Clear Kayaking at Kelly Park Rock Springs(Florida’s Very Own Natural Springs)
Due to the pandemic, traveling worldwide in the summer of 2020 was definitely out of the question. We decided to venture into our backyard; well, Florida’s state. So we packed our bags and took a road trip to Orlando from Fort Lauderdale headed to Kelly Park, which is about 40 minutes away from Orlando. Kelly Park is one of Florida’s famous natural springs, and the water is crystal clear. You can engage in several activities, such as camping, tubing, picnicking, paddle boarding, canoeing, and kayaking at the park. We opted for kayaking because, come on, clear kayaks on clear crystal waters; now that’s something worth experiencing. We previously made a reservation for the only company that offered clear kayaks called Get Up and Go Kayaking.
Reservations are required, and a small portion of every paid reservation is donated to Conserve Florida. We arrived at the park, skipped the line, and headed to the water. It was hard to locate them first, but we finally found them after asking around at the canal’s end. Upon arrival, they ask you to sign a waiver and introduce you to your guide. They gave us a short briefing about what to expect and where we will be heading. Our guide provided us with waterproof bags and helped us with our kayaks. The kayaks were already lined up, ready for use on the water. The water was a dark brown color for moments, but as we started paddling upstream, the water started clearing up. If you are an experienced kayaker, you have the option to paddle ahead, and your guide will catch up with you at our meeting ground. If you are a beginner or intermediate rider, the guide provided us with tips and techniques to enjoy the experience instead of focusing on paddling.
The ride was a bit challenging because you have to work alongside your partner to control the direction your kayak was heading, but once you got the hang of it, the ride was terrific. There were moments when it got crowded and a bit hard to maneuver around when you are further down the stream. Mind you; our tour was at 8 am. But our guide helps us through the traffic until the entire group meets us at our meeting point.
The views on our way from the first meetup/resting stop were beautiful! We were facing some challenges, such as ducking between some tree canopy or branches along the way and paddling against the stream’s current. We couldn’t help but to stop and relax and basked in the sun and beauty of the park. With every paddle stroke, you hear the swishing of the water and birds chirping. Our guide did inform us of history and wildlife that we may encounter along the way or last seen. This was our first meeting/resting point, the sandbar. We got off our kayaks (where the water was shallow), looked around, and took some pictures. You also can swim in the water, swing on the rope swing or jump off a high tree at the deep end. It is very slippery, so if you decide to go barefoot, we suggest wearing water shoes. Our friends decided to go for it barefoot and jump off the tree but slipped and plummeted in the water (ouch!). You have the opportunity to mingle with other riders around or keep to yourself. It seemed like a hang-out spot; there were people on boats, paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes. There were also people with coolers, eating, having drinks, and blasting music just having a great time.
We finally exited the tree canopy and into the open air and oak trees. We paddled for about 30 minutes until we reached our second resting stop. We got off the kayaks, took some more pictures, relaxed, and cooled down a bit. We then re-enter our kayaks, paddled briefly, and floated back downstream to the canal. The calm waterways alongside the wind pushed us alongside the stream current at three mph. The ride back was the most calming and rewarding part of the experience.
