Quick Details
Small Personal Tours of 10 people! Larger groups of 10 to 14 people, private tours available for no extra cost! Larger groups of 15 people or more guide gratuity is added on, with a 20% discount! Call us today at 808.798.6630 or 321.415.9183
Adult - Single Kayak
350 lbs max | Ages 16+ | Single Kayaks recommended for Adults kayaking with 1 Toddler
$ 100
Kids
325 lbs max | Ages 14–15 | Suggested only for experienced youth kayakers
$ 90
Tandem Kayaks
425 lbs max | Recommended for Two Adults, Adults w/ 2 Toddlers, or Adults & Kids | Lifejackets 35 lbs+ provided
$ 200
Ride Along Kid in Tandem Kayak
Ages up to 7 years | For small kids in middle of tandem kayak with 2 adults or 1 adult + 1 child | Lifejackets 35 lbs+ provided
$ 75
Thousand Islands Mangrove Tunnel & Bio Comb Jelly Sunset Kayak Tour
Come and see Florida’s beautiful wildlife up close with a sunset kayak tour. Paddle through a maze of mangrove tunnels into the sunset and watch the bioluminescent glow!
The Magic of Bioluminescence: Nature’s Living Light Show
If you’ve ever joined one of our nighttime kayak tours, you know the feeling, dipping your paddle into the water and watching it sparkle like liquid stars. That glowing, otherworldly light is called bioluminescence, and it’s one of nature’s most mesmerizing phenomena.
What Is Bioluminescence?
Bioluminescence is the natural ability of living organisms to produce light. In the water, that glow usually comes from tiny plankton called dinoflagellates. When these microscopic organisms are disturbed by movement, like the swirl of your paddle or the splash of a fish, they give off a bright blue or green light.
How Does It Work?
The science behind the sparkle is surprisingly simple! Inside the plankton, a chemical reaction occurs between two substances:
Luciferin – the light-producing molecule, and
Luciferase – the enzyme that triggers the reaction.
When the plankton are agitated, luciferase helps luciferin react with oxygen, releasing energy in the form of light. Think of it as the ocean’s own version of glow-in-the-dark chemistry!
Why Do They Glow?
Scientists believe dinoflagellates glow for protection. The flash of light can startle predators or attract bigger predators that might eat the first ones, a kind of underwater “burglar alarm.”
Fun Facts to Light Up Your Night
The glow you see is cold light, meaning it gives off almost no heat.
Fireflies, some mushrooms, and even deep-sea fish use the same bioluminescent chemistry.
When conditions are perfect, (warm water, calm nights, and lots of plankton), every paddle stroke looks like painting with starlight.
Experience It Yourself
There’s nothing quite like seeing bioluminescence up close. Join us for a Bioluminescent Kayak Tour and witness this natural wonder firsthand.
BIOLUMINESCENCE FACTS!
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Florida is one of only six places in the world where you can experience such bioluminescence. Bioluminescent kayak tours are a bucket list experience for many travelers. Once you try it, you will want to experience the bioluminescence again and again!
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The months of July through September are the best times to paddle among the dinoflagellates bioluminescent plankton. Bioluminescent means “living light.” Fathom everything you touch glowing! Imagine shooting stars and northern lights glowing underneath your kayak as you paddle. These effects can be best enjoyed when bioluminescence is strongest!
The best time to see bioluminescence is during the new moon. So plan accordingly! The bioluminescent dinoflagellates are harder to see as the moon gets brighter. Bioluminescence is a natural phenomenon that moves with the warm current and may fluctuate day to day. Call our main Cocoa Beach number at 808.798.6630 to see what the current conditions are.
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While we refer to them as jellyfish, they are not technically jellyfish and don’t sting! These pre-historic comb jellies have been around for over 500 million years. By using their glowing bioluminescent nerves, they protect themselves by keeping other predators away.
As you paddle toward the sunset, the comb jellies light up as the movement of the water wakes up their bioluminescence! Fishnets will be provided to catch comb jellies and watch their oxidation luciferin process ignite! The bioluminescent comb jellies travel in the cold current. They can live in cold climates such as under the glaciers in Iceland and get as large as the size of a baseball!
The best months to see the bioluminescent comb jellies are November through February! Book your tour around the new moon for the best experience.