Seeing Siesta Key in a Kayak!
Birds, Dolphins, Manatees Await With This Popular Activity
Kayaking provides beauty beyond the white-sand beaches in Siesta Key.
Not all the beauty of Siesta Key, FL, is along its beaches.
Some of it is behind its beaches, specifically in the nature preserve along the south side of the key. And the only way to see this is on the water, either in a boat or, better yet, by kayak. Because, in this case, slower is better.
As Jimmy Buffett sings in the song Barometer Soup, "go fast enough to get there, but slow enough to see" and it's a wise approach to be applied here.
Go sloe enough to get there but fast enough to see, says Buffett.
There's plenty more of Siesta Key to see from a kayak.
Kayakers cruise the Neville Wildlife Preserve.
The view of the the Preserve as seen from a kayak.
The is the scene from the second you get in the kayak.
The prime place for kayaking is the Neville Willlife Preserve, the entrance of which is behind Turtle Beach. It goes out Blind Pass Lagoon, past an old shark cage from a former marine research center, along mangroves, to a very secluded beach at Midnight Pass, around the wildlife preseve and finally past docks of boats and restaurants.
It's a bird watchers paradise, and seeing dolphins and manatees is also possible around the northern tip of the preserve. And it's all up close and personal, as only a kayak can provide.
Immediately after departure, kayakers have this serene setting.
The boundaries are lined with mangroves but be careful getting toooo close to the vegetation, for there are supposedly spiders as big as your head hanging out there. Surfside Sam didn't see any of them and they are reported to be harmless, but with certain strange creatures it's best to be cautious than aggressive.
This near-private beach is accessible almost only by a kayak.
There are several small islands to explore around Neville Preserve.
Birds use this island tree as a hangout at Neville Wildlife Preserve.
Kayaking in Siesta Key is one of the area's top activities. It can be done by couples, families and groups, and by people of all ages. The water is calm – the only ripples are caused by pleasure boats cruising a channel at the south end of the preserve – is rarely as deep as 10 feet and so shallow at low tide it occasionally requires getting out and pulling the kayak across the bottom.
It's calm, so pack a cooler and have a picnic or pause anywhere along the way for a cold, refreshing beverage break.
Unlike activities in many tourist destinations, this one comes cheap. Remarkably cheap, in fact.
Rentals from Siesta Key Sports Rentals (6551 Midnight Pass Road, 941-346-1797), are just $30 for five hours – three or so hours is sufficient time – or just $25 with a $5 coupon available in several of the area's tourist publications (one of which is in the rental shop). Its competitor, located in the back of the Captain Curt's parking lot just behind Siesta Rentals, is $27 for an all-day rental.
Each company brings the kayaks to you, gives a brief lesson and overview of the area, and picks up the kayaks when you call. Talk about a stress-free acttivity! You can even take a picnic for before or after at one of the tables at the launch site, on the beach or on the water.
The friendly rep from Siesta Sports Rentals points out kayaking spots.
Be sure and reserve a day in advance as during the busy times of the spring, over Christmas and sometimes in the summer, the places run out of kayaks to rent.
If you time it right, you can walk across the parking lot and catch the spectacular sunsets at Turtle Beach.
Surfside Sam prepares to hit the water for a kayak adventure.
• SurfsideSam.com
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