Peter’s Water Adventures in Biscayne National Park
My trip to the Florida Keys was to be a two-day paddling and snorkelling adventure in Biscayne National Park before my flight from Miami back to Toronto. However, my plans changed after I made the rookie error of underestimating the sun. My arms and legs were so sunburned that a trip to the local hospital was suggested? Instead, my two-day itinerary became one full day at Biscayne and “36 Hours in Miami”.
Here’s my take on Biscayne National Park and what’s fun to do here.
Biscayne Bay, FL
Biscayne National Park is approximately 35 miles south from Miami International Airport and easily accessible via car. The park offers spectacular ocean views, beautiful scenery, and the most abundant biodiversity in the world. The park ranks #39 out of 61 national parks with over 446,961 visitors in 2017. The best time to visit is from January through to April. Summer can be hot and humid with hordes of mosquitos and frequent thunderstorms. Fall is hurricane season, which can be severe and unpredictable. Biscayne National Park is known for its snorkeling, scuba diving, paddling, and sailing. However, before I get to the good stuff, here are 4 tips when planning your Biscayne National Park Adventure.
4 Tips When Planning Your Biscayne National Park Adventure:
#1. Make Reservations
I highly recommend making reservations in advance with one of the Biscayne National Park Concessionaires. I had a terrific experience with the Biscayne National Park Institute, which offers an excellent range of outings and supplies all the gear. You just bring your own lunch!
#2. It’s All About the Water
Similar to Dry Tortugas, over 95% of the Biscayne National Park is water, and that’s where you want to be! Just don’t be the village idiot like me and show up all sunburned!
#3. Drop by the Visitor Center
A visit to the Dante Fascell Visitor Center provides an excellent overview of the park. There’s also a beautiful walking path that extends out on a peninsula into the bay.
#4. Explore the Maritime Heritage Trail
Biscayne is part of the third-largest barrier reef in the world with over 50-shipwreck sites discovered, and the underwater “Maritime Heritage Trail” has been created for scuba/snorkelers to explore along the outer reefs. My intended plan before the sunburn intervened!
Now, back to my adventure. Due to my ‘extreme sunburn,’ I cancelled my guided tour of kayaking and reef-snorkelling with Biscayne National Park Institute and opted for a shadier alternative. I booked a sailing/paddleboarding/mangrove snorkelling adventure. Taking a sailboat along the keys provided additional shade as well as a paddleboarding session into a mangrove canopy. We also did a bit of snorkeling.
Sailing is Fun!
The captain of the ‘Morning Dance’ taught us some sailing basics and shared stories of the incredible history of the Park. We also raced another boat captained by his girlfriend out to the islands. Sadly, we didn’t win.
As we sailed out to sea, I discovered the battery was dead in my Olympus Tough TG-5 camera. I’d also left my iPhone in the car so regrettably; I have no photos of this adventure. Lesson? Bring a backup camera or extra batteries!
Paddleboarding is Fun!
Not so much when you are sunburned! Plus, I was wearing too much rubber! Picture this: me in a long-sleeved neoprene black shirt, black leggings, black water socks, black booties, black gloves, and black swim cap and dark sunglasses. “Darth Vader” might come to mind and wearing all that rubber made standing and kneeling challenging through the mangrove canopy. However, I think my fellow participants found my “Darth Vader” outfit and frequent falls far more entertaining than the fish!
Snorkelling is Fun!
This was less exciting. With the water being clear and shallow in the mangrove, you could see most everything from the paddleboard. The fish were uninteresting, compared to Dry Tortugas, and there was no coral here. However, I’m told that the snorkelling around the outer coral reefs is terrific! I’ll do this on my next trip.
“Shark!”
While we paddled back to the “Morning Dance,” we saw two nurse sharks pass right beneath our boards. They were about 4 feet long and looked hungry. Their preferred dining menu is more pescatarian than carnivore, but their strong jaws and sharp teeth come in handy when threatened. We all took great care not to fall off our boards just then. Interestingly, there have been no shark attacks in Biscayne Bay in 70 years.
Grab your sunscreen, a hat and make the most of the abundance of water sports and nature in and around Biscayne Bay. It’s so easy to access this national park right in the backyard of Miami.
Let’s get out there and Carpe Diem!
Peter
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36 Hours in Miami
