Kayak Big Talbot
Gentle waves lap against your starboard side. A salt breeze with a touch of marshy earth fills your nostrils as you inhale and ply your paddle. Your heartbeat and the ospreys calling overhead compete for lead on a complementary soundtrack both invigorating and relaxing.
Flashes of pink and white break up the expanse of lush green grass and blue sky and water as you spy roseate spoonbills and great egrets stalking their prey. A leaping mullet fish breaks the water off your bow, splashing you on its way back down.
You pull off on a sandy flat and explore tide pools, finding snails, clam shells, horseshoe crab tracks and flounder imprints in the sand. You listen as your guide explains how this special place is actually hard at work purifying water, building and protecting coast lands, and rearing up the young marine life in this salt marsh nursery. Stress melts away as you marvel at the beauty that surrounds you.
This is a day with Kayak Amelia.
You can explore the marsh today and every day with Kayak Amelia outfitters. The view from the water is unmatched when kayaking at Big Talbot Island State Park, so immerse yourself in the salt marsh experience with a tour from veteran paddlers.
The ultimate outfitter hub, Kayak Amelia’s shop on Long Island invites seasoned and novice paddlers to explore the tidal creeks and shorelines of the Timucuan Preserve. Locally owned and operated by the Hetchka family for the past 22 years, Kayak Amelia strives to create a wake, whose ripples provide their guests with a sense of wonder about the natural world while minimizing their impact on the daily lives of the non-human neighbors whose home we share.
Kayak Amelia offers a variety of water-based activities for locals and visitors. Guided three-hour kayak ecotours teach the basics of paddling and highlight the natural features of this ecosystem.
Half-day self-guided rentals are also available for single and tandem boats. Stand-up paddleboard (SUP) and SUP yoga classes and equipment rentals help improve balance and redefine aquatic exercise. Meditation paddles and beach yoga trips can help visitors focus on their health at the parks. The shop also offers bicycle rentals so visitors can explore the nearby paved Timucuan Trail.
Weekly summer camps for children are a great way to encourage the next generation to appreciate the outdoors and be comfortable on the water. For the extra adventurous, guided excursions to the Florida Keys and Silver River are offered.