America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston

(gentle music) (water splashing) (gentle music continues) Wade in the water Wade in the water, people Wade in the water God's gonna trouble the water - This is incredible.

I've read about this, I've seen it in pictures and movies, but to just be floating on this perfectly still black mirror, the sunlight, the still air, the sound of the frogs and birds and insects, it's beautiful.

God's got a plan for you - [Baratunde] The Suwannee has haunted my imagination for as long as I can remember.

It's one of the few rivers in North America that still flows wild and free.

What does that mean for the lucky few who get to live beside it?

And why does this river have such a powerful tug on our imaginations?

Wade in the water (gentle music) - [Baratunde] My name is Baratunde Thurston.

I'm a writer, activist, sometimes comedian, and I'm all about telling a better story of us.

This country is wild, and its natural Landscapes are as diverse as its people.

- [Both] Hey!

- [Baratunde] How does our relationship with the outdoors define us as individuals and as a nation?

(thrilling music) (lively folk music) Of all the rivers that flow through this country, the Suwannee is in a class of its own.

(lively folk music continues) It moves just as it did hundreds of years ago: untouched, protected, and free of dams.

I'm here to travel its length, to experience the Suwannee as the locals do, and see how a wild river shapes a way of life.

Whoa!

(lively folk music continues) I'm starting up in Georgia, where the river begins, in a swamp with a name as iconic as the river it feeds: Okefenokee.

(folk music ends) (wings flapping) (birds chirping) - [Reverend Antoine] Let us sing a song to the Lord.

Wade in the water Wade in the water, children Wade in the water God's gonna trouble the water See that man all dressed in white - [Baratunde] This is Reverend Antoine Nixon.

He's the pastor of Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church.

He was born less than 10 miles from here.

As a child, he came to play and fish at this swamp, but eventually lost touch with it.

God's gonna trouble the water - [Baratunde] Now he leads his congregation here as often as he can.

It's a conversion that took its time.

I grew up going to church, though my church never looked like this.

But for Reverend Nixon, connecting faith and nature is as old as the Bible.

Oh, follow me down to Okefenokee Stream God's gonna trouble the water Wade Wade in the water Wade Wade in the water, children Wade in the water Oh God's gonna trouble The water - Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Wade in the water.

Amen.

It is good to be with you all once again and to fellowship amongst you all.

We at the Okefenokee.

In Genesis 2: 15, it says, "And the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden," to do two things, "to dress it-" - Dress it.

- "and to keep it."

- Keep it.

- Man was not meant to be idle in this place.

He was to defend it, manage it, and steward it.

In other words, he had work to do.

Amen.

- [Congregation] Amen.

- Amen.

(congregation applauding) - [Baratunde] A few years ago, a group of activists advocating for the swamp's protection reintroduced him to the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, and that's when he had a revelation: protecting the swamp is vital to the health of the people who live beside it.

Well, thank you for having me out here today.

- [Reverend Antoine] I appreciate you coming.

- [Baratunde] How often do you all do service outside?

- Every quarter we come outside, bring the church outside to enjoy, like, the openness of it.

- And you have a lot of members showing up, a lot of human members, you got a gator showing up to the sermon today.

- Everybody's listening out here.

So I feel like I got a bigger congregation when I come- - Ah, there we go.

Now I see your strategy.

And is your congregation, your human congregation, are they used to this now?

Do they look forward to it, or are they like, "Oh, Reverend's taking us back out to the swamp again.

Here we go"?

- No, they look so forward to it.

We've gotten so many people that come out and really enjoy these services.

We've been doing it for almost three years now.

- What is the difference in terms of your experience of the sermon?

How does it feel different to do it outside versus inside?

- Well, definitely I feel like outside is more of a spiritual connection to nature itself, trying to get back to what God intended.

There's times where you can feel like you're isolated because you're only inside.

So coming back, it's like reconnecting.

- What is the value or the power of feeling connected to this swamp?

- Well, I think it takes me back to Genesis.

In the beginning, God formed man.

He placed him in a peculiar place, this paradise of sorts.

And as you're looking, I mean, where else you gonna find gators coming to your service?

- [Baratunde] This is very peculiar.

I'll give you that.

- It's a very peculiar place to be in, you know?

And also there's a different energy level out here than it is on the inside of the walls.

And so every time it's a new experience, because every time you come out here this place is changing.

- Man, swamp service.

- Swamp service, I like that.

I'm gonna have to incorporate that.

- There you go.

That's a free one.

- I don't have that.

(both laughing) - What else are we gonna be up to today?

- Well, I would like to show you more so of the swamp itself, you know, get out on the boat to show you what's so great about the Okefenokee Swamp.

- Well, I'm looking forward to it.

- [Reverend Antoine] Likewise.

- I'll follow your lead.

(gentle music) (motor rumbling) (folk music) - [Reverend Antoine] Wow.

(laughs) What?

(motor droning) - I expected a swamp to feel swampy, but this place is pristine, peaceful, and downright inviting.

Whoa.

(water splashing) (folk music continues) - I've never been down there.

- Yeah?

It's like a very flooded road.

- Yeah.

