Florida Sea Kayak Meetup --- FSKA

We will launch from the Helen Mellon Schmidt Park. We will paddle north for about 1 hour and 2 miles and then get out of our kayaks for a short break. We will then paddle north for about another 1 hour and 2 miles until we reach an island in the Matanzas River where will get out of our kayaks for a lunch break. We will then paddle south back to where we launched our kayaks in the morning.

Please arrive about 9:30 am to launch at 10 am. There is a portable toilet at the Park. There is no fee to use the Park. When you arrive near the Park, it looks like you are at a housing development. Drive on the packed dirt road about a half mile and you will be at the launch point.

Please paddle together as a group within about 100 feet from the west shoreline of the River because it will be more fun as a group and safer than paddling in the boat channel in the middle of the River.

The last time we kayaked in this location we saw a bald eagle, many other birds, turtles, jelly fish and dolphins.

Total time on land and water: 5 - 5.5 hours
Total paddling distance: 8 - 9 miles
Kayaking level: intermediate or advanced
Tides: high at 11:50 am and low at 6:20 pm

Please do not paddle under the Fort Matanzas Inlet Bridge because the current is strong and if you paddle under the Bridge you may not be able to return for hours against the current until the tide changes.

If you have not already done so, please sign the Florida Sea Kayaking Release on the Florida Sea Kayaking page of the Meetup website.

Please bring a PFD, whistle, water, sunscreen, lunch or a snack and a chair if you would like to sit on a chair during our lunch break.

Please check this website in the afternoon or evening the day before the paddle to see if there is a postponement due to a bad weather forecast. If I do not post a postponement by noon the day before the paddle, we will paddle at the scheduled time the next day.

We'll launch from the Palm Valley West Kayak & Boat Ramp, a relatively new kayak launch site located underneath the Hwy 210 bridge that crosses over the ICWW. This highway is also known as Nocatee Parkway and leads into Palm Valley.

We'll paddle south with the last few hours of a falling tide, past Nocatee Landing (5 miles) then another mile or so to the south end of Pine Island. We'll be met by an incoming tide around noon (approximately) so we'll be exploring the area near low tide. Once we arrive at Nocatee Landing we can swim, explore some of the tidal creeks in the area or continue another mile to begin the loop around Pine Island. This loop, aided by the now flooding tide, will return us back to Nocatee Landing where we'll have lunch, swim, etc. Rest rooms, sandy beach & protection from the sun provided at Nocatee Landing. After lunch we'll paddle back to the take-out, with the incoming tide pushing us along.
Lots of wading birds on the mud flats, usually dolphins feeding on schooling fish & more. No development seen past the first 200 yards!

Arrive in time to be on the water at 9 am.

Trip distance: 10-11 miles round-trip (+2 if you do the Pine Isle. loop)
Trip time on the water: 4-5 hours
Trip difficulty: easy

The 2025 Annual Meeting for FSKA for paid members will be held at Silver Lake Campground.
We have 20 sites reserved and the code from Reserve America is Event ID 92413587 that will allow you to choose a site (2-23). You MUST call to reserve.
Site limits: 2 tents or 1 RV & 1 tent - 8 people per site max.

More details to follow as soon as received.
Silver Lake Campground
31475 Silver Lake Rd, Brooksville, FL 34602
Google map link to campground: https://maps.app.goo.gl/cd9etXZ9EKYG3r5Z8