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Bioluminescence Night Kayaking Tour of Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge

Bioluminescence Night Kayaking Tour of Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge

Overview

There are only a few places is the world you can see this amazing display of sea life lighting up the waters with their other-worldly neon glow. This is one Florida experience you do not want to miss! What makes this amazing is that the protected wetlands around the area we launch our kayaks has almost no light pollution. This make for amazing visibility of the bioluminescence.

City: Cocoa Beach

Mon 23 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $80.00

Make a reservation

Mon 23 Dec

Starting at $80.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Kayak, Paddle, Life-jacket

Professional guide

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children must be accompanied by an adult

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (511)

Erin L

Dec 2017

We did this tour during a cold front, so did not see as many jellies as we would have earlier in the week, but we did see quite a few. The stars were amazing. We also saw a dolphin and numerous birds capturing fish. Our guide, Ryan, was very flexible, pointed out many fish and other wildlife, and took quite a few photos. He explained the bioluminescence in scientific terms, which I liked. This may have been more enjoyable in warmer weather, but the trade off is that we were the only ones on the tour. We used ponchos and water resistant rain pants, so we stayed dry. I highly recommend the trip.

Response from Host

Jan 2018

Hi Erin. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your adventure, especially during the cold front that you endured out there that night. It sounds like you guys were well prepared for the inclement weather which can make all the difference! And yes, unfortunately during a cold front, the comb jelly population can decrease slightly, but repopulates rapidly once weather conditions are back to normal. And Ryan is an excellent guide, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed his company and we will be sure to share your thoughts with him. Take care and maybe we'll see you again when it warms up this summer!

msakakibara

Dec 2017

To be fair we thought Florida was warm all year but the weather was freezing cold in Dec which is completely out of BK's control, and was half the reason our experience was just ok. However, we were given driving directions which (while accurate) were pretty sketchy having us drive in the dark down unmarked dirt roads to meet our guides. When we arrived there was a BK van parked there but no people... for over a half hour after the meeting time. When we got started the kayaks were super shallow "Sit On Top Kayaks" and there were holes to let the water in/out, which in the summer would be totally fine, but I didn't expect these kinds of open kayaks when the water and air were cold enough to see your breath. My husband was in the back of our kayak and his jeans were instantly soaked before we even got started so he was super uncomfortable and freezing for the 1.5 hours on the water. Some advanced notice on what to wear or having wetsuits available, or touring kayaks that don't let water into them would have been much more enjoyable. Everyone at the end literally ran to their cars once we were done as all the people in the back were all soaked and freezing. The site said "What You Should Bring: Sunblock, insect repellent, towel and water bottle" which was pretty inaccurate for us, should have said bring your winter gear (gloves, hats, scarves) and a full change of warm clothes and/or wetsuit/waterproof gear. The jellies themselves were pretty cool. I thought that bioluminescence meant Dinoflagellate plankton which I now know are only in the summer, but its just the jellies which are very small separated sparkles. Still very cool, just not what I had imagined and definitely not what you see in the photos. Overall, I probably wouldn't have done this if I had known what the experience was really like in the winter, but would absolutely do it in the summer.

Response from Host

Jan 2018

Hi msakakibara. I empathize with you on the weather conditions. I personally know how uncomfortable it can become once you get wet on a really cold night. On a typical night, you can dress fairly light even in the middle of the winter and still be comfortable. We have had a couple of cold fronts in the last month or so and we have had to dress accordingly in order to stay warm. All guest receive an email describing what they should bring with them to their tour. Two of the items on the list are a change of clothes and a towel. We expect our guest to check the weather forecast before heading out on their adventure. In Florida, the weather can change very fast and it's always best to at least be prepared to be able to stay dry. Which is paramount to staying warm. I'm glad that you guys were able to see some of the comb jellies, they really are a sight to see. They can become fairly large as well. I have seem them as big as the palm of my hand. You will tend to find the much larger ones when there isn't a cold front coming through. Hopefully we will see you in the summer when the weather is nicer and you can enjoy the Dinoflagellates! Take care and thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

noucamp

Dec 2017

Not knowing what to expect from a bioluminescense tour can deter from your experience. For us it was certainly not what we expected. Additionally, the comb jellies were not very active/abundant that night. However... it was a wonderful experience to be able to see (and touch!) the comb jellies, and to kayak in the ocean at night. Very relaxing. Most importantly, the guys at BK were great, from the planning stages of our tour (e.g., they suggested changing venues to have a better change to see the bioluminescence) to the actual guided kayak tour. Our guide was not only very knowledgeable, but also jovial and entertaining. Thanks BK for a great time!

Response from Host

Jan 2018

Hey noucamp! Thanks for reaching out to us. It sounds like you guys had a great time and an awesome experience overall. We strive to make your experience a pleasurable one from start to finish, we are pleased that you thought we did just that. Again, thank you for your time and the kind words. Take care!