Yeah, right.

- To the Muskogee who once lived here, the swamp is sacred.

Their ancestors named it Okefenokee, Land of Trembling Earth.

It stretches out over 700 square miles of wilderness, the largest black water swamp in North America.

(motor droning) It's a haven for wildlife; and not just the 12,000 alligators.

It's also a refuge for over 600 species of plants, including a few carnivorous ones.

Woo!

- There it is.

- What?

(laughs) - [Reverend Antoine] Back into the openness.

- [Baratunde] That's beautiful.

Our guide is Larry Woodward, the deputy refuge manager.

- But these are essentially floating islands.

- Yeah.

- Wow.

- But off to our left is a battery that y'all can go climb out on; this little grassy area.

- This thing?

- Yeah.

We'll pull up to it.

And it's a floating mat of peat.

And we'll let you walk on it.

And this is where the name for the Land of the Trembling Earth came from, is all the peat that's out here floating.

(motor droning) Y'all ready?

- [Baratunde] I guess so, yeah.

- Let's go.

- Any tips?

- No, just step softly, but it'll hold you up, I promise.

- Okay.

(birds chirping) (Baratunde sighs) Ha!

- You have arrived.

- I feel it.

That's so cool.

Oh, it's sticky.

It's like walking on a sponge.

So, Larry, we're standing on floating land.

What's going on beneath the surface?

- It's the decomposing vegetation from over thousands of years.

It's a 7,000-year-old swamp.

- What?

- So it's taken that long to create all the peat in here.

But you can see all the methane and carbon dioxide bubbles that are under.

- That's what that is.

- [Larry] But that's also what's making this float.

And you could feel the peat- - So I can just get in.

- Yeah.

And it's just vegetation, just decaying vegetation, all different types of stuff.

But this helps purify the water.

Even though you think mud and muck and- - It actually swamp feels really clean.

- Yes, it is.

- This is the cleanest mud I've ever- - Right, right.

- Yeah.

- Why is the water black?

Is it 'cause of this?

- It is, that along with the leaves and all, and branches and whatever else falls from all the vegetation creates tannic acid that- - Like tea, swamp tea.

- Like tea.

It's exactly what it is, tea.

Black water's good water.

And what's so critical about the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is protecting the swamp and protecting the water that's released into the Suwannee River.

The Suwannee River is the largest unaltered river in the Southeast.

And it's just an incredible resource, but it's so valuable that it hasn't been altered.

And what we need to do is provide a consistent quantity and quality fresh water for the system.

- This would be the stuff that your mama would let you play with and you wouldn't get in trouble.

- Yeah, play the mud and not get dirty.

- You don't have to worry about coming home all dirty and everything and have a whole story.

- Oh, whoa.

Did you feel that?

- You felt that?

It's moving, it's moving.

Yeah.

- It's trembling.

- It's trembling.

- [Reverend Antoine] How are we moving a whole island?

- Yeah, living up to its name.

(gentle music) Standing on this trembling earth, the swamp feels like a living thing.

But as Reverend Nixon tells me, it's fragile.

And there's talk of a mining project that could be built just outside the refuge.

In your sermon, you mentioned a lot of the responsibilities that people have for nature, according to scripture: protect, defend, be a steward.

What are you protecting and defending from?

- I'm protecting history, its naturalness.

And we're protecting it from outside threats coming in to take advantage of this natural scene here.

There's a company looking to mine on the Trail Ridge side.

You know, and Trail Ridge is really what keeps this thing intact.

You know, and if there was any type of incident to happen out there, manmade, to where the water levels would drop out here, then you naturally put everything out here in this environment in danger.

- [Baratunde] Supporters of the mine insist it will be safe, bringing much needed jobs to the area.

But experts say it will bring little benefit, impacting water levels, and potentially releasing disastrous amounts of carbon held within the peat.

And that would be a big deal, not just for the swamp and its wildlife but for the people who live downstream and beyond.

- There are many communities that are impacted by the swamp, you know, as it travels farther and makes its way through the Suwannee.

And so ultimately the swamp's success is about its value.

If we put the right amount of value on it, then it'll be protected and we won't have to worry about doing anything.

- Yeah, thank you for demonstrating that care.

I'm feeling that love from both of you.

- Yes, sir.

- And I'm sinking right now.

(Reverend Antoine laughs) - [Reverend Antoine] Yeah.

Yeah.

- [Baratunde] Literally falling in love- - Right.

Yeah, yeah.

- with a swamp.

- I like that, you know?

You're sinking into it, you know?

- I'm sinking into my feelings.

- It's like we're becoming one with it.

We're returning back to the land, you know?

- Yeah.

You guys good?

(laughs) I kind of wanna see where this goes.

- Right.

It's like a time lapse.

Can we speed this up and see what happens?

- Look at those boots.

Yeah.

- At least they're wearing their hats, so we'll know where they went down.

- [Baratunde] Being here helps me understand why folks like Reverend Nixon see the hand of God in this magnificent swamp.

But these waters run even deeper than that.

As they flow into the Suwannee, these waters are part of a vast watershed, with wetlands, springs, even underwater caves, a system that supports both wildlife and people.

