If kayak fishing is something that sparks an interest, Florida is the place to go. There are many fishing tours in Jacksonville, FL that will help beginners become more familiar with the sport so that they will be comfortable when in the water. These tours can be seen as guides or tutorials to prevent accidents, build up confidence and teach the rules of the water.

The Jacksonville area is wonderful place to experience kayak fishing because the city has such a variety of bodies of water to choose from. From saltwater creeks, to fresh water ponds, there is something for everyone. While fishing, kayakers can expect to see various types of fish as well. In this region, it is highly common to see redfish, flounder, spotted sea trout, black drum and stripers. In addition, it is also likely to see a plethora of catfish, bass, crappie and bluegill fish as well.

Because kayaking requires so much energy and work, it can be an amazing workout. It uses many muscles in the body that often get neglected. Kayak fishing as a sport provides an opportunity to experience nature in a fun and exciting way. Researching kayak fishing tours in Jacksonville and stepping out into something new and rewarding is a great way to start out this brand new year.

One of the more exciting and physically active ways to visit the plantation is to embark on a kayaking tour. Kayaks, equipment, snacks and water bottles are provided for each participant. On the way to the island, kayakers are met with a breathtaking array of sights and sounds. Many bird species frequent the area, both native and migratory, and the blue-green water is chock full of unique wildlife such as dolphins and manatees.

Upon arriving at the plantation, visitors will explore the island while developing a sense of what plantation life was like and learning of the plantations’ storied history. For example, the system of slavery utilized by namesake owner Zephaniah Kingsley is known as the “task” system. This system tended to be less harsh than the opposing “gang” system of slavery, allowing slaves to work on their own projects once the day’s tasks were completed. Projects included tending personal gardens and perfecting a craft. Slaves were allowed to sell their products at the marketplace and to keep most of the earnings.

After a thorough tour of the plantation, kayakers will depart in search of beautiful secluded beaches at which to take a break and have a swim before heading home. The tremendous natural and historical assets of the region ensure this is a trip that visitors will not soon forget.

Lofton creek is located in Yulee, Florida. It winds slowly through various forests and across the country, taking kayak riders through many beautiful areas. Branches from maple, cypress, bay and red maple trees shade the banks of the river along the entire length. These trees have been left untouched for hundreds of years. One of the major sights on this tour is the “Cypress Tree” which is a 150 foot tall cypress tree. Paddlers will be stunned at this giant tree.

Even the wild life takes it easy along the banks of the Lofton Creek. Many kayakers come face to face with wildlife while kayaking down this Creek, even often witnessing an alligator lying on the bank. Various birds fly through the air, giving out their beautiful calls. Herons, hawks, and woodpeckers are commonly sighted along this route. Don’t be shocked to see turtles and otters splashing in the water or floating on their backs slowly down the creek.

The serene splendor of the Lofton Creek makes it one of the most talked about and visited areas along any Jacksonville tours. The trip down the river takes around two hours, depending on how fast the paddling pace is. This is one excursion where taking your time and enjoying the blissful surroundings is always a great idea.

• Never paddle alone. Solo kayaking places you at undue risk of drowning or injury. Having the benefit of a paddling buddy provides an extra set of hands should you flip and not be able to self-correct.
• Bring a spare paddle. Do not end “up a creek without a paddle.” Whitewater, surf and obstacles may strip your paddle out of your hand, leaving you bobbling through the flow without a way of controlling and steering the kayak. Bring a spare, two piece paddle that breaks down and can be stored in the hull of the boat.
• Dress for the conditions. Cold water strips heat from your body up to 10x faster than cold air. Even the waters around Jacksonville get cold enough to present a danger. If you experience a wet-exit and are not adequately dressed for the conditions, hypothermia can shut you down in minutes. Simple tasks like gripping the paddle become impossible, which could lead to injury or worse.
• Wear a helmet. Yes, water tends to be soft, but the rocks, logs and sweepers in or over the water are not. Be smart and prevent traumatic brain injury by wearing an approved helmet when taking on the rapids.
• Always wear a PFD. Personal floatation devices (PFDs) are absolutely critical to safe kayaking. Be sure your PFD of choice is USCG approved and is properly fit. If you are unsure how to fit a PFD go to a kayak retailer and ask a sale associate for assistance.
• Learn how to use a throw-bag. There is a very specific technique to safe and proper throw-bag use. Take a class in whitewater/ swift water rescue to “learn the ropes.”
• Arming yourself with this basic kayaking safety knowledge ensures your safety. A great way to learn these skills is with guided kayak tours in Jacksonville. The safety tips and knowledge that these courses offer will serve you well on the water.

