One of the best ways to truly experience the Myakka River is by canoe or kayak, which is why I brought my Pakayak Bluefin portable kayak to Florida. Upon setting out from the boat launch in Myakka River State Park, it quickly became apparent that seeing some of these gators from the water would not be difficult to do. The alligators were everywhere, from the shorelines to the middle of the river, and I had to trust that they'd slip underwater as I approached. Not exactly a comforting thought, but I figured I’d let faith guide me through.

I want to give a special shout-out to our partner, the American Canoe Association (ACA). They've been instrumental in promoting paddling safety and education. Check out their paddling course for more great information.

Pakayak Bluefin 142 Kayak

I chose the Pakayak Bluefin 142 for this adventure, a kayak that’s been with me on some incredible trips already. The Bluefin is a 14-foot touring kayak with a unique design that allows it to break down into a bag I can travel with. It weighs just 50 pounds after a recent redesign shaved off 10 pounds of plastic. That might not sound like much, but when you're lugging a kayak through airports or even just from the parking lot to the water, it makes a big difference.

I’ve taken this kayak on adventures from the Caribbean to Northern Ireland, and it continues to impress me with its performance. It’s fast, stable, and—most importantly for me—easy to travel with. For someone who loves to explore different waters, having a kayak that fits in a bag and can be assembled in minutes is a game changer.

Myakka River in Florida

The Myakka River itself was nothing short of spectacular. It's a winding river full of surprises—around every bend, there’s something new to discover. Whether it was herons stalking their prey or a large alligator slipping into the water as I approached, the river kept me on my toes. There's a real thrill to paddling through an area so full of life, and even though I’ve paddled all over the world, Florida’s Myakka River had me feeling like an explorer once again.

Same Kayak but Less Weight

One of the things I’ve come to appreciate more and more in recent years is how much a kayak's weight impacts the paddling experience. Not just on the water, but off it as well. Some kayaks are so heavy they discourage people from ever getting out on the water. The Bluefin is different. Its lightweight design means I don’t have to think twice about loading it up and taking it on a trip—whether that’s a short drive to a local lake or a flight halfway across the world.

Beware the Broken Dam

About halfway through the trip, I came across a weir that I thought I’d have to portage around. But the water level was perfect, allowing me to slip through a narrow gap and avoid a tricky portage. As someone with 35 years of whitewater experience, I knew I could make the call to run it, but it’s always important to remember that low-head dams and weirs can be dangerous. This one looked deceptively calm but could have easily flipped someone less experienced.

Last Stretch of the Myakka River

The last stretch of the river was pure magic. The current helped me along, saving me a few miles of paddling, and the winding turns of the river kept me guessing what was around each corner. There’s something special about solo paddling that I’ve always loved. It’s like a first descent every time—even if people have paddled the river before, for me, it’s all new. That feeling of discovery is what keeps me coming back for more.

As the day wrapped up, I couldn’t help but reflect on what an incredible experience it had been. The Myakka River, with its gators and beautiful winding passages, is a place I’ll never forget. And the Pakayak Bluefin made it all possible. For a 14-foot sea kayak that fits in a bag and handles like a dream, I couldn’t ask for a better companion on the water.

If you’re looking for an adventure of your own, I can’t recommend the Pakayak Bluefin enough. It’s opened up new paddling possibilities for me, and whether you’re paddling through alligator-infested waters or exploring the open sea, it’s a portable sea kayak that delivers in every way.

I want to give a special shout-out to our partner, the American Canoe Association (ACA). They've been instrumental in promoting paddling safety and education. Check out their paddling course for more great information.

Until next time—keep paddling, and stay safe out there!

The post Exploring the Myakka River with the Pakayak Bluefin Kayak appeared first on Hazeadventure.

On the food front, the St. Pete-Clearwater area has strong Cuban, Creole, and Greek influences. This was not what I was expecting in this neck of the palm trees. And of course, access to fresh, delicious seafood was abundant. Knowing this, my meal plan for this trip focused on recipes that showcase seafood caught just off the coast. And, as always, I wanted to show the simple ways that these meals can work on-the-go for those enjoying outdoor activities.

Exploring St. Pete-Clearwater, Florida? By Ebike is PERFECT!

First up on my Florida adventure, to get the lay of the land I tried some weekend ebiking. Just my luck, the bike shop was thoughtfully located along the Pinellas Trail. It is an over 75-mile loop running from Tarpon Springs in the North all the way to St. Pete in the South. Biking along this cruisey trail was hungry work (regardless of the handy ‘power assist'), so I pedalled to the farmers market for local inspiration for my lunch. 

At the market, a vendor gave me a tip to not miss the “Sponge Docks.” Confused as I was, and curious if any ‘square-pants' would be involved, I took him up on the suggestion. It turns out, this insider tip lead me to Dodecanese Bourlevard, home to specialized sponge boats where thousands of natural sea sponges pour out of netted bags along the docks. Yep. This handy natural product (now commonly made of plastic) has been sourced here for decades. The sponge industry inspired not only a scrubbin' good souvenir opportunity, but its very own Greek-inspired community, with fantastic food establishments (restaurants, bakeries, markets) that appeared with the sole intention of keeping the sponge boat crews well-fed.  

The Dunedin Causeway

Back on my bike, I ventured across the Dunedin Causeway towards Honeymoon Island State Park. Here I proved that sometimes all you need to do is find a bench and set up a great prep station.  I whipped up what I call the “St. Pete Fish Dip” using fresh Florida citrus and mangos found at the farmers' market earlier in the day. **See the full recipe below!*** 

This is a great no cook/no burner recipe that you can eat as a dip with your favorite crackers or plantain chips, as a topping for a salad, or just a nice, different tuna mix with some sweet and savory flavors. 

Kayak Camping

I enjoyed my day of solo adventuring by land. But to really get to know the area, I needed some help. I was able to meet up with the first of three local guides keen to share their sunny, seaside backyard with me. First up, Misty Wells, a local outdoor adventurer, was kind enough to show me how to best enjoy the waterways on a gorgeous afternoon – by kayak.

Starting at Anclote Gulf Park, we and paddled across the bay towards our final destination of Anclote Key Preserve State Park. A journey of about two miles was enough to really work up our appetites, given that we were paddling, and we took a moment to climb to the top of the lighthouse on the island – a must-try viewpoint for anyone able who is visiting the area. As Florida is pretty flat, the lighthouse lookout was a great way to get a birds eye-view of the area and route just paddled. It is also a great way to spy the best beachside campsite.

Beach Dinner: Creole Pasta

We set up camp just as the sun was setting and cooked up a tasty one-pot pasta dish inspired by the tastes of the region: Creole Pasta. ***See full recipe below***

Pro Tip: This recipe is great for any outdoor adventure as it’s mindful of perishability, volume and weight. 

The star of the show is dried shrimp. Yes, dried shrimp. If you are not near a seaside wonderland, you can find dried shrimp at most Asian grocery stores, adding a great burst of seafood flavor to any dish, while being really lightweight and easy to pack. With full bellies, we celebrated our adventure as the sun dipped below the horizon and we each tucked into our tents after a fantastic day on the water.

Urban Farm & Lunch with Local Chef

Well rested and ready for my next foodie adventure, it was time to test my trusted adage, “There’s no better way to get a glimpse of the local food scene than to meet up with a resident chef.” Chef Rob Reinsmith is from the St. Pete area and is Owner and Head Chef of Wild Child, a wonderfully named, tasty but not fussy restaurant focused on flavors of the Americas with some local twists. 

Meeting at his restaurant, he told me we were going to head down the street to a local farm. Let me tell you, I was a little concerned about what type of farm could be so nearby as we were in a residential area and clearly there was not enough land to grow much of anything. 

