7 Public Paddling Trips This Month

• Sunday, May 2, Chassahowitzka River/Creek Tour
• Wednesday, May 5, Braden River & Linger Lodge
• Sunday, May 9, Withlacoochee River - Hog Island Circumnavigation
• Thursday, May 13, Withlacoochee River - Nobleton to Hog Island and back
• Friday, May 28, Weeki Wachee River
• Saturday, May 29, Shell Island Picnic
• Sunday, May 30, Siesta Key and Lido Key

8 Public Classes This Month

• Saturdays, May 1 - Foundation Skills Trainings
• Saturday May 1 - Rolling Clinic
• Saturday, May 8 - Rescues Training
• Saturday, May 15 - BCU 3 Star Training (aka. Wind & Waves)

Event Reviews and Paddling Tips Are In Big Ds Blog

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April Blog Entries:   

• 4/18 Whys and Hows of Kayaking - post coming soon
• 4/17 PrecisionMania - The Demo - post coming soon
• 4/17 What Paddle is Right for You - post coming soon
• 4/17 PrecisionMania© - The Show - post coming soon
• 4/16 Teaching Adults Using Games - post coming soon
• 4/16 The 4 Fundamentals of Paddling - post coming soon
• 4/6 Sheriff's Department Training

Chassahowitzka River
In Search of Bubbly, and more

• Date: Sunday, May 2
• Times:  Meet at 9:30am
  Paddle at 10:00am
  
• Meet at: Chassahowitzka River Campground
  Boat Ramp is past the campground
  (Bing Maps, scroll near #10-14)
• Fee: $25 with your own kayak
  $55 with kayak rental
• Lunch: Provided

In search of bubbly - springs that is. I find the river boring, yet the creeks and springs are enchanting. Come join in the enchantment. We'll go to the head springs where you can swim between spring openings. We'll go to the old Yoga Center, and Snook Hole where Manatee may be spotted. We'll go to my favorite: Baird Creek, and the crack in the earth. And we'll even look for the tree growing in the shape of an upside down U, which locals say marks Salt Creek, where we will search for more than one spring.

Photos and maps.

Bring water cannons. Or borrow one of ours. Unarmed paddlers may still be squirted.

       or   RSVP (727) 403-7046          Back to Happenings

Withlacoochee River - Hog Island Circumnavigation
Always a home run!

• Date: Sunday, May 9
• Times: Meet at 9:30am - Paddle at 10:00am - Done by 4:00pm
• Meet at: Hog Island Boat Ramp - (Bing Maps, scroll near #44-48
• Fee: $25 with your own kayak
  $55 with kayak rental
• Lunch: Provided

One of my favorite paddles. It is really beautiful. It has been inaccessible most of the past few years due to low water. We had a shot last summer, but then the water went down again. Hooray! Water levels are back up. Join us for this intimate experience close to nature before the water recedes again.

       or   RSVP (727) 403-7046          Back to Happenings

Withlacoochee River - Nobleton to Hog Island and back

• Date: Thursday, May 13
• Times: Meet at 10:00 am - Done by 4:00pm
• Meet at: Nobleton Park Boat Ramp - (Bing Maps, scroll near #77-80)
• Fee: $25 with your own kayak
  $55 with kayak rental
• Lunch: Provided

I haven't done this section in quite a while. It will be a hoot to see it again. Of course, we'll have the fantastic Big Ds lunch and watermelon after the paddle.

       or   RSVP (727) 403-7046          Back to Happenings

Weeki Wachee River
  An Old Favorite

• Date:  Friday, May 28
• Times: Meet at 9:30 am
  Paddle at 10:00 am
• Meet at: Padding Adventures @ Weeki Wachee State Park
  (Bing Maps, scroll near #66-70.)
• Fee: $30 with your own kayak
  $60 with kayak rental
• Lunch: Provided    with sculling, bracing, & rolling demo

Crystal clear water, wildlife, and a current to push you. What a dream.  You can see all the way to the bottom in this river, more than any other within several hours of driving. While it is never guaranteed, we often see manatee year round in this river.  And, we'll also look for otter, birds, and the rarely seen "tree climbing" gators supposedly in the area.  We'll even stop at the "jumping tree" where we will have lunch, a show, and hope some locals are around doing flips from the top of the tree.  (No, the tree doesn't jump.  Just the people.)  A few minutes down stream is the rope swing.   Photos and maps.         Trip Reviews with photos and videos.

If it is hot, bring water cannons. Or borrow one of ours. Unarmed paddlers may still be cooled off.

