After researching a few different kayaking companies, I decided to book a guided paddling trip…read morethrough Up the Creek, and I'm so glad I did!
I signed up for the Lofton Creek paddling trip on a Sunday in early October. It happened to be ideal weather that day--about 68 degrees, sunny, almost no wind. I made sure to leave my hotel on Amelia Island extra early because the boat dock sounded a little tricky to find, but by following the guide's directions (sent via e-mail the night before) and the navigation on my phone, I was able to get there with few issues. Multiple kayaking companies use this boat launch. And, in case you're wondering, there are bathrooms there.
As it turned out, the other people who had booked this particular trip had canceled, so it was just me and Pete, one of the owners of the company. After giving me a short explanation on how to paddle (I had kayaked before, so I knew most of it), and making sure my life jacket was on properly, we were off.
Lofton Creek is a "black water" creek that is almost completely still and black in appearance. There is a current, but it's so minimal that the water doesn't even ripple unless the wind blows. As a result, the water is highly reflective, and because it's so calm, it makes for very easy paddling.
Pete was an extremely informative guide who provided me with a wealth of information about the history of the area, the plants and animals that inhabit it, and how the Native Americans in the area used all the natural resources years ago. Fascinating stuff!
Because it was just the two of us, we were able to go a little farther than he normally takes a larger group. Unfortunately, the wildlife was a bit sparse that day, probably because the water level was very high due to recent rains. We saw a lot of turtles, a couple of kingfishers, and a giant hornet nest hanging from a tree. From what I understand, it's common to see alligators on this creek; we just didn't that day.
From start to finish the trip took about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Pete also provided bottled water and a snack. The trip was 55 dollars. You can pay with a credit card, but you have to call them in advance to do so. I paid cash at the end of the trip.
Pete also took a bunch of pictures of me kayaking and e-mailed them to me later. Pretty cool.
I would certainly kayak with Up the Creek again and would recommend it to anyone looking to kayak in the area.