And there's a bonus, a whole lot of ways to enjoy the outdoors; and some of them, kind of noisy.

(motorcycle rumbling) (lively folk music) (motorcycles rumbling) (lively folk music continues) I don't mind taking a back seat, really.

Woo-hoo!

Meet the Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club.

This band of bikers take their name from a legacy of African American soldiers.

They're taking me further down river to show me how they experience the Suwannee and get me to one of the most important outdoor activities around, a fish fry.

(lively music) Hello.

Hello.

- Hey, how you doing?

- [Baratunde] Doing good.

And thanks for letting me ride with y'all.

- That was exciting, huh?

- That was cool.

That was my first time.

I'll admit I'm not used to being on a motorcycle.

So what might be easy for you was a little stressful for me.

These big trucks come whizzing by, and I'm just chilling and (mimics whooshing) I get hit with a little pulse of wind.

What's it mean to ride with a group of fellow soldiers?

- When you ride with a lot of group of soldiers, it's all about unity and fellowship.

And when we get on them horses, as we call the motorcycles, we look good.

- Yeah, you do.

- And when you look good, you feel good.

- [Baratunde] Getting in formation like Beyonce out there.

(group laughs) - Whatever works.

- We're sitting here, we're outside at the Suwannee River State Park.

The river's right there.

What does that mean to you?

- Well, growing up it was a source of food for one.

We would fish a lot and sometimes catch our dinner.

But it's just a part of nature that was historical to me because not only did Steven Foster write about the Suwannee River and others, it's something that's been there before our time.

So we grew up respecting our nature.

It was a part of our life, you know, as well.

- The thing that stood out to me was I'm out here on this bike and I feel the wind and I can hear the road and I can...

There's no roof blocking my view.

I'm just looking up, it's like, "Ah, it's vultures!"

You know what I mean?

Like, can you describe some of what it feels like to ride outside like that?

- It's an amazing feeling, actually, especially when you're going fast.

But it's an amazing feeling to know that you're just one with nature, one with all, one with everything.

(motorcycles rumbling) - [Club Member] We all love open road because it's safe, it's fun, you can relax.

You can really ride while enjoying the environment.

(motorcycle rumbling) (lively music) - And you feel free, and then you can have a chance that your mind can relax.

In the city, our mind always constantly thinking, looking for danger.

But when you on these back roads, how we was coming here- - It's joy.

- I'm glad you do.

- It's truly- - I have one question for you.

You have a very different vest.

It's a little stripped down, if I might say, Leah.

- Yes, it is.

Yes.

I am an actual probie.

- A probie, like probation.

- A probie.

Probation.

- Like you're not a full member yes?

- [Leah] No, not yet.

So I have to earn- - So when do you become a full member?

What do you have to do to unlock that?

- 3,500 miles.

- On the bike?

- On my horse, yes.

- On your horse.

I'm so sorry.

I keep calling it a bike, it's a horse.

- It's a horse.

- Get it straight.

- No, it's a bike.

- Iron horse.

- Yeah, it's iron horse.

- Your iron horse.

- [Club Member] Attend all meetings as well.

- And all meetings.

- The president's giving you straight on the fine print.

I'm feeling like a lot of warmth and love from y'all, a lot of peaceful vibes and gentleness.

Can you talk to me about, you know, the reputation of bikers versus the reality that you experience in this club?

- I can't speak for other clubs per se and their, what their creed is.

But for ours, what we try to do to change that perception is through our community service and involvement and just positive things we do.

One, we ride our bikes to pay homage to those 9th and 10th Cavalry, the horse cavalry, and talk about what they did for this country to help make this country what it is.

But they were dedicated, and that alone just gives, motivates us to continue to be motivated in the community and serve like they did those before.

- [Baratunde] The all-Black United States Army regimens known as the Buffalo Soldiers is where the club gets its name.

And the founder of the Jacksonville chapter, Joe Hot Wing Tillman, actually served in a regiment that was once part of the Buffalo Soldiers, now he's the president of their historical society.

Many people know the Buffalo Soldiers from Bob Marley.

- Right.

- Right, dreadlock Rasta.

- [Joe] Rasta, yes.

- [Baratunde] Who are the Buffalo soldiers?

- They were your first all-Black enlisted peacetime army after the Civil War.

- And why the name Buffalo Soldier?

- That came from the Native Americans and their respect of the way those men fought.

It's because they fought like a wounded buffalo.

And when a buffalo gets wounded, he's a fierce fighter.

- Yeah.

- The funny thing about it, the men never attributed the name to themselves.

- What are some of the most important things you think people should know about the Buffalo Soldiers?

- We read in our history books about the Pony Express.

The Buffalo soldiers delivered the mail way longer than the Pony Express.

The telegraph wire, the communications was laid by the Buffalo soldiers from the east to the west.

As those settlers was coming from the east to the west, it was the Buffalo Soldiers that protected most of those wagon trains.

- What's the connection for you between the Buffalo soldiers and motorcycle culture?

- The motorcycle community pretty much is ride and have a good time.

And I wanted to represent something that meant a little bit more, that could bring some pride to the community.

