Kayaking and Fishing Fun in southern FL, Cayo Costa SP revisited
Before I left for this two week trip down to Florida (2100 miles each way, with two kayaks on the car, but who's counting) I thought this would be my last trip down - a long way, the fishing has been spotty, and I just started volunteering at the National Sports Center for the Disabled up in Winter Park, teaching skiing to disabled folks - but after much fun and good fishing success fishing from the kayaks the last three days, I've mentally put it back on the list for next winter.
My long term friend George who lives in Bemidji, MN discovered Cayo Costa State Park four years ago, when he was looking for a fishing get away from the long cold northern MN winters. He's been down four years in a row, it's my third trip in four years.
The state park is reached by ferry, and you have to haul all of your food, gear, etc. out with you as only a few items are available for purchase at the SP store. We stay in bare bones cabins that provide shelter for wind and rain, but we are backcountry wilderness camper types, so for us having communal flush toilets and running water is living the life of luxury.
Brad joined George and I in one cabin, and George's brother Rand had a group of four long term friends/family (Rand along with Don, Ray and Jim) in a second cabin. Gulfside fishing proved to be challenging and very slow, although our group managed to get enough fish for one fish dinner in the first five nights. After everyone except George and me left after those five nights, George and I switched to fishing from my kayaks on the bayside and hit pay dirt back in a lagoon that except at the highest tides can only be accessed by kayaks. We had great success catching a lot of fish and enjoyed three delicious fish dinners of mangrove snapper and sea trout the last three nights.
I did one longer kayak day too, traveling down the bayside of the island about 2/3rds of the way down, back through a narrow passage into a small lagoon, where I carried the kayak over a 100 - 200 foot section of sand dune to the gulf side and kayaked all the way around (in the largest waves, at least at the beginning - also launched in mild surf, a first for me) back to the SP dock, about a four hour trip.
Remet a number of the volunteers who reside on either boats in the bayside anchorage or in a group volunteer campground, and a number of our fellow campers, most notably Dave and Lynn from Lansing Michigan - fellow kayakers ( I have a picture of Dave in his wooden kayak he built), and Bert who took a few pictures of me fishing at the beach at sunset (He's planning a three year around the world trip by motorcycle!).
So all in all, great comradarie, kayaking and kayak fishing have put this trip back on the potential trip list for next winter.
Most of the photos are mine, with some of Brad's thrown in, and two from Bert.
My long term friend George who lives in Bemidji, MN discovered Cayo Costa State Park four years ago, when he was looking for a fishing get away from the long cold northern MN winters. He's been down four years in a row, it's my third trip in four years.
The state park is reached by ferry, and you have to haul all of your food, gear, etc. out with you as only a few items are available for purchase at the SP store. We stay in bare bones cabins that provide shelter for wind and rain, but we are backcountry wilderness camper types, so for us having communal flush toilets and running water is living the life of luxury.
Brad joined George and I in one cabin, and George's brother Rand had a group of four long term friends/family (Rand along with Don, Ray and Jim) in a second cabin. Gulfside fishing proved to be challenging and very slow, although our group managed to get enough fish for one fish dinner in the first five nights. After everyone except George and me left after those five nights, George and I switched to fishing from my kayaks on the bayside and hit pay dirt back in a lagoon that except at the highest tides can only be accessed by kayaks. We had great success catching a lot of fish and enjoyed three delicious fish dinners of mangrove snapper and sea trout the last three nights.
I did one longer kayak day too, traveling down the bayside of the island about 2/3rds of the way down, back through a narrow passage into a small lagoon, where I carried the kayak over a 100 - 200 foot section of sand dune to the gulf side and kayaked all the way around (in the largest waves, at least at the beginning - also launched in mild surf, a first for me) back to the SP dock, about a four hour trip.
Remet a number of the volunteers who reside on either boats in the bayside anchorage or in a group volunteer campground, and a number of our fellow campers, most notably Dave and Lynn from Lansing Michigan - fellow kayakers ( I have a picture of Dave in his wooden kayak he built), and Bert who took a few pictures of me fishing at the beach at sunset (He's planning a three year around the world trip by motorcycle!).
So all in all, great comradarie, kayaking and kayak fishing have put this trip back on the potential trip list for next winter.
Most of the photos are mine, with some of Brad's thrown in, and two from Bert.
Great pictures Dad!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you guys had a great time. And I agree that going kayaking and kayak fishing are great ideas for a getaway! Anyway, those are some really good photos. You and Brad surely know how to catch the perfect view. Thanks for sharing this post with us, Don. All the best!
ReplyDeleteGetawayaway Outdoors