboards for a 34-mile trek across Lake Okeechobee.

"That amount of distance isn’t crazy on a paddleboard, plenty of people do it, but it was just putting together the idea of being the first to go across this lake that has anywhere between 10 and 30,000 alligators. That was kind of the kicker," said Gravley.

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Despite the gators and a frigid morning, they said the water was calm, and the weather was clear. So, why did they do it in the first place?

"We were wanting to do something that no one has ever done, something crazy, and help bring attention to this really cool project that affects all Floridians," explained Gravley.

They’re raising awareness about the importance of conservation and supporting the restoration of the Everglades and the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

"Florida is changing, a lot of people are moving here, a lot of land is being converted into homes and what we were trying to do was raise awareness for the amount of efforts to conserve wild Florida, how much good and how much progress is being done," Gravley said.

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Their route was strategic. They began at 5 a.m. where the Kissimmee River flows into Lake Okeechobee and ended at the start of the Miami Canal, the primary outflow that spreads out into the Everglades.

The quality of that water impacts the whole state, affecting the water we drink and even how healthy the water is at our favorite beaches.

Conservationists say population growth and development across our state has changed the way water flows, and that could be detrimental to the environment.

Jordon and Mason said they were able to see the impacts while they were paddling.

"The water used to flow though the Everglades. Very, very little of it ends up there now. It’s managed, it’s flowing out the sides. These aren’t historical pathways, and you see the impact of that. Me being able to witness it made a huge difference for myself," said Wolfram.