So being that the Buffalo Soldiers, the 9 and 10th Cavalry, had horses, I said, "What better way to be on an iron horse?"

You know?

And that was the connection for me, was having my iron horse and honoring a unit with the history of the Buffalo Soldiers.

- Hot Wing, thank you.

- [Joe] Appreciate you.

Thank you.

- Where can I get some good hot wings over here?

- We too far this way.

My stomping ground is 100 miles the other way.

- Oh, but they call you Hot Wing.

I thought you could find me hot wings anywhere.

- Well, look, I don't know about Live Oak.

(both laughing) (motorcycle droning) - [Baratunde] The legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers seems alive here.

- [Group] Amen!

- [Baratunde] And with every noisy convoy, they're showing that being outside can be an expression of pride.

- Buffalo!

- Soldiers!

- Buffalo!

- Soldiers!

- Buffalo.

- Soldiers!

- And we what?

- All good!

- It's Buffalo Soldier good.

(lively music) - Rivers were once the roads we traveled on.

And you can feel the Suwannee spirit here on land and in the water.

So I'm wondering, does a wild river tempt folks into wild activities?

(suspenseful music) (footsteps rustling) (birds chirping) (water splashing) (water burbling) What?

(laughs) Chelsea, hello.

Nice to meet you.

- You too.

- That was surprising, beautiful, and a little scary.

- I'd invite you in, but the place is a mess.

(both laugh) - [Baratunde] You look like an alien.

- [Chelsea] Thank you.

- [Baratunde] I'm glad you take that as a compliment.

- It's perspective, right?

- [Baratunde] Chelsea Dinan is a scientist and explorer with nerves of steel.

She practices one of the most dangerous sports in the world, cave diving.

- Thank you.

- Yeah, of course.

It's literally the least I can do.

'Cause I'm not getting in there, not like this.

- I'll get you in there.

- Yeah.

Okay.

Even though she looks a touch surreal, her passion for exploring these particular caves, it's kind of infectious.

There is nothing I can do to help her in this situation.

- [Chelsea] Yeah, there's not really much you can do.

- Nope.

I just wanna awkwardly watch this play out.

Yep, almost there.

- Woo.

- Okay.

- Fabulous.

- Welcome back.

- Thanks.

- You're human under there after all.

(laughs) - Mostly, yes.

(Baratunde laughs) - You just emerged from a green, slimish covered, what looks to me like a pond.

- Right.

- What is this?

- So this is a sinkhole, But what you're seeing on top is actually a plant called duckweed, and it's very common.

And here in Manatee Springs, there is a decent-sized cave, and I like to go swim in it.

- Where did you start your diving journey?

Was it in caves like this?

- Yes, actually it was along the Suwannee River, springs just like this one with thousands of feet of cave passage.

For me, I started cave diving because I get very seasick.

Sitting on a boat dock, I will get nauseous if I'm there long enough.

So finding a way to dive that eliminated the boat was really important.

I have friends that were cave divers, and they were like, "Hey, why don't you come visit the springs?"

And I'm like, "No, you guys are crazy, absolutely not."

- So you used to think they were crazy, now look at you.

- Yes.

Yes, I did.

- You're one of them.

- Now I'm one of them.

- 'Cause I look at you and I say, "She's crazy."

- Right.

- What's important to you about diving in caves in this region, in terms of the Suwannee River and its basin?

- We have one of the most extensive caves systems in the world.

So all of this fresh water that we're seeing, the springs, they're all connected in some way to the Floridan aquifer.

I wanna say 40 to 50 something million years ago is about when these caves started to form, and each one has a different story to tell.

- [Baratunde] What do you love about cave diving?

- For me, it is the best way for me to meditate because it requires so much focus, and that's mindfulness.

I'm in the moment.

I'm not dissociating.

I am here, I feel everything.

I can feel my toes going numb, I can feel the coldness on my fingers and my face.

And it's a really, really good way to clear my head and chill.

- [Baratunde] Yeah.

- [Chelsea] I like to use the analogy of it's like doing this Shavasana section of yoga.

- Shavasana is my favorite pose.

That's the one where we just lie down, right?

- Yes.

- Yes!

- Nap time at the end.

- That is yoga.

I'm like, "I'm doing yoga.

I'm not napping.

I'm not being lazy.

I'm yoging."

- Yeah, exactly.

So cave diving is the Shavasana of all of the divings.

It's very chill and zen and very relaxing.

- That sounds like a beautiful feeling.

- It is.

It really is.

- And it's all under there.

- It is.

Yep.

- It's like there's the that stuff you see.

You see the beaches in Florida, you're like, "Oh, this water."

You see rivers, swamps.

But this is something kind of beneath the surface.

- Directly below where you're sitting right now there's a cave passage.

So I'll hop in and I'll meet you on the other side.

- Sounds good.

- Fabulous.

(water splashing and burbling) (gentle music) - [Baratunde] While underwater yoga sounds enticing, this is strictly for the pros.

The cave systems throughout the region are some of the longest in the world, with nearly 26,000 feet stretching out beneath Manatee Springs alone.

