Garl’s Coastal Kayaking is the best Everglades guide you will ever find. I am writing to give praise to Garl Harrold, founder and chief guide who will show you around the Park. If you have the time and want to have the ultimate experience, join Garl for one of his all-day kayak and slogging adventures in the park. He will take you to places you would have never imagined, show you things you didn’t know existed, and will thoroughly charm even the most experienced and knowledgable visitors.
Garl has been guiding in the Everglades for more than 20 years. His trips include salt water and fresh water kayaking suitable for beginners or experts. He will also take you slogging or wading along pathways you never dreamed were there. He will show you animals you would never have found on your own. Garl knows his birds. He knows his plants. He knows the geology. He knows the routes. And he knows what you’d like to see. He is intimately knowledgable about where critters are and knows how to find them. He does the whole job with grace, with wit, and with an expert’s practiced eye.
Before you think that this review is exaggerated or the words of someone who didn’t know any better... let me tell you who I am. I am PhD ecologist who spent 25 years as a naturalist, researcher, and science administrator in six national parks nationwide. I’ve led hundreds of nature walks myself, evaluated the performance of dozens of Park Service seasonals, and spent years coordinating research of agency and university scientists. I was administrator of an NPS program providing education services to the eight northwest national park areas.
As a Park naturalist and scientist I have always felt that I knew “all about” the parks where I’ve worked. But I have never known any park as well as Garl knows the Everglades. Believe me, Garl is the best you will find. Be aware, I have no conflict of interest nor prior knowledge of Garl or his organization. I had never heard of them before finding them online through Trip Advisor. After my trip all I could say was, “Wow!”