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EVERGLADES CHALLENGE SEND-OFF & MULLET KEY PADDLE

  • 07 Mar 2026
  • 7:00 AM
  • East Beach at Fort De Soto, 3500 Pinellas Bayway S in Tierra Verde

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EVERGLADES CHALLENGE SEND-OFF & MULLET KEY PADDLE

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

Description: We have seven TBSK members participating in this year's Everglades Challenge!  The EC is a 300+-mile multi-day adventure race for paddlers and small boat sailors.  The race starts at Fort De Soto's East Beach and concludes at Key Largo.  If you've never walked the beach at sunrise on EC launch day, it's quite an experience!  You'll see all kinds of kayaks and sailboats and the air is alive with anticipation.  We'll see off our TBSK friends, then drive down to the end of the east peninsula to enjoy our own "Mullet Key Challenge."  ...which we'll strive to make considerably less challenging.  We'll slow our pace and paddle on the inside of Mullet Key so that we won't be mistaken for EC racers.  

Location: East Beach at Fort De Soto, 3500 Pinellas Bayway S in Tierra Verde. 

Schedule:   Saturday, March 7.  Meet around 7AM to walk the beach, see all the paddlecraft and sailboats, and cheer on our TBSK friends participating.  After they launch at 8:30, we'll drive down to the end of that arm of the peninsula to launch for our own paddle.

Difficulty:  Level 2 for a distance of about 7-8 miles.   Review TBSK's Skills Self-Assessment Chart and contact trip leaders with any questions.   

Gear Requirements/Recommendations: 

  • Kayaks of at least 14 feet long with deck lines and bulkheads or bow/stern flotation. 
  • Paddlers must wear a PFD, spray skirt, and appropriate cold weather paddling attire. Gulf waters will still be a bit chilly.
  • 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. 



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