Three warm water paddling mecas. I need advice from those that have seen at least two. I want to take a paddling vacation with my wife. She is not an aggressive paddler and so I am looking for an easy paddle with great scenery, wildlife, hiking etc.
If I could get a little surf time in that would not hurt either.
Thanks!
WHY NOT TRY THE FLORIDA KEYS?
It’s a LOT closer, will be a LOT less expensive, and the paddling is VERY nice -tho’ as far as surf goes, the natives sure don’t want to see any, as it comes with a motley crew composed of Charley, Francis, Jeanne, & Ivan…
There are a half dozen outfitters scattered up & down the Keys, there are great paddling spots for newbies, there are fine snorkel & paddle places, and, of course, some of the finest shallow water fishing in the world is just a paddle away here, too.
You can check it out with some of the good folk here at p.net who’ve comne down for the early Spring B&B Races/Demo Weekend at Florida Bay Outfitters in Key Largo.
And the rates are still pretty good for the most part because of the spate of motley crew visits -and the folks (mostly) speak Englisg, and take (mostly) dollars…
So think about it…
The Fabulous Florida Keys really is a great place to
Paddle On!
-Frank in Miami
belize
I have sailed and lived on the belize coast for months at a time.On many deferent years.It is very nice the diving is great.The mainland is dangerous if you do not keep your act together!More so in the north than the south.Belize city is bad.Do not be on the steet at nite there.The people are great but when you are so poor for so long that if you have somthing they want , Well shit happens!!I have many friends there and will go back again.If you want to no more E-m @ scneptune@prodigy.net
Costa Rica
I have surfed Costa Rica and kayaked in the Sea of Cortez. While both are fantastic venues, I think Costa Rica offers a much broader and richer experience. Trekking, surfing, white water rafting, rain forests, volcanos are just a few of the options. And C.R. is definitely companion friendly…in other words - clean and safe.
Hey, We got surf in the Keys!
Or so I am told by a reliable source. When the wind is over 20 knts from the NE, Garden Cove in Key Largo gets some really nice swells (Just NE of Rattlesnake Key) It may not be Nocal stuff, but then again we don’t have great whites gobbling up surfers and yakkers either.
Another vote for C.R…I would go
back any time…
Depends
I have not spent time in Belize, but friends who have echo the advice above. Offshore is paradise, but the urban areas are gritty. Was in CR this summer and I loved it. That said, it’s not a great paddling destination. There’s great whitewater on the Pacquare (sp?) River, but as far as sea kayaking, it’s pretty limited. Most of the country on the Pacific side is exposed coastline, and launching and landing are a challenge. Great surfing, hiking, wildlife, people, food, scenery. Nearly everything BUT kayaking. Baja has it, hands down, in the winter.
BTW, the comment about the keys may be valid, but Baja and CR are definitely cheaper if you pay attention. Hey Scupperfrank, when was the last time you ate dinner at a beachside restaurant in the keys and had three grilled lobsters for $11 total? We did in August in CR!
Thanks Gang! Not sure what we
are going to do. But I am thinking Belize is out from what you said. Thanks again.