The creek is slow paced, and it lets you choose your own paddling speed. Large Cyprus, bay and maple trees on the creek side help shade you from the sun and wind. It’s truly relaxing to see these trees gently wave in the wind and hear no human made sounds beyond your own paddle breaking the water.

Lofton Creek flows through some of the most out of the way and peaceful areas of the Florida wild. Even the alligators seem to relax on the river as they slowly move up and down and enjoy the sun. The slow pace of life on the Lofton Creek helps soothe the mind after too much time spent in the wilds of the city and real life.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Lofton Creek is the 150 foot tall cypress tree. This massive tree is truly a sight to behold as it can be incredibly difficult to see the top from the river. Anybody that sees this tree will find it hard to forget.

A trip down the full length of the creek takes about two hours, depending on your speed and on the tides. Although the creek does fall prey to tides, it rarely becomes very difficult. The slow pace of the creek as well as its size avoids creating a huge on-rush of tide influenced strain.

Paddling on the smooth water, the only reminders of the nearby suburbs are a few homes that peak into view along the banks of the tree lined creek. The peaceful setting provides a beautiful backdrop for an afternoon of relaxed paddling. The canopy of trees provides protection against the sun, although one will want a hat or other sun protection for less shaded spots. The water was very calm, no rough spots or fast water, although there are occasional clumps of weeds that one should avoid to prevent entanglement. Wildlife sighting opportunities include turtles and water fowl.

The paddling trail is an easy route, and ends where Julington Creek meets the three mile wide St. John’s River. A local diner at the mouth of the creek is a great spot to stop for a refreshing beverage or to grab a stretch before the return trip back up Julington Creek. Those looking for kayaking tours in Jacksonville will find that the paddling trail at Julington Creek provides a perfect setting for a day’s kayaking excursion.

Washington Oaks Gardens allows you to take a kayak out that has a Hobie pedal, allowing you to fish hands-free! You can catch fish for fun and release them back into the water without harming the fish. Kayaking through the gardens during sunset offers a magical experience with breathtaking views. You never feel more connected to nature than you do at that moment, when the breeze picks up over the water and the water starts lapping and you start rocking slightly from the movement as the last of the sun disappears over the horizon. It is a wonderful experience, leaving you with a feeling of contentment.

If you are looking for a new exciting kayaking location, then you should give the Gardens a try. You won’t regret visiting Washing Oaks Gardens because you’ll be able to see and appreciate the beauty of nature’s fragile ecosystem. Endangered Florida Manatees are a frequent visitor; as well as other wildlife. If you’re into bird watching, this is the perfect site for you to visit: over one hundred species of birds have been observed in the gardens.

Florida has a complicated history. It is a landscape notorious for harboring pirates, trappers, bootleggers, poachers and radical environmentalists. St. Augustine, named by the Spanish conquistadors, is the oldest city in the nation and boasts old homes and even a large fort as proof!

As you paddle down the Guana River, it is almost too tempting to wonder if you will bear witness to the remnants of any shipwrecks or lost Spanish galleons! The idea of chasing a great egret or wood stork through the waterways of Florida is easily replaced by dreams of fame, fortune and archeological adventure. You may be shocked to learn that many of the large formations that you are seeing along the shore of the Guana River are in fact Indian burial mounds. A simple kayaking trip through this region is sure to satisfy both the nature enthusiast and archeologist within you!

