| The Rainbow River is truly one of Florida's last best places. The river runs clear and free. It is fed from a number of pristine springs and the healthy grass bottom insures a plethora of fish,birds and turtles. Much of the eastern shoreline and the headwaters are protected as a State Park and the river itself has been designated as both an Aquatic Preserve, and an Outstanding Florida Waterway |
| Classes With so many taking to the paddlesports, it is imperative that we all have an idea of what we are doing. To make you a better paddler and keep you safer, we offer a variety of classes from Beginner to Advanced. Call the shop for information at 352-795-5650 ACA L1 SUP Coastal Kayak Guide Endorsement |
| For guided kayak and SUP trips, kayak and SUP tours, kayak and SUP sales & rentals and kayak and SUP accessories when visiting Florida and the Nature Coast, be sure to stop by Crystal River and visit us. Kayak and SUP tours and rentals. Explore King's Bay and its first magnitude springs. Tour the coastal area with a Marine Biologist and learn about manatees and other flora and fauna from a degreed professional. Experience ecotourism as it should be practiced. For the avid paddler, visit our retail shop. We carry the best kayaks & paddling accessories to be found in the area. |
| Kayaks: Eddyline / Hurricane / SUPS: Bishop Boards |
| Paddles : Swift / Bending Branches / AquaBound |
Accessories : NRS / Seattle Sports / YakGrips / Stohlquist PFDs / Seals Skirts
| Guided kayak trips can be one of the best ways to learn about the gentle giants and one of the least invasive means to observe. Guided kayak trips offer a better learning experience and if properly guided, assure that any interaction will have minimal impact on the manatee's behavior and health. Available seasonally during the colder months only. |
| Aardvark's Florida Kayak Company 707 N Citrus Avenue, Suite A Crystal River, Florida (352 )795-5650 ● Fax (352)795-5650 For information:info@FloridaKayakCompany.com |
| The Florida Kayak Company is a full service paddlesport business providing sea kayak tours, guided trips, kayak rentals and accessory sales to resident and visiting paddlers. We offer nature based trips on the Crystal, Salt, Chassahowitzka, Rainbow and Withlacoochee Rivers, as well as specialty trips for manatee observation, dolphin watching, birding, and trips to Rainbow Springs and State Wildlife Refuges We offer an alternative or even a compliment to the Disney experience that is Orlando. Even a beginner can enjoy our trips and classes. In a matter of minutes, you'll be gliding with manatees and soaring with bald eagles. Members of the Paddlesport Industry Association, Professional Paddlesports Association, the ACA (American Canoe Association), and the Nature Coast Ecotourism Alliance. We offer the same boats that we use on our tours as rentals (reservations required). We have a wide variety of hard shell kayaks including the full line of Hurricane Kayaks. We also offer use of our Eddyline Touring Kayaks for qualified paddlers. We offer carbon paddles by AquaBound and Bending Branches, graphite paddles by Swift , carts by Malone, and much, much more. In addition to our trips, rentals, and accessory sales, we offer eco-guide and ecology classes, and sponsor a kayak / paddleboard meetup group. We are paddlesports and paddlesports only. Unlike some of our competitors who are dive shops, newcomers or resorts that rent kayaks as a side, we know paddling and we've been in the area for more than 20 years. Who better to guide you? |
| Copyright ©2003 Aardvark's Florida Kayak Company All Rights Reserved |
| Aardvark's Florida Kayak Company Crystal River, Florida (352 )795-5650 ● Fax (352)795-5650 For information:info@FloridaKayakCompany.com |
| The Chassahowitzka River is clear, shallow, and spring fed and wild. The Chassahowitzka is one of our river trips. The Chass runs from the head springs to the Gulf of Mexico through State Preserve and National Wildlife Refuge lands. Teaming with wildlife, scenery and history, the Chassahowitzka is one of the Nature Coast's most unspoiled rivers. Guided kayak trips depart the Chassahowitzka River Campground and follow the river with the opportunity to explore sinks and springs on the run down and back. Manatees in winter, avian and aquatic life can be observed year round. Best paddled on weekdays during the summer to avoid crowds. |
| One of our favorite coastal trips is to the Backcountry. This trip leaves from the wonderful world of Oz (Ozello) and features clear, shallow water and a maze of mangrove islands..This is where local knowledge really pays off. We go where the wind and tide takes us.. No boat traffic and uncrowded waters. Eagles and white pelicans in winter, wading birds in summer. Dolphins can appear at any time. Trip features shallow sandbars and a stop to explore pre-columbian shell middens, time and weather permitting. Please take back nothing but memories. |
| Aardvark's Florida Kayak Co., Inc. 352-795-5650 Crystal River |
