subject: Kayaking In Key West, Florida [print this page] If you are looking for a vacation spot that is both tropical, exciting, and affordable, look no further than the beautiful city of Key West, Florida. Perhaps one of the most exciting things to do while there, is kayak!
Kayaking is all about enjoying the trip and not the destination-but here in the Florida Keys, the destination is a worthy partner to the glorious trip required to get anywhere! It's the best of both worlds and though there's generally no sign of civilization, it is never far away!
If you have never been kayaking, now is your big chance to discover a fun new hobby for both exercise and relaxation. Kayaks are well designed to glide effortlessly along the calm "creek-like" waters of the Florida Keys.
Paddling requires little skill and even less energy. As you snake through the narrow lanes of a mangrove forest, fish jump from the water and loggerhead turtles can be seen swimming in the shadows.
An array of bird life flies up above and nests in the forest, including migrating hawks, brightly colored warblers and magnificent frigate birds swooping down in search of prey. When you stop---an eerie quiet surrounds you until little by little, the familiar drone of the cicada penetrates the air.
It's no surprise that the Florida Keys has been chosen for the first leg or segment of the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail, a kayaking trail that will eventually encompass the entire state, passing thirty seven aquatic preserves. These preserves or "liquid parks" are protected habitat for bird rookeries and fish nurseries, sea grass meadows, and mangrove forests.
The first leg, one of twenty six, will take the avid paddler some ten days to complete... beginning at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo (US Hwy 1 at mile marker 102.5), the first undersea park in America, and ending in Key West at Fort Zachary Taylor (mile marker 0), a Union stronghold during the Civil War. Established in 1963, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, combined with the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, now encompasses 178 nautical square miles of coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangrove swamps.
Named for the late Miami newspaper editor John D. Pennekamp, Coral Reef State Park now enjoys over a million visitors per year who enjoy camping, fishing and swimming inside the park. Only one hundred feet offshore of Canon Beach are remnants of an early Spanish shipwreck, easily seen by snorkelers and divers.
The living, shallow-water coral reefs of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary are vibrant with color and activity regardless of where you are. Pennekamp is no exception and divers from around the world enjoy diving amidst the area's extraordinary wildlife.
Coral Reef State Park offers both sea kayaking and canoeing to explore the wild, winding mangrove creeks and it's obviously an ideal starting point for the 110-mile journey to Key West and Ft. "Zach," as it is more commonly known throughout the Keys. The ten-day journey is filled with history, including visual reminders of Henry Flagler's railroad built in the early 1800's, the remains of a wrecking community inside Indian Key Historic State Park, and ultimately the Old Key West Seaport.
Along the way, the water is crystal clear, so snorkeling is always an option and don't be surprised to discover a shipwreck or two buried deep below the surface. The end of this first segment of the trail is marked by Fort Zachory Taylor, beautifully situated on the western side of Old Town, Key West.
If you look carefully at the currents just off the tip of the long spit of rocks by the beach, you'll actually see the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico coming together. The best swimming is right here too, just to the left of these rocks.
Completing the first leg of this trail is only part of the fun. Once completed, The Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail will run all the way from Big Lagoon State Park just south of Pensacola, around the Keys to Fort Clinch State Park north of Jacksonville.
This three year project will include comprehensive mapping of the route, recommendations for campsites and motel stays, as well as the establishment of a support network. Ultimately, the trail will be to sea kayakers what the Appalachian Trail is to hikers.
The trail will also enhance Florida's reputation as a world-class destination and undoubtedly educate and enlighten both residents and visitors about Florida's fragile coastal environment! Before long, every serious kayaker will be saying, "I paddled around the State of Florida!"
