What does the Everglades look like?

What does the Everglades look like?

The Everglades is a unique treasure found in South Florida. The Everglades is the largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the United States. It consists of 1.5 million acres of saw grass marshes, mangrove forests, and hardwood hammocks dominated by wetlands. It is home to endangered, rare, and exotic wildlife.

What is special about the Everglades?

The Everglades is the largest subtropical wetland ecosystem in North America and the largest mangrove ecosystem in Western Hemisphere. The Everglades is often referred to as a “swamp”, but in reality it is a giant, slow moving river. Nearly 8 million Floridians rely on the Everglades for their daily water supply.

What to do if you see an alligator while kayaking?

So, if you see an alligator on a sandbar, try not to point directly at it and pass them with the broadside of your kayak facing them. Sometimes there is so little room in a creek or waterway that we will inevitably push the gator into the water. Not a big deal if it happens. Just keep kayaking and stay alert.

How dangerous is kayaking?

Drowning And yes, you can. There are certain risks all on-the-water activities carry; drowning is one of them. It’s one of the most obvious dangers of kayaking, even more so if you’re paddling in deep waters alone and unprepared, or you’re not a good swimmer.

Should you kayak if you can’t swim?

So if you don’t know how to swim, you can still go kayaking. You’ll just need to be courageous, determined and aware of proper techniques to help yourself if you fall in the water. You also need a good instructor or guide who will be there to give you a hand should any difficulties arise.

What happens if a kayak flips?

If you do flip over a sit-on-top kayak, you will automatically fall out. This can be a safer type of kayak in the event of a capsize, especially if you’re a beginner. This means you don’t necessarily need to be an experienced swimmer or know technical skills in order to survive a flip in a sit-on-top kayak.

Is it safe to kayak alone?

You can paddle alone, but you should make sure people know where you are going. Paddling alone is riskier, and even the most experienced paddlers can run into trouble sometimes. After taking your paddler’s safety course, you might be tempted to think you can handle everything—and maybe you are right.

When should you not go kayaking?

We do not recommend going out on the water in a kayak when winds are 15 knots or more. More wind means more waves. Eyeballing the water will give you a good idea whether you should embark out.

Does kayaking get boring?

Unlike many other activities, kayaking cannot get boring. There are many variations such as touring, fishing, racing and whitewater kayaking. When you start to get bored, you can always spice it up.

Can a shark bite through a kayak?

Though they are rare, true shark attacks on kayaks do happen. According to the Global Shark Attack File, 21 have been recorded since the early 1900s.

What to do if a shark bumps you?

Stay calm and do not make sudden movements.

1. Move slowly toward the shore or a boat; choose whichever is closest. Do not thrash your arms or kick or splash while you swim.
2. Do not block the shark’s path. If you are standing between the shark and the open ocean, move away.
3. Do not turn your back on the shark as you move.