Georgia > Coastal Region > Glynn County > St. Simons Island

SouthEast Adventure Outfitters has been adventuring in Georgia’s Golden Isles since 1994. Take a kayak tour around St. Simons, Jekyll, Sapelo, Blackbeard and Cumberland Islands as well as the Altamaha and Satilla Rivers. Year-round kayaking trips from 2 hours to 7 days.

SouthEast Adventure has been in business since 1994 - based on St. Simons Island and in Brunswick, Georgia. Pioneering every trip we offer, our company has been integral in promoting and enhancing kayaking throughout the Golden Isles of Georgia.

SouthEast Adventure was started with the goal to provide exceptional kayaking trips through some of the widely unexplored and naturally beautiful areas along Georgia’s coast. Over time, the trips just keep getting better - with new adventures planned every year, and more people interested in sharing our unique perspective and expertise.

Here is a sample of Southeast Adventures trips and experiences.

Brunswick Kayak Tour (about 2 hours)
Learn the basic skills of sea kayaking while exploring the scenic “Marshes of Glynn.” Launching from our private dock, this trip is an easy and informative way to discover why kayaking is one of the fastest growing sports today. Discounts for kids’ groups.

St. Simons Kayak Tour (about 3 hours)
Join our experienced local guides as we discover the magic of sea kayaking. We’ll teach the skills needed to safely enjoy the sport as we watch the abundant wildlife in the marshes and on the beaches of St. Simons and Sea Island. Anyone can enjoy the stable, expedition quality sea-kayaks used on our trips. We take a break on a beautiful remote beach for a little birding and shelling.

Satilla River Day Trip
Cruise the beautiful black waters of one of Georgia’s most pristine rivers. Blinding white sandbars grace every bend. Cypress trees and wildlife abound. This is a mellow river, ideal for families and kids.

Links:

• Read more about SouthEast Adventure Outfitters.

 Georgia > Coastal Region > Camden County > St. Marys

Julie and Tom Monahan are co-owners of Up the Creek Xpeditions.

Throughout the year, Up the Creek Expeditions and Outfitters offers a diverse selection of kayak nature tours and specialty trips to many of coastal Georgia and Florida’s most scenic waterways. Up the Creek Xpeditions has many day trips, overnight trips and instructional programs scheduled throughout the year. If your schedule doesn’t match theirs, they can make special arrangements for you or your group.

Up the Creek Xpeditions is always researching and exploring new places within the area. Come and explore your world in a fun and unique way!

Co-owner Tom Monahan is an accomplished business owner with 20 years experience in the banking and finance area. He is an avid outdoor enthusiast who has guided day and overnight trips for four years throughout the Southeast. In addition, Tom instructs kayaking classes.

Julie Monahan is the other co-owner of Up The Creek Xpeditions. She is an accomplished human resource professional with 20 years of diversified experience. In that career, she enjoyed developing and implementing corporate training programs. Julie is also a certified Zenger-Miller, Front Line Leadership instructor.

Up the Creek Xpeditions Services, Trips and Features include:

• Kayak trips
• Lessons
• Rentals
• Team Building
• Youth Camp
• Store

Links:

• Read more about Up the Creek Xpeditions.

St. Augustine Florida’s Castillo de San Marcos, the Spanish fort on the Florida coast that was constructed beginning in 1672. Experience Castillo de San Marcos and other man-made and natural treasures of the St. Augustine areas via kayak with Kayak St. Augustine tours.

What better way to experience St. Augustine than from the viewpoint of the first voyagers - the water?

Paddle this historic area - pass the Fountain of Youth, the Spanish Mission Nombre de Dios and ease up to the coquina walls of Castillo de San Marcos (the Spanish fort started in 1672).

Your journey begins (one of many trips) on Hospital Creek, and if you are an experienced paddler or with a guide, you can venture to the Matanzas River (Intracoastal). You may see dolphins, many birds, and at the right time of year - manatees.  From here you can paddle to Anastasia Island, Salt Run and the St. Augustine Lighthouse, Conch Island and even Porpoise Point (Vilano Beach) if you like.

Call us (ahead of time if possible) and we’ll meet you, with kayaks, at the launch - whether it be Hospital Creek, Salt Run, Moses creek or another area.

Here is a summary of six kayak trips offered in the area

THE HISTORY TOUR - Hospital Creek to Castillo de San Marcos. Hospital Creek is a tidal creek which borders an area that encompasses the location of the first encampment of the founder of St Augustine (Pedro Menendez) and his fellow pioneers. Paddlers can follow this waterway south past the grounds of the Fountain of Youth and the Great Cross (erected at the 400th anniversary of the Spanish Mission Nombre de Dios) and wind their way to the Castillo de San Marcos, the coquina fort built by the Spanish, which was started in 1672.

