Our Kayaking Adventure

A few years ago we rented a canoe and paddled the Cocohatchee River out through the mangroves, past condos and marinas, across the intercoastal waterway to the beach at Wiggins Pass where we could watch small boats enter and exit the Gulf of Mexico. We saw others doing the same in two person kayaks and it looked a lot easier to maneuver them so we have wanted to try it again that way ever since.

A week ago on Saturday we had our new adventure and it was very fun. We would recommend it to other adult family members. Having never kayaked before we weren’t quite sure what to expect.  They sit low on the water and ones seat and legs get wet from the drips off the paddles. We wore swimsuits and T-shirts. They do not wobble near as much as a canoe especially when a boat wake passes by. They make you wear life vests and give you a waterproof aerial map of the area, a guy even helped us in and out of the kayak and took a picture for us.

Depending on the time of day the water is flowing in from the ocean or out to the ocean and they will give you that information beforehand if you call the rental place. For our trip we were paddling against an inflowing current on the way out which requires more effort and had the same current helping us on our way back from the pass. It took us about an hour and 15 minutes going out and then only 45 minutes coming back. We stayed at the pass for 30 minutes or so, had our picnic lunch in the shade of a tree, and then walked around on the beach looking at the large intact shells.

Even with the map it would be easy to get turned around or stuck in a dead end back in the mangroves because they all look alike! So I would advise people to pay attention to the landmarks in the distance and count the little mangrove islands and listen for the highway sounds off in the distance near the rental building.

You should all try this! The photo isn’t the most flattering but at least it shows the whole kayak, it is wide and not the flipping over kind.