The
Everglades
are simply amazing! As the weather cools off and winter sets in, the
Everglades
reach their prime. Sunny clear skies and warm waters provide a perfect
paddling environment, not to mention thousands of small mangrove islands, white
sand beaches, exotic wildlife & flora unique to this region, fantastic food,
first class camping and great company. This kayaking trip with
Crystal
Seas
is an ideal way to escape the chills of winter while enjoying one of
America
's world heritage sites.
Paddle
through countless keys known as the Ten Thousand Islands, enjoy gourmet lunches
on shell mounds built up by the Calusa natives of the past, spot manatees in
their natural environment, watch dolphins play, observe alligators hunting for
fish, see flocks of ibis passing by and witness an osprey pluck a meal from the
sea.
Our
Everglades
vacations range from
2
to 7 days. Virtually everything is inclusive. We provide all kayaking gear
(single kayaks are available upon request), meals and
drinks, safety equipment, Marmot two person dome tents, Therm-A-Rest
sleeping pads (which convert to beach chairs), Cascade Design pillows and
our incredible attention to detail. So pretty much all you need to bring
is yourself, a sleeping bag (we can provide this), your personal clothing,
some personal items, a willingness to learn and a sense of adventure.
Sample
Itinerary for a Kayaking trip in the Everglades with Crystal Seas Kayaking (2 to
7 day trips are available)
Day
One
Your
tour begins with an early rendezvous at the Everglades National Park
Headquarters in
Everglades
City
where your guides will meet you along with other members of your backcountry
expedition. We will introduce you to our expedition gear and the basics of sea
kayaking; i.e. paddling demo, safety information, how to land the kayak when
you’re getting out for lunch or to stretch your legs, what to do when a sea
turtle or alligator surfaces next to you…etc.
Afterwards, we’ll head
out upon the calm, brackish waters of
Everglades
National Park
. As we paddle through a great maze of native red and white mangroves, we’ll
weave our way closer to the
Gulf of Mexico
where we will encounter many migratory birds as well as year round resident
birds or possibly marine mammals. Once we decide where to land for lunch,
we will make a short but sweet stop enjoying delicious food and the spectacular
backcountry. This afternoon we will kayak to our designated campsite along the
gulf coast where white sand beaches await. A gourmet dinner of fresh,
local fish prepared to perfection and key lime pie will surely recharge your
energy levels. Tonight we will retire under a sky filled with a million
stars in the comfort of our Marmot dome tents.
Day
Two
As
the sun makes its way above the mangroves to the east, you’ll wake up to a
warm
South Florida
breeze. Your guides will prepare a hearty breakfast for you with juice or
java, and then we’ll get ready to explore more splendid backcountry. Today we
will paddle in our stable, one or two person expedition kayaks towards a small
key in the
Gulf of Mexico
to host our next beautiful camp. Along the way we may encounter dolphins, great
white herons, alligators, or even a massive tarpin fish at the surface. Later
we will stop for lunch on a sandy beach loaded with crushed sea shells. Here you
can stretch your legs and listen to your guide tell fascinating stories of
Everglades folk-lore and tales of pirates or smugglers. Tonight we will surprise
you with another great campsite meal and then you can let the waves lapping on
the beach sing you to sleep.
Day
Three
Today
we will get an early start to take advantage of the currents and tides leading
us deep into the interior of the park. As we paddle away from the shoreline, you
will get your last glimpse of the
Gulf of Mexico
and then we’ll continue through our maze of mangrove tunnels into the
brackish water of the interior rivers. Keep your eyes open for manatees as we
follow calm tidal currents up the mouth of the
Lopez
River
. The jungle will slowly start to close in on us as we paddle further up river
with numerous channels attempting to confuse us. Our guides are highly skilled
in the field of navigation and at lunch break you can ask “How did you find
the right way with just a compass, watch and chart?” Today’s lunch
break will be on a “shell midden”; a term used to describe large piles of
sea shells mounded up by the Calusa natives as their waste piles. Some of the
world’s largest middens are found here, deep in the
Everglades
.
Day
Four
In
the morning the mangrove jungle comes alive with the sounds of birds. This is a
great opportunity to test your skills photographing wildlife! After we enjoy our
last breakfast together we will begin our return to the Everglades National Park
Headquarters. We usually arrive in the mid afternoon. Here we will say our
goodbyes until your next Crystal Seas Vacation.
Everglades Multi-Day Kayaking Schedule
Custom
Dates & Tours: If you
have a date that works better with your vacation schedule, airline fares
or airline tickets, we may be able to accommodate them at no additional cost... just let us
know.
Custom
Everglades tours
of 9 or more days which cover the 99 mile Everglades
Wilderness Waterway are available. Please contact us for more details.
2-Day/1-Night-$339 per person
Every Saturday-Sunday
from December through April... custom dates are available, just ask us)
3-Day/2-Night-$479 per person
Every Friday-Sunday
and Saturday-Monday
from December through April... custom dates are available, just
ask us)
4-Day/3-Night
-$599 per person
Every Monday-Thursday
and Tuesday-Friday
from December through April... custom dates are available, just
ask us)