Kayaking in the Mangroves of the Florida Keys

Jess and I wanted to do something in Key West that took advantage of the Florida Wilderness so we tried to go Kayaking. The first place we went to was Lazy Dog Kayak rentals and it was just across the bridge in Stock Island. Kayaking there looked to be very lame. It consisted of kayaking around the Key West airport in some mosquito-infested marshes. We wanted something more like the real deal, with real Mangrove tunnels, wildlife and fish galore.

So I whipped out the iPhone and started looking for Kayak Rentals further down the Keys toward the seven-mile bridge. We found one place off of Somerset Key operated by Captain Markus of Keyaks.Com. He was kind enough to meet us at the launch point, and he brought all the equipment we would need. I brought along a chart of the area that I picked up at a bait shop at his suggestion and he mapped out waypoints for us to discover along our self-guided tour. We found several mangrove cuts where schools of fish were hiding and we saw all sorts of wild Florida birds and other assorted sea creatures. Cartney is only five and he enjoyed the tour of the Mangroves for two hours. About the only think I was unprepared for is the shock that it is difficult to stand up after paddiling a kayak for two hours.

So if you want a more authentic kayaking experience in the Keys be sure to give Capt. Markus a call!