Florida Kayaker Forum

Download Navionics app to your phone...track course

Downloaded a tracking app to your phone. One that leaves a trail of breadcrumbs

I would look for a handheld GPS. We took our powered boat out to the Marquesas with intent to kayak there and my phone didn't track so well w/ spotty reception unless we very close proximity to KW.

We use Google maps satellite view on our phones but it can’t be dense tree cover and you have to have phone service

Hand-held gps with tracking is the ticket.

Ken uses sport tracker app on his iPhone. Then just put that in a dry bag. If we get lost we can always access that.

Orange ribbon tide on the mangrove

Assuming you're talking about paddling the Salt Ponds. There are 2 trails from the Riviera Canal. On the easternmost trail, you travel a short distance & come to a small lagoon. It's not the Salt Ponds, look to your immediate right and you'll see another trail opening - this will take you to the Salt Ponds, can't get lost from this point. If you take the westernmost trail, there's no alternative trails to worry about. As far as finding the trails to return, once you're in the Salt Ponds, use the condo's as a reference point but they're not hard to find. The trail openings are about 200 yards apart. Here's a paddle I did once to give you an idea. If you do the entire loop as I did, it's a 6 mile paddle but note that part of it is in open water so be aware & also check the tide as there's a bridge (Flagler Avenue) over the Salt Channel Run that doesn't have enough clearance at high tide but you can portage your kayak over.

I'm in this same situation. I've selected a couple & the local outfitter is going to take me out next week to see which I like best.

Consider in which type of water you will use it. River, gulf or ocean. Also, length and weight. Go someplace which lets you try a few.

Get a Perception Swifty 9.5 foot sit in. It's a good all around kayak, made in South Carolina by Confluence Watersports. $250-300. Unless you weigh 250+ then look at comething a bit larger.