And I definitely don't have the skills to make it outta there.

(gentle music continues) So I'm sticking to the surface world while Chelsea swims right under my feet to meet me here at the head spring with my snorkel in hand.

Hello again.

- Hello.

- All right.

I'm coming in right here.

Ah.

So this is pretty different from the sinkhole we were just at.

This is beautiful.

Blue waters, I can see right into it.

It's like a cenote in Mexico.

- Yeah, exactly.

They're formed very similarly, yes.

- Okay.

- Yeah.

Like, if I just stop for one second and look at this, it's ridiculous in the best way.

The trees coming straight outta the water, these little stumpy things.

It's so blue and so clear.

And this is connected to where we were earlier.

- It is, directly.

- I really want to join you.

Can I come in?

- Absolutely.

- All right.

(bright music) That's beautiful.

Woo-hoo!

(laughs) And then it just goes down.

Oh, that feels amazing.

I wanna live in here.

(bright music continues) I thought I knew what a river was, but it turns out a river is much more than flowing water.

It can be floating islands, the stillest springs, mazes of hidden caves.

When a river runs wild, it can create surprises around every bend.

And you know what?

Chelsea's right.

It is like underwater yoga.

(bright music continues) The way the light moves down there, the colors- - It dances.

- Yes.

The sun is so strong right now, so these beams just cut through, but then they bounce around like a disco ball, but like way better than a disco ball.

- Nature's show.

- Yeah, it's nature's light show.

It's so beautiful.

I kinda don't wanna leave.

Gimme some.

I'd hug you, but you're wearing a lot of gages and whatnot.

(gentle music) Caves aren't the only secret the Suwannee holds.

Turns out there are other hidden worlds in this watershed, you just have to know where and when to look.

For biologist Mario Aldecoa, darkness is a time for seeking out some pretty elusive critters, ones I tend to avoid.

All right.

So I gotta know where this comes from.

You and I have opposite instincts when it comes to what we do in the night.

We're out here to do night herping.

I wanna start with some definitions.

I know what night is, what's herping?

- Herping is slang for searching for reptiles and amphibians, because the study of reptiles and amphibians is called herpetology.

So things that we could find, for sure snakes, some toads, frogs, maybe salamanders.

Essentially, you don't know.

And that's kind of the magic of it.

- [Baratunde] So who are you, Mario?

Like, where did this come from?

Where did your journey start such that you love night herping?

- My journey began as a little kid, right, growing up in South Florida, growing up with the Everglades and this type of habitat almost as my backyard.

And my curious self would go out and search for creepy crawlies.

And sometimes those creepy crawlies were snakes, were lizards, and frogs.

And I quickly developed a fascination with these animals.

Most people, I think, avoid going out at night, right, it's kind of scary and spooky, but that's actually when many species come to life.

- Yeah.

I think most of us have a relationship with the outdoors premised on daytime activities, right?

There's surfing and mountain biking and hiking.

And by and large, you know, other than camping and sleeping, we're not doing most of those things right in the nighttime.

And here you are night herping.

- It might seem a little weird.

But if people give it a chance, it's just relaxing being out at night.

In fact, your senses are more in tuned, right?

Naturally at night we're gonna be a little bit more aware of our environment.

So we'll just walk casually, there's no rush.

And every time you step, take a quick scan of the environment, right?

And you're gonna be looking for differences in, like, texture, obviously movement.

You might spook an animal.

I'm gonna make my way down here.

(suspenseful music) - I do like the stillness here and just the insect sounds, it's a meditative feeling.

But it's also really pretty.

I just don't go out into the woods at night very often.

It's just really still and peaceful here.

It's like nothing out here is in a rush.

And the kind of nerves I had coming in have definitely all gone away.

That could be aided by the fact that I haven't seen a snake yet.

(frogs croaking) - Got a snake.

Baratunde!

Check it out.

Check it out.

Okay, I see- - Whoa.

- Do you see it?

- Oh my god.

- Do you see it?

- Yes.

No, that is a big snake.

- [Mario] Oh man.

This is a fantastic species.

- [Baratunde] What kind of 1970s pattern is this snake wearing?

- [Mario] This is a great snake.

- [Baratunde] You're a different type of dude.

(laughs) - Oh, this is a good sized one.

Okay, so first thing, it is non venomous.

Once again, I'm not crazy great enough to just free handle a venomous snake.

- Oh, look at that head.

- This is a rat snake, a Gulf Coast rat snake.

Check that out.

- Does that mean it eats rats?

- Yes, it eats rats.

- I like that.

- It does a service.

- We need those in New York.

- All right, touch the snake.

You gotta touch it.

- Oh.

- What do you think?

- Smooth.

- I mean, how long do you think it is?

As long as you.

How tall are you?

- I'm 5'10."

- This thing is every bit 5'10".

- Okay.

- What do you think?

- It might even be longer 'cause it's curled around your wrist.

- I think it's about a six-foot rat snake.

- Yeah.

- Can you please hold this part for me?

- Oh my god.

(gasps) - There we go.

- Oh boy.

- Two hands.

Use two hands very gently.

I'll take this part here.

- What?

