Gulf of Mexico Coastal Area Outfitters and Sea Kayaking Suppliers

This list should not be interpreted as an endorsement by GASP! and should only be considered as a resource (such as the public "Yellow Pages") which the paddler may use to follow up for more detail. If you have any questions with regard to a particular outfitter or supplier, feel free to ask the subscribers of the GASP! list for more information or opinions by sending email to GASP@PaddleWise.net or for suggestions on additional outfitters/suppliers. If you know of an outfitter or supplier you would like to see included on this list, send email to jackie@intelenet.net

For some excellent advice and important issues to consider before choosing an outfitter, read "How To Choose an Outfitter or Guide" by the Trade Association of Sea Kayaking (TASK). TASK also offers some excellent guidelines for tour operators to consider in the TASK document titled "Tour Operator's Guidelines."

Outfitters/Guided Tours/Lessons as well as suppliers for different areas along the Gulf of Mexico as well as the Caribbean areas are included on this page.

Outfitters/Guided Tours/Lessons

For additional listings on all areas, check the Great Outdoor Recreation Pages (GORP)

Folding Kayak Adventures - will ship folding kayaks anywhere in the US for rental and to carry to another destination.

Florida

Florida Professional Paddlesports Association - An association of canoe liveries and outfitters whose goals are preservation of waterways, promotion of paddlesports, and education - contact them for a free brochure for a listing of outfitters across the state:
P.O. Box 1764
Arcadia, FL 34265
canoefla@desota.net
941-494-1215

Atlantic Coast Kayak
Dom Coscia
Tours S. Florida and Keys
305-781-0073

Florida Bay Outfitters
Key Largo, FL
305-451-3018
fbokayak@aol.com

Gulf Coast Kayak Company
4882 NW Pine Island Road
Matlacha, FL 33909
941-283-1125

Ibis Tours - Everglades and Bahamas
650 NE 141 St.,
North Miami, FL 33161
1-800-525-9411
ibistours@aol.com

Lost World Adventures
Big Pine Key

Naples Sea Kayaking Adventures
941-353-4878
Chris Siegfried

North American Canoe Tours, Inc.
Everglades Canoe and Kayak Outpost
POB 5038
Everglades City, FL 33929
Ph: (Winter) 941-696-4666 and 941-695-3299 (Summer) 860-739-0791

Reflections Kayak
Little Torch Key
305-872-2896

River Travel Center
Sea kayaking in Belize, Honduras, The Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, US. East Coast and Florida
P.O. Box 6
Point Arena, CA 95468
Tel: 800-882-7238
Fax: 707-882-2638
rivers@mcn.org

Sweetwater Kayaks
(see '98 Florida Gulf Coast Kayak Symposium)
5263 Ocean Blvd., #7
Sarasota, FL 34242
941-346-1179
FAX: 941-346-0713

Wilderness Adventures
Located near Disney World
Provide half and full day kayak tours of Florida Wilderness areas near Orlando as well as longer expeditions to more remote areas of Florida

Georgia

Southeast Adventure Outfitters
Sea kayaking, canoeing and camping tours in Georgia's Golden Isles
St. Simons Islands Headquarters
313 Mallery Street * Pier Village
Tel: 912-638-6732 / 912-Me-To-Sea
Mainland Headquarters
Tel: 912-265-5292 / 912-265-KAYAK
mgowen@technonet.com

Golden Isles Navigator
Info on Cumberland Island, Little St. Simons Island, Okefenokee Swamp, Coastal Destinations

Louisiana

Louisiana Outfitters
3809 Ambassador Caffery Suite 134-C
Lafayette, LA 70503
Tel: 318-988-9090

Texas

Discover Corpus Christi's "Shangrila"
Kayak Rental, Tour, and Instruction
$79/day Kayak, transportation, all equipment provided
Kayak rental only - $35/day
Contact Ken Johnson 361-855-3926; johnsonkw@earthlink.net for scheduling

Frogman's Dive Center
387 E. Ave. G
Port Aransas, TX 78373
Tel: 512/749-3434
Sit-On-Top rental

SouthWest PaddleSports
1101q Hamblen Road
Kingwood, Texas 77339
Tel: 1-800-We-Paddle, 281/359-3474
Fax: 281/358-3167
Supplier, outfitter, lessons, guided tours, boat repair.

