Wepaddle

08/07/2024

18/02/2024

Sup Saturday is back!
Saturday March 16 Lassing Park St Pete.
Beginners, intermediate and advanced paddlers will all be challenged with self and assisted rescues, stroke refinement, and techniques designed to increase efficiency.
American Canoe Association and British Canoe certified coaching.

03/02/2024

In case you missed it here’s my Son Noah’s run at the Boadr comp in Campbell Park.
This event is held nationally in an effort to raise money to kick cancers ass.
Super proud of this guy today!

09/01/2024

Yes, there really is a scientific reason you should get out on the water more often.

06/01/2024

Headed out for some bumpy water!

05/01/2024

https://wix.to/aQF8Yey
🌊☀️ Weather canceled SUP class, but it's perfect for sea kayak surf lessons! Call/text/book online for tomorrow's session at https://wix.to/ytcWh5y 🚣‍♀️🏄‍♀️

05/01/2024

https://wix.to/ORDQtOu
Discover the thrill of kayaking and paddleboarding! 🌊 Join our lessons and experience the freedom of being on the water. Sign up today at https://wix.to/nuj5mf5

14/09/2023

We’re excited to be headed to the Chesapeake to coach the Solomons Island Sea Kayak Symposium.
Sign ups available here!

Solomons Island Sea Kayak Symposium 2023 (SISKS).

06/09/2023

We spent an incredible summer in the upper peninsula of Michigan Guiding and paddling the Great Lakes. Pictures don’t do it Justice, but here’s a few. Trips and lessons in Florida commencing soon.

21/07/2023

A boat handling confidence course. A great place to start your training.

19/06/2023

A reminder this ⚠️📱 Make sure you always carry a communications device and keep it within reach. If you can't reach to call for help, help can't reach you. You can take your phone in a waterproof pouch.

📞 If you need help when out on the water, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard or the Fire and Rescue Service.

For more advice on how to keep safe on the water, head to https://orlo.uk/Ur0Av

16/06/2023

Ever notice how time spent in nature makes you feel better? Emmie Gocke reflects on how awe—and time on the river—can lead to a happier, healthier life.

03/03/2023

You may have never seen it, but hidden in the trees at Royal Palm is the last remaining structure built by the Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs (FFWC).

Established in 1895, the FFWC worked for local and statewide reforms in a number of areas such as education, prohibition, and conservation. Seeing the increasing real estate development in south Florida as a threat to the Everglades, they purchased Paradise Key, which would later become Royal Palm with the intention of protecting this unique environment for future generations.

After years of changes and the establishment of a national park, the deer feeding station is the only remaining structure from the original Royal Palm State Park and is a testament to the work of women in establishing and preserving this special place.

Next time you’re in the park, stop and think of what other stories may be hidden from view.

Photo by NPS

ALT TEXT: A brick structure, identified as an old deer feeding station and pen.

02/11/2022

Pau Hana Carve Sup Surf Board.
Retail $1299.00
Demo for sale $999.99 excellent condition.

01/11/2022

Weather is perfect for Florida Fall paddling! We’ve got the right gear ready and certified instructors and tour guides.
Book your adventure today!

30/10/2022

Lilly and her Father Chris (2nd pic deep background lol) had a great session on the water today. She’s a natural!

30/10/2022

Another beautiful day to continue the legacy.
what gets you on the water?

30/10/2022

A most excellent adventure with Outdoor Afro Saturday. Two classes of intro to Sup.
A fantastic organization to work with!

23/10/2022

Epic weekend at Shell Key!
Come kayak camping!
Weather is perfect

10/09/2022

A complete emotional rollercoaster the last three days watching the online auction of Sweetwater kayaks. Grateful to have been able to obtain things I will cherish forever. If you were lucky enough to purchase anything and are interested in its history or provenance reach out to me. I enjoy sharing the stories of the boats and owners. Some of these boats went on amazing adventures with even more amazing people.

05/09/2022

A brilliant paddle this morning @ coffee pot bayou. Tampa Bay Area is such a treasure!

04/09/2022

Weeki Wachee never disappoints. Roger’s park to the spring.

01/09/2022

A brief introduction to core principals then on the water!