 If any of you reading this post have ever taken a class with me in the past, you know that I often mention the word “efficiency”. It’s probably the last thing you want to hear when your trying to escape the office, or the daily grind of life, and just want to go for a paddle, but I have to say it again, kayaking is a sport that is best enjoyed when efficiency is made priority.

Epic Kayaks and Paddles has taken the concept of efficiency to the next level. To give you a little background on the company, Epic was started by Greg Barton, who has earned more medals in kayak racing than any other American, as well as being the first American to ever win a gold in the sport.

As a mechanical engineer, and an olympian racer, Barton has taken the concept of efficiency, and applied to his kayak and paddle designs. Every aspect of the design feels as though it has a purpose, from the materials he uses to make his products to the delicate changes in design from paddle to kayak.

We just recently hosted an Epic Kayaks Demo Day in Downtown Jacksonville, FL at the St. Johns City Boat Ramp located next door to the River City Brewing Company. The turn out was great! We had a good number of folks come out and try some of the new and innovative designs Epic has recently released to the public, like the V8 and V12 surf skis. We had the honor of having Brian Houston and Waylon Willis, both of Epic Kayaks, on site helping people out with proper paddling posture, paddling technique, as well as body mechanics. This was a great event, and to have people test trying these serious looking boats on the St. Johns river Downtown Jacksonville, was an amazing sight!

If your ever interested in trying out or purchasing an Epic Surf Ski, Sea Kayak, Touring Kayak, Wing paddle, Touring paddle, or just have product questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a call, we are now an authorized Epic Dealer, and look forward to helping you out how ever we can.

 Joe and Rachel Explain their opinions after paddling the V8 for the past week:

Joe:

I have been paddling Epic kayaks and paddles for a while now, so I imagine my opinion may be slightly skewed, but I loved it. I paddled it Downtown on the St. Johns River, then down the Intracoastal Waterway the next day, and offshore for a downwind run from the Mayport Jetties to Atlantic Beach, and the boat and wing paddle preformed beautifully. I feel that it moves faster then the 18XSport, even though they have the same hull, but it could just feel that way because of the sleek design, and the longer range of motion I have with my stroke. It could all just be perception too. I know I can paddle with my knees together in the 18XSport, (I believe that is why Barton designed the combing in that unique way) but because of if its more Sea Kayak like design, it feels right to paddle in my pirouette like paddlers position with my 5 points of contact. The V8 allows me my full rotation with little boat to impede on my stroke.

Rachel:

For the last 11 years I have only paddled touring kayaks or sea kayaks and I currently paddle a P&H Cetus, which I love. I have found

that my Cetus is a great boat for expeditions and day trips but there is something so nice about not having to pack all my gear and just jump on a kayak for a good workout. I was apprehensive about the stability of a surf ski but on our recent Epic demo day I wanted to venture outside my comfort zone. I loved the V8, it is stable, really fast, and easy to paddle. As I took off from the River City Boat Launch I was surprised how it darted through the water, it just makes you want to paddle at full speed. The way that you sit in it allows for full rotation of your torso so that all the core muscles are engaged in your strokes. I am not one to use a rudder but the system is very efficient because you have a foot board which allows your feet to have stability to effectively act as a counter balance to your torso rotation with the rudder controls being controlled just by your toes. I was instantly in love with this “kayak jet” as my seven year

old son calls it. Joe and I have had a V8 for a week now and we have gone out for fitness paddles in the open ocean and inland waters almost every morning, I have really enjoyed this new mode of being on the water and plan on getting a second one as soon as we can.

I love to trail run and do yoga but I have never felt like I got a really good work out paddling until now so I get to combine my two favorite things with the V8, a runners high and being on the water with low impact on my body. If you have not tried a surf ski we encourage you to come out and experience it. Just give us a call we would love to take you out for a paddle.

