Frequently Asked Questions
Our Kayaks
Take turns paddling and taking photos in our comfortable, tandem, single paddle kayaks.
All of our kayaks are tandem (two-person) kayaks. The day tours are sit-inside kayaks with an open cockpit (a cross between a canoe and a kayak), and they have sturdy, molded seats for your comfort. Since we only use one paddle per kayak, it allows our guests to take turns paddling to provide a more relaxing experience. It also reduces the noise, which causes less of a disturbance to the wildlife. We use clear bottom Caribe sit-on-top kayaks for our Biolumenscence tours. They can get a little hot in the day, reflecting up the sun, but they are amazing at night.
We provide your life jackets and thorough paddling and safety instructions before your tour. Paddling experience is not necessary. Our tours are very laid back, and we paddle at our own pace. We frequently take breaks to watch the wildlife and talk about the environment.
What to Wear
The Florida Sun is hot, and it will reflect off of the water. We highly recommend wearing sunscreen to protect your skin and sunglasses to protect your eyes.
Check The Weather
Check the weather and dress accordingly. Bathing suits are great for the summer but might not work so well in the winter. You may want to bring a cover-up, windbreaker, or hat. The most important thing about your tour with Cocoa Beach Kayaking is that you are comfortable.
Florida Sun is HOT
Due to our close proximity to the equator, the UVA and UVB rays from the Florida sun are much stronger than they are throughout the rest of the country. If you aren't used to the Florida sun or are fair complected, you may burn very quickly. Clothing makes for the best sunscreen, so you may want to consider a light-colored long sleeve shirt. We do have towels in the event that you'd like to cover up your legs, and we provide 50 SPF sunblock. However, you may want to put some on before you come to meet us as extra protection.
Hats and Sunglasses
If you have your own hat, it would be good to bring it even if you do not plan on wearing it. We have seagrass hats to keep the sun off of your face, neck, and shoulders. If you have light-colored hair or your hair is cut very close to your head, we highly recommend wearing a hat to protect your scalp from being sunburned. The sun will reflect off the water, so sunglasses are also strongly recommended.
What to Bring
Although we do provide essentials like sunscreen, bottled water, and towels, we don't provide everything you may need. Feel free to bring your camera or some snacks in a small personal cooler.
You Can Bring a Cooler
Sometimes being on the water can make you hungry. Please feel free to bring snacks with you. You can also bring sports drinks, juice, etc. There is room in the kayaks for a small cooler or bag. Please do not bring any alcohol on tour. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
Definitely Bring Your Camera
You will also want to bring a camera with you to capture memories of your tour. Feel free to bring a digital camera but be sure that it has a quick shutter speed setting. If your camera does not have this, 35mm disposables work well too. We do not have dry bags, so if you are worried about any unlikely water damage, we recommend zip lock or plastic bags.
