Nature Escape Kayak Adventure on Blackwater Creek

Great organization - and very accommodating with respect to date changes and flexibility due to the weather. Jimi was an amazing guide - so knowledgeable about everything having to do with Blackwater Creek (and the entire Central Florida paddling opportunities). He's also an expert in wildlife and just about everything else that you would want to know during your paddle.

Highlight of our entire trip! This was an amazing experience! Our guide Jimi was very cool and easy to get along with. He was patient and shared a lot of knowledge with us. I wish we would have booked more stuff like this and less Disney. If we ever return to Florida, we’ll be back. If you love outdoor adventure, you’ll love the Blackwater Creek Adventure! Thanks Jimi !

We loved the Small Group Blackwater Creek Scenic River Tour with Lunch. What a unique and amazing experience! Our river guide Jimi was fun and very knowledgeable telling us about all the plants and animals we saw along the route. We saw lots of wildlife including several alligators at a close (but safe) distance along the way. The river was peaceful and beautiful with very few traces of other people. I highly recommend this tour if you have previous kayak experience and love nature.

This kayak adventure was a Christmas gift, and I must say we enjoyed it immensely. My wife had never kayaked before, while I had once kayaked several miles of the Marne River in France. Blackwater Creek gets its name from the color of the water, which looks very much like freshly brewed tea. The creek source is Lake Norris, which is spring fed. However, the abundance of Cypress trees and plant life that comprises the swamp which, where navigable is called Blackwater Creek, gives the creek its name due to the tanin content of the water. We put the kayaks in the water near the entrance to a county park near Eustis, Florida, and began paddling against a very slight current as we headed upstream toward Lake Norris. It was fairly effortless but, novices that we are we had to learn to work together to steer as we worked our way toward the lake against perhaps a 1 mile per hour current. At 9:00 AM it was still cool so we didn't see any gators on the way to the lake. Once we exited the swamp (Blackwater Creek is really just a channel through a swamp that is perhaps 10 feet wide, with trees and plants all around) and made our way into Lake Norris, we were immediately drenched in sunshine, a balmy breeze and unlimited vistas of Cypress Trees lining the shores of the lake. We explored the shoreline near the creek mouth and after about a half hour headed back to the creek. It's surprising what a difference paddling downstream is compared to paddling against the current. Because so little paddling is required except to steer, it is incredibly quiet. The temperature had warmed considerably as the sun climbed higher in the sky, and as a result we saw several alligators, a few turtles and far more bird activity than on our way upstream. Our Tour Guide, Astrid, was a pro. Having abandoned advanced degrees as a software engineer, her motivation is to share the importance of habitat and wildlife preservation as she encourages her kayakers to enjoy the amazing natural beauty of Florida. This is an excellent and very safe adventure, and Blackwater Creek is quite beautiful. I highly recommend it to people of all ages. We plan to kayak on the Wekiva River to see the manatees next.

This was a perfect day! The scenic Blackwater Creek with Venture Outdoors is perfect to relax and enjoy the wildlife in harmony with nature. I was really overjoyed. Our guide Astrid's knowlegde about wildlife and environment is amazing; there was nor question unanswered. We also had fun during lunchbreak with the healthy food. Highly recommend Venture Outdoors. Elisabeth

We thoroughly enjoyed our day on Blackwater Creek with Astrid! From the onset, she made sure to let us know that this is OUR tour--she was there to give us the experience we were looking for-our speed, our time, our interests. It was a day where we saw noone else but our group and the surrounding nature--fauna, animals, and birds in abundance. We stopped at a lovely spot for lunch and some delicious food that Astrid provided. She is knowledgeable of the area, safety on the river, kayaking expertise, and she is eager to help make this your best experience any way that she can. This was one of the biggest high-lights of our vacation to Florida and we heartily and highly recommend this be a part of your Florida experience! Oh, and she is also an excellent photographer, capturing some awesome memories for you as you sit back and enjoy your day.