Florida's Birding & Photo Fest official guide 2019 | Page 27

K AYA K I N G & PA D D L E B O A R D TO U R S Kayak Marineland Sunset Birding Ecotour High Tide Pellicer Flats Kayak Ecotour Meeting Location: Ripple Effect Ecotours, 101 Tolstoy Lane Guide: Ripple Effects Ecotours Meeting Location: Ripple Effect Ecotours, 101 Tolstoy Lane Guide: Ripple Effects Ecotours WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY 5:30 TO 7:30 P.M. FRIDAY NOON TO 2:30 P.M. Cost: $60 | Min/Max No People: 2/12 | Difficulty Level: Intermediate Enjoy the Ripple Effect - a natural twilight exploration and birding adventure on Matanzas River. Our kayaks provide space for your equipment and add to this relaxing, comprehensive trip through one of the prettiest landscapes in coastal Florida only accessible by kayak! Potential to view lots of great birds when paddling including Black-crowned Night Herons, Northern Harriers, Owls and Clapper Rails in the marsh as the sunsets. Cost: $60 | Min/Max No People: 2/12 | Difficulty Level: Intermediate Enjoy the Ripple Effect Ecotour on the Pellicer flats and experience the unique coastal communities adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. Local shorebirds find their home within these beautiful salt marsh habitats. The upland tree canopies also provide shelter for migratory birds going north for the summer. Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, Great Horned Owl, Osprey, Roseate Spoonbills, Whimbrels, Black Bellied Plovers, Semipalmated Plovers, Spotted Sandpipers, Willets, Dunlin, Sandpipers, Yellow Legs, Seaside Sparrows, Terns, and many other species. Low Tide Pellicer Flats Birding by Kayak Marineland Sunset Kayak Tour Meeting Location: Ripple Effect Ecotours, 101 Tolstoy Lane Guide: Ripple Effects Ecotours Meeting Location: Ripple Effect Ecotours, 101 Tolstoy Lane Guide: Ripple Effects Ecotours THURSDAY 9 TO 11:30 A.M. SATURDAY 10 A.M. TO 12:30 P.M. FRIDAY 6 TO 8 P.M. Cost: $60 | Min/Max No People: 2/12 | Difficulty Level: Intermediate Surrounded by the southern boundary of the GTM NERR and Matanzas Basin, these conservation areas provide the most unique and protected birding paradise in North East Florida, the Pellicer Flats. A mile-wide tidal lagoon system drains completely at low tide. Rich in shore birds, the only way to access this ecological gem is via kayak. Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, Great Horned Owl, Osprey, Roseate Spoonbills, Whimbrels, Black Bellied Plovers, Semipalmated Plovers, Piping Plovers, Wilson’s Plovers, Spotted Sandpipers, Willets, Dunlin, Sandpipers, Yellow Legs, Seaside Sparrows, Terns, Red Knots and many other species. Cost: $60 | Min/Max No People: 2/12 | Difficulty Level: Intermediate Witness a “real” Florida sunset from the best seat in the house. Our glowing “firefly” kayaks light the way through a maze of winding tidal creeks. Potential to view lots of great birds when paddling including Black-crowned Night Herons, Northern Harriers, Owls and Clapper Rails in the marsh as the sunsets. Mid Tide Pellicer Flats Birding by Kayak Meeting Location: Ripple Effect Ecotours, 101 Tolstoy Lane Guide: Ripple Effects Ecotours Low Tide Oyster Flats Paddle (Paddleboard) SUNDAY 10 A.M. TO 12:30 P.M. Meeting Location: Anastasia State Park, 850 Anastasia Park Rd. Guide: Florida State Parks biologist Jason DePue Cost: $60 | Min/Max No People: 2/12 | Difficulty Level: Intermediate Surrounded by the most unique and protected birding paradise in North East Florida, the Pellicer Flats. A mile-wide tidal lagoon system drains completely at low tide. Rich in shore birds, the only way to access this ecological gem is via kayak. Species of interest found here include: Bald Eagles, Northern Harriers, Great Horned Owl, Osprey, Whimbrels, Black Bellied Plovers, Semipalmated Plovers, Piping Plovers, Wilson’s Plovers, Spotted Sandpipers, Willets, Dunlin, Sandpipers, Yellow Legs, Roseate Spoonbills, Seaside Sparrows, Terns, Red Knots and many other species. THURSDAY 9:30 TO 11:30 A.M. Price: $65 | Min/Max No People: 2/12 | Difficulty Level: Demanding No experience is necessary to enjoy this fun and popular activity, but you might get wet! On the gentle waters of Salt Run, there is no better place to try it out. Come appreciate nature and wildlife as you improve balance, stamina and strength. Stand Up Paddleboards are designed to be used by one person and cannot accommodate two people. Please arrive 15-30 minutes prior to departure. McCullough Creek Kayak Trip Meeting Location: McCullough Creek Soft Launch, 2310 CR 13 South, Elkton Guide: St. Johns County Park Naturalist THURSDAY 10 A.M. TO 1 P.M. Price: $60 | Min/Max No People: 5/14 | Difficulty Level: Intermediate Learn about the ecosystems, unique history, and diverse wildlife of this creek running from the St. Johns River with St. Johns County Park Naturalists on a kayak trip that brings you back to Old Florida. PHOTO: LEWIS KEMPER 27