Questions on social media about buying a kayak are quite common, so I have a canned response. I am an avid paddler who has owned 20+ kayaks over the last 20 years. I paddle something over 1000 miles each year, most of which is training/racing plus a mixture of recreational paddling and kayak camping. The first point I will make is that NOBODY can give you a good recommendation without knowing about you and how/where you plan to paddle. What is your height/weight and how big are your feet? Will you be paddling springs, lakes, ocean, mangroves? Short recreational paddles, long distance day trips or overnight kayak camping? Fishing, photography? How will you stow and transport? The second point is that comfort is of the utmost importance, so NEVER buy a boat without paddling it first. If you are serious about getting the right boat for you, do yourself a favor and go to an outfitter who has a good selection of boats that you can test paddle. A good outfitter knows what questions to ask and how to properly size a boat for you. I am not talking about premium $3000 boats, but the entry level kayaks sold by outfitters. I am familiar with Wilderness and Hurricane but there are many others that fit this category. You will spend a little more, but you will end up with a boat that fits both your intended use and your body. You can get a cheaper boat at a box store, but it will be heavier (harder to load), slower, handle like crap and may or may not be the right boat for the conditions that you intend to paddle. Even worse, you may find that it does not fit you well and a mile into your first paddle it turns into a medieval torture device. There are deals to be had on Craigslist etc but you have to know what you are looking for, and if you are asking here you don’t have that knowledge. Most on Craiglist are just box store kayaks that the owner found to be uncomfortable/heavy/slow when they got it on the water for the first time. Renting for a few outings is a good idea before buying. Try going to a variety of different venues (beach, river, intercoastal, springs, etc) and paddle a variety of boat types (kayak, canoe, SUP, tandem, etc). This will help you decide what and where you prefer paddling. Keep in mind that most rental boats are horrible cheap things and may not be representative of a good kayak that you would buy from an outfitter. Generally speaking, you do not want a single kayak less than about 12’ long, but a lighter paddler can go a little shorter and a heavier paddler will need a longer boat. While easier to transport and store, shorter boats take more effort to paddle and do not track well (they don’t go straight). Most beginner kayakers start with Sit On Top (SOT) boats but graduate to Sit inside boats if they stay with the hobby. The biggest advantage of SOT boats is that they are unswampable and they are great for fishing. Sit inside boats tend to be lighter and have a drier ride than SOT. Sit inside boats also perform better because the paddler sits lower and has less windage. One caution is that a sit inside MUST have positive floatation in both the bow and stern (some of the very cheapest sold ay box stores do not). Without floatation in both ends, the boat will float vertically if swamped, and the only way to empty it is to pull it ashore. You do not want a tandem less than ~14’ long because the paddlers are too close together, making it easy to hit paddles. That is why they are commonly called divorce boats (Yes, we used to own one and yes, we sold it after paddling it very little). Shorter boats also have to be wider to carry the load so they are slow and do not track well. Most SOT tandems are rotomold plastic, so they are really heavy (hard to load). One of my paddling buddies has a Hurricane Santee 140 tandem, and that is a great little tandem. Hurricane uses a different plastic, and the Santee 140 is about 10# lighter than a similar sized rotomold. Inflatable kayaks are a great choice if you are really limited by storage/transport space. They come in two varieties, expensive and pool toys. If it costs under ~$500 then it is a pool toy. Don’t get me wrong, the pool toy may be perfect for you if you don’t want to paddle far or fast and like having a wet butt. Some of the more expensive inflatables perform relatively well but not as well as a similarly priced rigid boat. Keep in mind that setting up an inflatable increases launch/recovery time. It can also be difficult to demo an inflatable. The last two items to consider are a paddle and a PFD. Most first-time kayak buyers make the mistake of going cheap on both. All cheap paddles are heavy and heavy paddles tire you quickly. The price of a $50 paddle may look good but half-way through a 3-mile paddle you will be hating it. Generally speaking, metal shaft paddles are the cheapest/heaviest, fiberglass is more expensive but lighter and carbon fiber are the lightest and most expensive. If you are going to use it much, a $200 paddle will be well worth it. A similar argument can be made for your PFD. For $10 or so you buy one of those orange things that is so uncomfortable that you will never wear it. Strapped to the back of your kayak it meets the legal requirement (you need a whistle too), but it will be of zero value in a survival situation. It is very difficult to paddle wearing one and they are impossible to put on while swimming. For less than $30 you can get a vest style PFD that is suitable for inland use and doesn’t interfere with paddling. Inflatable fanny pack PFDs are a bit more expensive and require annual maintenance, but they are very unobtrusive. If you are paddling in waves, a suitable high-quality PFD will cost well over $100 and be worth every penny. As the USCG says, “The best PFD is the one that you will wear.”

Fabulous write-up. Thank you. I was considering a fanny pack PFD. What is the "annual maintenance" you are talking about?

Rent and borrow till you find what you love. Before you buy n sell 20 kayaks till you find the one you love!

whatever gets you on the water and will do the kind of kayaking you want to do. me personally I do creeks and rivers and only occasionally do some intercoastal or short trips in the gulf. i find my box store pelican does just fine so long as I watch for windy days and dont do open water during those days. ive been out on lakes in 20mph gusts in it though and while i got a workout, I never got swamped. i for one dont mind actually working my muscles though. I like to explore narrow winding places and the longer the boat the crappier it turns in my experience. everyone saying dont go below 12 and I run a 10ft right now and really would only use a 12 for open water or kayak camping. Sure you are going to probably upgrade in the future. however you will get a ton of use out of the box store kayaks, you don't have to worry about roughing them up a little bit as you learn. At first you're going to bump stuff etc. and eventually you'll upgrade. you'll find things that you don't like about the cheaper kayak and then you'll get a nicer one but it would be an awful shame if you were to buy $800-$1200 kayak only to use it two or three times a year on a spring where a $250-300 kayak would have done just fine. I find it highly discouraging that people are telling a brand new kayaker to buy a $200 paddle... you probably can't even appreciate that expensive paddle if you haven't used a cheap one lol. I still use the paddle that came with the cheapest kayak I have ever bought. heres me at Jewel Key in the gulf outside 10000 islands in a 300 boat with that cheap paddle they said would be torturous to use we hit 18 miles that day. a lot of these people will tell you that this isnt possible or you shouldn't do this. my box store kayak didn't feel like a medieval torture device that's for sure! If you can afford it, sure put your money to use and get something nice. just dont let not having the nicest stuff dissuade you from getting a kayak. cuz I'm going to tell you right now having your own is super nice. I don't go very many places with a rental place nearby. im not hindered by where I can rent or when they are open. i do encourage you to try different things but my experience with outfitters is that they're going to try to sell you the most expensive thing they can regardless of whether or not you actually need or would you utilize the features on what they're trying to sell you.

