Remembering that time we almost got divorced while trying to tandem kayak up river on the Weeki Wachee. Ah, sweet memories together.
I kid, but y'all make sure your relationship is solid before paddling up river with your significant other and a doggo in a tandem boat. Kayaking up river by oneself is challenging enough.
The plan was to paddle up the river and then float back down. At the time, as we were paddling against the current, I was convinced that Fletcher wasn't trying hard enough to keep us from veering off into the brush and I got super irritated with him. At one point, I asked that we switch places and I took the captain's seat. When I did, all hell broke loose and our kayak careened like it was manned by drunken sailors.
It was then that I realized how much weight he had been pulling. This may actually be a good metaphor for describing marriage in general. We can become clueless to our partner's contributions, but I digress. You're here to read about the Weeki Wachee in all of its beauty and splendor and I'm here to tell you.
Listen, last summer, I paddle-boarded the Amalfi coast in Italy, swam in the cobalt blue waters of Capri, and found Eden in Ischia. That was amazing and life changing, but if I were given a choice and could only live by the water in Capri the rest of my life or live in a riverside bungalow on the Weeki Wachee, I don't know, maybe it's the Southern girl in me, but I'd choose the bungalow on the Weeki Wachee.
The Weeki Wachee is a tropical paradise. I'm sure the water level fluctuates, but when we went, it was deep enough to paddle without ever having to portage, but also shallow enough to wade around comfortably. Every once in a while we'd come across a deep swimming hole. One of our traveling companions, BK, is pictured above doing a back flip off a tree into an eight foot deep swimming hole. You can watch a reel of the jump here on my Instagram.
We decided to rent our boats rather than bring our own. Renting turned out to be a good choice. We're only a little snooty when it comes to our favorite life jackets and paddles, so we brought our own. Going with a paddling company made everything so much easier. We highly recommend The Kayak Shack. They were incredibly helpful. Make sure to make a reservation in advance though, especially if you're going at peak season.
Turns out, we didn't even need our life jackets, so we strapped them to the back of our boats and promptly forgot about them. As I said, the water was shallow and clear. After making some dumb mistakes sans life jacket not so long ago, I'm a staunch supporter of the life jacket now and I would never not wear one in brown water, no matter how shallow. That being said, I felt totally safe without a life jacket on this particular stretch of the river.
I almost forgot to mention, the paddle back down the Weeki Wachee is a piece of cake. Any irritation you had been feeling toward your paddling partner will instantly drift away with the current.
Also, a question I heard many times from other kayakers on the paddle was if anyone had seen any manatees. The answer is no, not on this particular stretch of the river. As I stated previously, it's too shallow. If you want to swim with manatees, check this out!
Pictured above is the resident heron at The Kayak Shack. He is the perfect ambassador for the rules sign posted on the building. My kind of adventure outpost, for sure! I bought a t-shirt there so I'll never forget the name of the place. We'd love to go back!
Here's a link to The Kayak Shack.
Here's how to get there on Google Maps.
Here's a link to my article on swimming with manatees on the Crystal River.
Here's a link to my article on visiting Rainbow Springs State Park.
Wishing y'all a safe and happy adventure!
Carpe Diem,
Melissa Anne
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