- 3 Hours
Kayak down a lovely creek in North Fort Myers. At dusk, you will see bats come out of their hiding places.
Quick Details
Duration: We are together 4 hours, 3 hours are on the water
Meeting Point: 7 miles east of downtown Fort Myers
Discover Manatees in their Natural Habitat
Take a trip to the home of some of the most beloved – and most vulnerable – creatures in the Florida wetlands! This guided Manatee Kayak Tour gives you a chance to get up close and personal with these gentle mammals in their natural environment, thanks to a Certified Naturalist guide who can tell you about their habitat, habits, and history. With no motor to make noise, harm the manatees or pollute the river, a kayak is the most manatee-friendly way to travel these waters! We also view birds and interesting plant life.
The Orange and Caloosahatchee Rivers are the setting for this adventure! You’ll soon discover that a kayak is a great way to explore the area, not just because its silent operation keeps the scene calm and tranquil, but because you can maneuver it adroitly through narrow passes and hard-to-reach places. It also keeps you extremely close to the water; all the better for seeing manatees! Like other aquatic mammals, these “sea cows” often exhibit curiosity about human visitors and have been known to mosey up to kayakers and even rub against the vessels.
Bring a packed lunch as we will take a break midway during the tour to eat in our kayaks, often surrounded by manatees.
Let your guide enlighten you about these peaceful swimmers, as well as identify any interesting birds, animals, and plants you may see along the way. You will also learn about the estuary and the mangrove forest that this area is part of.
GAEA Guides uses tandem kayaks that handle like a single if you are alone in one. We do this to limit the number of kayaks in the environment that may annoy the wildlife. We also do it because there is better communication between the guide and the clients if there are fewer kayaks. We only take a small group on each tour. The kayaks are sit-inside kayaks with comfortable seats and plenty of leg room.
Upon meeting at the appointed time we will sign in, go over some safety information and then get the equipment in the water. This takes approximately ½ hour. At the completion of the tour, we allow another ½ hour to get all the equipment put away. You will receive the directions to the launch site after making your reservations.
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We ask that you dress for the weather
- Usually, a t-shirt and shorts will do
- Shoes that will get wet as you get in and out of your kayak (ideally, not flip flops as they can be very slippery)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- A hat
- Bug repellant may also be necessary if we are out in the evening
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- Water, or something, to drink
- Your lunch or a snack, as we will stop to eat midway during the tour
- $5 cash to pay for your parking
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- Do NOT bring anything that you cannot afford to get wet unless you have it in a dry bag.
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- Please arrive on time to find parking, as tours start promptly.
- If you are not at the site by 15 minutes past the meeting time and have not made contact with the guide, the tour will start without you.
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Once purchased, tickets cannot be refunded and cannot be rescheduled because your space is being guaranteed at the event. The activity usually runs in light rain and other moderate weather conditions, but the seller may cancel the activity up to an hour before the start time in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. If the seller cancels the event, ticket-holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability) or receive credit for a future event.
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We meet at the kayak launch at the far end of the parking lot. You must pay $1 per hour to park and we will be there about 3 hours. The address for the park is:
17100 McDowell Dr., North Fort Myers
Directions:
From I-75 take exit #143, Bayshore Rd., also called State Road (S.R.) 78. Head west (left if coming from the South) and go to the first left turn, turning into the Love’s gas station. Take the first left and follow that road (McDowell Dr.) straight on to the park, where it ends.
If you are coming on Bayshore Rd. (S.R.78) from the west, come east almost to I-75. Just before I-75 there is a Love’s gas station on the right (south) side of the road. At the gas station turn right and then an immediate left onto McDowell Dr. Take McDowell Dr. to the end at the park.