(gasps) - [Mario] How does it feel?

- Weird.

It feels weird.

I'm holding a snake.

Oh my god.

- You're holding a snake.

You can kinda let it, like, crawl through your hands.

- Yeah, yeah.

I'm definitely not trying to apply any kind of pressure.

Whoa.

- [Mario] Doing fantastic.

- Whoa, whoa.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

I just like to keep the head back here.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

- You're good, you're good.

You're good.

That is just a- - What is that?

That's just a mechanism, the snake's hanging onto you.

- [Baratunde] Oh, he's got, he's very strong.

- [Mario] These are constrictors.

- Now you tell me, when it's wrapped around my wrist?

- So they eat- - We gotta work on your explanation skills, Mario.

- But you're much bigger than a rat.

This snake is not delusional, it knows it cannot eat us.

We are a potential threat, but we are handling it as gently as possible.

- Okay.

- Together we're gonna place the snake down.

- [Baratunde] Okay.

- And then I'm gonna let go of the snake.

And you just keep your hand like that.

You're gonna see he's gonna slowly untangle.

- [Baratunde] Yeah.

- [Mario] It's gonna take off.

- [Baratunde] Be free.

- [Mario] So you notice here, right- - [Baratunde] He's still got my wrist.

- [Mario] Let him get his orientation.

- He's trying to take my blood pressure.

(Baratunde laughing) - [Mario] I think he likes you.

Just like that.

(Baratunde laughing) - [Baratunde] Dude, that was a lot.

That was a lot.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

- You survived.

- I did.

- Well, there's some other denizens of the river that I wanna show you.

So tomorrow morning we're gonna go for some river monsters.

(both laugh) - I can't wait.

See you in the morning.

- All right.

Let's go.

- Let's go.

(funky music) Even by daylight, my memories of the snake are still pretty vivid.

But Mario tells me it's just one of the many critters that find their specialized niche in this complicated watershed.

In fact, some are so specialized they can only be found in these waters.

You got something?

Like this gorgeous specimen.

Yeah?

- Big one.

- Big one.

- Big one.

- Whoa!

Holy moly!

Is that big?

That looks big to me.

- Yeah, it's pretty big.

Looks like it's over 100 pounds.

Looks like a turtle we've captured before.

- Okay.

- It's a marked individual, so we'll look at our data and see when was the last time we saw this turtle, so- - That is a very big turtle, by my estimation.

I'm not a turtle expert.

I don't spend a lot of time with turtles, so...

But the ones I've seen when we were in school, they were cute little ones.

It's cute, but it's massive.

Mario and his friends from the University of Florida have been monitoring an amazing animal for 10 years now, the prehistoric Suwannee alligator snapping turtle.

They've lived here for more than 5 million years, and scientists estimate there are only 2,000 left.

Today the goal is to measure, weigh, and tag them to help keep track of the health of the local population.

Did I mention that these are the largest freshwater turtles in America?

- [Speaker] This one's a bit heavy.

- [Baratunde] So easier said than done.

- 40.

- 40.

- [Speaker] The next thing, you need to work out more.

- [Speaker] Safety first, watch your hands.

- [Speaker] We arrange the traps in the order we caught the turtles.

So the furthest upstream ones are the ones we caught last, so those will be released first.

- Travis, what are you seeing in terms of the variety here?

Does this feel like a good day for you?

- It's a great day.

So one of the most important aspects of what we're doing, you'll notice that some of these turtles have little markings on 'em.

So those are turtles we've recaptured and captured previously.

So over time there are some mathematical models that allow us to estimate parameters like survival, abundance, and overall population status.

So what I see right here is a great amount of data.

We had a good day.

- Good.

What makes you so interested in and committed to these turtles?

- I actually grew up right here on the rivers.

When I was a little kid, I used to catch little turtles swimming around and playing.

And then I went out with a local biologist and we started a project.

And I was hooked, right?

You know, you pull one of these up, right?

- Do you say you were hooked or maybe trapped?

- I was trapped, yeah.

(laughs) - What did the river mean to you as a kid?

- It was like my TV.

It was everything.

It's the only thing I had to do, right?

So fish, drive around, go to the springs, jump in, swim around.

- Yeah.

And this one's definitely trying to get back to the Suwannee.

- [Travis] Right, this one's like- - [Baratunde] It knows where the water is.

- [Travis] "I'm outta here," yeah.

- "Take me home."

- So we should probably get going on some measurements.

- Okay.

- I'll put you to work.

- Yeah, lemme know how I can help.

- All right.

(gentle music) - [Speaker] 457.

194.

- The males get really large tails.

And you wanna with mass?

- Sure, yeah.

Get some weight training in.

- There you go.

- How many turtles have you- - [Speaker] I like putting them on their back.

Well- - Yeah, yeah.

- [Baratunde] It's not exact, but you can estimate a snapping turtle's age based on how big they are.

- [Speaker] This one is 110-pound turtle.

- [Baratunde] And 110 pounds is big.

This guy could be as much as a 100 years old.

- All right.

- That's a big one!

All right.

Turtle workouts.

Thank you.

So glad I could come to help you out.