FEEL FREE kayaks.

Thank you for sharing this. Now I have a lot to think about, and I appreciate everyone’s experience and knowledge. You all have been a big help, and I thank you again

Impossible question for anyone but you to answer. Try as many types and sizes as you can and go from there. Me, nothing smaller than 16' and a sit in.

Perception Swifty 9.5 would be my suggestion for non-whitewater creeks and slow rivers. Quality rotomolded plastic. Light, fun, and stable. I don't even understand why it is so fun to paddle, as it doesn't track well (less than 10 ft), but it's just a great feeling little boat otherwise. Only good for rivers and lakes though. Cockpit is very big and roomy, gets swamped easily in open water with any waves.

Economy Tackle in Sarasota had a kayak tryout on weekends so you could try different types of kayaks. I like the sit on because it’s not only self-bailing, it’s more durable than the thinnet-skinned sit-ins. Now I’m wanting something more of a hybrid SUP/kayak. More stability and easier on and off.

I like my 14 ft Precision sitting side it Glides through the water also get some lightweight paddles some paddles are very heavy

I agree with Nathan Bartosek 💯 I too have a pelican and absolutely LOVE it. It's 10ft and is perfect for the springs and lakes.

This is what we decided on for local springs. Cannot wait to explore Florida on a kayak

I just bought a Pelican Argo 10 footer at Academy Sports for 219. I had it in the creek 3 days ago. I was surprise how well it tracked etc and was very pleased. A great beginners sit in.

Wind can be a problem there and there's not much to see as far as wildlife.

I usually paddle Okeheelee South, not the main park. There isn’t much wildlife (some fish and birds, and one iguana) and you’re usually the only one out there which is what I love. It’s so peaceful and the sky and water are beautiful. You go through like 4 tunnels if you go the outskirts. I’ve never really had a problem with the wind.

Another good place with a little more wildlife is Winding Waters. Check that one out if you haven’t gone before.

Let me know if you want a buddy and I can meet up with you there.

Embrace the scratches, they’re coming...

Take a look at KeelEazy. It is designed for use as rub strips but I use it as a paddle strike guard on my race boats. Comes in various widths. It is the black rectangle forward of my knees in this picture.

Would keel tape work?

Another option is paddle britches.

Northwater paddle scabbards

Helicopter tape.

Non-skid paint

There is this clear “tape” that paddleboarders use to cover high abrasion areas but the name escapes me at this moment

Go to a guy that does car wraps, the 3m product they use is waterproof & come off was without damage. My Son does this for a living & it works fabulous!!

Not too close. Marineland has some mangrove tunnels, that lead back to open water. Lots of flats in the area. There are some creeks. Moultrie Creek, Hospital Creek, Moses Creek, Pellicer Creek are a few. None are real close to the park. Hospital is the closest.

No people do not swim in silver river. No good place to even get in and out of a kayak. Gators galore and water moccasins.

Gator mating season bad idea

Oh boy. Please do not attempt to swim there! As beautiful as waterways are in Florida, be extra cautious. I've lived here almost my entire life, do not get laxidasal. There are places to swim, don't go alone, don't go at dusk. Go where everyone else is swimming, ask questions like you just did before you go. Always assume there's gators. Oh. And that cute One baby gator......mama isn't too far away. They keep an eye out for their babies for a couple of years.

Salt springs or silver glen

Silver Springs?

Silver Glen is perfect for swimming

Teela Wellberg Rainbow River!

Silver Glen can be a little busy with boats, but safe from gators 🙂 Yiu also have to factor in the distance of carry from the parking lot to the launch point

Not Ocala but Weeki Wachee it takes me a 1:10 to get there from south of Ocala, you can put in at Rogers park and only pay $10 parking fee but you paddle upstream, I put in at the weeki Wachee state park and pay $7 and change but then have to Uber back to my truck and then go get my board, this is all downstream 5.5 miles.