| For Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Boards (SUP) sales, instruction, and tours in Crystal River, Florida and the surrounding coastal waters, come see us first. If you want more than a box store experience or a resort rental, we're your shop! We have guided manatee kayak & SUP tours, kayak and SUP rentals on King's Bay, kayak & SUP sales, kayak and SUP paddles, and paddling accessories. We have the best selection of kayaks and SUPS on the bay! We Deliver. |
| Aardvark's Florida Kayak Co., Inc. 352-795-5650 |
| The retail store and reservation center is open 10-5 Wednesday thru Saturday and 1-5 on Sunday. Rentals and tours are launched between 8 am and 10 am and are by reservation only. Sorry, but we are not designed to be a resort rental and cannot accept walk-ins. The retail shop, reservation center, and rentals are CLOSED Mondays and Tuesdays. Aardvark's is a small shop by design and personalized customer service is what we do best. We know paddling and we'll take the time to talk to you and answer your questions. If you stop by and we are not there, look for the "Back at:" sign next to the front door. That'll tell you when we'll be back. Typically it'll only be a few minutes as we pick up or drop off our rental boats. We believe that if you want something done right, do it yourself. Our pledge is to have the best kayaks on the Bay. No junk, no tubs, no box store mentality. No misleading advertising. Thanks for your patronage. Matt & Sue, The Aardvarks |
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| With guided kayak trips leaving daily from Crystal River, people wishing to view the manatees in season now have another, less intrusive, option for interaction with our kayak and SUP ecotours. All our tours feature the use of professional level equipment from entry level through expert. No box store boats will ever be found at our shop. The Nature Coast of Florida is located 1 hour north of the Tampa/St.Pete area and two hours from Orlando |
| 707 N CITRUS AVENUE, Suite A CRYSTAL RIVER, FLORIDA |
| New Swift Manatee Paddle Help Support Save the Manatee |
| Now offering SUP instruction and tours by appointment. Call the shop to arrange a class or tour. |
| Visit our fully stocked retail shop in the heart of the Crystal River historic district. We have, in stock, over 20 different models of kayaks in a variety of styles and colors. We specialize in light weight quality kayaks from Eddyline, and Hurricane and a variety of SUP brands. |
Manatee Tours Click Here
| 2013 |
| 2012 |
| 2011 |
| 2014 |
| Retail Hours: Wed-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5 Rentals: Launches are by reservation* only. Tours: By reservation* only. * Minimum of 24 hours in Advance |
| 2015 |
| Retail Sales |
| Tours & Instruction |
| Aardvark's Florida Kayak Company 707 N Citrus Avenue, Suite A Crystal River, Florida |
ECOTOURS: WE ARE MORE THAN MANATEES & THREE SISTERS /
Pricing, Reservations, Cancellations and Other Policies / What to Bring
KAYAK & SUP SALES: New Kayaks & SUPS Used Kayaks & SUPs
KAYAK & SUP RENTALS Pricing, Reservation and Cancellation Policy / What to Bring
Note: All our rentals are by prior reservation and are launched into either Kings Bay Park or Hunters Spring Park
in Crystal River. We will also deliver to waterfront rentals within the Crystal River area.
SUPs and kayaks are NOT allowed INSIDE Three Sisters Springs from Nov 15 Through Mar 31.
Manatee may be seen in many other places on the Bay
INSTRUCTION: Classes LINKS: Lodging / Miscellaneous & Maps
| Discontinued for 2017/2018 |
| 2016 |
| Stand Up Paddleboard Tours and Instruction |
| Kayak Tours and Instruction |
RECOMMENDED
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Associate Member
| We Have the Best Boats and SUPs on the Bay |
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| Come Kayak with Manatees. (Seasonal) Citrus County is probably best known for its manatee or "seacow" population. The waters of Citrus County are the winter home of upwards of 700 West Indian Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris). This accounts for 15%-20% of the Florida population. |
| Available at Aardvark's and these other fine area stores |
| Stand By Paddlers List Stand By Paddlers List We often have a few slots open during our guided outings for various paddle clubs so we are offering non-club or other club paddlers to help fill in on a last minute basis. If at one week out from the trip date there are open slot we will announce it to our Stand By Paddlers List via an e-mail blast. There will usually be only two or three slots open, so the first to call and complete a reservation gets those spots. This is primarily for people who don't have their own kayaks. If you participate, you get the club rate of $41 per person. For that you get a guide, a lightweight single kayak or standard tandem, paddle, pfd and delivery/pickup of the kayak. You may sign up for the list if you want to use your own kayak, but the price is the same. If you like to be placed on the list send an e-mail to: standbypaddlers@yahoo.com. In the Subject line, put "Add Me" and in the body provide your name and a valid -email address. Stand By Paddler List These trips are generally very easy but you should have a little bit of paddling experience or have taken a lesson from us. Destinations are usually with an hours drive of Crystal River and the paddles last two to three hours. |