The Trip
Katie and I have been buying Groupons to kayak for a few months now and figured by the time we did a few more, we could've just bought our own.
So we bought our own. A couple 10 footers in fact, which is small in the kayaking community but to a couple of amateurs like us, they're heaven.
I am fortunate enough to live on the Intracoastal Waterways of Fort Lauderdale so dropping the yaks in the water is incredibly easy and hassle-free. Even without a backyard waterway, there are plenty of local launch points in Broward and Dade Counties.
The first morning cruise was appropriately amazing. The sky was clear and the water was calm. We got to see dolphins, manatees, tons of birds and a vibrant sunrise, all in front of a state park (Hugh Taylor Birch State Park).
It's tough getting out of bed so early to see the sunrise but you don't have to do it every day. Bite the bullet and see the sunrise, it'll cleanse your soul.
The History
- Birch State Park was founded in 1893 when land was a dollar an acre for ocean front property.
- In 1963, 75,869 acres in Florida were bought and designated for state park purposes for $346,000.
- The Florida Park Systems is the only two-time winner of the National Gold Medal for state parks. ('00 & '05)