Trail Expeditions
Offers ACA classes
233A Birdsall St.
Houston, TX 77007
713-861-0246
email: info@trailexpeditions.com

Wind & Wave Water Sports - On and off-site kayak rentals
10721 S. Padre Island Dr.
Corpus Christi
512/937-9283

Caribbean (including Bahamas)

Arawak Expeditions
Virgin Islands
Cruz Bay, St. John's USVI
800-238-8687

Ibis Tours - Everglades and Bahamas
650 NE 141 St.,
North Miami, FL 33161
1-800-525-9411
ibistours@aol.com

Montserrat Tourist Board
P.O. Box 7
Plymouth Montserrat
West Indies
809-491-2230/8730, fax:809-491-7430

PaddleWays - Sea Kayak Adventures
Tours and instruction on Lake Champlain, coast of Maine, and Caribbean coast of Mexico
P.O. Box 65125
Burlington, VT 05406-5125
(802) 660-8606
info@paddleways.com

Reef-Link Kayaking (open-deck kayaks)
Kirk Barrett
3806 Cottage Grove
Des Moines, IA 50311
515-576-1604 (?)
515-279-6699
Kirk Barrett is the author of "Belize by Kayak"

SlickRock Adventures
P.O.Box 1400
Moab, UT 84532, USA
(800) 390-5715, fax: (801)259-6996

Belize Eco Tours
9424 Canton Loop
Anchorage, AK 99515
Tel: 907-349-7830 800-349-7830
Fax: 907-349-0847
info@belize-ecotours.com

River Travel Center
Sea kayaking in Belize, Honduras, The Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, US. East Coast and Florida
P.O. Box 6
Point Arena, CA 95468
Tel: 800-882-7238
Fax: 707-882-2638
rivers@mcn.org

Island Expeditions Co.
Sea Kayaking and Rainforest Expeditions to Belize, Central America
Tel: 800-667-1630
info@islandexpeditions.com

Other links to information on the Caribbean

Information on the Islands of the Caribbean
A lot of good information on the many islands in the Caribbean and area including some nice photos with detailed descriptions on exploring the Bahamas.

Belize Photo Gallery

Belize Online - Visitor Information

Costa Rica

Costa Rica's TravelNet
800-948-3770

Rio Tropicales
Tel: 506-233-6455
FAX: 506-255-4354

River Travel Center
Sea kayaking in Belize, Honduras, The Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, US. East Coast and Florida
P.O. Box 6
Point Arena, CA 95468
Tel: 800-882-7238
Fax: 707-882-2638
rivers@mcn.org

Puerto Rico

Aqua Adventures
J.J. San Roman
809-782-6735 or fax 809-781-3612
San Juan Area

Ismale's Kayak Trips & Rental (open-deck kayaks)
809-767-4447 or 809-720-7711

Suppliers

Florida

Gulf Coast Kayak Company
4882 NW Pine Island Road
Matlacha, FL 33909
941-283-1125

Sweetwater Kayaks
(see '98 Florida Gulf Coast Kayak Symposium)
5263 Ocean Blvd., #7
Sarasota, FL 34242
941-346-1179
FAX: 941-346-0713

Louisiana

Louisiana Outfitters
3809 Ambassador Caffery Suite 134-C
Lafayette, LA 70503
Tel: 318-988-9090

Texas

Corpus Christi Sailing Center, Inc.
200 South Shoreline Blvd.
Corpus Christi, Texas
Ph: (361) 881-8503
FAX: (361)881-8504
email: sailing@constant.com
Dealer for complete line of Hobie Kayaks, showroom at downtown marina

Mountain Sports
Rt 2 / Box 236 B
Hwy 39 West
Hunt, TX 78024
Tel: 830/238-4400
FAX: 830/238-4571
e-mail: mtnsport@hctc.net
Carrying Necky, Dagger, Mad River, Werner, Extrasport, Thule Racks

SouthWest PaddleSports
1101q Hamblen Road
Kingwood, Texas 77339
Tel: 1-800-We-Paddle, 281/359-3474
Fax: 281/358-3167
Supplier, outfitter, lessons, guided tours, boat repair.

Trail Expeditions
Offers ACA classes
233A Birdsall St.
Houston, TX 77007
713-861-0246
email: info@trailexpeditions.com

Suppliers Outside the Area

Manufacturers that are located outside the area but will sell and ship directly to their customers (a good way to get the boat your are looking for but can't find it locally, as I did):

Mariner Kayaks Based in Seattle
Tel: 206-284-8404

QCC Kayaks
Build and ship all over the USA kayaks designed by John Winters (Redwing Designs)
Tel: 888-794-3887

Tribal Kayaks
Tribalance - Outrigger Kayaks (designed by John Winters)
Based in Kentucky
Tel: 800-587-4225

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