Mangroves & Manatees: Your Guide to Florida?s Top Sights
Kayaking in Naples is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in nature and to get to see a different side of Southwest Florida then the white sand beaches we all know.
When you start talking about nature in Florida, two of the first words you?ll hear are mangroves and manatees. The Florida mangroves are a popular site to see, with several nature preserve areas consisting of mangrove forests you can explore. The Florida manatee is an endangered species native to Southwest Florida that is loved by all.
That?s what makes Mangroves & Manatees kayaking one of the most popular kayak tours to take in Naples. Learn more!
Inside SWFL?s Mangrove Forests
Mangroves are tropical trees that thrive in salty coastal winters with the ebb and flow of the tide. There are 3 types ? red, black and white.
Mangrove forests develop on saltwater coasts, and Florida is one of the only states you can find them. They dominate as coastal vegetation, and once you get off the beaten path of the well-known beaches in Naples, you?ll find the beautiful intricate mangrove forests that make up Southwest Florida?s most popular kayaking areas.
The mangrove forests along the Southwest Florida coasts are one of the most extensive mangrove ecosystems in the world. Fish flock to mangroves, as well as many other animals like loggerhead turtles, birds, and of course manatees - making it a great place to go kayak fishing or simply explore nature.
About the Florida Manatee
The Florida manatee is one of the most beloved creatures, which is a must-see for anyone visiting Naples from out of town. They are even the state?s marine mammal!
Manatee populations have historically been endangered and threatened ? mainly due to boating accidents where they get injured or killed by boat propellers. Kayaking is a great way to see manatees and explore their natural habitat without damaging it or threatening their lives.
Manatees love mangroves, they use them for food and a quiet place to rest and raise their young. When kayaking through the mangrove forests, you?ll often encounter the Florida manatee. Because of their docile nature, you can often get close and see them floating or playing in the water or snacking on sea grass.
Take A Guided Kayak Tour Through the Mangroves (and Maybe See Some Manatees!)
The best way to navigate through the mangrove forests and get up close and personal with a manatee is to take a guided kayak tour led by an expert guide.
Adventure Paddle Tours top-rated Mangroves & Manatee Tunnels Kayak tour is a 3-hour tour out of the Port of Islands Marina ? tucked between Everglades National Park, the Ten Thousand Island Nation Wildlife Refuge, Big Cypress National Park, the Picayune Strand, and Fakahatchee State Preserve.
This unique route is surrounded by mangrove forests where our Florida Certified Naturalist Guide can lead you to unbeatable opportunities to spot manatees, alligators, river otters, and more.
To take a guided kayak tour with Adventure Paddle Tours, book online with us today!
Kayak with Wildlife in Naples, Florida
One of the things that makes kayaking in Southwest Florida so exceptional is the ability to see all the unique wildlife that this area has to offer.
By taking a kayak eco-tour through the national parks, backwater wilderness areas, and mangrove ecosystems in Naples, it gives you the opportunity to spot rare animals in an intimate nature setting.
Find out what animals you can see when kayaking in Naples and learn more about them.
Rare Birds in Naples
There are several rare bird species that are native to the mangrove forests of Florida that you will be able to see as you kayak. Whether you are a bird enthusiast or not, you will be excited to spot these unique creatures in their peaceful habitat.
Great blue herons, little blue herons, green herons, and snowy egrets are a common sight that can be regularly seen resting around the area, and you can observe them wading over the shallow water as they look for prey. Least terns are the smallest type of tern in North America and are also a commonly spotted species in the area.
The yellow-crown night heron is an elusive bird that can be found throughout the mangrove forests. Finally, is the rosette spoonbill, a type of wading bird named for its spoonbill shaped beak, which is used for the specific type of foraging known as tactile feeding.
See Fish in Naples? Waters
While kayaking through the Florida waters, you are going to be up close and personal with many different species of fish that inhabit the area. In mangrove forests and backwater areas, you will find some of Florida?s most desired sport fish species including redfish, mullet, tarpon, jack crevalle, snook, mangrove snapper, baby Goliath grouper, and redfish. You may even see a bull shark, which is one of the most unique sharks in the world, capable of swimming 100s of miles upstream into 100% freshwater.
Other Unique Animals in Naples
Birds and fish aren?t the only unique wildlife you can see when you kayak in Naples. River otters can frequently be spotted in mangrove forests and backwater routes. The southwest Florida coast is also one of the two nesting areas in the world for loggerhead sea turtles, so on a rare event you could see one swimming as you kayak through the water.
Bottlenose dolphins are the most common type of dolphin you can often see their fins pop up as they plunge through the water. You may also spot the famous American alligator lurking in the shallow waters around the mangrove forest.
Kayak with Manatees in Southwest Florida
One of the most popular and exciting animals to kayak with in Naples is the Florida Manatee. The only population of manatees in the United States is found in the state of Florida, with many of them right in our backyard in the Southwest Florida waters. They can be found in fresh, brackish or saltwater and many of them live around the backwaters and mangrove forest. Because they move slowly through the water, they are easy to spot and get up close and personal with as you kayak.
The Most Unique Kayak Routes in Naples, Florida
Adventure Paddle Tours offers the most unique kayak routes in Southwest Florida, rooted in conservation, giving you the opportunity to see the beautiful wildlife that this area has to offer.
According to Florida?s Paradise Coast, the Rookery Bay Preserve, 10,000 Island Wildlife Refuge, and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park are 3 of the best places to spot wildlife in our region, which are where all of our kayak tours are operated.
You will be led by our experienced guides who are Certified Florida Master Naturalists. To get the full eco-tour experience in Naples, book a guided kayak tour today!