Booking any sort of kayak tour is extremely exciting, particularly if you have never enjoyed this sort of experience before. However, if this is going to be your first ever kayaking adventure, you may feel a little unprepared and overwhelmed about what your trip onto the water might entail. To help you relax, here is everything you need to know about what to expect on your manatee and dolphin tour.
You will be shown how to kayak
One of the biggest concerns that many people have is their lack of kayaking experience. Some of our guests have never set foot in a kayak before. However, never fear – it is much easier than it looks, and our guides will give you an introduction into how to use a kayak and stay safe on and in the water before you set off.
You will need to wear a life vest
If you are a strong swimmer then you may think that you don’t need to wear a life vest. However, life vests are compulsory for all participants on our tours – both for your safety and those of the people around you!
You will get wet!
Even the most experienced kayaker can get wet on a tour, so if you are fairly new to the pastime, you will almost certainly find yourself needing a towel and potentially a change of clothes for after your tour. Make sure you dress appropriately and have the right footwear so that you don’t slip getting in or out of the kayak.
You will see some amazing wildlife
There is a reason that manatee and dolphin tours are the most popular daytime outdoor activity in the area – the wildlife. In addition to hopefully spotting some wonderful manatees and elusive but majestic dolphins, you will also be able to see some of the other delightful wildlife that this part of Florida has to offer, which could include birds, fish, stingray, horse shoe crab and potentially an alligator too!
Many people worry about the prospect of coming across an alligator, but the truth is that they would just as much rather avoid you as you would avoid them! Your guides will instruct you on what to do in the event you see an alligator but remain calm and enjoy seeing this amazing animal in his natural environment.
Your tour will be unique
Since our kayak tours take place in nature, there are no set locations or times for animal appearances – as much as it would be helpful if there were! As such, each tour is entirely unique and unfortunately, we cannot guarantee exactly what wildlife you will see. However, our experienced guides do know the areas where sightings are most likely to take place and will endeavor to do everything possible to ensure you have the best chance of seeing the animals in their natural habitats.
You might not have time to get photos – so focus on a first-hand experience
While we totally understand that you might want to capture film and photo to ensure your memories last a lifetime, the fact is that many of the animals you will see move very quickly. Many people find that they simply can’t move quickly enough to get the shot they want, or they spend time setting up their equipment and miss out on the actual live experience in front of them. Unless you want to leave a Go-Pro or similar recording your entire adventure, we would recommend that you leave photography to a minimum and instead enjoy what you see first-hand.
You may see manatees’ mating
The manatee is a mammal with an extensive mating season. This means that all too often, our tours stumble across pairs of these frisky creatures doing the wild thing! If you are bringing young children on your tour, you may wish to decide how you are going to approach this subject with them!
You may get hooked on kayaking!
Kayaking is a fantastic way to explore the waterways of Florida as well as other exciting parts of the world, and many adventurers get hooked! Fortunately, we offer various different kayak tours for you to get your teeth into – our guides will be delighted to give you more information.
If you have further questions about what to expect from your manatee and dolphin kayak tour, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you for your next adventure really soon! Book now!
