KAYAK & STAND UP PADDLEBOARD (SUP)  RENTALS & TOURS ARE IN GULFPORT FLORIDA!

727-418-9728  VIDEO HERE!

WATER MONKEY’S WELCOME!

When the humid, salty sea-air gently ruffled my collar I dropped my head back to catch a breath and I thought I saw something standing below the osprey. The grand plumage of our osprey was shining from atop The Kings Nest and for a good reason. The new osprey chick has arrived and is venturing to the edge of the nest!

The birds-eye view from there one can only imagine….Glistening bay waters reflecting the pristine pink castle on Pass-a-grille, shadows of shiners and mullet cruising the shallow grass flats below, the clickity-clang of the mast’s in the yacht club and of course the ruffled canopy of the mangrove estuary…

I’ve been watching anxiously, daily for three years as the birds tested, nested & guarded the South pole. I watched the first stick be carried and tucked into the platform, I saw a storm wipe out the first nest. Many of you toured Clam Bayou sensed my enthusiasm as we kayaked or paddleboarded past the nest and I thought it fitting to send ya’ll, because you’ve helped create and protect this habitat, a short video we got this week. With your continued support and efforts this family, for generations to come, will be the first to view the sunrise and the last to see it set here in this paradise called Clam Bayou.
CONGRATS TO YOU AND THE PROUD OSPREY FAMILY….WELCOME TO GULFPORT!

Gulfport Marina webcam has a pre-setting on the active nest here. You may get a glimpse of the newcomer = http://www.mygulfport.us/City_Departments/Leisure_Services/Marina/Large_Cam/Large_Marina_Cam1.htm

Welcome West Coast Kayak!

With the help of our sponsors we’ll be providing these clean up/eco-tours FREE OF CHARGE! Your only requirement is filling up a bag of trash during the trip and together we’ll help protect and preserve Florida’s manatee habitat!

We anticipate a huge turnout of volunteers and sponsors and in an effort to track info more efficiently please fill out the form with a brief sentence or two of how you’d like to help.

THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO REGISTER FOR THESE EVENTS! 

Register here = http://kayaknature.com/habitat-flor-da-manatee/

Details and schedules will be sent electronically.  1 person per registration.

Sincerely,

Kurt Z.

Throughout the year come out and see nature’s inhabitants go about their daily activities. The majestic American Egret glides effortlessly over the mangroves… In the distance and Osprey calls… a dolphin chases his dinner through the shallows… the Otter scoots to the top of the shell mound and gazes intently at the world around him… the Night Heron gazes intently as you glide silently by…

For the photographer, sightseer, bird watcher and nature lover, or if you just like to paddle around, look and listen, KAYAK NATURE ADVENTURES will open up new avenues of enjoyment for you and all who would come to enjoy its treasures!

Kayak & stand up paddleboard (sup)  rentals, kayak paddleboard tours & kayak paddleboard eco- adventures. Kayak Florida, kayak St. Petersburg, kayak St Pete Beach, kayak Gulfport & kayak Florida Beaches. Your Kayak Nature Adventure begins here… today!

WELCOME WATER MONKEY STAND UP PADDLEBOARD

Welcome to our used kayak video page. We hope you find the short vids helpful in find a good used kayak or paddleboard.

2010 Emotion Grand Slam Angler $775 w/seat

2010 Emotion Mojo Angler $689 w/seat

2010 Emotion Temptation (used) $450 w/ seat = video here  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZT8teaJXuQ

16′ sit in kayak $100 video here =         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMLhEMbHTPw

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A GREAT DEAL ON OTHER KAYAKS OR PADDLEBOARDS (SUP), TAKE A VIDEO TOUR OF THE SHED HERE =   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQiyFMuL9_M

]]> http://kayaknature.com/used-kayaks-for-sale/feed/ 5 http://kayaknature.com/nature%e2%80%99s-dance-at-clam-bayou/ http://kayaknature.com/nature%e2%80%99s-dance-at-clam-bayou/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:46:53 +0000 kurt http://kayaknature.com/?p=1878  

By Kurt Zuelsdorf

The kayak drifted inward with the tide before the sun peeked over the treetops on a recent morn. Simple paddle strokes broke the glassy surface of the upper creeks. An endless stream of birds headed in the same direction as me. Could it be? Were we all heading to the same party? To the spot that Stetson Law Students picked clean of debris. Where volunteers of all ages helped remove hundreds of bags of garbage from the swamp floor just days before!

Winged traffic thickened in the air like a Monday morning’s commute. In the creek several Tarpon slowed their pace… then stopped as the sneaky Snook swirled ahead. Fish chasing minnows left & right and switching lanes without signaling… so typical at such an event.

Birds, like chatter at a fancy party grew louder as I neared.  At the last turn through the narrow grass channel I was greeted by the host; a Great Blue Heron standing tall displaying his finest plumes. He announced my arrival loud and clear – not a good thing for this party crasher! My cover was blown…

The grand entrance of the hammock opened up into a lagoon and for the first time in ages the waters were free of debris! Tri-colored herons stood to the side waiting to perform as the mullet milled around the dance floor in a well-choreographed routine. A yellow-crowned night heron snatched a fiddler crab and munched as I passed through the elegant dome of mangroves and into the grand ballroom.