31/08/2022

We have a few spots left on our weekend to Shell Key event! Oct 21,22,23.
Kayak camping, sunsets, and skills practice are on the itinerary. Call or message or book online

31/08/2022

Did you buy a kayak recently and now have the itch to move past its limitations?
Maybe you go out with groups but just want that one-on one coaching to secure your skillset.
W offer traditional sea kayak training as well as Sup training at an easy pace designed around your needs.
Student based The best equipment in the area Patient instructors

Individual classes filling up now.
tjspaddlesportsllc.com or 727-290-7307

24/08/2022

Ever wonder about the mangroves you paddled through? Here's a great breakdown of the importance of the amazing plant from Florida's own Department of environmental protection management.

Mangroves are one of Florida's true natives. They thrive in salty environments because they can obtain freshwater from saltwater. Some secrete excess salt through their leaves, while others block absorption of salt at their roots.

Florida's estimated 600,000 acres of mangrove forests contribute to the overall health of the state's southern coastal zone and beyond. This ecosystem traps and cycles various organic materials, chemical elements and important nutrients. Mangrove roots act not only as physical traps but provide attachment surfaces for various marine organisms. Many of these attached organisms filter water through their bodies and, in turn, trap and cycle nutrients.

The relationship between mangroves and their associated marine life cannot be overemphasized. Mangroves provide protected nursery areas for fishes, crustaceans and shellfish. They also provide food for a multitude of marine species such as snook, snapper, tarpon, jack, sheepshead, red drum, oyster and shrimp. Florida's important recreational and commercial fisheries would drastically decline without healthy mangrove forests.

Many animals find shelter either in the roots or branches of mangroves. Mangrove branches are rookeries, or nesting areas, for beautiful coastal birds such as brown pelicans and roseate spoonbills.

Florida Keys Aquatic Preserves-FDEP Staff-Mangroves at Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve.jpg
Red mangroves at Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve
Worldwide, more than 50 species of mangroves exist. Of the three species found in Florida, the red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) is probably the most well-known. It typically grows along the water's edge. The red mangrove is easily identified by its tangled, reddish roots called "prop-roots." These roots have earned mangroves the title of "walking trees." This mangrove, in particular, appears to be standing or walking on the surface of the water.

Indian River Lagoon spoil island - DEP Staff - black mangrove.jpg
a black mangrove colonizes the edge of a spoil island in Indian River Lagoon
The black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) usually occupies slightly higher elevations upland from the red mangrove. The black mangrove can be identified by numerous finger-like projections, called pneumatophores, that protrude from the soil around the tree's trunk.

Key Island, Rookery Bay NERR - DEP Staff-Renee Wilson - White mangrove.jpg
a close-up of a white mangrove leaves at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
The white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) usually occupies the highest elevations farther upland than either the red or black mangroves. Unlike its red or black counterparts, the white mangrove has no visible aerial root systems. The easiest way to identify the white mangrove is by the leaves. They are elliptical, light yellow green and have two distinguishing glands at the base of the leaf blade where the stem starts.

All three of these species utilize a remarkable method of propagation. Seeds sprout while still on the trees and drop into the soft bottom around the base of the trees or are transported by currents and tides to other suitable locations.

Florida's mangroves are tropical species; therefore, they are sensitive to extreme temperature fluctuations as well as subfreezing temperatures. Research indicates that salinity, water temperature, tidal fluctuations and soil also affect the growth and distribution of mangroves. They are common as far north as Cedar Key on the Gulf Coast and St. Augustine on the Atlantic Coast. Black mangroves can occur farther north in Florida than the other two species. Frequently, all three species grow intermixed.

People living along the south Florida coasts benefit many ways from mangroves. Mangrove forests protect uplands from storm winds, waves and floods. The amount of protection afforded by mangroves depends upon the width of the forest. A very narrow fringe of mangroves offers limited protection, while a wide fringe can considerably reduce wave and flood damage to landward areas by enabling overflowing water to be absorbed into the expanse of forest. Mangroves can help prevent erosion by stabilizing shorelines with their specialized root systems. Mangroves also filter water and maintain water quality and clarity.

Changes In Florida's Mangrove Distribution
It is true that mangroves can be naturally damaged and destroyed, but there is no doubt that human impact has been most severe. Scientists in multiple agencies, including the Florida Wildlife Research Institute, Smithsonian Institute, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and many more are studying changes in Florida's coastal habitats. The scientists evaluate habitat changes by analyzing aerial photographs from the 1940s and 1950s and satellite imagery and aerial photography from the 1980s. Frequently the changes illustrate loss of mangrove acreage. Through researching the history of study sites, these losses are often attributed to human activities.

