Kayaking at Blind Pass along the Great Calusa Blueway
The Great Calusa Blueway, a 190-mile saltwater paddle trail that weaves its way along the mangrove islands and sugar-sand beaches of Southwest Florida, is a one-of-a-kind way to explore our area’s unspoiled beauty, history and abundant natural habitats.
Inspired by the indigenous Calusa, the Great Calusa Blueway paddling trail encompasses three distinct regions of the Gulf of Mexico coast. The first portion of the trail meanders through Estero Bay, while the second segment centers on Pine Island and Matlacha Pass. A third leg of the trail takes paddlers inland to the Caloosahatchee and its tributaries.
You can paddle from the Gulf of Mexico’s open water, through the bays of Sanibel and Captiva, and into sheltered mangrove creeks. The bird-watching is sublime, with dolphin and manatee sightings common. There are countless remote sites for a romantic picnic and it’s a veritable playground for geocachers.
Paddlers of all experience levels, including those who have never held a paddle, can choose a trail and explore the calm waters, discovering for themselves why The Great Calusa Blueway is truly a paddler’s paradise (or a “kayaker’s heaven” as described in this article from Florida Rambler).
Have time for a little two-minute virtual vacation? Click on the video below … and be sure to enlarge it to full screen!