All the big players were there. White Ibis by the dozens worked the floor and the crowd. The gaudy Roseate Spoonbill filtered the creek for snacks trying not to be noticed, yea right! Scrub Jays & Red-winged black birds were in attendance too. White Egrets moved about the dance floor and canopy above – a handsome young couple were having a squabble over how to properly eat a creek chub at such a fancy event.  Young herons attending their first gala sat awkwardly along the edges, almost unnoticeable if not for the occasional squawk for attention.

The swamp jesters, the Little Green Herons, showed off their acrobatics. Some hung upside down from the red mangrove roots to snatch a minnow, while others stood in the vines and provided a chorus of croaky swamp tunes.

A family of raccoons entered through the back door and barged their way into the buffet line working busily to wash clean then crunch on everything they could find. A young one sampled a snail…a tickle… a taste… then a headshake in disgust. I was disappointed that the otter pulled a no-show, but it’s hard to find a sitter for the new pups at the last minute you know!

Twisting my head for a final glimpse of the star-studded cast, I caught the eye of the surly security guard…the resident alligator! Realizing that my plumage didn’t meet the dress code I slid silently out the side door confident that this party will go on and on if WE let it!

As the mangrove doorway closed behind me I imagined them asking me to deliver a message to all of those who made this party possible and those yet to come:

AUDUBON’S  “CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR”

Kurt Zuelsdorf  grew up as a nature tour guide for over 20 years at Horicon Marsh Boat Tours in Wisconsin.  After living for 18 years in Gulfport, he dreamed of running a business that would provide kayak rentals and tours in the area.  His daughter led him to the perfect spot; Clam Bayou Nature Park, in his own back yard in Gulfport.
After visiting the Bayou, he realized it had a big problem – it was choked with years upon years of trash and debris.  But behind the trash, Kurt saw something that most people didn’t; a vision of a pristine ecosystem filled with birds and wildlife.
How could one person transform a trash dump? By inspiring others to share his vision.
In 2006 Kurt decided to offer a free Kayak rental to anyone who brought back a bag filled with trash from the Bayou. Calling his program “Bring Back the Bayou”, his creative plan created an ecosystem of its own – a “Green Machine” composed of thousands of moving parts, each part removing its bag of trash. Like a steady swarm of ants, his machine has removed over 100,000 pounds of human detritus from  Clam Bayou, including  shopping carts, lawn furniture, tires, bicycles, golf balls, and even motorcycles and sofas. One of the hardest things to remove was a 500-gallon automatic Dumpster.
And the Bayou is indeed coming back.  After years of preparation and delay, in 2010 SWFWMD will install a stormwater treatment system which should dramatically reduce the flow of trash into the Bayou, while offering land-based visitors improved wildlife viewing  opportunities.  But the Machine still has work to do.  “The volunteer effort is an important part of the overall strategy and management of Clam Bayou,” said Brandt Henningsen, SWFWMD’s chief environmental scientist. “Once the stormwater and restoration project is finished, maintenance will still be an important part of the overall plan because some new trash will still make it into the bayou.”
“That’s what’s going to keep the awareness up – the ability for people to see it. The more people that DO see it, the cleaner it can be” said Kurt.
Last year, Kurt was able to inspire 700 kids by either bringing them out to the Bayou or going to visit them. He’s constantly trying to encourage recycling including the use of reusable shopping bags.
His inspiration for the program is the birds that live and nest in the mangroves. “It’s all for the birds,” he said.
“After a major cleanup, I stood back and watched,” Kurt says. “The herons, the cranes, and the ibises were sitting up in the treetops waiting for us to leave. The pelicans were diving. The fish were jumping. It’s nothing short of a miracle to watch that happen.”
“What he’s done in Clam Bayou is exceptional. He’s brought a focus to that area, and he’s done it by bringing people together,” said Gulfport City Commissioner Michelle King.
Kurt’s mission is to “promote green living while educating people on the importance of preserving Earth’s resources”.

Kurt has already won several awards for his (and his volunteer’s) work, including:
·         2007 Field and Stream “Hero of Conservation” award.
·         2008 Tourism Award from Coastal Living Magazine.
·         2008 Creative Loafing’s “Best Environmental Outing”  award.

In 2009, for his Perseverance, Creativity  and the huge improvement he’s made to both Clam Bayou and the lives of people who might otherwise never experience it, we name him St. Petersburg Audubon’s Conservationist of the Year.

  A splash, a wake, a swirl of mud from the bottom. Flared nostrils spraying  a sour  mist, whiskers of a seal,   mossy backs &  prop scars…then a close encounter!  See the video on our website and Kayak Nature Today!  www.kayaknature.com

With the fall bird migration underway reservations and kayak/stand up paddle board (sup) is required.  Casual dining. Friendly hosts. Amazing view!  Come visit today!

Kurt Zuelsdorf