Enjoy Florida Kayaking

Unique and wild. That is one way to sum up the 10,000 Island Wilderness in Florida’s Everglade National Park. The Ten Thousand Islands area is one of the greatest secrets of the paddling world. Aptly named, the Ten Thousand Islands and the mangrove estuaries by which they are composed are known for their plentiful wildlife to include manatees, dolphins, otters, birds, and sharks to name just a few. The small towns you may encounter during your travels contain tropical plants found no where else in the US. Rare tropical trees such as Plumeria, Heaven Lotus and others can be found here.

Don’t expect to go to this area and find thousands of islands awaiting your enjoyment. There are hundreds of them, but not thousands. Most of these are not suitable for camping or hanging out. Yet, there are some great islands with beach shorelines, such as Tiger Key. Do your research if you plan to paddle overnight or visit an island for the day. Be sure its one that will be hospitable.

If you don’t have good navigational skills, make sure to bring someone along who does. This is an area filled with channels, bays and creeks that can easily get you lost and confused. You will need at least a waterproof marine chart based on NOAA charts. You will need a good chart that is waterproof. The regular paper charts tend to fall apart when they get wet. Also, you’ll need a reliable compass. You would do well to have the navigational backup of a GPS unit as well. This might seem silly to some but, please be sure you know how to use these tools before heading out on a tricky paddle like this.

A great place to start your first everglades kayaking activity is at Chokoloskee Island. This is a laid back, quiet island with tons of fish from Redfish and Snook to Tarpon and Catfish. Along with that selection is a wide selection of opportunities for kayaking and canoeing. You can even take trips on the water that last more than one day.

This is not Disneyland. This is true wilderness and there are precautions that a kayaker needs to be aware of. The powerful sub-tropical sun can cause severe sunburn. Be sure to take sunscreen and have protective clothing (hat, long pants, and long-sleeved shirt) available when you need it. This is a salt-water environment. No fresh water is available at your destination, so you’ll have to take it with you-at least 1 gallon of freshwater per person per day. Freshwater is not native to this area of Florida and everyone wants it…including the raccoons!

Other than winter months, sand flies and mosquitoes can be just as big of pests as the raccoons. You will need mosquito netting that also blocks out sand flies and of course enough insect repellent to keep your entire group comfortable. If you go in the winter, this may not be as big of a concern.

As you probably know, canoeing and kayaking can be challenging and physically exerting at times.Be sure you’re in good physical shape for what could be a challenging canoe/kayak trip (depending on winds and tides), and know your wilderness navigation. You will be roughing it in some of the more natural and remote areas of the state. This is a great place to visit just be sure to have all your ducks in a row and do your homework. The Ten Thousand Islands await you. Bon voyage!