SALT RUN AND THE LIGHTOUSE. Salt Run is the body of water between Anastasia Island and Conch Island (home to Anastasia State Park).  It is across Matanzas Bay from Hospital Creek and south of the St. Augustine Inlet. The east bank is mostly flats with grass and oyster beds. The west bank has houses, docks and a jetty just south of a marina.

MOSES CREEK, CRESCENT BEACH. View the Eagles - Day Trip or Overnight. If you want to get away from the St. Augustine area, you may try a trip which originates about 10 miles to the south in the Crescent Beach Area - Moses Creek.  I can’t tell you that this is what Florida looked like a 150 years ago because in many places in Florida, around the 1880’s, the native trees were harvested - other trees grew in their place. But I can tell you this is about as natural and beautiful as it gets for Florida scenery today.

DEEP CREEK. Windy?  Try Deep Creek - the wind doesn’t affect the paddler much on Deep Creek - the many trees that surround the creek act as a barrier. Deep Creek, St John’s County, may start out as a spring fed creek, but is primarily a  tidal black-water creek that flows for about 8 miles in a northwest direction and empties into the St John’s River. The starting point is State Road 207, about 20 miles southwest of St Augustine, just northeast of Hastings.  Deep Creek, surrounded by conservation land, is almost entirely floodplain, bottomland hardwood, and cypress swamp, with minimal high land.  For this reason, the immediate area around the creek escaped development.  Logging, the cutting of cypress and perhaps other trees, took place, like most places in Florida around the turn of the century. Remnants of logging operations equipment can still be seen plainly on the west bank.

GUANA RIVER STATE PARK.  I can meet you (or you can carry the kayaks yourself) about 12 miles north of St. Augustine at Guana River State Park. There are two options at the dam that is located here. You can paddle upriver from the dam on Lake Ponte Vedra . The lake is a great place for birders - especially in wintertime. Launch and return to same launch.

THE BIG POND. We have some sit-on-top kayaks which can be paddled in the ocean.  We have, in particular, Ocean Kayak Frenzy for wave riding - tandem Ocean Kayak Zest 2 (a small barge which at the hands of skilled paddlers can easily bust through the breakers, especially on calmer days).

Links:

• Read more about Kayak St. Augustine.

 Georgia > Southwest > Seminole County > Live Oak, Florida

Paddling the Suwannee upstream from the Suwanee Canoe Outpost. The Outpost offers canoe rental and shuttle service on three of the most exciting and remote rivers in Florida—the Suwannee, North Withlacoochee, and Alapaha.

The Suwannee Canoe Outpost is the original premier canoe outfitter on the Suwannee River. We have been at our current location in the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park since 1993. We are fortunate to be located at a boat ramp, so we can maximize customer satisfaction while minimizing shuttle times.

Our office is open all year except January. (We still take reservations in January, though.) We offer canoe rental and shuttle service on three of the most exciting and remote rivers in Florida—the Suwannee, North Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers!

The Suwannee will give you mile after mile of white sand beaches, ancient limestone bluffs, and the peace and joy of nature. Bring a hat, sunglasses, sun block, and a cooler with food or drink for your trip.

All Suwannee River trips begin up river and end at the Canoe Outpost, where your vehicle will be waiting for you. There is no pick-up at the end, which means a lower price for you! Also, with any of our trips that end at the Outpost, you can take your time and simply enjoy being on the river. Just finish your trip by 6 p.m. Paddling on the river in the dark can be dangerous!

The Suwannee Canoe Outpost provides guided group river camping trips each week from October to April. Guided fishing and Florida Trail hiking trips are also available!

Guided River Camping and Paddling Trips
Guided river camping trips are three-to-five days long, depending on your preference. Groups usually leave from the Canoe Outpost on Sunday or Monday morning and return on Thursday or Friday. The Canoe Outpost provides canoes, paddles, life jackets, guide, two meals per day, and shuttle service, all of which are included in your trip price.

Your guide, Graham, will enrich your river experience with his knowledge of the river and its wildlife. He will also prepare breakfast and dinner each day during the trip. Please bring your own camping gear, lunches, beverages, and snacks. We will give you a complete gear list and a sample menu upon your reservation.

Firearms are not allowed on any Canoe Outpost trips.

We accommodate your group of 4 to 10 people (up to 5 canoes). Reservations are required, and payment is due 30 days before your trip is scheduled to begin.

