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Trip Number: 12430A
Price: $1,345
Deposit: $200
Capacity: 10
Staff: Patrick Nichols
Highlights:
- Kayak with manatees at the St. Johns River
- View Blue Spring, a manatee refuge
- Enjoy incredible birding on Canaveral and Merrit Island
Includes:
- All on-trip transportation and meals
- Kayak rental and instruction
- Log house lodging on a 700-acre ranch
The Trip
Photo: Patrick Nichols
Discover the wild beauty that lured people to Florida long before the theme
parks. Spend a week paddling crystalline springs and drifting on quiet waterways.
Relish long, sunny days in a subtropical paradise where you may be greeted by
dolphins, manatees, and throngs of birds. We will progress across Florida to
a liquid landscape where alligators live in close proximity to space shuttles.
Enjoy snorkeling, birding, fishing, Southern-style dinners, and camaraderie.
On this trip we will kayak five scenic bodies of water. Blue herons, spoonbills,
woodpeckers, anhinga, hawks, and eagles all live here. Cool spring-fed rivers
and subtropical forest offer outstanding opportunities for swimming, exploring,
and play. Every afternoon we will return to our home base, a highly rated Florida-style
log home retreat. We return each evening to our air conditioned, two-story log
home to exchange memories of the day and share a delicious dinner.
Our trip will offer a variety of waterways to paddle, each with its own challenges
and charms. Highlights include kayaking at the mouth of a spring where manatees
winter and raise their young, and paddling down a wild and remote inland black-water
river. A crystal-clear spring originating deep within the aquifer will transport
us through a real Florida jungle.
This will be a wonderful opportunity for new and seasoned paddlers to see and
experience the real Florida.
Itinerary
Photo: Patrick Nichols
Day 1: We meet at Orlando International Airport at 3 p.m.
Those who wish to drive will be given directions to the lodge. After greetings
and introductions, we will start "dry land" instruction and kayak
orientation.
Day 2: After breakfast we'll head for Blue Springs State Park.
This is a manatee sanctuary with the highest level of protection (almost 200
were spotted in one day last year). Expect outstanding manatee viewing in the
clear waters of this amazing spring. We'll launch our kayaks here and paddle
in to the St. Johns River, where the manatees spend their days.
Day 3: Today we head for the beach! We will be on Canaveral
National Seashore. Friendly dolphins often swim by as we kayak through a fantastic
intercoastal lagoon. We will always make time for a swim and stroll on this
expansive 16 miles of undeveloped beach.
Day 4: This morning we'll head for Merrit Island National
Wildlife Refuge, with perhaps the best birding in the state. At this time of
year an incredible variety of birds from all over enjoy this well-managed refuge.
Alligators can be seen basking in the warm shallows with the space shuttle's
launch pad as a backdrop.
Photo: Patrick Nichols
Day 5: Rock Springs sparkles like liquid diamonds in the sun.
We will launch near the headspring and drift down this canopied clear spring
run. This is one of your leader's favorite places to paddle. Limpkins, ibis,
and herons lead us down this exotic river.
Day 6: We'll continue on a spectacular local favorite, the
Econlockhatchee River. This is a black-water river that seems to have been forgotten
in time. Narrow and twisting, it reveals secrets at every bend.
Day 7: Start the day with a morning hike and then say goodbye
to the ranch and our wonderful log home. After our final breakfast, we will
gather up our belongings by 9 a.m. and depart for the airport.
Accommodations and Food
Our accommodations are a comfortable, air-conditioned Florida-style log home
on a 700-acre ranch shaded by century-old oak trees. The dinners are themed
and all meals are served, and flavored, with Southern style.
Trip Difficulty
Photo: Patrick Nichols
This trip is geared for the novice to intermediate sea kayaker. The waterways
we will travel are non-technical. Participants should be in good physical condition
and at least 18 years old. Our average paddling time will be 3-5 hours a day.
Conservation
Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under a permit from Canaveral National Seashore.
Trip Price
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details
about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.
The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
Staff
Leader:
Patrick Nichols, an outdoor specialist by trade, is trained by the Red Cross and American Canoe Association in canoeing and coastal kayaking. He has taught kayaking, canoeing, and backpacking for 25 years and is a wilderness first responder.
E-mail: flakayak@bellsouth.net
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips