This is a short report on a three-hour paddle in the Indian River from Round Island Riverside State Park.  Round Island State Park lies in south Vero Beach, Florida on both sides of Route A1A.  Route A1A runs down the center of Florida’s barrier islands between the Indian River and the Atlantic Ocean.  Thus there are two versions of the park, the Oceanside and the Riverside. 

I have been frustrated at finding out about paddling locations and destinations, and at finding paddling companions.  So, I signed on to a half-day trip with Adventure Kayaking of Vero Beach.  Adventure Kayaking runs daily trips on the Indian River and other nearby locations.  I knew nothing about the outfit except what I could read on its website. 

When I arrived at Riverside, Guide Wayne Dodge already had three boats laid out in the grass ready for launch.  I was impressed by the quality of the boats being provided.  So far, my experience with local outfitters showed them using short rec. boats that are not really suitable for serious paddling.  These boats were full-fledged sea kayaks, sixteen feet or more in length. 

As I got out of my car and approached Wayne, three women of various ages, but mostly young (much younger than me, like daughter or even grand daughter age) got out of a car half way across the parking lot.  These gals didn’t look like paddlers to me and I wondered just what this trip would be like. 

I had my own boat that Wayne helped me unload.  While I loaded gear into my boat, Wayne went over some basic instruction with the women.  Cardeyne would paddle a Wilderness Systems Cape Horn, while Sharon and Dorrell would paddle the big Prijon double.  It turned out that Cardeyne was a good paddler who had been out several times before and had a keen sense of adventure.  Dorrell was the most nervous and insisted on having the double, which put Sharon in the rear navigator’s seat. 

We were soon out on the river with Cardeyne out in front, Wayne and I close behind and Dorrell and Sharon weaving a drunken path behind us.  Almost immediately Wayne spotted manatees and told us to stop.  We could see one poking its nose out of the water, then slowly rolling downward till its round, flat tail came free of the water just before disappearing from sight.  Wayne told Cardeyne to splash the waters surface gently to see if the manatee would come close enough to touch.  She wouldn’t do it, so he demonstrated.  The manatee, a big twelve footer, came right up beside his boat.  Wayne patted its back.  Then the animal rolled over so Wayne could scratch its tummy.  Extraordinary!

We paddled around the outside of Round Island where we made a brief stop to adjust something on the double.  Then we crossed over to SL1, the first spoil island in St. Lucie County.  The whole 156 miles of the Indian River

Lagoon is lined with spoil islands.  These islands were created from the spoil dredged from the river when creating a channel for boat traffic in the 1920’s.  There are

Cardeyne and Dorrell on SL1

hundreds of them.  They are now forested and open to the public for picnicking and camping. 

After reaching SL1, we went ashore for a stretch, hydration and snacks.  The three women were all Caribbean born.  They were great fun to talk to, especially Dorrell who had us in stitches demonstrating what she did when her cat brought a half dead snake into her kitchen. As we prepared to leave, Wayne suggested that Sharon take his boat, a Prijon single, while he took her position in the rear cockpit of the double with Dorrell in the front. 

Sharon paddling solo on her birthday.

Surprise, surprise!  Sharon was a pretty good paddler in that solo boat.  The trip back to our launch point was pleasant with a breeze in our faces and plenty of warm sunshine on this mid-October day.  As we approached our destination we again spotted manatees.  But this time they dove out of sight and stayed that way. 

Sharon, Cardeyne and Dorrell.

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