Summertime paddling belongs to Southwest Floridians – the waters are smooth and calm. Plus the Calusa Blueway identifies all kinds of shady creeks and backbays you can travel to stay out of the summer sun.

Just remember: reading the weather – both online before you head out and also visually while you’re out there – is key during summer months. When the only horsepower you’ve got is in your arms, you don’t want to be toying with thunderstorms.

Come in off the water by noon. Be sure to leave a note with your destination and estimated return time upside down on your car’s dashboard or on your table at home so family or friends can alert authorities if you don’t make it back in as scheduled.

The following paddling location suggestions come from:
Nancy Kilmartin and Terry Cain, Estero Bay Buddies
Jeanette Chupack and Pat Owen, Southwest Florida Paddling Club
Mike Devlin, Paradise Coast Paddling Club
Mary Rawl, Friends of Billy’s Creek

Here we go:

Billy’s Creek, Fort Myers: Phase 3/yellow blueway map. Launch at Shady Oaks Park; paddle up the creek toward Shoemaker Bridge. Or go downstream – mangrove tunnels and passing under the SCL railroad bridge and Seaboard Street toward the moth of the creek and the Palm Beach Boulevard bridge. It’s all shade.
Note: The Friends of Billy’s Creek will hold a paddle event on Saturday, June 20, for anyone who wants to try kayaking. Details: Mary Rawl, mary.rawl@gmail.com

Telegraph Creek, Alva: Phase 3/yellow blueway map. Launch from a spot on the Caloosahatchee such as W.P. Franklin Lock, Dam & Recreation Area (call 694-0398 to check parking/launching fees) and paddle up the creek.
“It’s shady and full of wildlife,” Pat Owen said. “You never know what you'll see. Two weeks ago we saw a Barn Owl and young sandhill cranes along with the usual llamas, large cypress trees and oaks with Spanish moss and resurrection fern.”
Some paddlers have been known to launch from the S.R. 78 bridge/North River Road into the creek and paddle down to the river.
“The only sunny area is the crossing of the Caloosahatchee from Franklin Locks recreation area,” said Jeanette Chupack. “Once you're on the creek, it's shady all the way. Just led a group of 21 kayakers there on Mother's Day!”

Caloosahatchee Creeks Preserve, North Fort Myers: Phase 3/yellow blueway map. Free parking and launching. Perfect for the novice paddler, this park lets you launch from North Fort Myers into a maze of creeks, including Pop Ash Creek. You can loop around and come back within the hour and never even dip your paddle in the much-wider Caloosahatchee River. Or you can use this creek to get you to the river, cross over and paddle up the Orange River to Manatee Park.

Hickey’s Creek, Alva: Phase 3/yellow blueway map. Day trip recommendation: Launch from Caloosahatchee Regional Park off S.R. 78/North River Road – call 694-0398 24-hours in advance if you’d like to rent Lee County Parks & Recreation kayaks or if you’d like parks staff to open the gate so you can launch your own paddlecraft without walking from the campground parking lot. Paddle from the park downstream to the mouth of Hickey’s Creek, which is often identifiable because the homeowner at that spot owns a camel you can see from the river and the creek. Paddle up the creek to Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park, which has a canoe/kayak landing. Take a shady hike or eat lunch under a pavilion. Then paddle back to Caloosahatchee Regional Park. Do this early or on a day when the chance of thunderstorms is minimal.

Buck Key, Captiva: Phase 2/reddish-brown blueway map. Rent a boat from a Captiva/Sanibel-based outfitters. Or launch your own boat from Blind Pass on Sanibel or Captiva. Bring money for parking. Note: Great place to see manatees in the summertime.

Matlacha Pass, Pine Island: Phase 2/reddish-brown blueway map. Launch from Matlacha Park; special kayak launch is there with free access and free parking for those without trailers. Paddle southwest, northwest or northeast and you find saltwater creeks and meandering mangrove tunnels. From open water, just watch for a tidal creek or a parting in the trees. Nudge your bow into the opening and keep going. Secret lagoons await you.

Rock Creek, south Fort Myers: Phase 1/blue blueway map. Rock Creek is at San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve and is a lovely paddle on a summer morning, particularly for novices. The creek curves through the mangroves and then enters the bay near Plover Island. Get out of the kayak there and stroll the beach to stretch your legs.

Hurricane & Hell Peckney bays in Estero Bay: Phase 1/blue blueway map. Launch from Bowditch Point Regional Park or from Mound House, both on Estero Island at Fort Myers Beach. “Many little cuts in the north fringe of mangroves along Estero Bay are wonderful to explore on hot sunny days, some meander for a short paddle and others are longer and as the sun changes paddle south across the bay and paddle in the mangrove shade of Matanzas Pass Preserve,” said Terry Cain. Note: Matanzas Pass Preserve has a canoe/kayak landing so you can get out, stretch your legs and walk the boardwalk. Or enjoy the overlook shade shelter.