Salt springs. You can drive down to launch points and also swim lots of boats traffic on weekends. Redneck yacht club lol

Rainbow River in Dunnellon

I enjoy paddling at Simms Park. Iike the launch at James Grey preserve. It will take you to Simms Park and on out to the gulf. Simms park is probably about 3 miles away

Following

Nucanoe frontier 12. Can have two seats and a cooler. Someone can sit on the cooler . I believe it holds 650lbs

Black Creek Outfitters in Jacksonville is where I got mine.

What kind of kayak are you looking for? I sell single and tandem Touring Kayaks down in Naples.

Wilderness systems 135T....Used wilderness systems pamlico

My vanhunks voyager has 3 molded seats. We put in two deluxe seats though.

Our Crescent Crew Tandem. We love it. youtu.be/b9goDM2aAVk

Maybe a canoe?

Take a look at Crescent Crew. Very stable and very light for a 2 man. And can be configured to be used solo to. At 13' it's not much longer than a hobie outback, so it's still very manageable by yourself. www.crescentkayaks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/aqua-v2.png

Silent Sports Outfitters in Nokomis FL

We are picking up our Crescent Crew kayaks at Estero River Outfitters this weekend. So excited. Nice upgrade from our old ocean malibu 2 xl. Www.esteroriveroutfitters.com

We have a tandem SOT that has a third molded seat. Ours is a Stingray 13.5 from Native Watercraft. We’ve never used it as our daughter sits in front and paddles. The placement of the 3rd seat is right in front of the back seat so I don’t know how awkward that would be having a body right there.

Vanhualk

Vanhunks

We have a crescent splash 2 that we love - it seats 3. We have had two adults and two small kids in it and also did an adult with two teenagers. The only drawback for me is that is really heavy so I could never move it myself.

Crescent!

Many have mentioned the Crescent. I totally agree. My wife and I have a 13’ Crescent Crew tandem and we love it. Very stable and comfortable. Someone mentioned that the Crescent Crew could be handled by yourself. I disagree with that. Yes you can pull it around and paddle it by yourself with no problem. But it definitely takes two people to lift it off the ground. It weighs 79lbs. Due to the length, it’s an awkward 79lbs. I’m a fairly fit male and I can’t lift this off the ground by myself for more than a few seconds. But it’s the best yak I’ve ever owned and I can’t see myself ever having anything else.

Meant to attach this to my first response. Great place, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Located in Titusville. kayaksbybo.com/

Found mine off facebook market place.

Vanhunks 13 foot tandem Orca kayak. Can be converted from single to Tandem with room for a third small person. I had done a lot of research on kayaks before purchasing mine and it definitely gives you the most bang for the buck and it is also a very excellent kayak.

Yankeetown Florida. West Coast River to the Gulf great kayak fishing. In fact there's a kayak fishing tournament next week called The Nature Coast challenge. They have a Facebook page it's a great kayak fishing event.

Check out Wakulla county.

One on FB Marketplace in Gainesville. 18 ft touring yak.

Silent Sports Outfitters in Nokomis FL has a used 12 sandpiper

Thanks

People hold on to their Eddylines so not many of them around for sale. When you see a used one it's generally sold before you can get a call through. Good luck.

Enjoy. It’s a beautiful place.

There's a pdf in the FILE section with about everything you need to know about paddling the Silver River. Maps, fees, put-in and take-out, monkeys, etc. You can find it here: www.facebook.com/groups/floridakayaker/permalink/1799483250209955 The only thing that has changed is that currently Silver River Kayak aka Discovery Tours is only doing rentals Friday thru Monday and only doing shuttles Saturday thru Monday.

The camp site isn't by the spring head. Its down the highway a few miles. The head spring is down stream. Wayside Park you take out your kayaks or you can put in and kayak up the run. A relaxing trip down steam with a lunch break takes about 3 hours.

If you have a good set of wheels for your yak you can launch from the campground and leave your boat locked up at the ramp

You can go to the Peace River outpost the KOA They do shuttle

I live in wauchula and there is no KOA its thousand trails and u have to be a member I'm headed out to put in at cruze park and canoeing down to pioneer

Shark teeth hunting on the way

But there are many points. Check out bone valley ranch. I've heard good things. Also Arcadia camp ground at peace river is a good spot. We are always going down river and looking for people to meet up. Hit me up sometime!

