Nature   

This gentle-paced paddle is perfect for curious explorers who value learning over speed. Unlike our other paddle tours, this outing covers just a couple of miles, giving us plenty of time to drift, observe, and delve into the river’s rich tapestry of plants, animals, archaeology, history, and other fascinating wild lore.

If you prefer to cover more distance and focus less on in-depth discovery, you may want to explore one of the other paddle courses in this catalog. This is an easy paddle, moving downstream before returning against a light current—ideal for beginners.

Details:

• Park Fee: $6, payable the day of the class
• Duration: Approx. 2.5 hours
• Meeting Time: 9 a.m. at the launch site
• Kayaks Provided
• After registering, please call (386) 497-4214 during the week before the trip to discuss special needs or requests and to confirm your email address for launch site directions.
• Lunch not included.

   

Experience areas of Sholom Park that were not covered at your first Walk and Talk. Explore the Enchanted Forest, Fragrance Trail, Food Forest, and a behind the scenes look at how the park is operated with Managing Director, Robert Colen and Park Manager, Brian DeVane in Part Two of Sholom Park's Walk and Talk. Registered students will meet at the pavilion near the restrooms.

This gentle-paced paddle is perfect for curious explorers who value learning over speed. Unlike our other paddle tours, this outing covers just a couple of miles, giving us plenty of time to drift, observe, and delve into the river’s rich tapestry of plants, animals, archaeology, history, and other fascinating wild lore.

If you prefer to cover more distance and focus less on in-depth discovery, you may want to explore one of the other paddle courses in this catalog. This is an easy paddle, moving downstream before returning against a light current—ideal for beginners.

Details:

• Park Fee: $6, payable the day of the class
• Duration: Approx. 2.5 hours
• Meeting Time: 9 a.m. at the launch site
• Kayaks Provided
• After registering, please call (386) 497-4214 during the week before the trip to discuss special needs or requests and to confirm your email address for launch site directions.
• Lunch not included.

   

Experience areas of Sholom Park that were not covered at your first Walk and Talk. Explore the Enchanted Forest, Fragrance Trail, Food Forest, and a behind the scenes look at how the park is operated with Managing Director, Robert Colen and Park Manager, Brian DeVane in Part Two of Sholom Park's Walk and Talk. Registered students will meet at the pavilion near the restrooms.

Unlike many coastal regions where development crowds the shoreline, Florida’s Big Bend- and especially the Cedar Keys- remains a place where nature still reigns. Here, the “shoreline” is fluid and ever-changing, expanding and retreating with the tides. This low, wet country offers a glimpse into a wilder Florida, where open water and tidal flats create a paddler’s paradise.

Paddling Difficulty: Easy in calm weather; moderate if breezy. We will not paddle if the forecast calls for high winds or inclement weather.

Skill Level: Beginner-friendly.
Meeting Time: 10 a.m. at launch site.
Equipment: Kayaks provided. After registering, please call (386) 497-4214 during the week prior to the trip to discuss equipment needs and confirm your email address for launch site directions.
Duration: Varies with conditions. Lunch not included.

Experience areas of Sholom Park that were not covered at your first Walk and Talk. Explore the Enchanted Forest, Fragrance Trail, Food Forest, and a behind the scenes look at how the park is operated with Managing Director, Robert Colen and Park Manager, Brian DeVane in Part Two of Sholom Park's Walk and Talk. Registered students will meet at the pavilion near the restrooms.

In 1774, naturalist William Bartram called it the Great Alachua Savanna. Today, we know it as Paynes Prairie, which is a vast wetland rich in history and wildlife. In this chapter of our Bartram’s Florida series, we’ll take a leisurely three-mile stroll into the landscape that captivated the young explorer. Along the way, Lars Andersen, author of Paynes Prairie: A History and Guide, will share the prairie’s fascinating story, from its early days to the present.

Details:

• Meeting Time: 9 a.m. at the park entrance
• Park Fee: $5, payable at entrance on the day of the trip
• Duration: 1.5–2 hours
• Difficulty: Easy, mostly flat terrain. Out-and-back route; participants may turn back at any time< br>
• Skill Level: Beginner-friendly

   

Discover the beauty and significance of two of Florida's most famous springs, Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs. Learn about their unique ecosystems, conservation efforts to protect them, and the many ways you can enjoy them.

Glide along 3.5 miles of the upper Ichetucknee River, one of North Florida's most breathtaking waterways. As you paddle downstream, you’ll discover striking limestone outcroppings, seven named springs, and fascinating geological features. Along the way, hear stories from the river’s rich past—waters that for over 14,000 years have sustained Native Americans, Spanish missionaries, and even DeSoto’s conquistadors.

Details: Meet at the launch site at 10 a.m. $5 Park Fee. Duration: about 2 hours. Easy downstream paddle, perfect for beginners.

Experience areas of Sholom Park that were not covered at your first Walk and Talk. Explore the Enchanted Forest, Fragrance Trail, Food Forest, and a behind the scenes look at how the park is operated with Managing Director, Robert Colen and Park Manager, Brian DeVane in Part Two of Sholom Park's Walk and Talk. Registered students will meet at the pavilion near the restrooms.

Explore the Withlacoochee and Rainbow Rivers near Dunnellon for a unique glimpse of "Old Florida" and its more modern landscapes. This two-part course begins with a classroom session focused on identifying the birds commonly found in this region of Florida. By the end, you'll be confident in recognizing many of them, from wading birds to raptors and many songbirds.
The second session features a guided three-hour boat ride with an experienced riverboat captain. We'll travel about one mile along the Rainbow River and explore as much of the Withlacoochee as time allows. Expect up-close views of magnificent birds and excellent photo opportunities. Make sure to bring your camera or binoculars!
After the trip, those interested can join for an optional lunch at a nearby riverside café to share observations and compile a bird list from the morning's adventure.
Second class date field trip directions:
Meeting at 20750 River Dr, Dunnellon, FL 34431
- Drive east down 484 to Dunnellon
- Drive 12 miles, then turn left at the light on 41
- Park in the Municipal lot in front of City Hall
- The boat sails from the Public Boat Ramp

 

Rainbow Spring is one of North Florida’s largest springs, and its river remains among the clearest in the state. On this 2.5-hour paddle, you'll learn about the river's fascinating history while spotting its abundant wildlife—turtles, fish, birds, and, more often than anywhere else we paddle, playful river otters.

Details: The launch site is about 17 miles (25 minutes) from Master the Possibilities. Meet there at 10 a.m. After registering, please call (386) 454-0611 during the week prior to the trip to discuss equipment needs and confirm your email address for launch directions. Specific launch details will be emailed a day or two before the trip. Kayaks provided.

Join us as we explore the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota from the perspective of family legacy. Presentation to include a personal gold mining history dating back to 1912. Explore the Hills including discussion of local folklore/tips, Custer State Park, Mt Rushmore, Historic Deadwood, backdrop to movies such as "North by Northwest," and "Dances with Wolves."

Paddle through the wild landscapes that inspired Pulitzer Prize–winning author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Explore the charming Cross Creek and scenic portions of Orange and Lochloosa Lakes—places that have changed little since Rawlings wrote classics like The Yearling and Cross Creek in the early 1900s.

This easy, beginner-friendly tour includes basic paddling lessons. You’ll paddle downstream before returning against a gentle current.

 

Details:

• Meet at the launch site at 9 a.m.
• Trip duration: 2 to 2.5 hours
• Difficulty: Easy paddle

  After registering, please call (386) 497-4214 the week before to discuss equipment needs and confirm your email for launch directions.

Spend 2 to 2.5 hours gliding through broad, winding channels surrounded by lush marshes and shrubby islands. This easy paddle offers a close-up look at the diverse plants and wildlife thriving in these rich ecosystems. With a fascinating history and abundant birdlife, this tour is a birdwatcher’s dream—especially in spring and early summer when we pass a large rookery of wading and water birds.

 

 

Details:

• Meet at the launch site at 10 a.m.
• After registering, please call (386) 497-4214 the week before to discuss equipment needs and confirm your email for launch directions.
• Specific launch information will be emailed a day or two prior to the trip.