Sea Kayak Vacations
- Guided Kayaking Tours - Custom Charter Trips - Everglades - Florida Keys -
Bahamas
Eco tours and
expeditions for
adventure travel into island and coastal wilderness - Mirage - a Kayaking B&B
catamaran on the Water! - our mothership outfitted with composite sea
kayaks and fiberglass and carbon paddles -
Hosted by the crew
aboard the
mothership
KAYAK VOYAGERS
About
"Mirage" and our Sea Kayak Tours"
- Instruction - Equipment
- Cuisine - Mothership
Trip Amenities
-
- Season Schedule 2008
- Airport and Travel
Details
Our Kayak Paddling Environments
Contact
Us
Photo Gallery
Click
here for our one page "MINI POSTER" FOR 2008 KAYAK VOYAGERS MIRAGE TRIPS
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Photo by Elizabeth Beers
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About
"Mirage" and our Sea Kayak Tours
Our
third season in the Captiva - Cayo Costa -Sanibel barrier island region in the Gulf of
Mexico, on the west coast of Florida - called the Gulf Islands. Enjoy
beautiful sandy beaches and the
prolific bird life. Take a
private cabin aboard the fully crewed 70-foot outrigger catamaran MIRAGE.
Let this one of a kind in the world support vessel be your home and launch site.
We'll travel around the beautiful barrier islands forming Pine Island Sound:
Cayo
Costa
State Park - North Captiva - Sanibel, with their miles and miles of beaches. Sea kayak in both the J.N."Ding"
Darling National Wildlife Refuge and the Pine Island National Wildlife
Refuge. Wildlife to observe: dolphin, manatee,
turtle, tortoise, otter, wild boar, many kinds of fish, and many species of water birds and
migrating birds!.
About the mothership - "Mirage": Unique kayak trips aboard "Mirage", our expedition equipped, one of a kind 70-foot power outrigger catamaran, and our traveling kayak launch site. With this mothership vessel carrying all the sea kayak gear, we will cruise to some of Florida's best nature locations. The outrigger hull (or ama) is the ideal staging platform for launching sea kayaks: low to the water for entering and exiting your kayak.
Mirage is a stable,
roomy, fully crewed mothership support vessel. Accommodations consist of
five private
cabins, with double and some single bunks. There's also plenty of deck
space for sleeping under the stars. The perfect blend of dry and secure
sleeping and outdoor living. Meals are prepared by the crew
and served on deck in a patio style arrangement. There is a hot shower indoors and
also outdoors, and a pool style boarding ladder at the 'ama' for swimming.
Our
trips are designed to be low impact tours, our role being that of observers. A
good portion of our cruising ground is in 'refuge' environment where 'no take' and
'no touch' are the rules. Aboard Mirage we maintain a library on subjects ranging from
local geology to South Florida history, encompassing our marine ecosystems, bird
life, and stargazing. High quality binoculars are included in the
inventory. Learn more about our environments, the wildlife, bird watching, and marine life on
"Our
Kayak Paddling Environments" page.
Instruction:
A focus of ours is helping development of kayaking skills, so a paddler, through
an increasing feeling of confidence and competence can more fully relax and
enjoy a paddle through our interesting natural environment. We'll tour
each day, putting it all together. For paddlers intent on learning
particular techniques, from navigation through sculling and kayak rolling, we'll do special
sessions. Learn without stress in our warmer waters. The
touring, can be a couple of hours at a time, or most of the day, with a remote
lunch stop. The touring and the instruction are both designed for each
paddler at his own pace, without competition or pressure.
Equipment:
- Fiberglass and kevlar sea kayaks by Nigel Dennis Kayaks (NDK), Valley, Northwest,
and Seda, including the Romany and Greenlander Pro
- Fiberglass and carbon paddles by Werner and Big Spoons; wooden
Greenlander paddles by Mitchell.