Thanks for the info!

Heading tomorrow from Cruz park to pioneer at 11 if anyone wants to join

Pool noodles or they have a few crossbar attachments

Go to a Yakima dealer and they will set you up with towers and crossbars that would be very safe to hold your boat in place transported to and from kayaking

Thule and Yakima are tried and true brands, have been around for years.

If you go to the Thule, Yakima and Malone websites you can enter your year, make, and model and they will spit out which crossbar will work for your vehicle. You'll need cross bars of some sort to mount any carrier - even pool noodles. Also, be sure to check the manufacturer's load limit on your roof and side rails before loading any boat. I would suggest getting crossbars a little longer than your roof is wide so you can carry two. Even if you only have 1 boat, if you ever go out with a buddy or a group, being able to transport at least 2 during a self-shuttle wins you gold stars.

Thanks everyone!

Go to Black Creek Outfitters in Jax. They will set you up.

Tsunami gang! Love my 145.

Does anyone know if you can take out at alligator spring at the end of gum Slough

Hi Rich Starr. I happen to own both of these. I have a 125, 145 and a 175 Tsunami and a Castine 145. The Tsunami is faster is you splitting hairs, but not by much. You can't go wrong with either. The Castine holds alot of payload and is great for camping. I take it in open water often. It my go to in a storm. My Tsunami 175 has been everywhere and in the worst of storms. I like Tsunami 125 for any creeks, rivers and lakes. Handles tight turns. My Tsunami 145 is for big rivers and lakes its definitely an all day tourer. What are you looking to do? Let me know. Glenn

If speed is really important, you need a kayak longer than 14'.

tsunami 145.. the castine 145 i have is wide and slow.

www.facebook.com/groups/268660401410085

Where do you live? That will help you connect with people who are near.

Meetup would work too. More localized. But I'm the same way. Rather go on weekdays. Retired, and weekends are too crowded.

We go on weekdays a lot too.

Weekday paddler here in the keys

I would be. I work in retail and have weekdays off frequently.

Me!

Looks like I have enough interest to start a page. I will let you guys know when I have it up and running

Pamela Price

👍

Most definitely. My schedule consists of working myany weekends. I’d love a group focused mainly on weekday events! An additional bonus is many Weekday events are less crowded

🙋🏼I work weekends and can only go out on weekdays.

Definitely!!

I'd be down in the summertime and on school breaks. I'm a teacher

I’m down!

I never do weekends. Too many tourists.

Me too! I avoid weekend crowds.

I usually try to have Fun Friday!

www.facebook.com/groups/288741412929026

Join and share with your friends!

Sure. I love going out during the week. Weekends are too crowded.

We would! Where do you like to go,?

Mon-Wed

I have a random schedule, be great to find stuff to do in those week days when everyone else I know is m-f

Definitely. I've been finding as much as I love people lately the rivers have been very crowded so to say on the weekends. I like to take my time & relax.

Gigs? Where? Stagehand and rigger here.

Venice Beach is largely renowned as the place to go

Peace river

Watching posts to see list of places I won't be swimming 🤣

Go out about 200 yds. Visibility isn’t usually good. Try not to think about why so many sharks teeth are there

Definitely Caspersen Beach, each time we have gone with our sifters, we have brought home over 100 shark teeth

Probably not the best but enough to entertain our kids, but we've found on Englewood Beach and Boca Grande Beach. Beautiful places too!

Matt Brohawn Michael Whitcomb - I could be wrong, but I think the sharks teeth in places like peace river (which is freshwater) are prehistoric. The current at certain times of the year and the gators are the concern, not sharks.

Don Pedro

Venice beaches

Casey Key

Nokomis/Casey Key

Venice

We are headed to Caspersen this weekend. I don't see a way to kayak from the intracoastal out to the Gulf to access the beaches. Should I just launch my kayak into the Gulf and paddle south?

Nakomis, Gasparilla Island, Ft. DeSoto, Casperson Beach...just name a few...

