Where to rent and paddle in Orlando?

Advice
#1

I’m going to Orlando the first week in October on business, and will be staying at the Marriot World Center resort. I’d love to get some kayaking in during an evening or two while I’m there. Where could I rent and launch a kayak? I’ve never been to the right coast before . . .



Paula

#2

I don’t know
of any kayak rental in Orlando, but if you could take a day or even an afternoon, there are outfitters on the Rainbow and Withlacoochee River, and even closer, the Ocklawaha River.



http://www.outpostresort.com/rivertrips.html



http://www.rainbowrivercanoeandkayak.com/



Let me know when you are coming, and perhaps I can join you. I have paddled the Ocklawaha and parts of the Withlacoochee, but not the Rainbow.



Joanne










#3

Check out the link
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/regions/eastcentral/eastcentral_region.htm

I hope it works. There are 2 rivers close to Orlando that sound interesting, worth checking out.



Bobby

#4

Yahoo Directory
Go to: http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/U_S__States/Florida/Cities/Orlando/ and do a search under “Recreation”

#5

Orlando area…
Try cutting and pasting in your address bar…



http://www.floridaparks.com/canoerts/centralcanoe.htm



Of course I don’t rent in my home area, so I don’t have recommendations from personal experience.



Here are some links to local paddle clubs, they may have something going on, and be able to provide an extra boat.



http://www.wilderness-trekkers.org/

http://www.geocities.com/mcaquaholics/

http://www.mosquitolagoonpaddlers.org/

http://www.freewebs.com/floridayakers/



I have extra boats, but cannot get away during the workweek. Would be willing to guide a local paddle. I usually paddle with a group of friends on Sunday, but we use e-mail as opposed to a website.

If this can work with your schedule, drop me an e-mail, and we’ll work out the details. Any other paddlers are welcome, too.

By the way, Rainbow River really is amazing, but about 2 hours from Orlando.

Hope you can find time to get out, Florida has very diverse and beautiful wetlands and wildlife.

T

#6

Same here
Renting in Orlando proper isn’t that common. Further north and further south there are outfitters. However, I am willing to share boats as well and would love to go out on the water some time. The Econ’s not that far from Orlando either. Might be a good one to try. Or you could come up here to Sanford and try the St Johns or Lake Monroe. Tons of choices. My work schedule just changed again (got a promotion, yipppeee!!!) and I’ll probably be free Thursdays and Fridays and maybe Tuesday mornings.

Keep us posted!-

Toddy

#7

I can paddle on Sunday, Oct. 1st
I’ll be arriving on Saturday, and I have all day Sunday to play. I’d love to hook up with someone local with an extra boat and paddle saltwater. I’ve never been in anything warm . . . I always paddle the cold Pacific Northwest. After my Alaska trip, I can’t resist the temptation to dip a paddle while I’m in Florida. If anoyone with an extra boat is available on Sunday, please let me know. I’d love to arrange something!



You can contact me by email if you wish. Thanks!



Paula

#8

I could go on Oct 1, but I don’t have an
extra boat. Were you thinking east coast (maybe Mosquito Lagoon) or west coast (maybe Chassohowitzka) for salt water?

#9

I don’t know . . .
I don’t know the geography around there . . . so I can’t answer that. I guess whatever’s closest to the Marriott World Resort - I haven’t looked at the map yet.

#10

Come along anyway
Come along anyway - keep in touch by email. Others are working on organizing a trip.



I found out that we’ll have a rental car, and also that there will be three of us - myself, and two beginners. So we’ll need the assistance of a club to be able to come up with three boats, unless we spring for rental fees - but then we’ll need help hauling the boats.



I’d love to see a manatee . . .



Paula

#11

Manatees, etc.
We live on the coast, east of Orlando.

October is sort of a transitional month for manatee spotting. Depending on how quickly the water cools off, they could still be seen at the Mosquito Lagoon area near Titusville, or in any of the marinas. They love to hang around the tethered boats.

When the water cools, they either hang around the cooling water outlets of the two power plants, or head up the rivers to the Blue Springs and DeLeon Springs State Parks.

You can rent kayaks there and see the critters in the crystal-clear water, munching on water hyacinth and other favored green stuff.

For kayak rentals on the coast, here are a few options:

  1. Village outfitters (321)633-7245 in Cocoa. They have solo and tandem kayaks of various types. They also rent the foam pad and strap haulers you can use on your rental car to get to the water.
  2. Calema Windsurfing (321)453-3223 at Kelly Park at the Banana River Drive exit off the SR 528 Beachline.

    You can see the windsurfers going at it there most days. Paddling from their local area gives you a chance to go up some of the canals and see some of the really nice homes people have built along the water.
  3. Cocoa Beach Kayaking Guided Nature Tours (321)784-4545. They take groups out in what is called the 1000 Islands area.

    That should give you a start.

    Carol and I would love to join you all if you go out on a weekend, as we haven’t been out all summer due to her healing up from a broken arm the last day of school.

    Bob
#12

Starting Over -
Ok, Tom cannot make it Oct. 1st - Joanne can, but doesn’t have any extra boats. Anyone want to jump in here with info about local paddling clubs and what they might have scheduled for Oct. 1st? I’d love to hear whether there are any paddles planned that we could jump in on. Thanks!



Paula