Apalachicola River Cruise with Captain Gill

The Apalachicola River and the town on its bank have a rich tradition and history. Captain Gill knows most of the story and enjoys sharing it with passengers on his 28-foot adventure craft – “Lily”. It’s a unique boat and Gill is a unique Captain.

He’s a licensed USCG Captain, and operates Capt.Gill’s River Cruises on the Apalachicola River. Gill flew CH-53 Sikorsky helicopters in the Marine Corps and served a tour in Viet Nam, attaining the rank of Captain. A former Mayor of Valdosta, GA, his careers include banking, securities, and tomato farming. “Lily” is his eighteenth boat, having spent a lifetime on the water. Although the boat already had the name when he bought it, it’s bad luck to change a boat’s name and “Lily” is appropriate because it’s come to stand for “Lane I Love You.”

Discovering her mother’s Brownie camera as a child, Gill’s wife Lane fell in love with photography. Throughout her career in the art – from portraiture to commercial, aerial to fine art – her greatest joy comes while shooting in the early morning or late afternoon searching for the “perfect” light, or what she calls the “sweet” light. Check out her website.

The two actually met on a blind date not too long ago, and when they saw each other, both remembered instantly that they had spent a lone afternoon drive together while at the University of Georgia 40 years earlier.

“The dumbest thing I ever did was not get together again with her back then,” Gill says. “But we found each other again after all those years.”

When he’s not running tours, Gill and Lane hit the water on photo adventures. On one cruise last fall a group of scientists from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology cruised the river with Gill and spotted 38 different species of birds.

The lower Apalachicola consists of the larger, dramatic expanses of the main river channel and its smaller, wild and scenic tributaries which form the delta: the St. Marks River, Little St. Marks River, and East River. Enjoy your cruise from Lily’s safe and comfortable cabin, or in the open air on the front, rear, or top decks. Lilly also has all the amenities to make your cruise a pleasurable one including air conditioning and a fully private head.

Captain Gill offers charter cruises of 2, 3, and 4 hours duration any day of the week, each featuring the natural beauty and abundant wildlife of the lower river. Cruises available include; family outings, picnics, swimming, photography, sightseeing, eco-tours, local folklore, weddings/events, and sightseeing/sunbathing from the upper deck. Fishing charters are also available. And, of course, pets are welcome. Captain Gill will be happy to assist you in planning a cruise of your own design and duration. http://www.captgill.com