A Visit to St. Vincent Island

On Saturday we took a trip out to Port St. Joe along the peninsula down to Indian Pass where the tip of St. Vincent Island lies just a half mile from shore across St. Vincent Sound. The island itself is a National Wildlife Refuge where Red Wolves, Sambar Deer, Red and Gray Fox, feral hog, American Alligator, Nine-banded Armadillo, and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake can all be found living on the island. Visitors are allowed on the island by day and camping is not permitted. To make getting around on the island easier there are a network of gravel roads traversing the island, however only foot and bicycle traffic are permitted. Visitors can take a shuttle boat over from Indian Pass or do like we did and bring your own kayak or canoe.

Our trip from Fort Walton Beach to Port St. Joe took just under three hours. We arrived early and unloaded the kayaks and gear. It only took a few minutes to get underway and it was a short quick jaunt across the pass. Our group consisted of two Hobie SOT kayaks and two SIK kayaks. It was a green flag day (calm) so the group headed out the pass and paddled along the Gulf side of the island, encountering several dolphin pods along the way, until we were about halfway down before we saw one of the roads (#4) and landed there.

We ate a quick lunch, loaded up our backpacks with water bottles and bug spray and headed in to explore the island. Within just a few yards the sea breeze leaves visitors to the mercy of Florida's brutal heat and humidity. Luckily, having lived in Florida for quite a while, we were acclimated but not happy about it. However, in short order we began encountering the wildlife that St. Vincent Island is famous for.

Our first encounter was with a pack of deer flies. DO NOT FORGET to bring your bug spray with you. Deer flies are nasty, painful creatures capable of inflicting painful bites. We applied our bug spray and pushed onward. Our next encounter was watching a feral pig with piglets crossing the road ahead of us. Next we nearly tripped over a large turtle sitting alongside the road in the tall grass. We took pictures and continued on  to our next encounter with a small group of Sambar deer who bolted onto the roadway in front of us. They were too fast for my camera at the first encounter, but we met up with them again about fifteen minutes down the road and I was able to get pictures as they grazed.

Finally the heat was too much, our water levels low, so we headed back to the beach to cool off and head back to the pass. It was an easy paddle back, having paddled into the wind on the way out, however, once at the pass and with the heating of the day the chop in the pass was a bit intimidating. The SOT kayaks negotiated it without problem, while my SIK kayak had quite the wild ride while I tried to keep the kayak from pitching and rolling in the surf. I wouldn't recommend beginners attempt to negotiate the pass.

I finally made it back to the landing, just a little worse for wear. One of our group got overheated and had to cool down, just another side effect of Florida's heat and humidity. Aside from the heat, humidity and negotiating the pass it was a good trip. We're planning another trip soon with an early start to explore the bay side of the island.

Kayaking Along the Emerald Coast

Last weekend turned out pretty good. On Saturday I purchased a Wilderness Systems Tsunami 120 kayak. It's a bright banana yellow (not my first choice, but hey—it was on sale) and I also picked up a kayak cart to help in transporting it when necessary. Then I just had to sit out a rainy Saturday and hope that Sunday would be clear enough to paddle Boiling Creek as planned.

Boiling Creek is a beautiful pristine creek located south of Milton on the Eglin Reservation. The last couple of miles of the paddle is along the Yellow River and although not as scenic, is still a nice place to paddle. I'd heard a lot about this creek in regard to its clear water and vibrant plant life, but I'd never done this particular float trip before and had looked forward to it for weeks. I am thrilled to say that I was not disappointed!

Getting there was a lot easier than getting to some of the other creeks on the Eglin Reservation, and the group that we were traveling with had a good shuttle plan in place so we were all able to drop our kayaks in the water as soon as we got there and head off. Immediately a sense of wonder takes over and it's almost as if you're transported to another time and place.

The water was clear even despite the previous day's rain. Beautiful pitcher plants lined the banks and various types of lilies decorated the surface of the creek. The current itself was slow and easy, allowing me to relax and just enjoy the ride, which was fine. It's easy to get absorbed in watching the aquatic life beneath while drifting along.

At one point an otter leaped into the water between Kris's kayak and my own. It was one of those moments in time that I didn't even bother to fiddle with the camera because I knew I'd never get it focused in time, rather, I just watched the otter swim easily beneath my kayak and disappear into a bed of lilies on the opposite side of the creek.

At one point I angled my kayak in closer so that I could get some detailed pictures of one of the lilies, and to my surprise my kayak started to sing! As the kayak drifted over the top of some of the underwater vegetation, it created the same effect as a bow being drawn across fiddle strings. I'm thinking about christening the new kayak “Siren Song.”

We'd started early to avoid the threat of rain and managed to have a dry trip, even stopping for lunch right before Boiling Creek joins with the Yellow River. This trip has become my favorite float trip by far, even in comparison to Turkey and Econfina Creeks. The sheer peace and tranquility makes it a favorite and I can't wait to get back out there and do it again!

Plan your own float trip on Boiling Creek here.

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.