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St. Augustine Eco Tours offers one of the most
unique and user friendly kayak tours in the
Southeast. Our permanent location puts us in the
heart of Historic Downtown St. Augustine. What
better spot to experience the water in the way
people did centuries ago. We have a dedicated slip
at the city marina where a specialized kayak dock
makes getting in and out of the kayaks the easiest
part of the trip. Extremely stable tandem kayaks
with rudders make steering a breeze for beginners
or the more experienced paddler.
No experience is necessary for our 2 hour guided nature tour. This is the perfect combination of instruction and nature! A brief paddling clinic will get you comfortable with your paddle and kayak. Before getting into the boats, your guide will instruct you on the basics of how to hold and use your paddle in the most efficient way. You'll do a little kayak-specific stretching while you get comfortable with the equipment on land and learn our safety protocol. Then, your guide will take you on a paddle under the Bridge of Lions, past the Spanish fort and into the saltwater marshes of the historic mission grounds.
No experience is necessary for our 2 hour guided nature tour. This is the perfect combination of instruction and nature! A brief paddling clinic will get you comfortable with your paddle and kayak. Before getting into the boats, your guide will instruct you on the basics of how to hold and use your paddle in the most efficient way. You'll do a little kayak-specific stretching while you get comfortable with the equipment on land and learn our safety protocol. Then, your guide will take you on a paddle under the Bridge of Lions, past the Spanish fort and into the saltwater marshes of the historic mission grounds.
THE LOVELY ST. AUGUSTINE RED HATS ON A MORNING
KAYAK TRIP
Our boats are Necky Manatou II's. After test driving hundreds of boats, we chose these because of their absolute stability and performance. The first boat made that successfully converts from a tandem to solo kayak without losing it's efficiency, this boat allows experienced paddlers--and guides--to man it alone. The majority of our guests enjoy having a partner do some of the work so that they can take turns snapping photos and stopping to observe sea turtles or shore birds as they glide along. Equipped with adjustable seats, foot pegs and rudders, these are comfortable for even the elderly or large paddlers.
To get paddlers from the dock into the kayaks we have a state of the art kayak launcher. This allows guides to help get you fitted into your boat and then literally lower you right into the water. If you've ever tried getting into a kayak from a dock, or even the shore for that matter, then you know why we found this a worthwhile investment.
The only thing better than our equipment is our guides! Everyone of our kayak guides is a certified interpretive naturalist who will bring the surroundings to life for you. As you paddle North on the Matanzas River, they will teach you about the ecology of our fabulous estuary system. From the micro-organisms in the water to the enormous Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, from the baby sea turtles to the Osprey diving above you, our guides will explain WHY these creatures are here and how they are all interacting in the salt marsh.
If you have kayaked all over the world, come see what we have to protect right here in St. Augustine---or, if you've never even tried it, we'll give you an experience you'll want to come back for.
How to Book: Please call for trip times and rates. Reservations are required and St. Augustine Eco Tours will take a Visa or Mastercard number to reserve your spot. We have a twenty-four hour cancelation policy. As far as weather goes--trust us! We're never going to take you out in the rain or unsafe conditions, but please leave that up to your Guide. Tropical showers are common here in season so we just ask that you show up unless you hear from us. If we see a problem we'll try to give you some advance notice in the hours before your trip.
904-377-7245
What to Wear/Bring: SHOES that will stay on your feet. No flip flops or slides if possible. Tennis shoes, Crocs, and sandals with a back strap all work well. Comfortable clothes--the only water you'll get is from the drip of your paddle. Some passengers stay dry and others, well, it just depends if you're a wet paddler. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats. We encourage you to bring a camera if you like. Most paddlers find that storing it in a ziplock bag or small camera case will keep the paddle spray off.
Our boats are Necky Manatou II's. After test driving hundreds of boats, we chose these because of their absolute stability and performance. The first boat made that successfully converts from a tandem to solo kayak without losing it's efficiency, this boat allows experienced paddlers--and guides--to man it alone. The majority of our guests enjoy having a partner do some of the work so that they can take turns snapping photos and stopping to observe sea turtles or shore birds as they glide along. Equipped with adjustable seats, foot pegs and rudders, these are comfortable for even the elderly or large paddlers.
To get paddlers from the dock into the kayaks we have a state of the art kayak launcher. This allows guides to help get you fitted into your boat and then literally lower you right into the water. If you've ever tried getting into a kayak from a dock, or even the shore for that matter, then you know why we found this a worthwhile investment.
The only thing better than our equipment is our guides! Everyone of our kayak guides is a certified interpretive naturalist who will bring the surroundings to life for you. As you paddle North on the Matanzas River, they will teach you about the ecology of our fabulous estuary system. From the micro-organisms in the water to the enormous Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, from the baby sea turtles to the Osprey diving above you, our guides will explain WHY these creatures are here and how they are all interacting in the salt marsh.
If you have kayaked all over the world, come see what we have to protect right here in St. Augustine---or, if you've never even tried it, we'll give you an experience you'll want to come back for.
How to Book: Please call for trip times and rates. Reservations are required and St. Augustine Eco Tours will take a Visa or Mastercard number to reserve your spot. We have a twenty-four hour cancelation policy. As far as weather goes--trust us! We're never going to take you out in the rain or unsafe conditions, but please leave that up to your Guide. Tropical showers are common here in season so we just ask that you show up unless you hear from us. If we see a problem we'll try to give you some advance notice in the hours before your trip.
904-377-7245
What to Wear/Bring: SHOES that will stay on your feet. No flip flops or slides if possible. Tennis shoes, Crocs, and sandals with a back strap all work well. Comfortable clothes--the only water you'll get is from the drip of your paddle. Some passengers stay dry and others, well, it just depends if you're a wet paddler. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats. We encourage you to bring a camera if you like. Most paddlers find that storing it in a ziplock bag or small camera case will keep the paddle spray off.
KAYAKERS FROM JORDAN WITH GUIDE AARON
THE BEST CONTACT WITH ANY WILDLIFE IS EYE
CONTACT.