Guided trips include camping on beautiful, white sand beaches and paddling through some of the most beautiful and peaceful scenery in North Florida.

Links:

• Read more about the Suwannee River’s Suwannee Outpost.

Winding along the Ocmulgee River in Central Georgia, the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail provides an environment for walking, biking, boating, bird watching and many other activities.

The Ocmulgee Heritage Trail is the only riverside trail and park system in Middle Georgia. The Trail is first and foremost a recreational resource providing an exceptional environment for walking, biking, boating, bird watching and many other activities. Easily accessible from Interstates 16 and 75 and downtown Macon, the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail provides a peaceful respite from the bustle of urban life.

The Trail is also a cultural resource that connects people and places to celebrate our shared history of life along the Ocmulgee River. Many of our community’s historic treasures can be discovered along the Trail: the Ocmulgee National Monument, Historic Rose Hill Cemetery, and Macon’s original water works. On any given day, people of all walks of life can share at least one thing in common – the pleasure of recreating and relaxing on the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail.

The Trail is a public-private partnership managed by NewTown Macon in cooperation with the Macon-Bibb County Parks & Recreation department. Other key partners include the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Department of Transportation, Macon Water Authority, Ocmulgee National Monument, Urban Development Authority, and generous businesses, individuals and foundations.

Links

• Read more about the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail.
• Read more about the Ocmulgee River.
• Download a poster of the Ocmulgee River showing historical and envonmental features of the entire watershed.

Sea Kayak Georgia offers challenging trips for beginner, intermediate and advanced paddlers in a range of conditions.

Sea Kayak Georgia, located on Tybee Island, Georgia, offers the finest service in the kayaking community. Develop your skills as a paddler, purchase a kayak or quality paddling gear, or get out on the water for some much needed relaxation.

Sea Kayak Georgia offers challenging trips for beginner, intermediate and advanced paddlers in a range of conditions.

Join us for our fun three-hour salt marsh paddle every morning and afternoon, no experience necessary. Our seasoned guides and naturalists love to interpret the beauty of Coastal Georgia.

Our School of Coastal Kayaking schedules a full range of American Canoe Association (ACA) skills development training and assessment courses. We offer ACA Instructor Trainings & Certifications. We also offer British Canoe Union Star Awards and Coaching Certifications. Custom instruction is one of our most popular options. Rough Water Kayaking is one of the favorite Tybee Island programs. We can arrange for a day in the surf allowing you to experience the exhilaration and fun of Coastal Georgia’s warm waters and fun conditions.

Let us plan a custom trip just for your group ranging from a day paddle on one of our many rivers to an expedition down the Georgia coast.

Links

• Read more about Sea Kayak Georgia

The Okefenokee Swamp is a wilderness paradise for canoeists, photographers, naturalist and explorers of all interests and ages.

Okefenokee Adventures, nestled on the bank of the historic Suwannee Canal, provides an embarking point into the Okefenokee Swamp. Okefenokee Adventures has everything you need to make your exploration of the swamp comfortable and enjoyable.

Okefenokee Adventures provides guided tours of the Suwannee Canal, open marshes dotted with cypress Islands, and winding trails where alligators and turtles bask on the banks, and sand hill cranes watch you drift by.

They have all new canoes, kayaks and quiet four-cycle motorboats for rent. Don’t bother packing a lunch – Camp Cornelia Cafe offers sandwiches, burgers, sodas, and other refreshments. Enjoy them on the deck overlooking the canal or pack it with you.

Okefenokee Adventures owners Chip and Joy Campbell
None of Chip and Joy Campbell’s friends and family were surprised when they chose to leave North Carolina’s vibrant and bustling Research Triangle area to move to south Georgia’s famous Okefenokee Swamp.

Chip, a Georgia native, has been exploring the Okefenokee since he was a 12-year-old Boy Scout. Chip introduced Joy to the region during their college days at North Carolina State University.

The couple honeymooned in the swamp in 1984 and have explored the Okefenokee and many other Southern wetland ecosystems extensively in the years of their life together.

Both Chip and Joy worked at Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina before coming to Charlton County to take over the sole concession inside the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Chip has also worked as manager with Pro Canoe and Kayak, and both Chip and Joy have guided excursions for Rock Rest Adventures in the Okefenokee, Roanoke River and Black River swamps, many of them in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy.

The Campbells started Okefenokee Adventures in the Summer of 2000 and look forward to serving your needs as you visit the incomparable Okefenokee Swamp!

