Lightning. Downpour. Kayaking.
One of these things does not belong and yet we managed to pull all three together in another adventure this weekend.
As you know, it was birthday week and the big thing we had planned {since I didn’t know about my surprise visitor} was to finally embark on this crazy kayaking tour that I’d stumbled across. We have kayaked through the mangroves in the Keys, in the open waters of Costa Rica and paddled down rivers in Missouri…but I knew this would be unique.
You see this tour involved GLOWING WATER!
What?! Oddly many people who have lived in Florida forever don’t even know this amazing natural phenomenon is in their backyards. There are only a few bioluminescent waters in the entire world, how could I not go enjoy the bioluminscent Florida kayak tour before we move?!
JOURNEY WITH ME
Saturday started like any other…with a long run. In fact, I was a wee bit overexcited and made it my longest run 2015…thus necessitating a nap later in the day to ensure that I was fully alert for our nighttime adventure!
To my great delight the rain tapping the window, the skies were gray, and just a little thunder rumbled making it all the merrier to slide under the covers mid-afternoon with a book and let the weight of my eyelids take control. No guilt about missing out on great weather!
As the day progressed, I was less enthused about the continued downpour, but at 7PM we grabbed our headlamps, a change of clothes and started the drive to Merritt Island. Spending the duration of the ride looking at each other and alternately laughing and saying “hope that lightning stops“.
Then because it was indeed BIRTHDAY weekend, as we pulled in to the Park the rain stopped. Just like that, after a full day of the skies unleashing cold drops, it was done.
Hopping out of the car, I started to roam around and explore the kayaks, then chatting with the owners to learn a little more about what we were getting ourselves in to with this nighttime excursion.
At this point, my nerves began to buzz hearing these statements:
- Stay in the middle under the bridge, people fish on the sides and we hate pulling hooks out of people {he was not joking}
- The manatees can get startled and we had 8 people knocked over last night {no on mentioned manatees, this got me seriously excited…but not about being dumped in the dark water miles from shore}
- Look out for boats they may not see you {well that’s super}
Pardon the fuzzy images, it was indeed already getting dark by 8:15PM and the iPhone only does so much. BUT I was so jazzed I had download a special night app early in the day to figure out how to capture the glowing water…oh little did I know what was really in store.
We pulled on our glow sticks, then tossed them over our backs so a kayak guide could keep track of the 15 people in our group, and it was now time to get started.
IN TO THE DARK
In order to have the best viewing of the bioluminescence, you want it as dark as possible. Thus we went on the night of a new moon, meaning as we slid in to the water, it was dark and felt very unusual to be setting off in to the unknown.
Within minutes though my eyes adjusted and I started to notice with every paddle stroke the water was glowing!
Below each moving kayak was a green glimmer, with each paddle stroke the water seemed electrified! As we passed below a bridge the darkness made the glow even brighter and the giggles started from everyone. It was just entirely unbelievable to see!!
Then we came upon a school of fish!!! Have you ever seen the trail a plane leaves in the sky, well imagine that in the water…and give me a break on my attempted photos I luckily got one when Mother Nature returned.
CRRRACCKKKK…..errr that sounds bad. The leaders began debating our turning back as the skies lit up to match the glowing water and before they really had a chance to decide WHOOOSHHHH. We were drenched and suddenly attempting to paddle back in rain that was so blinding we could no longer all see each other.
After the initial shock of the cold rain, it was all fairly amusing (umm minus the lightning). You see as the rain was hitting the water it made it glow! So here we are paddling like mad and the rain is falling and the water is just GLOWING, interestingly this made it easier to see.
Unfortunately this meant we really only got in about 30 minutes of out and back paddling, so we never got to see the manatees and I didn’t even get to attempt my mad night photography skills. Sadness.
Wondering about this glowing stuff and it’s safety? Found this great little snippet from Edith Widder, PH.D.
Q: Is the presence of all these glow-in-the-dark plankton good or bad for the lagoon?
A: That could go either way. It’s a good sign because it means the lagoon water is clear enough for photosynthesis, and the water is relatively free of toxins that would impede the plankton’s growth. On the down side, the plankton sometimes produces a poison called saxitoxin that accumulates in marine animals.
Widder said it’s safe to paddle a kayak, ca noe or paddleboard in the plankton, and even to dip your hand in the water to get a bright and colorful swirl. But it’s yet another reason not to eat shellfish from the lagoon, on top of the threat from Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria that can cause illness and death found in the lagoon earlier this year by scientists at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
All in all, I’d say this little adventure was just another time where there crazy made it even more memorable.
