Tom Long's Saturday, Dec 6, Beginner-Friendly Paddle from Capri Paddlecraft Park

**Please read this in its entirety!**

Kalling Kayakers! We all started out as beginners, and now I want to urge you experienced paddlers to let your expertise rub off on beginner-level paddlers. Come join us, Saturday, Dec 6, for an 8:30 AM launch from the Capri Paddlecraft Park. For those of you who have joined the club but have limited kayaking skills - you might not even have a boat, yet - this is the event for you! While the PCPC does not rent boats, Rising Tide Kayak Tours (Naples Outfitters) DOES rent them, and they'll have boats available for you at the Park. I'll get back to that in a minute.

We will launch and proceed at a speed that beginners can handle. I am a very experienced mangrove eco-tour guide and have taken rank beginners out on the mangrove trails countless times. Whether or not you're a beginner, you might not have experienced the beauty of paddling through mangrove trails and mangrove tunnels. There is - in my opinion - nothing to equal it. When you get into the mangroves, the rest of the world just disappears, because you'll be in a whole new world. For the experienced among you, you already KNOW I'm right and I hope that many of you will join the group. In addition to the twisting mangrove trails, you never know what you might see, like the beautiful Horse Conchs (the Florida State Seashell) that we found on this paddle in October. You never know what wildlife will present itself, and I can't promise anything specific (except more mangroves than you can imagine). But we often see dolphins, the occasional small shark (by small, I mean under 40 feet - heh heh), other fish, other shellfish, multiple species of birds, and if we're really lucky, maybe a manatee or two.

You'll need to bring sunscreen and bug repellent. Don't leave them in your car just because you put them on before leaving. Bring water, more than you think you need, and a snack, if you'd like. If you bring a camera or your phone, make sure you have a waterproof case or bag for it (don't use any kind of ziplock except a brand new one). In PCPC, EVERYONE wears a Personal Flotation Device (PFD): a lifejacket. And you have to wear it correctly, zipped or buckled up, snugly. If you can't do that, then you can't come with us.

If you haven't been to the Capri Paddlecraft Park, when you turn in, drive all the way to the far end from Capri Blvd to unload your boat. After unloading all your equipment and staging your boat near the water, please park your vehicle in a regular parking space. The four long spaces are for vehicles with trailers. If you already have a Collier County Beach Parking sticker, you won't need to pay to park. But if you don't have one, you'll need to pay $10 to park on the County Parks' online payment vendor. (You'll see a sign with a QR code, or a number to text that will get you there.) Even if you do have a county parking sticker, you'll also need to pay $5 to launch, per vessel. Tandems count as one vessel. The county park rangers will ticket you if you haven't paid your fee. PCPC will not charge you for this trip. You should arrive by 8:00 AM to get staged for the 8:30 launch. Check Google Maps to make sure you know how much drive time you'll need.

Let's talk about the rentals, in case you need one. The boat you would rent will be a recreational sit-on-top. Rising Tide charges $50 for the half-day price, but for this event they're only charging you $40, plus sales tax. Their boat handler will conduct the transaction. I don't know if there's a payment app upcharge, but there might be. You can pay with card or cash, but with cash you'll need correct change. Tips are appriciated for the boat handler. They will also provide you with a paddle and a PFD. If you are a complete, or almost complete beginner and don't really know what you're doing, fear not. I am also a certified kayak paddling instructor through the American Canoe Association (ACA). I will guide you through the mechanics of paddling and have done so on tours hundreds of times. If you rent a boat, you'll still need to have a parking sticker, or pay for parking, and you'll need to pay the additional $5 launch fee, per boat. But if you are going to need to rent a boat, you MUST CALL ME BY FRIDAY, OCT 24, AT 2 PM. That's so I can alert Naples Outfitters to make sure their trailer has enough boats for their commerical tours and the rentals they'll need.

We won't be paddling a huge distance. Probably 6-8 miles. Figure on 3 hours with a couple of stops along the way. I hope to have a strong turnout for this event from the experienced and the club newbies. We're a friendly bunch. We always emphasize safety above all else. We always try to have fun. And we USUALLY go somewhere to eat, after the paddle.

There is a public restroom that is usually clean near the entrance to the Paddlecraft Park (first building on right). There will be no other facilities available (except Nature, itself) during the paddle.

Keep in mind that you will be traveling to and from the Park, and paddling at your own risk. Neither PCPC nor I will be responsible for any negative consequences arising from your participation. Your attendance will confirm your understanding of these parameters.

Should you have any questions, feel free to call or text me. And be sure to call me about renting a boat, if you need one.

Tom Long
239.963.6162.