I Went Kayaking for the First Time in Years
Enjoying Florida summer by exploring new places
I had gone kayaking once when I was maybe 20. A couple of friends and I had just gone on a cruise, and we were driving back to Orlando from Miami.
We decided to stop in West Palm and go kayaking.
I don’t know exactly what sparked this decision — possibly we had wanted to do this when we were in the Bahamas but were short on time — but it was the kind of fun, spontaneous thing I quickly co-signed on.
It was scenic and cool — and in hindsight, I wonder why I waited so long to do it again.
Fast forward about eight years, and I was lowering myself into a single kayak to go paddling on the Wekiva River in Central Florida.
The water was calm and clearer than I had expected. My friend led the way, and we paddled toward Wekiva Springs.
Along the way, we saw an otter, turtles, and a bunch of fish. We would occasionally pass fellow paddlers in kayaks and canoes. Between those times, there would be a peaceful quietness in the area — just the sounds of our paddles skimming the water, the rustles of leaves from nearby trees, and the calls of birds. It was so calm!
Occasionally, we would hear gator calls from the wooded areas on either side of the river. We even saw a young gator swimming from a distance close to Wekiva Springs. (Don’t worry — I only freaked out a little.)
We tied our kayaks up when we got near the spring and went for a swim. The spring was busy because, well, Florida, summer, freshwater springs — that’s just how it goes.
Afterward, we made the journey back to Wekiva Island, where we started. The spot has a bar and food concessions, so it was a perfect place to grab lunch and a beer.
The day was a good reminder of the fun and beauty that is just a drive away from home. A reminder that it’s important to take time to do things outside of the normal routine.
Have you been kayaking before? Is there something else you have tried to break away from your normal routine? Let me know in the comments!