Little Talbot Island Trip

***** TRIP COMPLETED *****

TRIP REPORT:

This is a great beginner trip for novices or families (easy paddle with rental gear available) and the staff at the Outfitters are very friendly and helpful. Even for the more experienced kayaker, it makes a nice leisurely trip with many great places to take a rest, have lunch and a swim.

Please feel free to contact any of us about this location -- it will surely become a regular.

Five club kayakers showed: Hope, Harold, Glen, Shannon and Lisa. As planned, the tides were with us on the way in and out. We launched from the Outfitters at Kayak Amelia and immediately turned south toward Ft. George Island. After about an hour of paddling, a quick beach stop was had for a stretch break. Along the way we watched anxious baitfish jump repeatedly out of the water, saw many meandering redfish and an occasional great blue heron stalking it's prey. We then paddled for another 30 minutes, taking a restroom stop at the Ribault Club beach. Following another short paddle, it was lunch on a large sand bar, complete with beer and wine! During lunch, the tide turned, and after stowing our wine glasses, we made the easy trip back to the launch site with both the tide and the winds to our sterns. Due to the full moon being in two days, the tide was very low and occasionally some of us had to walk our kayaks across a shallow sand bar or two. (Shannon was the only one with perfect navigation skills and did not have to take a walk). After a quick rinse of our gear at the Outfitters, we all made the dash for the ferry and our way back to Queen's Harbour. The trip lasted just over four hours -- on the water time....

We hope to see some more of you on our next trip.

Photos were limited as they were taken with a photo phone....thanks Hope.

Hope and Harold take a stretch break at our first beach stop.

A group photo minus the photographer - Hope.


Soca the dog has a stretch as well.


Back to your boats!


Our third stop; lunch on the Large Sand Bar with some South African Wine!


Shannon and Lisa pose after lunch.


Shannon and Glen have a chat.


"QHKC Was Here"


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Date: April 30, 2007

Time: 11:30 am; Meet at Kayak Amelia on Little Talbot Island

Rating: Easy/Beginner

Length: 1-4+ hours

Leader: Lisa and Shannon Beardsley

Many of you expressed interest in doing a trip to Little Talbot Island. Let's plan for April 30th.

We will launch from "Kayak Amelia" located at 13030 Heckscher Drive.

If you need to rent a kayak one may be rented on site from Kayak Amelia Outfitters. Their phone number is 251-0016 and their web site is http://www.kayakamelia.com/

Rental Costs are as follows:

Single Kayak = $30 for up to four hours and $45 for over four hours
Tandem Kayak = $45 for up to four hours and $60 for over four hours.

If you have your own kayak -- there is a launch fee of $1.00

The easiest way to get there from Queen's Harbour is to take the St. John's Ferry from Mayport to cross the river. Make a right out of the ferry docks and drive towards Amelia Island. You will pass Hugeonot Park, then Little Talbot State Park. Kayak Amelia is located just past Little Talbot State Park on the Left (west) side of the road. There is a sign; "Kayak Amelia", with an actual kayak above it.

The trip will last from 2 to 4 hours. A good thing about this location is people can turn around whenever they want, with little chance of getting lost. We will meet at Kayak Amelia at 11:30 and be ready to launch at 12:00 noon. The tide will be out going at that time and we will have an easy paddle towards Ft. George Island. Low tide is at 1:44 pm, so we will turn around after that, and again have an easy paddle back to the launch site. Plan on bringing a lunch to eat at a beach stop along the way. Those of you wishing to have a more leisurely trip, you may wait at the beach after lunch until the tide turns, then return to the launch site.

Please click on "comment" below and leave a message if you are interested in participating.