Springs Outing: Kings Bay Paddle
Join us February 15th for a paddle around Kings Bay! Come learn about manatee habitat with us as we explore Kings Bay and its springs. Kings Bay is a unique body of water that serves as a refuge for manatees escaping the cold winter waters of the Gulf of Mexico – its fed by over 70 springs!
Details about the outing:
For participants bringing their own canoe/kayak/paddleboard (we recommended bringing one if you have it), we will meet at Kings Bay park by 9:30am – the parking lot begins to fill up at 10:00am so getting there a by 9:30 is ideal. We will launch from the park at 10:00am and head towards Hunter Springs.
For participants who would need to rent a Kayak, we recommend using Bird’s Underwater Inc., located near our launch point at Kings Bay Park. Their prices are reasonable, and you can book a kayak ahead of time on their website: https://www.birdsunderwater.com/kayak-rentals/.
From Kings Bay Park we will paddle down the canal to Hunter Spring’s, continuing to Three Sisters (the spring may be closed but there are sure to be manatees), and finally the manatee refuge area. We will return to the launch point at the end of the day, most likely around or before 4:00pm (for those renting kayaks, rentals must be returned by 4:30pm).
Things to bring: kayak/canoe, water shoes, mask/fins/snorkel, lunch/snacks, a water bottle, and you may wish to bring a wetsuit.
Meetup location: Kings Bay Park at 268 NW 3rd St, Crystal River, FL 34428 (If you are renting a kayak you will launch at Bird’s Underwater Inc. – 320 US-19, Crystal River, FL 34428)
If you have any questions regarding this outing, please email Zoey Hendrickson at zhendrickson@floridaspringsinstitute.org. If you have signed up, you can expect a final details email the week prior to the event. Thank you!
Our Springs Outing trips connect nature lovers with the outdoors (and each other) while giving participants the opportunity to learn about Florida’s unique landscape and springs from qualified experts/scientists. Each Spring Outing holds a new adventure, and with it, new information and experiences, even for the most seasoned adventure enthusiasts! Proceeds from Spring Outings benefit the Florida Springs Institute so we can continue vital springs research and education efforts.
Our Spring Outings happen monthly, all around the state. To keep in the loop with upcoming outing announcements you can join our monthly newsletter or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