Or     RSVP (727) 403-7046 Back to Happenings

Shell Island Picnic (& Billy's)
Savoring Every Precious Moment

• Date:  Saturday, May 29
• Times: Meet at 10:00am
  Done by 3:00pm
• Meet at: Sawyer Key Put-In - 4 miles south on 679.
  (Live Search Maps #55-60)
• Fee: $25 with your own kayak
  $55 with single kayak rental
• Lunch: Provided        (Plus a paddling demo after lunch.)

We'll paddle out in the sheltered waters inside the islands to Shell Island and have a picnic on the beach. Bring any beach toys you enjoy. Other recreation: shelling, walks on the beach, swimming, and bird watching.  High tide is about 12:30 and 2 feet above mean low - easy paddling. The return trip should include an optional trip through a short mangrove tunnel or two.   And, after the paddle, Don & Donna will be heading for Billy's Stone Crab Restaurant to reflect on the precious moments we've shared and savor the joys of the day.  Sometimes we have some additional "joy" at Billy's. You might want some, too.

       or   RSVP (727) 403-7046          Back to Happenings

Siesta Key & Lido Key
Fun Intermediate Paddle 

• Date: Sunday, May 30
• Times: Meet at 9:30am
  Paddle at 10:00am
  Done by 4:00pm
• Meet at: Siesta Key Beach
  (West End of Parking Lot)
  Bring kayak carts
  (Bing Maps, scroll near #58-63)
• Fee: $35 with your own kayak
• Lunch: Provided

This is an intermediate paddle. It may be longer and we may paddle farther than on our other day tours. And, any wind and waves may make it feel even farther. Sea kayaks with skirts are required.

We'll depart from Siesta Key Park heading north to Lido Key. At the southern tip of the key we usually have wind driven waves on a shoaling area and possibly reflected and refracted waves as well. It is a real hoot. We'll pick the gulf or mainland side to proceed based on the conditions that day. We usually include a rest with lunch on a beach and a relaxing paddle through wide mangrove tunnels before heading back to Siesta Key.

Depending on the paddlers and the wind that day we will decide how we want to play. There are interesting shoals, jetties, beaches, and a pass offering different play opportunities and places to learn. We can circumnavigate Lido key - or not. We can check out the Lido Key Park Mangrove tunnels - or not. But we'll do whatever our clients want on that day.

Bring water cannons or borrow one of ours.

       or   RSVP (727) 403-7046          Back to Happenings

Rolling Clinic

• Date: Saturday, May 1       
• When:        2:00 pm, The Shop       (Bing Maps, scroll near #62-66)
  
• Fee:          $50 with your own kayak
                       $20 additional for kayak rental
• Prerequisite: NONE

Learn an Eskimo roll. Refine your existing roll. Learn an offside roll. Learn a different roll. Bombproof your roll.

We can address any of these in our one hour private sessions.

Sessions are limited. There is one at 2:00 pm, one at 3:00 pm, and another at 4:00 pm.

      or     RSVP (727) 403-7046           Back to Happenings

Rescues Class

• Date: Saturday, May 8      
• When:        1:00 pm to 4:30 pm, The Shop       (Bing Maps, scroll near #62-66)
  
• Fee:          $75 with your own kayak
                       $20 additional for kayak rental
• Snacks & Water: Bring Them Along
• Prerequisite: NONE

Become safer on the water.  Whether you want to be able to rescue yourself or someone else, this is the class for you.  Or, you may just want to know how to instruct someone else how to get your own fanny back in your boat in deep water. We'll cover it all.  And you will garter better & better during our rescues games.

This is not the full BCU Canoe Safety Test. It is a much simpler, and shorter, version for every paddler.

      or     RSVP (727) 403-7046           Back to Happenings

BCU Three Star Training
(otherwise called: Wind & Waves Class)
- Get Ready for Egmont Key

• Date: Sat, May 15
• Times:  9:30 am to 4:00 pm
• Where: Ft DeSoto Shelter 9
  (Bing Maps, scroll near #48)
• Fee:        $99 with your own kayak
•               $40 additional for kayak rental
• Lunch: Provided
• Prerequisite:
     Complete Flat Water Curricula.

Take your skills to a new level as we move from sheltered to open water. Our focus will be on boat control in wind and currents.  Equipment, navigation, rescues, and towing may be explored.  This is the old BCU 4 Star training.  Please review the skills covered in the flat-water curriculum to make sure you are ready for this class.  Pray for wind!

       or     RSVP (727) 403-7046           Back to Happenings

Class Information

Kayak classes at Big D's Kayaking are taught by trained and certified (American Canoe Association and British Canoe Union) coaches. Many classes are taught at Snug Harbor, centrally located in the Tampa Bay area. Others are taught at various venues including Ft DeSoto.

Our classes are kept small to ensure quality and safety. Most classes have one coach for every four students. And, no class size is too small.  If Big D schedules it, it will happen, unless dangerous weather is forecasted.  So call today so you can become a better paddler.