Kayaking in Florida

I've managed to get quite a bit of kayaking in this summer, and I've been paddling all over the Emerald Coast getting photos and material for articles. Best of all I've been having fun doing it and getting fit at the same time.


Right now I have two favorite creeks, but I'm sure one of them will get bumped out of the running later this year if Boiling Creek lives up to expectations. Until then my picks are Turkey Creek and Econfina Creek, the latter of which we'll be doing again this coming weekend. We'll be exploring a different section in order to gain access to more of the springs. I only wish my Canon Powershot D10 12.1 MP waterproof camera had arrived in time. Since I spend so much time on the water, my sweetheart of a boyfriend ordered me one. Alas, it is on back order and I fear that fall and cooler temps will arrive before it does. :(

This past weekend we paddled with a great group of people from the Choctawhatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association down Titi Creek near Crestview. The water level was a bit high, but all in all it was a good trip. We plan to paddle it again when the water level is lower.

I've been having so much fun kayaking that I almost haven't had time to sit down and write. I recommend kayaking or canoeing to anyone that's looking to mix fun, relaxation, and a bit of fitness into their routine. It really is an awesome adventure.

Kayaking on Econfina Creek

Eventually I will get around to posting about the Appalachian hike that I went on recently, but right now I'm writing about yesterday's kayaking trip along the Econfina Creek located between Panama City and Marianna, Fl.

It was a bit of a late start. We didn't get into the water until 10:30. The people we were meeting there decided to change their plans and not show up, so it was just me, Kris, and his friend Stuart. The creek was up due to recent rains, but still easy enough to paddle comfortably, and it wasn't long before we'd paddled into the first spring area. This is why we make the trip. Beautiful crystal clear springs! Along Econfina Creek are 11 springs bubbling forth from 36 vents.

We next traveled downstream to visit as many of the springs as we were able to find. The highlight of the trip is a spring system that has numerous vents and is a great place to stop for lunch and a swim, which is exactly what we did. After about an hour exploring the spring, we set off for our pickup point at the Hwy 388 Bridge. Total trip time was about 4 hours.

If you'd like to visit Econfina Creek and explore the springs, contact the Econfina Creek Canoe Livery. Their contact information can be found in this article.