Island Hopping Rookery Tour

Island Hopping and Bird Rookery Kayak Tour, Marathon Florida

This relaxed, slow paced kayak tour explores the islands around the Fanny Key and Palm Island area, one of the most biologically rich and diverse paddling environments in the Middle Florida Keys. We spend our time lazily paddling between small islands and active bird rookeries, focusing on observation and exploration rather than distance or speed.

These islands support thriving rookeries where birds gather to nest, feed, and rest. Commonly seen species include great white herons, great blue herons, and green herons, along with white ibis, roseate spoonbills, reddish egrets, snowy egrets, tricolored herons, little blue herons, brown pelicans, double crested cormorants, osprey, frigatebirds, and a variety of gulls and terns. During different times of year, you may also spot migrating shorebirds using the islands as stopover habitat. While no single species is guaranteed on any given day, this area consistently offers the highest diversity of bird life of any tour we run.

The shallow waters around the rookeries are also full of marine life. It is common to see hermit crabs, jellyfish, rays, baitfish, and occasionally manatees moving through the area, depending on conditions.

Guests are welcome to bring their own snorkel gear. If conditions allow, there may be opportunities for casual swimming or light snorkeling around the islands. You are also welcome to stay in your kayak the entire time. The pace and structure of the tour are flexible and unhurried.

This is our most relaxed and slowest paced tour, ideal for anyone who wants an easygoing experience centered on island hopping, bird watching, and immersive nature viewing rather than physical exertion or long distance paddling.