- [Travis] Yeah.

All right, we'll just scan his PIT tag.

- Okay.

Come on.

Come back.

Okay.

982 000 4088 23641.

- Perfect.

- Yes.

- Nice job.

- [Baratunde] The snapping turtles are holding their own.

But there's also a lesson here.

Even in a protected river, modern stresses can drive an ancient species to the brink.

So like many of our natural places, it's gonna take some love to keep it all in balance.

And for the folks who live around here, that love runs pretty deep.

(light folk music) - Locals have a very strong relationship to the river.

When you grow up around Florida and along rivers, you learn to swim in the rivers; all your activities are around here, that's where you've bond with your family.

- I've been on this river pretty much my entire life.

- I love, you know, jumping into the crystal clear water.

It's kinda like having a pool in your own backyard.

- Most people, when they think of Florida, they think of palm trees and beaches and condos and...

However, on this coast, which is considered the nature coast, it looks like it did 100 years ago.

- You know, alligators, you know, almost every 150 feet.

- We was on the Okefenokee like a month ago, you know, just exploring nature on the swamps, rivers, lakes.

- My favorite animal is the alligator.

- I swim with the manatees.

It's very fun.

- And I actually found a big fish.

- I'm really having an emotional moment right now.

Like, I'm joyful.

- Besides recreation and the fun that we have on it, of course it is the source of almost all of our drinking water.

- Without the river, we wouldn't have the tight-knit community I think that we have now.

This is where we grew up.

This is all we know.

We don't have swimming pools in our backyards, we have the river.

(water splashing) - As I enter the lower Suwannee region, there's no denying the value that this river has to locals.

Everyone has their own way of interacting with it.

And for the Florida River Riders Jet Ski Club, it's all about high-octane fun.

(jet skis droning) (group cheering) (jet skis droning) (lively classical music) Oh my god.

(laughing) Woo-hoo!

(lively classical music continues) Oh!

(lively classical music continues) (jet ski revving) (water splashing) (jet ski revving) (lively music continues) (Jet skier laughs) Oh my god!

(water splashing) (lively music continues) (jet skier laughing) (water splashing) I got a new trick.

Oh yeah.

(lively classical music continues) Woo-hoo!

(lively music ends) Yeah!

Okay, not everyone loves jet skis.

They're noisy.

And around here they sometimes collide with big fish, for real.

But Heather and Q, who founded the River Riders Club are big time fans of jet skis and the river itself.

Heather, Q, that was amazing!

(Heather and Q laughing) Oh my goodness.

- You survived.

- I thrived.

That was so much more than survival out there.

That was fun.

That was free, playful, a little edge of danger.

But then the more I did it, the safer I felt.

So I would ask you why you do it, but I got a little taste enough to know why you do this.

- Once you get a little taste, you get addicted.

- Ah.

So Florida River Rider.

I associate jet skis with Florida.

There's so much coastline, there's ocean, there's gulf, there's rivers.

But what's different about, you know, y'all's riding crew versus other jet skiing that people might be familiar with?

- So it actually started on the Suwannee.

There's a spring called Turtle Springs.

And it was the winter months and we were out there.

And we made a little fire on the bank, you know, hanging out to warm up 'cause we were cold.

Another guy rolled up on his jet ski and we started hanging out, met him, and then, you know, his girlfriend.

And then it just kept escalating more people.

And it was like, "All right, let's put a ride together.

Anybody that wants to come?"

you know, put the word out.

And then it just kept growing from there, you know?

- So what's special about riding on a river for you?

- No sharks.

(Baratunde laughs) - That.

But, you know, the scenery out here, you know?

You can go to endless places.

Like, rivers go to bigger bodies of water, and you can travel all over, and it connects to go different places, like little pockets, like things, if you could find, endless to go into.

Sometimes there's a spring back there you wouldn't even know.

- [Q] So this river is very much respected on boaters- - I agree.

- Personal watercrafts, it's well respected.

And it's taken care of.

- Our biggest thing, too, is when we're out here, too, you know, respect the water.

- What about the life that lives in the river, thinking about fish and alligators.

And particularly manatees, I know they have a lot of risk factors out here.

How does that connect with skiing on the river?

- So the nice thing about a ski is because it doesn't have a propeller, it's all jet propelled.

That's not gonna cut up the manatee.

So that's the nice thing.

So you just gotta be careful, you know, and keep an eye out for 'em, give enough space between.

If, you know, like if we're flying down the river, we wanna make sure we slow down.

It's like with our group, you know, we have, there's slow down kind of thing.

And we always try to move over to the other side of the river, you know?

And if you show respect to them, they're gonna show it back to you.

That's how we've always done that, especially with our group anyways.

- I love them to death, but when they get really close, I'm like, "This thing is bigger than my ski."

I'm like, "Go away.

Go away."

(Baratunde laughs) - The first time that she saw one.

- Well, y'all, thank you for inviting me to ride with you today.

You made me feel really welcome the same way you described everybody else.

Let's get some lunch.

- Yeah.

- 'Cause I worked up- - Thanks for having us.

- an appetite with you- - We've had a great time.

