Thinking about leaving the cold/snowny Northeast for a kayak trip to Sunny/ Warm Florida. Would like to paddle different places where I can paddle for a day or 2 then move on to another area. I have read a few articles about Florida paddling. I am looking to leave around the 16th of Fed. or middle of March. Any suggestions where to paddle and stay would be great. I may do some camping or just get a room at a local motel. Any suggestions in Florida area is welcome Thank You Bluewaterman
check these threads out
This was a discussion regarding paddling opportunities in the Clearwater, Florida area:
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=1684864
You might find some of the links helpful, especially that posted by Jack LaMarre:
https://sites.google.com/site/flkeyskayaktrips/
You might possibly find this link to be helpful as well:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/PDF/FL_Paddling_Trails.pdf
If you do your trip in mid-March you might want to check out this thread as well:
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=1676840
The Florida Canoe Symposium will be March 21-24. More information available here:
http://www.freestylecanoeing.com/florida.html
There will be people coming down to the Jacksonville area the week prior to the FCS and there might well be some trips planned that week. Sparkleberry Swamp and the Edisto River in South Carolina have been mentioned.
If I am able to attend I would be interested in doing some paddling in the springs area of Florida near Ocala on the Silver River, Juniper Creek, and perhaps the Rainbow River.
Two more good resources
A thick book, Paddler’s Guide to the Sunshine State, by Sandy Huff. It contains 91 descriptions of trips throughout the state. My copy is from 2001, so check for an updated version.
Free online guide that you can print and have spiral-bound:
http://hiddencoast.blogspot.com, produced by Nick and Sandra Crowhurst for paddlers’ personal use. This guide covers a relatively undeveloped region of Florida that is a paddler’s delight.
Have fun!
Lots of good trips here
Check out our Google web site:
https://sites.google.com/site/flkeyskayaktrips/
Over 150 trips all over Florida.
If you have any questions on any of them, just shoot me an e-mail.
If you give me an idea of what type paddling you like, I can pin point some for you.
Jack L
I like the Suwannee. Lots of state parks
on it and paddle camps also.
Johnny Molloy
has written Canoeing and Kayaking Florida. Its my go to book.
The DeLorme Gazeteer of Florida is going to be indispensible to you. Find one. You will be travelling roads less traveled and incredibly interesting.
also this website has ideas
http://www.floridapaddlingtrails.com/
We baked for a week in the Everglades, did the Halfway Creek Loop (not the straight Creek trail) yesterday morning and today on to the Hillsborough where we are waiting for it to warm!
Tomorrow the Rainbow. Bring fleece. Sometimes in the springs area of Florida it gets a tad chilly.
We will probably save North FL for later in March. Ten days ago it snowed there.
I have been using Jack L s site for detailed information…very helpful.
Also consider this site if you like paddling on the Gulf…
We did an incredible couple of paddles off Cedar Key a couple of weeks ago
http://hiddencoast.net/book.html
Did you get with Nick and Sandra
while you were at Cedar Key?
They are a delightful couple, from UK who live the winter there now
The authors of Sea kayak day Paddles on Florida"s Hidden Coast.
We miss them not coming down to paradise in the Keys any more, but paddled with them on the way down.
Jack L
No.
We saw very few people. It was cold (relatively) and the visibility for three days was limited to a few hundred feet. Only saw one motorboat on the water and no paddlers at all.
florida buddy
hello…Contact me when you will be coming to Florida for a paddle George
Keep me in mind…
if you’d like to visit central Florida. We live in Leesburg, and know the Ocala Forest trips and streams south and west of it to the Gulf. We’ve paddled much more of the state, but that’s what we consider out back yard. There are some wonderful trips in this area, fresh or salt water!
Manatees and LOTS of migratory birds!
Hope to hear from you,
T
I highly recommend that you…
contact Tom and his lovely wife Deb.
They know the area well and have led us on some neat trips.
Not only that, but they are true nature lovers and can teach you a lot on the Florida fauna and flora.
Jack L
Florida is a big state
If you decided of Northwest Florida get in touch with either the West Florida Canoe and Kayak Club or Florida Pandhandle Canoe & Kayak Connection. There is almost always someone able to paddle. The site https://sites.google.com/site/jwparkpaddles/ is a good resource for paddle trip information.