Touring The Florida Keys In A Kayak

Kayaking The Keys

by Adam Chambers

Publication Date: January 2000

The Florida Keys are a cluster of islands protruding off the tip of south Florida, curving southwesterly toward Cuba. They separate the Atlantic Ocean (Straights of Florida) from the Gulf of Mexico. Key West is the southern-most island, located only 89 miles from the shores of Cuba. The larger of these islands are strung together like a one-hundred mile string of pearls. The thread holding the pearls together is the famous US Highway 1.

The larger islands are beautiful and have a Caribbean feel to them. The real gems of this region however are the islands that are accessed by US 1. These remote islands are all different shapes and sizes. Some are no bigger than an early 70s Cadillac, while others are spacious enough for an entire Coupe De Ville assembly line. Typically the only permanent residents of these small sanctuaries are birds, crustaceans, and reptiles. Very few of these islands are easily accessed by power boats. Most are surrounded by shallow water that serves as a gatekeeper only permitting boats with very little draft (water clearance) to enter. The ideal vehicle for exploring these small nature preserves is a kayak. Kayaks require less than six inches of draft and can handle rough water and moderate winds.

Late September is a risky time to visit south Florida. Monsters with names like George, Andrew, Floyd and Irene lurk in the South Atlantic waters, looking for the opportunity to move landward and destroy human lives. Visiting America's southern-most waters during hurricane season requires a lot of luck. There is always the chance that rotten weather could spoil the fun, but if lady luck is in your corner, there is no better time to kayak in south Florida.

Feeling the need to push our luck and unwilling to let warm temperatures fade into brisk fall days, my friend Matt Parker and I migrated to south Florida for a week of kayaking. We loaded all our gear into a Jeep, strapped our boats on top, and set our sights on the salt water flats of the Florida Keys. With an 'all clear' from The Weather Channel, we took off for Margaritaville. Our timing was impeccable, and those nasty hurricane monsters were conched-out (I couldn't help but to throw in the pun) in the Mid-Atlantic.

We were greeted with baby-blue, day skies dotted with puffy marshmallow clouds and temperatures in the low 90s. In the evenings the Milky Way Galaxy smiled down upon us and the ocean breezes billowed the tent walls. The transition season between summer and fall is a great time to visit Florida. The tourist traffic has slowed and many of Mother Nature's creatures are in full preparation for the winter months.

Twenty hours of driving and two gallons of coffee after departing Kentucky, we pitched camp on Bahia Honda Key at Bahia Honda State Park. Bahia Honda (sounding more like the Japanese auto maker's newest fuel efficient machine than the literal Spanish interpretation meaning "deep bay") is a wonderful state park with beautiful sugar-sand beaches, easy access to launching sites for kayaking, and beach front campgrounds for the 'nylon condo.'

Our days in Bahia Honda were to be spent exploring the crystal-clear, tidal flats of the lower Florida Keys. Kayaking in these copious waters allowed for excellent bird watching, adrenaline pumping encounters with stingrays and sharks, and opportunities to explore narrow creeks and passages through the dense mangrove forests. We encountered everything from blue crabs to blue herons.

In the evenings when the sun turned into an orange fireball in the western sky, we would dwindle away the hours chasing ghost crabs on the beach and arm wrestling mosquitoes for tent space. We thought these bloodsucking pests were bad in the Keys, but little did we know, we would encounter armies of these buzzing vampires in the Everglades.

Sunrise in the Keys is a refreshingly serene Zen-like experience. All of Mother Nature's creatures enjoy breakfast while the sun greets another day in a spectacular plumage of fire-red and burnt-orange. This transition from night to day should be savored, but once that big ball of hydrogen and helium bounces over the eastern horizon, it is time to be paddling.

We spent days exploring the waters of places with names like Big Pine Key, Little Knockem-down Key, and Cudjoe Key. In the afternoons when the winds picked up and the whitecaps chased us out of the open waters, we explored tidal flats that were sheltered from the wind and waves. In a tidal flat around Cudjoe Key, we found ourselves floating through a feeding frenzy. The tide was high and the sharks were hungry. We kept all appendages out of the water and enjoyed personal space encounters with lemon and nurse sharks. Neither of these beasts are considered to be aggressive, but when three or four of them are cruising the water beneath your boat, there is no use testing your luck. We spotted twenty sharks and four stingrays in an area the size of a racquetball court.

One morning we left the kayaks on the beach and took a few hours to enjoy the sub-aqueous terrain. Armed with the basic flippers, mask, and a snorkel, we spent a portion of our last day viewing the fish and coral of the Atlantic waters. Mother Nature treated us to a wonderful show of parrotfish, angelfish, colorful coral and a seven-foot lemon shark that sent Matt swimming for terra-firma.

A visit to the Keys would not be complete without a visit to the Key West Pier for the sunset. This is the only place in America that gives a standing ovation to every sunset. As the sun pays a visit to the other side of our globe, the streets of Key West come alive with energy. Duval Street (the famous Key West strip) churns with excitement and colorful characters line the sidewalks. The most famous characters to have lived in this southern-most island are Ernest Hemingway and Jimmy Buffet.

Everglades National Park was the next stopping point on our paddling adventure. Prior to entry into the park, we stocked up on mosquito repellant. Some entrepreneur should open a stand next to the entrance gate selling mosquito repellant by the gallon, as I would have purchased two gallons for my sojourn. Upon entry to the park, all visitors are greeted with a level indication sign. This sign doesn't indicate fire danger like most national parks, but indicates mosquito level. These bloodthirsty insects are so thick in the Everglades that the Red Cross has setup transfusion stations sporadically throughout the park.

The Everglades are made up primarily of mangroves and flooded grasslands. Ideal conditions for mosquito reproduction as well as back-country exploration. Once again kayaks proved to be the ideal vehicle for exploring the narrow pathways that wind through this region. Some of the pathways get narrow and overhead clearance is minimal. The trails get especially tight when trying to give alligators the right-of-way. Never before have I shared personal space with an alligator. My three-foot comfort zone was infringed upon and there was absolutely no escape route. If these crooked-toothed reptiles decided to sample human flesh, I was DINNER! Again, I found myself keeping all appendages in the boat and quietly paddling through these seven-foot beasts.

The final day of paddling was spent along the coastline of Everglades National Park. The wind along the coast was a steady 10-15 mph. This breeze was strong enough to keep our bloodsucking enemies on the front porch. Along this coast we were treated to the spectacular sighting of a flock of sixteen flamingos. These pink, tropical birds were nestled in a turquoise tidal flat feeding on fish and shrimp. As we paddled amongst these comical birds, I felt a deep sense of appreciation for our National Park System.

The waters of south Florida present endless opportunities to adventurous paddlers. The Florida Keys offer exciting day trips with an island atmosphere. If you don't mind giving blood by the quart, the true seclusion and adventure lies within Everglades National Park. This park offers serene kayak and canoe trails that are well marked and range from half day excursions to 99-mile back-country paddling adventures.

A paddling trip to the waters of South Florida will keep you scratching your head and enjoying the spectacular presentation that Mother Nature has prepared.