1. Sanibel Island, Tarpon Bay, FL - Launch near 997 Tarpon Bay Rd. - **Photo Album with full Screen slide show - click here*** EXCELLENT park facilities with a very welcoming and capable staff. They can point you in the right direction and provide maps of Tarpon Bay and the surrounding area. Small fee to launch. Guided tours are also avialable. Kayak rental is available on site. (You will have to stay inside Tarpon Bay if you rent.) If you have your own kayak, explore San Carlos Bay outside the J.N."Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge. We saw dolphins in the bay outside the park. Inside the park you'll find a Pelican Rookery with heads popping from the shrubs like strange blooming flowers. Blue Heron, Egret and Moorthen abound here. Bring your binoculars and your zoom lens. Eat lunch at one of the many charming resturaunts in the area. We ate at the Greenhouse Grill Italian resturaunt and highly recommend it after a long paddle around Tarpon and San Carlos Bay. Check outCalusa Blueway ... http://calusablueway.com/ ... and Tarpon Bay Explorers ... http://tarponbayexplorers.com/ ...
2010 Top 5 ...#4
2. Ponce Inlet - New Smyrna Beach, FL - See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here - municipal ramp...free - Fantastic daytrip...kayak to the lighthouse and take out for a picnic. Bring some walking shoes and a kayak lock. Reasonably protected water so the conditions are good almost anytime. (Tide Zone!!) ..Access to the Atlantic... Watch for Dolphins in this area..have the camera ready. This is a grade A daytrip!!
3. St. Augustine Florida - Kayaking is very popular in Florida but beware of alligators. Research you destination and consider a guided tour. The flagship team put in at a municiapal boat ramp in St. Augustine....free. It was a beautiful location and highly recomended for early morning adventures. The boat ramp was shallow and easily accessible. There was a beautiful lighthouse along the water within 1/2 mile of the boatramp. There are pictures in the photo album.Photo Album - clicking on a picture in the viewing window will cause it to display in full size full screen
4.Shell Point Marina FL - West Shell Point Road - free - we launched from and abonded ramp at the marina. Great wildlife viewing. Kayak out into the bay and see St. Pete on the other side. There are several beaches within kayaking range toward the north. Kayak around mangrove covered islands to the south. See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here
5.Spa Beach - downtown St. Petersburg FL - small park fee - beach launch. We launched from Spa Beach, but there is another municipal beach very close by that may be better for launching. The water is open to the bay and can get pretty choppy. You may have to break through a light surf at the beach. We kayaked around the pier in 2 ft seas and into the marinas near the ferris wheel during the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Indy race. Great trip if the weather is good. Watch for fishing lines from the pier. See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here
7. Lake Eufaula, AL ...See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here Great lake to spot alligators.We happened upon a 10-12 footer crossing the lake about 50 feet ahead of us. This is a large lake with an oppurtunity to see a wide variety of wildlife. There are several parks and ramps around the lake, both in Georgia and Alabama. We camped at Lakepoint near Eufaula city. Be sure visit the town to see the magnificent plantation era homes in Eufaula. http://www.alapark.com/parks/park.cfm?parkid=18
8. West Point Lake, Lagrange, GA ... See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here Beautiful Lake in west Gerogia. Camping and boat launches abound. Beware of a lot of fishing traffic in this lake. There is camping at various parks around the lake both in Georgia and Aalabama. We launched at Horace King Park on the south end of the lake near Lagrange, GA...small fee...facilities...very well kept. See the historic plantation houses in Lagrange while you're visiting.
9. Lake Talquin ... Sneads, FL ... See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here Nice little park with camping and facilities on Hopkins Landing Rd. Small fee to launch. Aligators abound near the park...we saw a 2 1/2 footer near the boat dock and could hear some larger ones croaking in the cove nearby. We spotted a Bald Eagle circling overhead. He remained in the area the entire time we were on the water. This is not a trip for brand new beginners. The water is a little choppy and the wind is strong most of the time.
10. Lake Seminole, Three Rivers Park, FL ... See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here We camped at Three Rivers Park and launched at the campground ramp. There are alligators and a diverse population of wildlife in the area. There are canoe rentals in the park. http://www.floridastateparks.org/threerivers/ . There is a lot of lake to explore and the water is usually suitable for kayakers with little experience.
11.Boca Grand, Placida Harbor, FL - Go to 12564 Placida Rd., Placida, FL 33964 and turn onto Boca Grande Causeway...the boat launch ramp is on the right before you get to the toll bridge. See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow herePort-a-potty. Parking for approximately 30 vehicles. After leaving the ramp, go through the canal head left (south) into Placida Harbor toward Boca Grande Island...go left under the bridge into Gasparilla sound or stay in Placida Harbor and go south west toward the gulf. Watch for dolphins in this area..they are almost alway present. Watch for wild birds on Bird Key. We met a small pod of dolphin near the entrance to the Gulf. They followed us back inland to the Bird Key and played with us up very close for more 30 minutes.
12.Lake Myakka, Myakka State Park, FL - Go toward 28338 Clay Gully Rd. Myakka City, 34251 and look for the north entrance to the park, or 13188 SR-72 Sarasota, FL 34241 and look for the south entrance into the park. Follow the park road to upper Lake Myakka near the north end of the park. See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here Full park facilities, including bicycle rental, kayaks and canoes, maps and information. This is a premium bird watching area, but the lake is not large and the water is shallow and covered with lilly pads. Alligators abound here. Even during cold weather with harsh winds we saw alligators, some very large, several bald eagles of all ages, and other magnificent wild birds. Bring your bike and hiking shoes. Take the canopy walk and climb the tower to see over the forest. See http://myakkariver.org/ for details.
13.Lemon Bay, Indian Mound State Park, Englewood, FL - small Parking fee - restroom facilities, parking for 50 vehicles. Ramp launch. 221 Winson Ave, Englewood, FL 34223. See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here Possibly a lot of power boat traffic during peak times with good weather. Heavily populated area with houses covering the shore. Reasonable chance to spot dolphin and manatee.
14. USS Alabama - Mobile Bay - 2703 Battleship Parkway - Launch at the public boat ramp on State rd 90/98 across the bay from Battleship Park. (See satellite pic in photo album) See the Photo Album with full screen slideshow here ..go early in the morning. The heavy fog on the day we launched provided a unique and eerie experience. We stayed at the Battleship hotel and ate at the resturaunt...HIGHLY recommended. Tour the battleship and the USS Drum submarine.
