What You Should Know
- EXPECT A CONFIRMATION EMAIL – You will receive a confirmation email after booking with a link to your launch site that coincides with your specific tour.
- ARRIVE 30 MINS PRIOR TO YOUR LAUNCH TIME – Please arrive 30 mins prior to launch for check-in and outfitting. Saftey Orientation will start 15 minutes prior to launch time. We plan to be on the water by your designated tour time. To respect everyones schedules, Late arrivals may be pushed to the next tour time (depending on availability).
- THE BEST TIME TO SEE BIOLUMINESCENCE: There is a 13 day window in every month where there is no moon in the sky while we are on the water at night..the window is as follows…: Book 3 days AFTER THE FULL MOON- until 1 DAY AFTER the new moon. This window will save you from the new moon crowds, while still enjoying the absolute darkness of a “New Moon” night!
- LAUNCH SITE: Haulover Canal, Titusville
- TRIP LENGTH: 90 MINS
- COST PER PERSON:$60
- INCLUDED: Raft, PFD, PADDLES AND HAPPY GUIDES
- MAX WEIGHT: 2000lbs
- AGE RANGE: 5+
- SUGGESTIONS TO BRING: AQUATIC FOOTWEAR, BUG SPRAY, TOWEL, SUNSCREEN, AND A WATER BOTTLE
- LOCATION: Haulover Canal, Titusville
About Group Rafting with Bioluminescence
Bring the crew! As one of the only tour companies offering bioluminescent rafting tours in FL, we can make sure we get your party of (up to) 8 on the water together, so you can enjoy this experience as a true group. Sitting on top of these rafts gives you a better vantage point to see deeper into the water so as to give you a better opportunity to see the bigger stuff swim away! These self bailing rafts allows everyone an opportunity to paddle and join in the fun. Each raft will have an expertly trained guide to lead you thru the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and educate you about this wonderful refuge and its extremely rare inhabitants as we enjoy a leisurely 90 minutes on the water. As we’re located less than 4mi from NASA’s historic launch pad 39A, with an average of 10 -15 launches a month, you have a great chance to be the closest spectators to one of these awesome nighttime shows!
As we paddle thru the water we can expect to see the vivid neon blue of the dinoflagellates as we disturb therm with our paddles. Our presence will then begin to disturb the fish, which look like bottle rockets going off underwater, which will cause other things to move and then the under water comes to life! If you’re able to pull your eyes from the water, you will bet able to see the Milky-Way galaxy over head. There isn’t too many places in Florida where you can still see the Milky-way at night!
This phenomenon can only be seen in 5 places on the face of the earth, in the same location, year after year. Titusville FL., is the only place in the continental Untited States where you can see this bioluminescence, year after year in the same location. The water comes to life at night with a magical glow everywhere it is touched by your hand, paddle, kayak, a mullet jumping, fish swimming, or even the waves lapping gently. If scooped into your hand the water will sparkle as you hold it and as it runs down your arm. Many people compare this phenomenon with being in the movie Avatar. This phenomenon is made possible by naturally occurring dinoflagellate plankton that light up the water of the river. They can be observed in these waters May through October with sightings as late as January, but are brightest during the peak season of July through September.
No two adventures will be the same as nature is constantly on the move. No cheesy rehearsed scripts here just guides well versed in their environment.
Note: During the full moon phases bioluminescence does not appear as bright as when it is very dark.