My score today on the east coast

I hear Venice

Manasota key

Vince beach is shark teeth central. Even down into Englewood too.

Sharkys in Venice on down

Manasota Key is hands down the best in the area. Casperson Beach is a close 2nd

Nokomis beach we found these in about an hour walking two weeks ago 💗

They say the main shark Channel runs from the south end of Egmont key to Anna Maria Island

Venice beach, Caspersen beach is the best. Down the road from venice

I’ve had really good luck in the Alafia River. I just stay in the shallow clear water and I always have something pokey or shootey on me.

Dont go kayaking with the baby anywhere there are gators.

Aside from all the other considerations, how long are you talking about? You don't want your son to associate kayaking with negativity, like a long car ride, trapped in a car seat and unable to move. I would try to take turns kayaking so that one of you can have him playing on the land or at water's edge. I would want him to associate kayaking with pleasant outdoors time, not trussed up in a life vest and a kangaroo in the heat. Just my thoughts.

A lot to think about there. I would paddle with my toddlers but very short time. Are you able to navigate the paddle with babe strapped including having a life vest on the baby? Personally I would not until my child had done the survival swimming at a minimum. I got stuck on rainbow river in a tube with my kids in a storm that came unexpectedly. They clung to me for 2 hours as we got pelted by the rain. We didn't go out for a long time after that.

It's alligator mating season right now.

I started taking my baby a few weeks after his first birthday. He’s been my kayaking buddy ever since then!!! He absolutely loves! We point out the birds, the fishy’s, and eventually the rocking puts him to sleep. That’s my son though, I’m sure not all babies would like it like that.

We started when my grandson was big enough for the puddle jumpers. So he was just a little older but he has loved it every time we have taken him since.

I have taken my grandchildren out. At that age and older . We are a paddling family . The younger ones just sit in front in lap of course with PFD . They always enjoyed it. Limited time out but just relaxing exposure. Calm waters , nice day . Paddling with kids is a great thing done on their terms .

Thank you everyone!!! It would only be for short amounts of time, especially the first time just to see how he even reacts. I havent tried paddling with the baby but used to do it with my 30lb. Dog in the kayak with me lol.

I've had my daughter on the water since she was 6 months old. Buy the best fitting life jacket for him you can and wear yours too. There is a lot of bulk to work around when you both have them on so try the set up at home before you head out. Maybe consider getting yourself the kind that auto inflate if you are going wear a carrier too.

I took my babies out as baby-babies. They loved the rocking. A PFD that fits, sun protection, and a little "nest" in the boat for them to be in- a thermarest pad underneath and a couple blankets for padding. Practice with them wearing the PFD while not in the boat to get used to it. Sit the baby in the boat not in the water first so you can find your balance and a system you all like. Happy paddling!

I'd wait until mating season is over...but I've been taking my guy out since he was a yr old. He loves it now and falls asleep whenever I paddle.

I’d look at a tandem, might be easier with you both in the same boat. Baby needs attention whoever is in front can deal with the baby while not having to worry about navigating the kayak at the same time.

We started taking our daughter out before she was six months old. She would relax and just look around at different colors. I would say as long as you are familiar with the kayaking spot, it’s a safe and manageable speed, not too hot, and you have a Coast Guard approved life fest that fits, you should be fine.

My daughter started kayaking very early. Just don’t put him in a car seat and strap him in. I have seen people do that and have seen a baby almost drown that way if it wasn’t for the officer that saved the baby he or she would be dead. Use a life jacket and make sure he has shade. Enjoy your time he will grow up loving the water.

Mom of three here. Also REALLY depends on the kid. My older two - no problem sitting at the end of the kayak starting around 1 1/2. Super calm conditions, we stayed in open water and paddled around. Gave them half paddles too. Loved to practice in the pool. My third - we may consider a tandem canoe ride when he’s five.

I would stick to easy paddles, the weather can turn so quickly. We started kayaking with our 3 year old, hes 11 now. He would sit in the middle of a double kayak. Bring lots of snacks to keep them occupied. Rivers that have some wildlife are easier to keep them distracted with birds and turtles. I would do shorter runs first and build up from there. They'll learn quickly and soon will be taking a paddle! Good luck!

