Let's meet Captain Kelly Turkette, one of the newest members of the River Ventures crew! She may be new to us, but Kelly's been around a while, living in Crystal River since 1989 and working at many other tour companies before finding her home here. We have wanted Kelly on our team for a long time, and her reputation as a manatee whisperer, sweet soul, and fierce woman came long before her time at RV!
Kelly has been a manatee guide and passionate photographer for years now... and has recently added the Captain feather to her cap! She can't wait to teach the world about the ecosystems she loves while at the helm of her own vessel! Kelly is known as the Scallop Slayer; she finds 'em quick and they just seem to jump in her bag. Where others may struggle, Kelly gets it done. When it comes to scallops she can find 'em, catch 'em, & clean 'em like nobody's business but really we are rooting for her to be one of the first female airboat captains in the area... go, Kelly! Check back in this time next year, and you may be able to take a rip-roaring, high-speed adventure on the Homosassa with Kelly as your airboat Captain.
This Libra lady is sensitive... she appreciates music and painting. She can groove to almost any type of music and she loves working on her 'Fluid Art' in her downtime. Check out some of her work on her insta @leftover_paint; it's pretty cool and inspiring stuff! Between work, her son, her 3 dogs, 1 goat, and 20 chickens Kelly doesn't find much time for her creative pursuits and would love to win the lottery to travel and enjoy using her time and money to make the world a better place.
Fun-loving, energetic, and quick-witted this gal loves nothing more than to see the genuine moments she witnesses between nature and visitors. There's something about Kelly's positive energy that works like a magnet with wildlife! If it can be found, Kelly will find it... or IT will find her, and that means you'll be surprised at the variety of wild things you may witness and learn about with Kelly as your host. She's helpful, kind, and just plain fun to be around according to her co-workers and they love having her on the Crew. Kelly promises an 'Authentic' experience. Take a trip with her and it won't be your typical touristy day. Kelly is not a 'poser', she is a local that truly enjoys sharing her passions... and she loves catching those moments on film to surprise guests. There may not be an official ‘photo-op’ with a wild animal, and you may not even know she is taking a photo but at the end of the adventure you'll get natural and unique memories that aren't forced... and that's a beautiful thing!
Kelly loves her joyful life, but if she had one superpower it would be to travel through time! She has the heart of a Viking, the soul of a Pirate, and would love to visit 11th century Scandinavia for some real-life adventure. We are not sure about Kelly's pillaging and plundering skills... but we are pretty sure she has the boatmanship and the soul to hang with ANY Viking. In fact, she may even teach them a thing or two about the sea and modern survival! Join River Ventures and Kelly for a unique and incredible adventure; having a gal like her on the boat ups the ante for fun and breathtaking memories! Kelly came to River Ventures for the opportunity to grow and we can't be more grateful or proud to watch her blossom to her full potential!