Kayaking is a great way to immerse yourself with nature. Not only do you have to be out on the water and close to the surface, but the way you interact and respond with nature is in sync. It is a tranquil activity without the disturbance of motors, and removes all barriers with the environment.
For me, meeting animals in their natural habitat, with minimal contact to disturb them, is an awe-inspiring experience during my travels. Since Florida has such a different environment to my home in Pennsylvania, I wanted to get out and see it for myself. Stopping in Cape Canaveral, I found a personal tour through the Ten Thousand Islands with Cocoa Beach Kayaking Eco Tours.
About the Eco Tour
From my experience with Cocoa Beach Kayaking Eco Tours, I would highly recommend them for your adventures. Their knowledgeable and professional tour guides will assist every level of kayaker while also making it fun and educational. Therefore, previous kayaking experience is not necessary.
The tour is set at a leisurely pace, so I did not have to worry about breaking a sweat paddling or missing out on the wildlife. Because of this loose schedule, the tours can last between 2 to 2.5 hours.
There are two options for the tour. You can decide to go in the morning or afternoon, depending on your schedule or if you are a morning person. Since we arrived to Cape Canaveral by a cruise ship, we were at the mercy of the ship’s itinerary and docked mid-morning. Once we were allowed to walk off, we called for an Uber and were delivered to the meet up spot.
The Cost
The tour is $35 per person. Not only is it reasonably priced for the experience of the guides, but it is all inclusive. They will provide you with a tandem kayak, life vest, bottled water, SPF 50 anti-aging sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, hats, towels and bug spray.
To reduce the noise and disturbances to the wildlife, they only handed out one paddle per kayak. The bumping of the paddles against the hollow, plastic sides of the kayak is loud enough for us above the water. But, for the animals and fish under the water, the sounds is louder and can scare them away.
So, all you need to bring is a camera!
What are the Ten Thousand Islands?
Even though you are a short distance away from civilization, the Ten Thousands Islands makes you feel worlds away from the urban life. Colliding the fresh and salt water, the area is home to about 4500 plant and animal species, making it the most biodiverse location in North America.
Each island is mostly comprised of these beautiful mangrove trees. The area is made up of three types of mangrove trees: Red Mangrove, Black Mangrove and White Mangrove. Each tree is suspended on up to three feet of roots, which allows the trees to hover over the water. Between the roots, fish, birds, sharks and alligators use the protection of the tree to nurse and lay eggs.
You May See:
Since you are immersed in the Florida nature, you have the opportunity to see the following animals on the tour.
Florida Manatees
Indian River Lagoon bottlenose dolphins
Native birds (like Roseate Spoonbill)
Migratory birds (like Little Blue Heron)
And on rare occasions, alligators. But hey, it’s Florida. What did you expect?
Since Manatees are endangered animals, I was trying not to get my hopes up to see these beauties. However, whenever someone mentioned them or showed me a picture, my heart swelled with the possibility to get up close and see them in person.
The Experience
We glided through canals and tunnels formed by the mangrove trees. Having escaped from the icy, northeast winters, the sun beating down on us and the gentle breeze was a welcoming change. Yet, it was nice to escape into the shade of the trees.
Although you are close to the ocean, I was surprised to not smell the salt water. Instead it was the clean, crispy air that filled my nostrils.
In some tunnels, the path was too tight to paddle, so we had to use our hands to pull ourselves though and in the right direction. To me, it felt like Tarzan jumping from vine to vine in the jungle.
Even though I was hoping to see a manatee, we did not have any luck. However, we did see a dolphin navigating the waters. Also, we saw a gorgeous catch of fish between two hawks. Each tour will see something different and beautiful, so it is worth the trip!
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Where is Your Favorite Place to Kayak?