Proven wrong and pleasantly surprised yet again, just three blocks away we found Brick Street Farms. An urban vertical (huzzah!) hydroponic farm. Wow! This farm blew me away. Under the helpful tutelage of Farmer Bryant, I toured around the ‘farms' which were actually shipping containers stacked on top of each other. A Lego-tower of anything we could need for fresh fine dining.

Each container grows something different, from delicious heads of butter lettuce to fresh pea shoots, spicy microgreens, and baby basil. The smell was amazing! The epitome of greenness and freshness. With permission, we harvested some lettuce and microgreens for our lunch planned later in the day at Vinoy Park.  

Lettuce Wrap Lunch

For our lunch, I thought making a lettuce wrap would be a great choice.  But continuing with our seafood theme, I decided to make a Vietnamese style shrimp pancake using canned shrimp.  We set up my camp stove in the grass and shared the prep of cooking up lunch. 

I requested that Chef Rob bring a sauce to complement our lettuce wrap. And man, he knocked it out of the park with a passion fruit nuoc cham sauce. He didn’t know that passionfruit is one of my favorite fruits, yet surprised me with a sauce that was the star of the show. The sweet, tangy, salty, slightly spicy sauce matched everything incredibly well. We topped the wraps with our micro-greens and enjoyed our lunch. ***See full recipe below***

New friendships often form over great meals and I’m sure our paths will cross again in the future. 

Catch & Cook with Captain Chris

No experience in St. Pete would be complete without catching some fresh fish. My final guide, Captain Chris, invited me out to share some of his secret spots for Sheepshead fish. This was a new variety of fish for me. It’s also nicknamed Convict Fish as it has black and white stripes, or Bait Stealer Fish, with quite obvious connotation. We had some early luck and eventually caught four healthy sized ones! Good, we can eat.

Chris has lived in the area his whole life, meaning we had insider information on secret spots. So we motored over to a secluded beach where he gave me the skinny on how to safely filet this particular fish.  With the fish having some very sharp fins and unusual structure, it was nice to have an expert share the finer points so I didn’t hurt myself. 

I had planned a one-skillet fish lunch. Fresh filets, pan seared with “Olive Bar” sauce. With olive bars in many grocery stores these days, it was easy to find a mixture of olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and tomatoes.  After searing off the fish, all ingredients were loaded into the pan and cooked down into a chunky sauce. I finished it off with a little bit of lemon and served it over a bed of couscous. Hidden in a special pocket of the world, we shared a great meal from the waters of St. Pete-Clearwater; a fantastic cap to a great day. 

Recap 

My adventures in St. Pete were made possible by three great local guides that shared their passion and knowledge for the area. I was happy to repay the favor each time by cooking up locally inspired, tasty meals for them. With all the scenic spots that are easy to access by ebike, kayak, or boat, be it exploring local parks, waterways, markets, or even sponge docks, I uncovered some unexpected gems and elevated flavours during my week in St. Pete-Clearwater. 

One other surprising thing I noticed as I explored the region, was that throughout, there were Easter Eggs of local art to be found. There were creative storefronts, restaurants, murals, and local music all expressively showcasing their own unique St. Pete-Clearwater vibe. The area clearly emphasizes celebrating local artists and even hosts a local mural festival annually. Now, see, experience, and taste it all for yourself and get out there!

Recipes

Trip Planner

• Visit St. Pete-Clearwater
• FACEBOOK: @VisitStPeteClearwater
• TWITTER: @vspc
• INSTAGRAM: @vspc
• PINTEREST: @vspcHASHTAGS: #LetsShineSPC

Places to Stay

• The Karol Hotel
• Beach camping – Anclote Key Preserve State Park

Places to Visit & Things to Do

• Vinoy Park
• Unreel Fishing Adventures
• Anclote Key
• Downtown Dunedin
• Honeymoon Island
• Egmont Key State Park

Foodie Fun, Restaurants, Bars, Markets & More…

• Wild Child
• Frenchy’s Seafood Market
• Frenchy's Outpost Bar + Grill
• Tarpon Springs Farmers Market
• The Brick Street Farms

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