- Accessories include charts and waterproof holders, compass, paddle floats,
hand bilge pumps, spray skirts,
and Lotus life jackets. -
Link
to Equipment page
Cuisine:
Excellently prepared meals with an emphasis on freshness, flavor, whole grains,
vegetables, and fruits, and the energy needs of paddlers. Many specialties
are available, such as fresh Florida seafood or chicken fajitas. Fresh
fruit snacks, power bars, and crunchy salty snacks included. All drinks
from coffee, juices, cold green tea, drinking water, electrolyte replacement
drinks to some beer or wine with dinner is provided. Vegetarian
specialties available. Our intention is to accommodate requests to ensure your
enjoyment.
Nature and Paddling Library:
Mirage has a full library of
books on the history, geology, and wildlife of South Florida and the Everglades.
Also on the Bahamas, on stargazing, and also books and DVDs on sea kayak
paddling, navigation, and skill development.
Photo Buffs:
For digital cameras, bring your camera cable or card reader to
share photos on our laptop computer.
Mothership
Trip Amenities
:
- Outfitted with
quality sea kayaks, paddles,
and safety equipment
- Kayaks by Nigel Dennis Kayaks (NDK), Valley Canoe Products
(VCP), Northwest Kayaks (NW)
- Para-foils
- Nature and
Paddling Library including DVDs
- private cabins complete
with all linens and towels
- hot water shower indoor or on deck
- all
meals, snacks and
drink prepared and supplied, including bottled water
- Kayak Instruction available including sculling and rolling
SEASON SCHEDULE
2008
Week Long Trips
Trips
will consist of a maximum of 6 guests, with a combined 3 guest
minimum.
Trips start with
Sunday
dinner and go through Saturday breakfast.
SHORTER - Custom Trips
A new alternative for
paddlers who are focused on just a couple of days of skill development
or who might just want to take a smaller look at an environment.
Held during
the alternate weeks when Mirage is available
Trips
will consist of a maximum of 6 guests, with only a 2 guest
minimum.
These custom trips can start and end with Lunch.
|
SEASON
SCHEDULE 2008 |
|||||||
|
Date |
Trip Length |
Location |
Rate
per person |
Rate
per person |
Trip Full |
||
| 6 nights | 3 nights | 2 nights | |||||
|
December 30 - January 5 (Sun
- Sat) |
6 |
- | - |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 1,500 |
$ 1,275 |
- |
| January 7 - 9 (Mon - Wed) | - | - |
2 |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 575 | $ 490 | - |
| January 11 - 14 (Fri- Mon) | - |
3 |
- |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 860 | $ 730 | - |
| January 16 - 18 (Wed - Fri) | - | - |
2 |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 575 | $ 490 | - |
| January 20 - 26 (Sun - Sat) |
6 |
- | - |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 1,500 |
$ 1,275 |
- |
| January 29 - 31 (Tues - Thurs) | - | - |
2 |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 575 | $ 490 | - |
| February 3 - 9 (Sun - Sat) |
6 |
- | - |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 1,500 |
$ 1,275 |
- |
|
February 12 -
15 (Tues - Fri) Valentine's Day Trip |
- |
3 |
- |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 860 | $ 730 | - |
| February 17 - 23 (Sun - Sat) |
6 |
- | - |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 1,500 |
$ 1,275 |
- |
| March 2 - 8 (Sun - Sat) |
6 |
- | - | Everglades 10,000 Islands |
$ 1,500 |
$ 1,275 |
- |
| March 11 - 13 (Tues - Thurs) | - | - |
2 |
Everglades 10,000 Islands | $ 575 | $ 490 | - |
| March 16 - 22 (Sun - Sat) |
6 |
- | - | Everglades 10,000 Islands |
$ 1,500 |
$ 1,275 |
- |
| March 25 - 27 (Tues - Thurs) | - | - |
2 |
Everglades 10,000 Islands |
$ 575 | $ 490 | - |
| March 30 - April 5 (Sun - Sat) |
6 |
- | - |
Everglades 10,000 Islands |
$ 1,500 |
$ 1,275 |
Full |
| April 13 - 19 (Sun - Sat) |
6 |
- | - |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 1,500 |
$ 1,275 |
- |
|
April 21 -