I would be most worried about shade for cover

I'm wondering this myself, have a five month old. Probably will only take her for short tubes on the ichetucknee this summer, maybe try the paddleboard next summer. I am working on getting her to love her lifejacket, she loves floating in the tub with it. Keep in mind Type II infant PFDs are not designed for personal watercraft, not sure at what point/weight they can switch up to the correct PFD type. You also mentioned wetsuits, here's a link to one we got on Amazon. www.amazon.com/dp/B07RM75TZ2?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

A wet suit wouldn’t be helpful unless the baby is going to be in water basically the entire time. A wet suit fills with water and as you stay in it longer your body warms the water to keep you warm. After you get out of the water it’ll drain and be cold. Plus a wetsuit might interfere with a life jacket.

I the water maybe to rough for a baby

We started at just over a year old.

I kayaked with my two year old and he flipped us within the first 15 minutes. All was fine but it taught him real quick not to that again. He was well behaved the rest of the paddle lmao. It was a lot of fun though!

You leave the child with a babysitter. Until he has been drown proofed at the Y/

We started at 1yr and 2yrs. Since they are so close In age. And we started with and short paddle and play on weeki wachee. Clear water and current not that bad. I would suggest a few short paddles where he can play in the water to get him use to it to start so he associates it with a fun time. Ours love to kayak with us now even if they can’t get out and play

They have those bathing suits that have flotation device in them

Kayak Junkies of Central Florida is a Facebook group of people who live in the area. They post a lot of trips

Hillsborough River & Arbuckle Creek (My kayak buddy Keith Sant fav spot)

The econ is always lovely

There are multiple put in and take out points associated with the Wekiva River and the springs that lead into it along its journey to the St John's River

Ballard park is nice and local

Sebastain River Park is great, Fisherman's Landing on the weekdays otherwise it can get heavy boat traffic.

1000 Islands in Cocoa Beach. You can launch at Ramp Rd.

We just did Sebastian River from hwy 513 five miles in and 5 miles back. Beautiful scenery. We like at least a 8-10 mile paddle. Photos on Florida Kayak Community I think

Have you tried Blue Cypress Lake. It’s just west of Vero. Lots of nesting Osprey and gators.

Sorry I couldn’t reply to everyone. I’m making a list of all of these so I can go check them all out. I used to kayak up in the Smokey’s where you white water kayak and down here is completely different so I want to try sone places where I can find which places I like best.

Make sure his nails are trimmed and not sharp or put booties on his feet!

Ramp road.

Honest Johns fish camp off A1A south of Mel beach and north of Sebastian. Get there when they open ( 7am) lots of dolphins. Manatees now that it has warmed up. And we saw an eagle last time we were there 😎

Grand canal. Goat creek off us 1 just south of malabar rd.

Mathers bridge. Put in at paddles and oars park.

Pool noodles work as a cheap option

Slice pool noodles in half and put bungee cords inside of them Wrap pool noodles around kayak. Put kayak on car. Use tie-downs to strap kayak to car. Use bungee or rope to tie front and back to car.

Paddle the Florida Keys, Scott Baste will take good care of you.

Do you have a yoga mat?

Pool noodles and cam straps

Same answer as some others ... cut a pool noodle into two pieces and lay them across the roof, put kayak on top of them. Then open your windows and wrap two ratchet straps over the kayak and through the open windows of the car. Works like a champ in a pinch.

I think fold it up comforter, cheap air mattress from the dollar store, etc

Pick up a foam block set at a Walmart or sporting goods store. www.walmart.com/ip/Rightline-Gear-Foam-Block-Kayak-Carrier-100K10/509215837?wmlspartner=wlpa&sele...

Bass pro in Marathon

Pool noodles and straps. A bed sheet and straps. Two towels...

Told not to use ratchet on kayak,..too much potential for damage but other tie down straps OK

I wouldn't even cut the noodles. They are cheap. Round is better than not round.. I have a CRV. I always put an old throw rug on the top of the back to protect. I see no way of getting a kayak up there without rubbing the top of the hatch. An old rug keeps the finish safe.

Sounds like a long ride for a used kayak. There must be a side trip involved.

