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| Adventure
Kayaking offers tours of the Indian River Lagoon year
round. Tours are suitable for all ages and all levels
of paddling experience. Your tour can be complemented
by a picnic or cook-out on one of the islands in the
lagoon. Camping trips are offered from November
through May. The lagoon has a variety of tour
locations- each one a little different. We look
forward to taking you kayaking on North America's
most diverse estuary. |
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| Click here to see our
gallery of pictures |
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| North America's Most Diverse
Estuary |
The
diversity of life, paired with beautiful scenery,
make kayaking this area a must for vacationers and
residents alike. Paddle the still mangrove backwaters
as osprey soar overhead- perhaps carrying a freshly
caught mullet. Cross expansive grassflats and perhaps
see the lagoon's top predator- the dolphin- working
the flats. Mangroves and seagrass beds create an
environment very conducive to the marine life that
support the osprey and dolphin, along with many other
animals. More than 4000 animal and plant species,
including manatees, stingrays, sea turtles,
seahorses, 700 species of fish and 310 species of
birds call the Indian River Lagoon "home".
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| The
Indian River Lagoon is located on the east coast of
central Florida. It stretches 156 miles from Ponce
DeLeon Inlet south to Jupiter Inlet.Width varies from
1/2 mile to 5 miles.The lagoon is an estuary, a body
of water where fresh water draining from the mainland
mixes with the ocean's salt water. Five ocean inlets
are the source of salt water for the lagoon. The
fresh water supply comes from tributary rivers and
creeks.With an average depth of 3 feet, the lagoon
waters are best seen by kayak. Watch for a cormorant
to surface or a pelican to dive in the vast schools
of fish that fill these waters.Thrill to the sight of
numerous leaping mullet. The lagoon serves as a
spawning ground and nursery for both ocean and lagoon
fish. |
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| The
Indian River Lagoon is a plant-based ecosystem,
comprised of seagrasses, mangroves and algaes. The
marine life that depends on these plants for food
include zooplanktons, mullet, and manatee. Among the
numerous life forms that live in the seagrasses are
shrimp,seahorses, marine snails, crabs, and many
types of fish. These are food for stingrays, trout,
snook, and other predators. The mangroves and
seagrasses filter impurities from the water. Mangrove
forests line the shores of the lagoon and its
islands. Their root systems stabilize the shorelines
and provide a nursery environment for crustaceans,
fish and shellfish. Oysters and barnacles attach
themselves to mangrove roots. These forests provide
nesting and roosting sites for pelicans, egrets and a
variety of coastal birds. |
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| The
lagoon is located on the Atlantic Flyway, a highway
for birds migrating south. Great flocks of egrets,
ibis, and pelicans can be seen in the fall and spring
of the year. Several rookeries give year long
opportunities to see a variety of birds nesting, such
as brown pelicans, great blue herons, little blue
herons, snowy egrets, and
woodstorks. You may even see colorful roseate
spoonbills! Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge,
established in 1903, was the first wildlife refuge in
the United States. Also located in the lagoon is the
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. |
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| Nearly
one-third of the remaining population of the
endangered Florida manatee live in the Indian River
Lagoon. At an average length of 12 feet and a weight
of over 1000 pounds, this gentle giant is an
impressive sight. Commonly refered to as sea cows,
manatees spend 6-8 hours a day grazing in the
seagrass beds. They consume up to 200 pounds of
aquatic plants per day! But they do take time to play
and frolic in the water. Manatees can live to 50
years of age. Females give birth to usually one calf
every 2-3 years. A newborn manatee weighs about 60
pounds and is about 4 feet long. The calf will remain
with its mother for 2 1/2 years. |
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| The
Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin is a common sight in the
lagoon. On going studies have identified at least 350
dolphins that live in the lagoon's waters. A
plentiful food source and calm, protected waters, in
comparison to the ocean, make the lagoon a desirable
place for them to live. |
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| Dolphins
live in a group called a "pod" with an average of 12
members. They live to around 25 years of age, reach a
length of about 8 feet and a weight of 400-500
pounds. The young stay with their mothers 4-5 years.
Females can give birth every 2-3 years. The age at
which they mature varies. Females mature at 5-12
years of age, and males at 9-13 years of
age. |
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