About Indian River Lagoon and Swampland Boat Tours

Captain and Owner; Barry “Chop” Legé

Barry “Chop” Legé comes from a Louisiana bayous family with a long history of wildlife and lands management. Going back for three generations, his family has been involved with lands and game management. His grandfather had a hunting and fishing resort and also worked as a games warden. Father and sons worked with his grandfather on the property. His father also managed the famed McIIhenney “Tabasco Sauce” family properties.

By his fathers side he learned subtle ins and outs of birds and wildlife, such as knowing the health of the environment, wildlife and birding flocks by the types of calls and sounds that a carefully trained ear can detect.

Along with his family as wardens, he has worked for the preservation of coastal wetlands in Louisiana and managed hunting and fishing resorts along the coast of Louisiana.

In 1993 he moved to Florida to start a wildlife boat tour on Lake Okeechobee through the National Audubon Society’s wildlife sanctuary. (The National Audubon Society has a 28,500 acre sanctuary leased from the State of Florida on the northwestern shore of Lake Okeechobee.)

Upon starting the new business Swamp Land Tours Inc., Audubon asked if he could represent them as a volunteer warden to interact with the public in educating them on the preservation of habitats and environment.

In 1997, Captain Legé founded C-O.k.e.e., (Conservation Center for Lake Okeechobee, Kissimmee & Indian Rivers & Everglades Education), a non-profit 501c3 organization whose goal is to promote through education the preservation and conservation of the environments of Lake Okeechobee, the Kissimmee and Indian Rivers, and the Everglades.

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute’s Associate members became frequent visitors to the boat and after having over 2000 members take the trip he was approached by the organization to move is operations to Harbor Branch in 1998 where he conducted wildlife and nature cruises of the Indian River Lagoon, VIP excursions of the environments on the campus plus other areas of the state until June 2004.

Since June of 2004, Captain Legé has been operating from the Fort Pierce, FL City Marina, conducting guided education and entertaining tours of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and Estuary to area school children and general public.

“Gator” Indian River Lagoon Scenic Boat Tours – Fort Pierce Florida

The Boat

The tour boat, also known as “Emilie” is a 45 foot twin pontoon vessel, equipped and inspected to carry 60 passengers + 2 crew. It has twin 70 hp 4 stroke outboard engines, is covered overhead and is equipped with all the necessary safety equipment.

The Swamp Buggy

Our swamp buggy is ready and waiting in our private land west of Fort Pierce. It will hold 8 passengers and travel through some of the most pristine untouched swampland in the State. You will be close to the way Florida was at the time of the Seminole Indians. You will see gators, bobcats, wild hogs, otters, wadding birds and much more.