Meet 'Marvelous Matt'… Captain and swim guide extraordinaire! Matt joined RV nearly 6 years ago and like River Ventures, he's grown in so many ways! Matt is the rare breed around here as was actually born in Florida, Highlands County to be exact. He loves sports and you'll find him cheering for almost ANY Florida team but he really prefers to play himself; he loves to stay active & busy! Matt lives with his girlfriend Lisa, and their 4 kids, and together they are building a rich life filled with many furry and feathered creatures. A pig named Chad, Simon the snake, 6 chickens, some dogs, some cats and a rabbit named piggy keep this guy hoppin'! Matt's blood relatives are spread out all over the country, so he is so glad to have the 'River Family' to keep him grounded and entertained! There is nothing Matt loves more than pulling pranks on the crew and having a good laugh with good friends.
Marvelous Matt loves to tinker. so when he is not swimming with manatees you may find him making inventions, modifying different objects to make them more useful, or riding the team around on his go-kart. Man is it fast!! He recently became the proud father of two MOTORCYCLES and he really does look cool in his moto-garb. He also loves bugs, spiders, and lizards… you won't believe the species that he collects! Does anyone else love tarantulas the way that Matt does? There may have been a day when Matt brought his scorpion to the shop as he insists, really they are just misunderstood! He has been a fisherman, and a wet suit washer, and has worked his way up around here to earn the respect of his peers.
As for the nicest guy you will ever meet, he's the one we call when locked out, broke down or a customer has a flat... In a pinch, he is the hero we count on! Matt is the kind of friend that we all need. He loves helping his fellow crew but his favorite part of the job is seeing his manatee friends daily. Monitoring their health and well-being, while teaching about their unique characteristics… Matt finds manatees truly fascinating! He comes off as the strong, silent type, but get him talking about the things he loves, and he won't be shy! Once he's on a subject that he's passionate about... Matt could talk all day! Matt's favorite color is green; like trees and the earth. He LOVES rock and roll (the louder and weirder the better) and he recently got a 3-D printer that he uses to create all sorts of cool objects!! In fact, most of the crew has one of his homemade, custom manatee-shaped cup holders. Yes, we cherish these... just like we cherish Matt.
Matt doesn't know how he could ever retire; he may just go stir-crazy. He thinks he'll find plenty of things to keep himself busy, but with more vacations than he currently takes! You may find him Captaining a scalloping adventure, guiding for manatee tours, or hosting educational eco-cruises on the Homosassa at River Safaris.... but there is not much around here that he doesn't do well! His ability to be patient and sense what his guests need, old and young, really set him apart from the crowd. He believes that a calm and rational mind can help us overcome all challenges in life. His motto to live by? 'Invest in the things that bring you enjoyment. Life is short, so fill your life with joy!' We couldn't have said it better, Matt! Join Marvelous Matt for your tour, he can show you the difference a bit of humility and joy can make in your experience!