Eco Tourism in Jacksonville, Residence who are drawn to downtown, People utilizing the St. John’s River for human powered vessels!

OH MY! This must be a conspiracy.

Funny, how one unintentional act may lead you to a purpose.

Last month Joe and I were invited to a Jacksonville Vision meeting, looking at improving paddling access downtown, we did not go to the meeting, yet we were put on an email list to be informed about other meetings of this nature. It turns out that this was an important enough meeting to bring in front of a sub committee of the Jacksonville Waterways Commission, the following week, chaired by Gary Anderson. Joe and I felt we had a lot to share about paddling downtown since we were the only outfitter at the time taking groups out on the St. John’s in urban Jacksonville. We have compiled a years worth of wonderful photos, traversed the river in many conditions, and knew the city owned this beautiful 34 acre island that was given to the us in the 50′s to create a “boaters paradise”. We were afraid that the city wanted to promote paddling in downtown Jacksonville without opening up safe launch points. Granted there is River City Boat Launch, nice launch site but we feel if Jacksonville really wants to promote herself as a paddler friendly place, then we need to open paddler friendly launches in not such turbulent areas. So, we contacted Mr. Anderson to ask if we could have a few minutes of their time to share our experience, they were very receptive. We created a presentation hoping it would entertain and inspire its viewers, giving them a paddlers perspective of urban Jacksonville from the water.

Not really knowing how important the first meeting was, we were asked to present at the next meeting, the September 14th 2011 Jacksonville Waterways Commissions monthly meeting in the chamber hall. We were a little nervous to say the least but we knew we had a golden opportunity to speak for our paddling community.

Here is a link to the presentation if you would like to take a look.

Kayaking Downtown Presentation

We are not sure what the next move is but were promised that this would be an important subject in the coming months and we would be asked to attend many more meeting to come. Joe and I relized that this is a topic gaining momentum again and do not want to see it swept under the rug or fizzled out.

We feel actions speak louder than words so our first step was getting the community involved in Exchange Club Island, what better way than hold a clean up of the island and let the city know, that we the paddling community are growing and involved. We decide on October 1st, yet we were informed that the Exchange Club was doing a clean up the next Saturday. We contacted the president of the club to ask if we could partner with them on their annual clean up on Oct. 8th, being that they are the care takers of the Island. They were excited to get other people involved and asked Joe and I to come to their monthly meeting at the University Club where we were to inform them to what we were up to on Exchange Island.

We have found that this sleepy little island under the Mathews Bridge actually has a lot more support than previously thought.

Our vision for Downtown Jacksonville is not just a far off dream that will cost the city and her residence lots of money. Making Jacksonville one of the nations paddling destinations is very realistic. We have all the ingredients  needed, we just have to know how to use it.

There is a lot of land along the St. John’s River in DTJax that “WE”  the city owns, most of it is fenced off, abandoned, or just neglected. Jacksonville needs her residence to get involved in the revitalization and creating areas to launch safely and destinations for people to go in human powered vessels, we could be the start.

Joe and I realize that we are not the first or the last to come up with this idea but now may be the time to put our actions where our mouths are. We have had a lot of feed back about how many people have been involved with efforts to revitalize Jacksonville. We “Jacksonville” has done a great job in the past and present towards the revitalization but everything is about timing as I have been told and lets ride the wave. The paddling industry is one of the number one growing industries in the US and maybe the world.

I have been involved in kayaking for 11 years in Jacksonville and a native to Atlantic Beach, this is the first time I have seen and felt so much support from our residence and city offices for the paddling community. Joe having grown up in Orlando watching the boom of tourism and revitalization of downtown Orlando, then off to college near Asheville NC seeing how the area thrives off eco tourism, to moving to Charleston to work for an international kayak manufacturer EPIC and as a kayak guide for the county parks where he received his training to become a kayak instructor, Joe has a vision for what is possible in our community. He has seen cities that thrive off their natural resources, history while create healthy communities, more jobs, and a very profitable eco tourism market.