Sea kayak tours to Georgia’s barrier islands, including Blackbeard Island, pictured here, are among the many adventure tours offered by SouthEast Adventure Outfitters.

SouthEast Adventure has been in business since 1994 - based on St. Simons Island and in Brunswick, Georgia. Pioneering every trip we offer, our company has been integral in promoting and enhancing kayaking throughout the Golden Isles of Georgia.

SouthEast Adventure Outfitters was started with the goal to provide exceptional kayaking trips through some of the widely unexplored and naturally beautiful areas along Georgia’s coast. Over time, the trips just keep getting better - with new adventures planned every year, and more people interested in sharing our unique perspective and expertise.

Georgia has over 100 miles of coast and a third of all the eastern seaboard’s marshes. Only 3 of Georgia’s 15 barrier islands are developed. With 2,000 miles of tidal shoreline and remote river lowlands, the paddling opportunities on our coast are endless. The ambient climate allows for day trips to be planned year-round, while the cooler months (Nov.-April) are best for camping

SAMPLE TOURS

• BRUNSWICK KAYAK (about 2 hours, $40). Learn the basic skills of sea kayaking while exploring the scenic “Marshes of Glynn.”  Launching from our private dock, this trip is an easy and informative way to discover why kayaking is one of the fastest growing sports today. Discounts for kids’ groups. 2 Hour Full Moon $45 See the moon rise as the sun sets on our monthly trips.
• ST. SIMONS KAYAK (about 3 hours $55). Join our experienced local guides as we discover the magic of sea kayaking.  We’ll teach the skills needed to safely enjoy the sport as we watch the abundant wildlife in the marshes and on the beaches of St. Simons and Sea Island.  Anyone can enjoy the stable, expedition quality sea-kayaks used on our trips. We take a break on a beautiful remote beach for a little birding and shelling.
• ST. SIMONS SOUND (about 4 hours, $75). Paddle across St. Simons Sound to Jekyll Island and take a break on Jekyll’s beautiful north end “boneyard” beach.  We’ll catch the tide through the “Marshes of Glynn” arriving at our Brunswick Store.
• VILLAGE CREEK TO EAST BEACH (about 4 hours, $75). This trip explores the marsh and rivers between St. Simons and Sea Island before arriving on the beach at the south end of Sea Island. We can swim, shell, or bird watch before resuming our paddle through Gould’s Inlet, crossing sand bars along the way and landing at East Beach on St. Simons Island. About 4 hours.
• CATHEAD CREEK LOOP (About 3 hours). A glimpse into the upper part of Cathead Creek near Darien. This tributary of the Altamaha River gives one a sense of the majesty of this mighty river’s flood plain. Narrow rice canals and cypress swamps characterize this trip. An easy way to see this unique ecosystem.

Northeast Georgia’s Broad River offers miles of canoeing for beginning and intermediate canoeists along with some “cheap thrills,” that will please any level of paddler.

Experience the beauty of Northeast Georgia’s Broad River. It’s “wild” or “mild” and always scenic. Canoes or kayaks are the best way to float and enjoy the Broad River. The Broad River Outpost has something for everyone with two sections of river, a variety of rental kayaks and canoes, and camping for groups or individuals.

Located in northeast Georgia, 23 miles from Athens on GA Hwy 281, the scenic Broad River has 70 miles of continuous navigable water. Most of this free flowing river is mild with no rapids.  One section has exciting but easy Class II rapids, suitable for beginners yet fun for the more advanced paddler.

The Broad has the “Waterfall,”  an avoidable 5-foot drop that is a definite “cheap thrill.”  The 6.5 mile section -The Broad- contains 7 shoals, each with individual ledges and sloughs.

Our two basic trips are:

• The Upper Broad - 5 miles ( 2-3 hours) or 10 miles ( 3-6 hours) of moving water
• The Lower 6.5 miles of Class II beginner whitewater ( 3-4 hours).

Times will vary depending on water levels, skill levels and attitudes.

Mild and scenic sections with beautiful views and vista’s of high bluffs, cliffs and of hardwood forest and wildflowers describe the bulk of the river.  Most are suitable for day trips or for camping trips of up to 4 days.

The river starts in the National Forest on the eastern slope of the Appalachian Mountains and ends at U.S. Corps of Engineer’s Anthony Shoals, a mile-long Class II rapid with many endangered species of flora and fauna. These federally protected areas contain historic and prehistoric sites.

Links

• The Broad River is in the Savannah River Watershed. Download a Georgia River Poster of the Savannah River Watershed
• Learn more about the Savannah River and its tributaries, including the Broad River.