Price from:
45 USD
VOTED #1 KAYAK TOUR TOUR ON MARCO ISLAND
Duration
2 hours
About
Come take a kayak tour on the relaxing calm waters of Rookery Bay reserve, where you can explore the most pristine mangrove forest in North America. Florida Adventures and Rentals is the only kayak company on Marco Island with full-time Florida Naturalist tour guides.
Let us take you through the mangrove mazes and tunnels where you can discover some of South West Florida’s most popular wildlife. Over 150 species of birds can be seen and identified, as well as manatees and dolphins. You will explore oyster reefs, mudflats, and hidden bays. In some areas you will be so close to the mangroves that your guide will be able to show you the small creatures that live in this beautiful forest, like the mangrove tree crab and the mangrove periwinkle. Also, other shells, such as, the famous horse conch, lightning whelk, sea stars, urchins, will be easy to be identified and you will have the great opportunity to see them very close while your tour guide shares important facts about this amazing ecosystem.
What Makes Rookery Bay a Special Place
Locations that are traditionally used for nesting and raising young birds are called rookeries. At Rookery Bay Reserve, there are nesting areas where most water birds roost nightly in, usually there are multi-species groups on small mangrove islands. The leafy canopy of mangrove trees provides an important habitat for a variety of bird life. The birds that use these mangrove rookeries include several species of Herons, Egrets, Frigate birds, Cormorants, and Pelicans.
Rookery Bay Reserve protects 110,000 acres of coastal lands and waters at the northern end of the Ten Thousand Islands on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve represents one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America. An estuary is a coastal body of water, where fresh water draining from land mixes with salt water from the sea. Estuaries are areas of high productivity, providing nurseries for many species of fish, including feeding and resting grounds for local and migratory birds.
The Rookery Bay and Ten Thousand Islands ecosystem are a prime example of a nearly pristine subtropical mangrove forested estuary. The mangrove’s roots provide structure and shelter for juvenile fish. Because the leaves of mangrove trees are constantly being shed, they provide an important food source for aquatic consumers called detritus. Mangrove leaves and twigs that fall into the water attract algae and bacteria, also known as decomposers. These microscopic organisms break down the leaves and serve as food for small invertebrates like worms and crabs, which, in turn, are fed upon by small fish, and so on.
Very popular mammals in these waters are dolphins and manatees. They can be found year-round in the waters of Rookery Bay. The manatee is a slow-moving marine mammal weighing around 1,300 pounds. They typically remain submerged for 3-4 minutes grazing in shallow water on aquatic vegetation.
Departure Location
We depart from Isles of Capri Paddlecraft Park just minutes from Marco Island, located at 1295 Capri Blvd, Naples, FL 34113.
Booking Notes
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Thank you for booking the Rookery Bay Guided Kayak Tour with Florida Adventures and Rentals! Please arrive 20-30 minutes ahead of your scheduled tour time to ensure parking, sign waivers, and prepare for your tour. Tours start on time, so if you are late you are subject to reschedule or cancellation based on availability, no refunds will be processed. You will meet your guide by their truck and trailer in the parking area near the launch. Look for the blue and green kayaks, and our marked truck and trailer with our company name and logos. If the guide is not by the truck, wait patiently as they may be setting up the kayaks or call the office, (239)-348-5551.
If you do not have a Collier County Beach Parking Pass on your vehicle, you do have to pay to park. There is a parking fee of $10 per vehicle. A parking meter can be found by the launch area, or you can ask your guide for instruction when you check in with them.
There is no concession stand at the park, so please bring water, snacks, sunscreen and bug spray. Your guide will not have any extra to provide you, so please arrive prepared.
You will get wet on this excursion, so we recommend clothes and shoes that you do not mind getting wet. Please leave valuables at home as there are no lockers, and to avoid getting them wet or lost. A dry bag will be provided to you for any of your personal items you'd like to bring on the kayak with you.
Please understand that you will be paddling throughout the excursion with periodic stops. This is beginner friendly and your guide will help you from start to finish while providing you with interesting facts and history, and finding interesting wildlife throughout!
If you have any questions or concerns leading up to your tour, please do not hesitate to contact the office as we will be more than happy to assist you!
Cancellation Policy
Customers will receive a full refund if they cancel their reservation 48 hours prior to the date and time of their booking, (customers will be charged in full within the 48 hour period before the booking). Changes on your reservation will be received 48 hours in advance, otherwise your will be charged in full for your original booking. Contact us by phone to cancel or inquire about a cancellation. No-shows will be charged the full price. Customers will also receive a full refund in case of operator cancellation due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. In the event that a tour operates for 50% of the scheduled time but must be cut short due to weather conditions for safety reasons, customers will receive a gift certificate for the remaining balance of the tour.
