Tampa Bay Sea Kayakers upcoming events

Anclote Key lighthouse paddle (12 Apr 2026)

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Title: Anclote Key lighthouse paddle

Date: Sunday 4/12/2026

Description:

The Anclote Key Preserve State Park is a 400-acre+ pristine, boat-access-only barrier island known for its 1887 lighthouse, white-sand beaches, and diverse bird population. The Friends of Anclote Key are hosting an open house at the lighthouse.

We will launch from Fred Howard Park and paddle 2.5 miles across St. Joseph Sound to the south end of Anclote Key Preserve. A boardwalk leads to the lighthouse, where you can climb 130 steps for an excellent view of the barrier islands. Depending on the group, we may then paddle further around the southern end of the island before heading back to Howard Park.

Trip Leader:

Therese Eby (thereseeby@gmail.com | 425-802-2281)

Location:

Fred Howard Park, 1700 Sunset Drive, Tarpon Springs. Gather at the northeast end of the parking lot at the end of the causeway, near the kayak rentals. Please note there is a $6.35 parking fee (ParkMobile zone #93813) unless you have a Pinellas County Parks pass.

Schedule:

- 8:30 AM: Meet

- 9:00 AM: Launch (to arrive by the 10:00 AM lighthouse opening)

- 12:30 PM: Estimated return

- Optional lunch: Tarpon Tavern (21 N Safford Ave, Tarpon Springs)

Trip Details:

- Difficulty: Level 2 (potential for choppy open water and mileage)

- Pace: Moderate (3 mph)

- Distance: Up to 8 miles

- Cost: A $7/person donation is requested by the Friends of Anclote Key

- Facilities: Please note there are no public bathrooms on Anclote Key

Required:

- Boat: Kayaks at least 15' with decklines and bulkheads or flotation.

- Safety: Wear PFDs, spray skirts, and closed-toe paddling shoes.

- Personal items: water, snacks, and sunblock.

Recommended:

- sunhat, bug spray, camera. extra safety equipment

If you have any medical issues that may impact your paddling, please notify the leaders before the trip so they can be prepared to assist you.

PICNIC DAY PADDLE(S): Chicken vs. Snake on the Little Manatee River (18 Apr 2026)

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

PICNIC DAY PADDLE(S): Chicken vs. Snake on the Little Manatee River

Trip leaders: Scott Jantz (scottjantz2@gmail.com, 386-853-5159) and Jill Lingard (jill.lingard@gmail.com, 352-665-1776)

Description: Our group will launch from EG Simmons Park and paddle south along the shoreline to the Little Manatee River. We'll paddle up the Little Manatee and circumnavigate either Chicken Island or Snake Island before returning downriver and back to EG Simmons. The Chicken option will give us an 8.65-mile round-trip paddle. The Snake option will produce an 11.2-mile paddle. We'll paddle most of the morning together, splitting into two groups once we reach Chicken Island. See maps below for planned routes.

Location: EG Simmons Park, located at 2401 19th Avenue NW in Ruskin

Schedule: Saturday, April 18. Meet at 8AM at the kayak launch area for an 8:30 launch. We’ll shoot for returning between 12:00-12:30PM so that we'll be back for the picnic gathering at 1PM.

Additional information: The park charges a $2 fee per vehicle and an additional $5 for vehicles pulling a trailer.

Difficulty: Level 2 or 3, depending on whether you're a Chicken or Snake kinda paddler that day. Review TBSK's Skills Self-Assessment Chart and contact trip leaders with any questions.

Gear Requirements/Recommendations:

Sea kayaks of at least 15 feet long with deck lines and bulkheads or bow/stern flotation.
Paddlers must wear a PDF and spray skirts.
Bring plenty to drink and a snack.

If you have any medical issues that might impact your paddling, please notify the trip leader before the trip so that he can be best equipped to assist you as needed.

If your plans to participate change, please cancel on the website or app so that people on the waitlist can join us.

Chicken Island option (8.65 miles roundtrip):

Snake Island option (11.2 miles roundtrip):

Monthly Picnic - EG Simmons Park (18 Apr 2026)

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Monthy Picnic

This month, we will be at EG Simmons Park in Ruskin.

Plan to meet around 1PM at the picnic area about 1/3 mile down the road from the kayak launch (see below).

Make sure to bring a chair with your lunch and don't forget to sign up for a paddle!

APRIL GENERAL MEETING: Apalachicola RiverTrek (21 Apr 2026)

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT

APRIL GENERAL MEETING: Apalachicola RiverTrek 7PM, Tuesday, April 21 via Zoom

Located west of Tallahassee in the Florida Panhandle, the Apalachicola is one of the state's most majestic rivers. Apalachicola Riverkeeper was founded in 1998 to provide stewardship and advocacy for the protection of the river and bay as well as its tributaries and watershed. One of their biggest ongoing initiatives is the annual RiverTrek trip and that's where paddlers come in!

Every fall, a RiverTrek team paddles the entire 107-mile length of the Apalachicola River. They start in Chattahoochee just south of Lake Seminole at the GA/FL border and journey downstream over five days to where the river meets the Gulf at the town of Apalachicola.

This is a campaign of both fundraising and awareness. Prior to launch, the volunteer paddlers seek donations in their respective communities from friends, family, and businesses to support the work of Apalachicola Riverkeeper. On the trip, paddlers camp along shorelines and sandbars and hear from historians, ecologists, and other regional experts each day. Apalachicola RiverTrek paddlers leave this experience with a deep understanding of the river, a sense of accomplishment in having supported its preservation, and a dozen or so new friends that they paddled with for five days.

Chris Watkins is co-leading this year's RiverTrek adventure, which is scheduled to take place October 14-18. The application period for the 2026 team is open now until the end of April. Chris has graciously agreed to join us via Zoom on the evening of April 21 to describe Apalachicola Riverkeeper and the RiverTrek experience in more detail and answer any questions we have. We have some TBSK members who are former RiverTrek participants and we hope they'll tune in and share their experiences too.

TBSK Zoom is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: TBSK April General Meeting
Time: Apr 21, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82036019623?pwd=kBFViqNOxeDN5RIJv5Zi72kHdrExcS.1

Meeting ID: 820 3601 9623
Passcode: 725300

KAYAK SUPPORT FOR ST. ANTHONY'S TRIATHLON (26 Apr 2026)

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

KAYAK SUPPORT FOR ST. ANTHONY'S TRIATHLON

St. Anthony’s Triathlon has asked for our help!

Triathlon organizers are looking for spotters and kayak support for their upcoming race on Sunday, April 26. The event takes place at Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg from 6:00 to 10:00 AM.

Athletes will swim a course of either 1500 or 750 meters. Kayakers will be placed strategically throughout the course to help spot athletes who go astray or need to rest for a minute. You are expected to bring your own kayak and wear a PFD with a whistle. Volunteers will be provided a parking pass, t-shirt, and safety instructions on race day.

If you are interested in helping, please email Patrick.McGee@BayCare.org and mention that you are a TBSK member. If 10 or more club paddlers volunteer, they will provide a monetary donation to TBSK.