WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT

from Pensacola Magazine August 2021

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

LOCAL WATER RENTALS

By Dakota Parks

As the summer scorches on, the heat and humidity might have you running for shade, extra deodorant and air

conditioning. A simple trip to the beach, while refreshing, might cost you an hour in traffic and your sanity. For the more adventurous and outdoorsy type, water rentals offer a way to beat the traffic and hit the water. From paddleboards, kayaks and small boats to the newly invented water sport, crosse paddle, there are plenty of floating vessels to choose from. Many water rentals allow you to explore bayous, rivers and local waterways away from wayward tourists and crowds. If you’re looking to avoid a sunburn, or the sun altogether, have no fear, the glow paddles on Pensacola Beach are here.

SupDogs

isupdogs.com Are you looking to explore the local waterways without a location or time restriction? Well, SupDogs has the gear for you—delivered straight to your door. With free delivery to Pensacola, Navarre and Perdido Key, you can explore all of the local alcoves to your hearts content. You can bring along your fishing gear and beer or just a waterproof speaker and a friend or two and hit the water whenever you feel like it. Paddle boards and single kayaks begin at $55 for a full day and tandem kayaks start at $95 a day and fit two people. SupDogs offers discounts for multi-day rentals, and each rental comes with vessel of choice, paddles, lifejackets, a map of local waterways, basic safety instructions and soft top transportation racks that fit most vehicles. Call 850-3245584 for inquiries and rentals.

Glow Paddle

glowpaddle.com If you’re looking for a sunburn free paddling experience, Glow Paddle offers a nighttime kayaking tour with gorgeous sunset views and Instagram-aesthetic boards. The glow paddles consist of crystal-clear kayaks with decked out neon LED lights underneath. These photogenic tours are all the rage on Pensacola Beach. The nighttime glow paddle tour is a 45-minute tour for $50 and launches from two locations, Margaritaville Hotel and Lagunas Adventure Park. They also offer a daytime Glass Paddle for $35 for an hour long tour perfect for fish and nature observation. Each kayak seats two people and the weight limit is 450 lbs.

The Crosse Paddle

crossepaddle.com Have you ever stood on a paddle board and wished you could play a game while you’re up there? The Crosse Paddle is the newest watersport, invented by local Pensacolian, Rick Appleyard, the pioneer of paddle lacrosse and paddle golf. The Crosse Paddle is a cross between regular paddle boarding and lacrosse, designed to paddle and cup the water and equipped with netting to catch and throw balls. Instead of simply going from point A to point B, now you can play a game with friends and compete at local meetups across Pensacola. You can purchase your own Crosse Paddle online or book a training session to learn the basics and rules of the game. A paddle golf session is $19.99 for one hour, a paddle crosse basics class is $35 for one hour and a more advanced paddle crosse session is $65 an hour. Follow The Crosse Paddle on Facebook for more information on local meetups.

The Bayview Outdoor Pursuits Center

cityofpensacola.com/3264/ Bayview-Outdoor-PursuitsCenter The newly built Bayview Community Resource Center, stretching 13,000 square feet, was designed with sprawling decks and balconies to enhance connectivity to the sweeping views of Bayou Texar. Located on the 23-acre Bayview Park, the community center now offers short-term and extended outdoor and watersport rentals through the Bayview Outdoor Pursuits Center. In addition to hosting summer camps for children ages 7-16, the center offers rentals of kayaks, paddleboards, pedal boats, bikes, camping, backpacking gear and even hammocks to lounge around the park in. Whether you want to share a pedal boat on a date with your special someone or soak up the sun on a kayak, Bayou Texar has some gorgeous views to offer. From Bayview Park launch, it’s just a quick trip to paddle right under Graffiti Bridge. Rentals are offered in hourly, half day, full day and five day price points. Single kayaks start at $10/hour, tandem kayaks $15/hour, stand up paddle boards $15/hour and pedal boats are $20/ hour. The summer hours through October are Monday-Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm with all rentals ending at 5 pm.

Power Up Watersports

powerupwatersports.com Maybe you’re looking for a floating vessel with an engine and a little speed—maybe even a dolphin or two. Look no further than Power Up Watersports in Fort Walton Beach. Here, you can book a Crab Island excursion, a romantic firework cruise or a wave runner dolphin tour. You can also rent a jet ski, a pontoon boat and even fly overtop the water on a hydroflight rental. Although the season is now closed for hydroflight rentals, you can always catch the owner doing hydroflight performances at the Baytowne Wharf. The Power Up Watersport rentals can accommodate 12 people and are perfect for family outings. Check out powerupwatersports.com for pricing.