24 (Mon -
Thurs) Earth Day Celebration |
- |
3 |
- |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 860 | $ 730 | - |
| April 27 - May 3 (Sun - Sat) |
6 |
- | - |
Florida Gulf Islands |
$ 1,500 |
$ 1,275 |
- |
|
|
|||||||
AIRPORT
DETAILS Other
Travel Details |

John loading the kayaks at
the end of the day
More Information about
FLORIDA
Guided Sea Kayak Tours on MIRAGE MOTHERSHIP
The Florida Paddling Experience: The varied ranges of activities aboard Mirage are appropriate for all levels of paddlers - from beginners to experienced. We do not require a rigid "follow the leader" format. Different length trips or smaller groups who choose to paddle faster on their own can be coordinated. Our new environment around Captiva and Cayo Costa, offers the opportunity to paddle or play in the waves (as an option for some), when our "cold fronts" pass through. These are the advantages of our "mothership" format. We organize our days to take into account the experience and fitness levels of our guests, giving you an enjoyable paddling experience and the opportunity to develop your skills. Paddling lessons in technique are available. Of course just lounging and relaxing aboard, taking a break from paddling, is always an option.
The Gulf Islands/Cayo Costa Trip Itinerary:
The
shallow draft Mirage was designed
to access a variety of environments, giving us the flexibility to reach the
best paddling destinations for the weather during any given week. The overall weekly itinerary
may consist of a circular route with excellent opportunities for paddlers to hone
their navigational skills. We may start
with paddling the mangrove creeks of the J. N. "Ding" Darling National
Wildlife Refuge on the "inside" of Sanibel Island. Along the
"inside" of Captiva, North Captiva is the Pine Island National
Wildlife Refuge. These bird sanctuary and rookery islands provide great
opportunities to observe many species of water birds and migrating birds:
Roseate Spoonbills, Brown and Great White Pelicans, Frigate Birds, Osprey,
various Egrets and Herons, and many smaller bird species. We often also
see dolphins and manatee. With
views over the Gulf of Mexico, we'll paddle along the miles of beautiful beaches
of Cayo Costa State Park and there we can also explore nature trails on foot if
our guests desire to. Mirage typically moves during breakfast or after paddlers have
returned for the day, and anchors in a new location for the night. The itinerary may
vary according to weather or season and we can be flexible to accommodate our
guests needs or requests.
- on
west coast of Florida
- with . . . .
- J.N."Ding" Darling National
Wildlife Refuge - Pine Island National
Wildlife Refuge - Cayo Costa State Park
Everglades Trip Itinerary: Designed to afford a variety of environments, and having the flexibility to reach the best paddling destinations for the weather during any given week: the overall weekly itinerary may consist of a circular route, navigating between the Ten Thousand Islands of the Everglades. We bird watch, sometimes paddling up estuaries to the transition between the "River of Grass" and the mangrove creeks, on day or half day kayak trips. These are excellent opportunities to hone navigational skills. Typically Mirage moves after paddlers have launched, and anchors in a new location for the tour to return to. We anchor a few nights in tidal channels and explore some remote island habitat and the grass flats tidal creek eco systems. The itinerary may vary according to weather or season and we can be flexible to accommodate our guests needs or requests.
presented by
Kayak Voyagers
(was Raft Voyagers - we have dropped Raft from our name)
of CORAL ISLAND YACHTS AND CHARTERS, INC.
"Click
here for our ONE PAGE "MINI POSTER" FOR
2008 KAYAK VOYAGERS MIRAGE TRIPS
-
Please print out and post locally or share with other paddlers!
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