Though I’m already dying to go back since we didn’t get to paddle all the way down to the manatees. My understanding is the jellyfish show up around October making the water look insane with all these glowing things floating about…so maybe take 2?
Do you love to kayak?
Have you ever seen {heard of} the bioluminescence?
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@suzlyfe
When i did marine bio in high school, we spent 2 weeks in Florida, and a week doing scuba–I will never forget our night dive with bioluminescence! So cool. And in Jamaica, one of the bays would light up as you went through it.
RunToTheFinish
Seriously uber jealous right now! My little hour in the water was not enough!!
wendy
How fun is this? I went on a kayak adventure with my high school friends last week (blog post on Friday). We had a blast! Yes, I love kayaking!
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RunToTheFinish
Yeahh for kayaking!!! I so wish I could go more often and it is a blast with friends for sure.
Kathy McElhaney
Love kayaking! We've kayaked in Hawaii, California and Mexico. All time favorite was the 17 miles of the Napali coast of Kauai. Amazing!
RunToTheFinish
Kathy I feel like you have been everywhere and done everything!!!
Kathy McElhaney
That's the privilege of being 51 – I've had more time to do it! I'm also married to an adventurer. We'd rather spend our money on travel adventurers and running/cycling gear than things to fill up our garage and closets.
Kacy
Wow, that's pretty brave, but sounds like an amazing experience. I've actually done very little kayaking in my life, but I've been thinking of picking up the hobby. It seems like great fun and also a decent physical activity!
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grace
this looks so fun! i'm not sure i'm adventurous enough to take on an endeavor like this, but i want to be! cool pictures!
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Natalie
oh my gosh this is the coolest thing I've seen in a long time! What a fun idea – never heard of it and it's right in the USA (I was expeecting some expensive tropical island)
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maryedooley
yesssss!!! hahaha we have biolumes (abbreved) up north in Massachusetts, so whenever we would go skinny dipping at night (a near nightly occurrence in the summer) each stroke was glowing! So So beautiful! I'd love to go out kayaking in it.
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RunToTheFinish
OHH I didn't know they were up in Mass too…hmm I smell a trip!
thisrunnersrecipes
I love kayaking and am seriously itching to go out her on the lakes and rivers in Seattle! I keep asking my husband to get us a kayak but we have no idea to store it. Your bioluminescent kayaking sounds amazingly fun – perfect for a birthday! :)
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RunToTheFinish
We totally looked in to inflatables and everything, but yeah just no where to put them!
Leis
Wow, what an adventure! Bummer you did not get to see Manatees! I definitely think you need to go back for a second run. I love kayaking, but I am not very good at it. I'm good for about an hour, then I am beat. Its a great workout!
RunToTheFinish
Oh heck yes it's a serious workout!! i actually wish I had gloves because my hands aren't used to it, but I like that exhausted feeling.
Amy
I'm so jealous! This looks like so much fun!
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mkadens1
How cool is this! I've heard of this but haven't experienced it. Kayaking is probably my favorite thing to do second to running and I can't pick between sea kayaking off the coast of Alaska being my favorite or in Perast, Montenegro. Such a great adventure! We'll be in FL over Christmas break. I'll have to check this out!
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RunToTheFinish
OHHH dare I ask where and if it might be near me that you are coming!!! Ohh Alaska sounds cold, I've only done warm weather kayaking.
mkadens1
We're planning on Naples/Marco Island. It was actually August when we kayaked in Alaska and it was gorgeous! Well into the 70's then. I had a light jacket and was too hot.
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Krysten
Wow sounds like such an amazing experience!!
We moved just a block away from the lake and I have been bugging my husband to get me a kayak!
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RunToTheFinish
OHHH a block away, you gotta gooooo!
Allie
OMG this is a MUST for me! I love to kayak and glowing water?? Although I think I would be a lot more frightened of being dumped into the water by a manatee then gouged by a fish hook but neither are very appealing – YIKES!!!
Jen@jpabstfitness
Whoa- too cool!!! You definitely go back for the jellyfish, I'm sure it will be amazing!
RunToTheFinish
Thanks, I will show my husband that EVERYONE thinks I need to go back :) hehe!!
Rebecca Royy
Sounds like an awesome adventure! We are traveling to your neck of the woods this weekend for running and adventure too! Can’t wait. Wish your kayaking adventure were closer to our destination. But here is what we have planned: a 5k race for my husband and I. Then spectators at our daughter’s first high school cross country race. Next, time for annual surf lesson. Then stick around for the early morning launch at cape Canaveral!
Isaac
Amanda, sounds like a beautiful kayaking trip! I really need to go out there more and kayak with the family. Will make it my priority this upcoming season.