• 
• Date: Tues, Mar 10
• Times:      Meet at 9:30am
      Paddle at 10:00am
  Done by 4:00pm
• Meet at:  Mac Rae's Motel
•                  (Live Search Maps #28)
• Lunch: Provided

Here's another chance to paddle among the gentle giants of our local waters. This is probably the last Big D manatee paddle before the "snow mammals" leave us and return to their summer homes. As the water temperature of the Gulf of Mexico goes above 70˚ they will depart, no longer needing the warm spring waters to survive. 

This is one of our shorter tours. So if you want to finish with lots of energy left, have the possibility of a great manatee bonus, and then some fellowship at a local restaurant, join us for this fun paddle. Back to Happenings

• Date: Fri, Mar 13
• Times:      Meet at 6:30pm
  Paddle at 7:00pm
  Done by 9:30pm
• Meet at:  Coffee Pot Bayou
                   (Live Search Maps #10)
  
• Snacks: Provided

This festival is 2 1/2 days of Zydeco music, dancing, and Cajun food (10,000 lbs. of crawfish). Whether you are a seasoned Cajun or completely new (like the Ds) you'll certainly enjoy this festival.

We'll be paddling along the shoreline right past the festival.  If the conditions permit, we may just hang out near shore for a bit (backgroundwater music by Frech Rockin' Boogie). We'll have snacks at Spa Beach, then paddle back.

We usually have salad and pizza at this venue. Anyone know where we can get some Cajun food for our snacks?

• Date: Sun, Mar 15
• Times:      Meet at 8:00am
  Paddle at 8:30am
  Done by 11:30am
• Meet at:  North Shore Park
                   (Live Search Maps #34)
  
• Snacks: Provided

This festival is 2 1/2 days of Zydeco music, dancing, and Cajun food (10,000 lbs. of crawfish). Whether you are a seasoned Cajun or completely new (like the Ds) you'll certainly enjoy this festival.

Today we paddle, then dance.  Some folks attending the festival asked us to have a paddle in the morning before the festival opened.  This is it.

Here's the plan.  We'll paddle from North Shore Pool to Coffee Pot Bayou and back.  We may continue around the Pier and back.  Then we'll go to the festival (admission is included in the tour price).

• 
• Date: Sat, Mar 28
• Times:      Meet at 9:00am
  Done by 4:00pm
• Meet at:    Silver River State Park Parking Lot
                        (Live Search Maps #46)
• Fee: An extra $10 fee will be
                         charged and donated to
  The Friends of Silver River State Park
  
• Lunch: Provided
• Guiding: Big D, Mrs D, and maybe more
  Entertainment and Education: Mickey Raines

You won't want to miss this paddle. Joining our tour is a wonderfully entertaining naturalist, historian, and educator. He grew up and still lives nearby. Subjects we've heard him cover include:

• The lives of early settlers in the area
• Early commercial use of The Silver River
• Hearing about his dad going to drink beer at the "secret" cabin with Johhny Weismuller during the filming of Tarzan movies.
• The precise tree Tarzan swung from and the cable he used like a vine
• The dolphin he imported that became known as Flipper
• Scuba diving with Lloyd Bridges of Sea Hunt
• As a teenager, catching a large gator and chaining it near a public swimming beach.
• His buddy dressing up in costume to be The Creature From The Black Lagoon
• Guiding Steve Erwin, The Crocodile Hunter
• Details about the growth of the bands of wild monkeys
• The five bear families that live in the park
• The fast-growing blue fish that may be taking over Silver River
• The military road that passes through the park
• The Indians and the military during the Indian wars
• The exact island the monkeys escaped from
• Surveying the area
• Guiding SWFWMD and other government agencies
• Researching and surveying the changing boundaries of the land of the early settlers
• The 3 landings used by the commercial boats on the river. We had paddled past them many times and never knew . . .
• State and federal record largest trees.
• The unusual growth rate of cypress trees.

If you want to kayak on a beautiful, clear, spring fed river and enjoy nature, join us on this tour. If you want to be entertained and educated about the river, join us and paddle near Mickey.

• 
• Date: Sun, Mar 29
• Times:      Meet at 9:30am
  Paddle at 10:00am
  Done by 4:00pm
• Meet at:Juniper Springs
                     (Live Search Maps #23)
• Fee: The park also has a daily use fee.
• Lunch: Provided

This is the second day of our planned camping weekend. Juniper Springs Run starts incredibly beautiful, narrow, and twisty. It gets rave reviews every time we do it.  You'll also enjoy the drive through the national forest. 

Like Rainbow River anything commonly thrown away is prohibited from the river.  So, no food in store packaging.  Only water bottles meant to be refilled.  We have about a dozen water bottles.  If you don't have your own, borrow one of ours.

Class Information

Kayak classes at Sweetwater Kayaks and Big D's Kayaking are taught by trained and certified (American Canoe Association and British Canoe Union) coaches. Many classes are taught at Snug Harbor, centrally located in the Tampa Bay area. Others are taught at various venues including Ft DeSoto.

Our classes are kept small to ensure quality and safety. Most classes have one coach for every four students. And, no class size is too small.  If Big D schedules it, it will happen, unless dangerous weather is forecasted.  So call today so you can become a better paddler.