Central East,  Florida,  Travel

Make The Most Of Your Unforgettable Florida Kayak Tour

April 16, 2020 / 56 Comments
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To be honest, when I began my search for a Florida kayak tour, the Space Coast was not the first place that came to my mind. I mean, what does space have to do with kayaking? Actually, quite a lot!

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❤️A huge thank you to A Day Away Kayak Tours for our family’s complimentary Mondo Combo Tour.❤️

A Day Away Kayak Tour Review

Explore Wild Florida On Merritt Island

Our Florida kayak tour took place in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, located just outside of Titusville, along the Atlantic Ocean. It was established in 1963 and it surrounds the John F. Kennedy Space Center. While the Kennedy Space Center is known mostly for rocket launches and space exploration, the property surrounding it is home to bald eagles (in picture below) and bobcats.

A bald eagle perched high in a tree.
A bald eagle perched high above the trees.

At 140,000 acres, the Refuge provides the necessary habitats for a large variety of plants and wildlife, including a large number of threatened and endangered species. During your visit, you might get the opportunity to see some of the wildlife like manatees, dolphins, alligators, wild pigs, a Florida panther, bald eagles, ospreys, or one of the over 350 different species of birds that call the Refuge home.

Wood pecker holes in the side of a palm tree.

Why We Chose A Day Away Kayak Tours

Two words… bioluminescent tour!

It just so happens that Merritt Island is one of the most popular locations in America for bioluminescent kayaking tours. A Day Away Kayak Tours offers a nighttime tour during the winter months that allows you the chance to get up close to one of nature’s greatest wonders, bioluminescent comb jellies.

What is a comb jelly?

Photo Courtesy of A Day Away Kayak Tours

Comb jellies produce a chemical reaction that generates a blue light in response to stimuli, such as being touched. Just imagine the ocean’s version of a firefly. And don’t worry, they don’t sting.

Our Mondo Combo Refuge Tour

As a family, we decided to book the Mondo Combo Refuge Tour. It is basically three kayak experiences combined into one tour: a manatee tour, a sunset tour, and a bioluminescent tour. It sounded like the perfect way to take in everything the Wildlife Refuge has to offer.

A Florida kayak tour paddling down the Haulover Canal.
Starting out down the Haulover Canal.

At the beginning of our Florida kayak tour, we started paddling down the Haulover Canal to find one of Florida’s most loved species, the endangered West Indian manatee. It was cloudy and cool that day, two things manatees are not big fans of, but we were still able to see some manatees as we followed their trail of bubbles. A manatee did surface for air right next to my kayak, so close that it even sprayed me with water. Unfortunately, I wasn’t quick enough to get a picture.

Kayakers following the bubble trail from a manatee swimming under the water.
Following a West Indian manatee’s bubble trail.
Photo Courtesy of A Day Away Kayak Tour

Our tour continued as we paddled back into the Indian River Lagoon. The mangrove forests provide an incredible opportunity to see Florida’s wildlife in its natural habitat.

Kayaking out into the Indian River Lagoon.

Up Close With WILD Florida

We maneuvered our kayak deeper and deeper into the Lagoon, where we were able to see horseshoe crabs, bald eagles, blue herons, and alligators. Even a brief stop at a sand bar offered us the chance to observe horseshoe crabs and hermit crabs, all while wild hogs stopped for a drink on the shoreline behind us.

Stopping at a sand bar to inspect a horseshoe crab.
A tiny hermit crab peeking out of his shell.

As the sun continued to set, it was the moment we all had been waiting for. With our nets in the water as we paddled through the darkness, everyone patiently waited for someone to yell, “Got one!” Turns out that person was me! There it was in my net, flashing like a firefly. It was no bigger than a fifty cent piece, but it was incredible to be able hold it as it lit up in my palm.

A cloudy Florida sunset.

While we were immersed in the comb jelly, we were surrounded by all sorts of different sounds in nature. Since all of the boats were gone from the Canal, the dolphins came in search of food. Due to the darkness, all you could hear was each dolphin coming up for air a couple meters from our kayaks.

Darkness setting in for the nighttime portion of our tour.

And let’s not forget our first encounter with a black drum fish. Imagine, sitting in your kayak, in the dark, out on the open water, and all of a sudden you hear this drumming noise. It gradually gets louder and louder. You start to wonder, “Am I the only one that can hear that?!” Thankfully our guide, Brain, reassured us that it was only a fish making that noise and we weren’t extras on the film set of a horror film. Who ever knew that fish could make noises like that?!?!

Our Florida Kayak Tour Experience With A Day Away Kayak Tours

Kayaking through a mangrove forest.

Brian, our guide, is what made our tour such a memorable experience for our whole family. He used to be a rocket engineer, then became a stay-at-home dad and homeschool parent. As a homeschooling family ourselves, it was great to have a guide we could relate to. As a Master Naturalist, he contains a plethora of knowledge, and is dedicated to eco tourism and getting people to reconnect with nature. Brain is what made our whole trip one we will never forget.

Our kayak guide talking about horseshoe crabs.

Why We Love Florida Kayak Tours

Because Florida is full of amazing theme parks and attractions, it’s easy to forget about real Florida… the wild side of Florida. The beautiful nature that surrounds us was here long before we first put a man into space.

View of the Indian River Lagoon.

There’s something about being out in nature that makes you feel grounded no matter where you are. That’s why during our vacations, we love to dedicate time to both the theme parks and the great outdoors. Next time you’re in Florida, PERHAPS you could reconnect with nature and book a tour with A Day Away Kayak Tours.

Check out our list of Over 30 Incredible Ocean Themed Books, Games and Resources.

Know Before You Go

What to Wear/Bring

  • Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting a little wet. If the wind is calm, I highly recommend wearing UPF repellent light weight pants and a long sleeves top to help ward off the mosquitoes. You might also want to bring an extra set of clothes, just in case you’re paddling with a child who loves to drip water all over you.
  • A towel just in case said child gets you partially soaked and you need to dry off when you get back to your car. 😉
  • Water shoes or Crocs make for an easier transition in and out of your kayak.
  • Some light snacks and a reusable water bottle.
  • A dry bag is a great option for carrying your snacks and phone/camera. While it’s hard to capture bioluminescence with a phone/camera, they do come in handy for capturing memorable moments during your tour.
  • You may bring a flashlight, although they do provide you with a safety light.

Read about our other adventures in Florida:

Also be sure to check out our Top 30 Gift Ideas for Travelers. It is full of unique gift ideas for those in your life who love to travel… or to add to your own personal carry-on.  We’ve even included the one item we won’t go to Disney without! It might surprise you!

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