A yoga matt and strapes

Buy straps and put them through the car then over top front and back windows

Rent a pickup. Easy peasy.

Thank you everyone for the pics, description and experience shared. I'm ready for my trip tomorrow: noodles, ratchet straps, bungees, bow/stern straps, old rug, and some foam blocks. Hopefully I'm ready for anything!

Buy some swim noodles they are cheap and lay six of them across your roof. Lay the kayak on top of the noodles. Roll down your windows enuff to run ratchet straps thru the windows and over the kayak and cinch it down. You should be good to go.

Or buy an inflatable pool floating mattress. Next!!!

Pool noodles and straps!

Put swim noodles on the roof of the car and strap it down

Please post if you got it home,

It’s definitely possible. I have a 4runner also.

Depends on maximum weight load of your crossbars vs weight of kayaks. If kayak weight is too heavy for your bars and you need to carry 3 kayaks often you can consider a t-bar attached to trailer hitch to assume some of the load. Once I carried three kayaks on top, two side by side and one on top of the two sitting on foam blocks.

I use j rack for one yak and stack other two on a Malone set

My suv has a rooftop weight limit of 150 lbs. Yours probably has some sort of limit listed in the specs.

If the rack is Yakima or Thule, with all the weight going on the crossbars (and therefore the rain gutter area), you are probably okay.

Definitely check weight limits for car and crossbars. And you need to add the weight of any rack components to the weight of the kayaks.

And count weight of people in the car.

Well, the Rainbow doesn't have either manatees or monkeys, so if that's what you want to (maybe) see then you'll have to go to the Silver.

Also will depend on when you're going. Rainbow has a ton of tubers on the weekends. Silver will have a lot of boat traffic. Rainbow has more nice areas (shallow) to stop and swim if interested. Silver has a stronger current

Silver Springs, it is just a all around nicer experience. There's more to see.

Silver Springs

If you want to see wildlife, definitely Silver Springs, but I wouldn't take dogs.

No monkeys anywhere but Silver. Rainbow is great because you can get in the water to cool off. No swimming in Silver because of the giant alligators.

Guaranteed monkey viewing at Monkey Island on the Homosassa River.

Silver Springs. Launch early to avoid traffic.

Silver springs

Melissa Dancer

Silver has the best assortment of wildlife of any river I’ve paddled in Florida, and it’s got the stunning clear water to boot.

Silver river

I’m from Tallahassee too and I’ve been to both. While silver springs had more wildlife, it was a shorter paddle (distance to blue hole and back on wacissa) and not being able to swim or stop and look at the monkeys for too long was iffy to me. They have park rangers on kayaks who tell you to move along after a little bit, I watched them for 15-20 minutes and was told to move so others could see them when nobody was behind us. I enjoyed rainbow river a lot more because you could get out and swim, there’s more creeks to cut down and paddle/walk down because their shallow, plus i have yet to find anything like it close to Tallahassee.

Erika Lynn Pearson I live close to both, definitely silver. Waaaay more wildlife and no tubers to dodge!

Silver

Silver springs of you want wildlife period.

Silver Springs

It may be a little too rough depending on the marine traffic, weather conditions, etc. I would suggest if you are a beginner take it to a more remote location. Have a Happy Birthday!

Stay away from the inlet. The current picks up very quickly especially an outgoing tide.

You probably can put in at Long Point Campground or Honest John. Both are North of the inlet.

There’s a couple sandy spots on the south side near the boat ramp and pavilions. I wouldn’t use the boat ramp. I’ll be camping at longpoint !

Ok good to know. I booked the site last year in May. I camped at Long point last mothers day but didnt bring them with us. May stick with fishing. Lol

Not a beginners kayaking spot. Plus make sure your tent screen is no-see-um proof. Very fine mesh. We nearly eaten alive last time we camped there.

Stay away from the inlet. One of the most dangerous inlets even for large craft. Stay close to north shore line in Indian river.

Long point is a nice camping area but I agree stay away from Sebastian Inlet as it is rough and dangerous even for experienced paddlers.

I paddle there all the time but I paddle south of the inlet (far south side of the camp ground) or north of the inlet. I paddle to the islands