However, mangroves are also gaining ground along their northern Florida habitat limits. As winter cold snaps decrease, mangroves are able to expand further north into new territory. Continued evaluation of aerial images between 1984 and 2011 has shown that the Florida Atlantic Coast gained more than 3,000 acres of mangroves. All the increase occurred north of Palm Beach County and the acreage between Cape Canaveral and St. Augustine doubled. Much of these gains come at the expense of salt marsh communities. Research is ongoing to determine the impacts, both positive and negative, of this transition.

18/08/2022

Why choose a certified guide for your Sup or kayak trip?

As an ACA certified kayak guide, instructor and lifelong paddler, I'm often puzzled by the thought that so many kayak companies offer trips on kayaks and Sup with guides that are not endorsed by the ACA or even have basic CPR or first aid requirements.

A simple google search for kayak trips in my hometown of Tampa Bay Florida recently listed several dozen companies that were selling kayak and Sup experiences with tour guides.
Fresh water rivers, lakes, lagoons ,springs, bays, inlets ,and the gulf of Mexico were all in the offerings from one hour to half a day, some even offering night paddles and overnight trips while many of the advertised listings hinged on Eco-Tourism and potential wildlife encounters. Seems like a great thing right?

Not exactly. I reached out to several of these companies anonymously, twenty to be exact, to determine what level of training was offered to their guides and how they determined that the guides were prepared to handle the responsibility of looking after the folks they were leading on these trips.

What I found was astonishing. Of the twenty companies I spoke with, not one company was offering certified guides on their tours. Less than half of them required CPR or First Aid. Many of the companies could not even provide adequate insurance for the very businesses that they were running!

That prompted me to write this article. What seemed to me to be a no-brainer was lost on the countless business owners on my local waterways when it comes to proper training in the areas of risk assessment, safety protocol, group management, basic rescue technique, basic paddling skills as well as basic first aid and CPR.
It seems these skills are overlooked for a few simple reasons. Time and money are first on the list. Companies are on tight margins, and looking to advance profit over most everything aside from customer experience. The other reason is just as simple: most of the business owners don't know what they don't know.
Negligence is a strong word, but I struggle to find another word to fit the industry that I love so dearly and have made my life's work. My area is considered a hotspot for paddle sports, as is the entire state of Florida. Now imagine this trend on a national level.

There are good companies throughout the nation. I've worked with several of them and they put the investment into their guides or require them to be certified prior to taking out a group on the water. They are good stewards of the industry and the environment and I support them.

So here are the reasons I support only companies with tour guides that are certified through either the ACA (American canoe association) or the BC (British canoeing).

Endorsement from the ACA falls under the EKTL Essentials of Kayaking Trip Leader Training. A minimum of sixteen hours of training by coaches who themselves are qualified to run this course.
The course covers self rescues, assisted rescues, group management, navigation, risk assessment, paddling skills, leave no trace, safe wildlife interaction hypo/hyperthermia ,risk management ,interpersonal skills ,and an emphasis on wind, water and waves.
Only after a candidate has successfully demonstrated these skills are they considered assessed and offered the trip leader endorsement.
This means that they have proven the ability to assess risk, help a paddler in need, are capable paddlers themselves and can provide the duty of care that should be the minimum standard in our industry.

An endorsed trip leader has done their due diligence, spent the time and effort to ensure they have the skills to provide a safe and rewarding experience to the people that they are leading, whether it is in a volunteer or paid position.

The ACA website lists trip leader trainings nationally, and they are run quite often and can be researched and booked relatively easily.
In Florida, two events are held each year at Lake Louisa offering the endorsement and are sponsored by the DEP as well as the Florida Paddling Trails Association.
TJ’s Paddlesports in the Tampa Bay area provides the course as well as individual group and corporate training for tour companies seeking to enhance the level of safety for their guests.
Tjspaddlesportsllc.com

So if you're a tour company and you want to offer the minimum safety for your clients look up the ACA website or give us a call. If you're a potential guest with one of these companies, ask a few questions. And Always wear your lifejacket!

15/08/2022

Beginner to advanced, we can get your skills up on your Sup!
Bring your own or use the highest quality boards in our fleet.
Book online @ tjspaddlesportsllc.com or call 727-290-7307