BIG PINE KEY, Fla. - Bill Keogh was dipping his paddle on opposite sides of his kayak while gliding over water that shimmered blue from the sky.
    "If you open your eyes, you can see anything from dolphins to turtles, bald eagles, sharks, stingrays, even little creatures like single-cell algae," he said. "You get unexpected surprises when you're on the water this close."

    Keogh runs a kayak outfitter at the Old Wooden Bridge Fishing Camp here, and I joined him and two other customers for a three-hour trip. We were paddling through Bogie Channel, which cuts through Big Pine and No Name keys.  Fortunately for us, Keogh really knows these waters. In 2004 he published "The Florida Keys Paddling Guide," which includes a sea turtle guide and birding checklist.

    Suddenly, to the near left of our procession, we heard a splash and turned to see shiny fish leaping through the air. And a pelican was already diving toward them. "Those are needlefish," Keogh explained. "Pelicans'll dive for them when they're jumping to escape the teeth of barracudas. Pelicans'll charge in on any feeding frenzy."  After this slight drama faded, Keogh resumed paddling and we followed. No Name stood straight ahead, and to the distant right the sky and sea blended together: There was no horizon line.

    "What you smell is the stench of decomposing grasses floating to the surface, or into this area from Florida Bay," Keogh said as we stroked our kayaks forward. "They form hydrogen and sulfur gases."  We all now paid attention to this third sense, and indeed the air reeked.

I looked through the shallow water to the swaying sea grass - it felt like I was paragliding over a breezy Illinois prairie - and soon saw several circular objects that looked like old car tires covered with vegetation. They were loggerhead sponges, our guide explained. Keogh pointed to an anchored white boat, which he said was used to hook the sponges. In deeper water, a boater was catching dwarf sea horses to sell.

Read remaining story here   Big Pine Key

 

By Richard Chapo 

Finding good Christmas gifts ideas is easy if you think about a persons hobbies. If you are buying for person who enjoys kayaking, here are a few ideas for kayaking gifts.

Kayaking is a sport that appears to require relatively small amounts of equipment. In truth, it is much more than a paddle and a kayak, which provides you with a lot of potential gift ideas.

1. Drip Rings – Drip rings are placed on each end of a paddle and keep water from running back up the paddle to your hands. While this may sound odd given that you’re sitting in water, it is incredibly annoying to have water running over your hands all of the times. Drip rings stop this, which makes them very useful. They are also incredibly cheap, costing no more than a few bucks. Aqua-Bound is as good a brand as any.

2. Alaska Sea Kayaking Adventures – If you’re looking for a big ticket item, why not give an Alaska Sea Kayaking trip as a gift? A number of companies in Alaska provide sea kayaking tours in Prince William Sound and other locations. There is nothing more impressive than paddling up to one of the glaciers overhanging the sea. The pure beauty will leave you astonished. The cost of trips varies, but most of the expense is getting to Alaska. Do an Internet search for “alaska kayaking” and you’ll find the providers.

3. Back Bands – Sitting in a kayak for a few hours is not easy on the lower back. Back bands are devices that fit into the seat area and provide lower back support similar to those you find for car seats. Back bands are a must for long crossings. A back band of good quality will set you back between $30 and $40. SealLine and Ocean Kayak are good brands.

4. Underdeck Bags – Underdeck bags act like a little glove compartment for kayaks. Watertight, they attach to the roof of the interior space on kayaks and act like a glove compartment in a car. Makes storing valuable such as car keys, maps and journals a breeze. North Water makes excellent underdeck bags and you can expect to pay roughly $40 for one.

5. Nomad Paddle Sports Journals – A bit of self-promotion here. Nomad Paddle Sports Journals are waterproof writing journals that let kayakers keep notes during and after their trips. Really great for writing down impressions, routes taken, things seen, people met, alternative routes to be tried in the future and so on. You can click the link at the bottom of this article to see the paddle sports journals which cost $8.99.

Whether shooting the rapids of a river or cruising scenic bays, kayaking is a great sport. If you’re buying gifts for a kayaking enthusiast, the above list is a good place to start.

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals. Paddle sports journals are great kayaking gifts and Christmas gifts for him or her. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read outdoor adventure articles and stories.

By Tamara Williams

At night a kayaker will need at least one white light on their kayak so that it can be shown in the direction of any oncoming boaters. All Lights used for Kayaking should be waterproof and be using new batteries when starting out for the night. A handheld flashlight will do for most kayakers. It is wise to check your local boating laws for the exact requirements. Boats over 16 ft often have greater lighting requirements. Find out Your Kayaks Length and be prepared for the safety rules that apply to it.

The best form of "white light" for a Kayaker is a "Deck Light" (also referred to as an anchor light). A strong white light that you can see from all directions is ideal, yet not very practical for a kayaker. If they had a pole light it would be cumbersome and inhibit the maneuverability of the kayak. A simple deck light would suit the kayaker better.

Deck or (Anchor) Lights are usually mounted at the Stern (back) of the boat. Often other lights such as Red for Port (left) and Green for Starboard (right) are used in combination with the Anchor light. The white front light is not as important if these other colored lights can already be seen from the front.

Navigating Lights are often not required for small vessels like the Kayak but they increase your chances of being seen. For Your uninhibited vision sake be sure to have all Navigation lighting not glaring in your eyes (point them straight or slightly down if effecting your vision. Along with this be sure that your white anchor light is behind you as well. All these help preserve a clearer night vision.

Headlights can also enhance your night vision. As well they can help locate navigation aids such as the channel markers and buoys.

Tamara Williams is a successful author and regular contributor for Inflatable Kayaks and Boats. a site dedicated to providing valuable information and tips on kayaking products and boating in general.

I finally finished the outriggers for my kayak and spent the day testing them out. It was amazing being able to stand and see what was going on on the flats. I made a temporary pushpole, out of pvc and poled around some flats, near me, all day. The stability was excellent. I didn't fall in once!

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My Hobie Mirage

Y A K

This blog will be about my experiences Kayaking in the Florida Keys.

I hope you enjoy my stories.