(gentle music) - It's been a wild ride down this wild river, and I just need a moment to take it in.

I've met churchgoers and motorcycle riders, jet skiers, and cave divers.

But there's one population dependent on the Suwannee I've got to check in with.

(gentle music) Let's agree there's just something about Florida manatees.

Maybe it's their endearingly bulky shape or that face that brings out your most protective instincts, or gazing at a baby manatee.

I mean, come on.

No wonder manatees are so beloved in these parts, that some devote their lives to protecting them.

And that's a good thing because manatees are endangered.

There are fewer than 7,000 left in the state thanks to habitat loss and watercraft collisions.

Most are swimming around with scars from boat propellers.

Mike Walsh and his colleagues, Shea and Susanna, from the University of Florida Marine Animal Rescue program, do everything they can to save and care for injured and orphan manatees.

Today I get to join them on a search for any that might need help.

I'm hoping to see one in person for the first time.

Shea, what are we looking for?

- So, for you guys, you might be at a little bit of a better vantage point to see what's called a nose up.

It's exactly what it sounds like.

It's when a manatee pokes their nose right above the surface of the water to breathe the same air that we do.

For us, we're gonna try and maybe catch those animals on the drone camera first before they pop that nose up.

Because even with polarized sunglasses for you and I, you look down at this water, you can't really see too much down low.

- Real dark, yeah.

- Yeah, and the other thing we can look for is the footprints.

- That's the tail?

- Yeah, the tail up near the surface is gonna make a flat round area, and it'll recur every time the tail comes up.

- Why don't we call 'em tail prints, Mike?

- I guess it's just been that way for so long.

(Baratunde laughs) - I'm bringing innovation to the manatee saving game.

You're welcome.

You're welcome.

- Write that down.

Write that down.

(laughs) - [Baratunde] I mean, the marine life you're focused on rescuing are manatees.

- [Mike] Yes.

- But what are the threats facing them?

- So watercraft trauma.

- [Baratunde] Ah.

- People wanna go fast in their boats, they wanna get to where they want to be quick.

Manatees are fairly slow, it doesn't mean that they can't get out of the way.

And over time they learn boats are in the middle typically, so they'll go deep into the middle of the channels as they're crossing the river.

But on the sides or in the shallow areas where they might be feeding, they're at risk.

- What is your motivation, Mike?

I mean, why are you putting in so much work with feeding and drones and boats?

You're in a kayak right now.

Where does your energy come from for this?

- I think the energy of all of us that do this kind of work comes from a dedication to giving and to being advocates.

In reality, our species already has that capability.

That's what we do with parenting.

That's what we do when humans adopt humans.

So what we are is surrogates for those youngsters till we can get them back with their own kind, and to make sure they stay protected.

Everybody here is a conservationist.

Whether they're a liberal or a conservative, they all seem to care about what happens on the river, and that's to our advantage.

And there's one right here.

- [Speaker] Copy that.

- His nose is gonna come up in a second.

- [Baratunde] Not one, three.

- [Mike] So now we've got a unique relationship here, because at least three animals have come back into the springs.

- Your manatees?

- Yes.

And this will be a great opportunity to get some real good imaging of what's going on with these guys.

- So we're gonna go in there and try to swim with them?

- I think so.

- Are they cool with that?

- As long as you don't push 'em into a corner and stay on one side so you don't crowd them, they'll likely just stick around.

(gentle music) - I was a little nervous and unsure of what to expect.

I knew they were huge, but you never really get how huge until you're right up next to them.

(gentle music continues) Huge, but curious and full of personality.

One came right by me.

I can see him munching food.

I'm just trying to stay out of his way.

It's this like oddly potato-shaped, but graceful creature.

It's so beautiful.

(gentle music continues) Graceful and potato shaped.

They seem so different from us.

But in the Suwannee, I feel the connection.

And when you swim with them, you know the people trying to save them are doing important work.

(gentle music continues) (Baratunde humming) (pensive music) Wade in the water Wade in the water, children Wade in the water God's gonna trouble the water (pensive music continues) (choir humming) Wade in the water Wade in the water, people - Finally, I'm at the mouth of the Suwannee where the deep black water flows into the gulf.

Here is where the river's journey comes to an end, and so does mine.

From the Okefenokee to this, it's all the same system.

That's amazing.

I wanna bring Reverend Nixon down here.

Along the entire length of this waterway, the river calls to people, summoning them to come outdoors and experience the wild.

- It's an amazing feeling, actually.

And to know that you're just one with nature, one with all, one with everything.

- [Baratunde] The Suwannee has created a world that shapes almost every aspect of life in and out of the water.

- No matter what, one thing we have in common is the water.

- [Speaker] The water, it's freedom.

- [Baratunde] Freedom, pride, faith.

These waters inspire strong emotions in the people who get to know them.

- [Reverend Antoine] In Genesis 2:8, it says, "And the Lord God planted a garden, and there He put the man whom he had formed."

He was to defend it, manage it, and steward it.

In other words, he had work to do.

- [Baratunde] I feel like I've been to the garden of Eden, and I'm now compelled to help defend this place.

Wade in the water (uplifting music)