4 minute read
Coldwater Excursions
STORY BY HANNAH BURKE PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FENDER
FOR TAYLOR ELLIOTT, the best part about living in Panama City Beach isn’t unrestricted access to beaches that many consider to be among the world’s most beautiful. It’s the pristine splendor of a natural spring located about a 45-minute drive north to Washington County.
Elliott said he discovered Cypress Springs in 2015 and has been sharing the hidden gem with folks through his ecotourism business almost every day since.
“Previously, I worked restaurants in the fine-dining sector and became accustomed to a clientele who expected four-star service,” said Elliott, owner of Coldwater Excursions. “I knew I wanted to create this all-inclusive experience where guests only need to show up in a bathing suit and sunglasses while we provided the rest.”
Offering ecotours of both Cypress Springs and nearby Merritt’s Mill Pond, the Coldwater crew offers guests five- to six-hour guided kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) adventures that allow time for a complimentary
Taylor Elliott, above, owns Coldwater Excursions, previously known as Shaggy Bend Outfitters. Right: Nick Graham, on stand-up paddleboard, serves a group of kayakers as their guide.
45-minute ride from Panama City Beach to Cypress, an invigorating paddle to the springs, lunch, and several hours of play and exploration. “Depending on which tours you sign up for, you’re looking at about three to four wellspent hours paddling through the spring runs, diving with underwater scooters or relaxing on the shore,” said Elliott. “We provide Pub subs (Publix Supermarket’s famous handhelds), water and Gatorade, snorkel gear, beach towels and chairs, dry bags for your phone and just about anything you’d need for a day on the water.”
Of course, the journey is just as rewarding as the destination. Surrounded by privately owned land, ingress to Cypress Springs follows a halfhour ride up Holmes Creek. There, guests opt for either kayaks, canoes or SUPs to transport them along an immersive, scenic journey through the area’s natural history.
The brief but educational paddle makes this tour ideal for families, Elliott said. When acting as a guide, he likes to touch on the role of Florida’s limestone beds in forming natural springs, caves and caverns, as well as point out the occasional bream, turtles, eagles and wading birds that call Cypress Springs home.
Perhaps owing to Elliott’s storytelling, children seem especially fascinated with the towering, exotic cypresses dotting the way to the spring basin.
“I like to share a story about how, maybe some 100 to 120 years ago, people decided to lop off all the old, gross cypress trees,” Elliott said. “Because they grow in swampland or on shorelines, they’d have to float the trunks downstream to get rid of them, and they’d actually stick their kids on top of these 40- or 50-foot trees and put them in charge of steering them down the river.”
With appetites for adventure sufficiently whetted, children may wish to brave the spring’s rope swing and take the first plunge into the chilly, fresh water. Likewise, people of all ages are invited to try something new and take guided SUP lessons, strap on some GoPros and snorkel with underwater scooters or survey Holmes Creek’s winding kayak trails.
“I’m proud to have a very knowledgeable, professional staff who are great with customers,” Elliott said. “We’re here to make sure you have a safe and fun experience with us, no matter what you do.”
Coldwater Excursions has expanded to offer a second kayaking and SUP tour at Merritt’s Mill Pond near Marianna, but Elliott recommends this 7½-hour venture only for active families and adults. There’s a bit more paddling involved, he said, as you’ll travel to sites such as Jackson Blue
So clear is the water at Cypress Springs that kayakers may appear to be floating in mid-air. Coldwater Excursions offers rentals and also is happy to accommodate people who want to bring their own paddle-craft. Below: outfitter owner Taylor Elliott.
GEAR RENTAL Ready for a self-guided adventure? Coldwater Excursions offers full-week, multi-day and all-day rentals of the latest kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, complete with free delivery and pickup, along all of Panama City Beach and select South Walton Beaches. To learn more, visit ColdwaterExcursions.com/beach-gear-rentals.
Adventure at the springs with a more calming kayak rental, or try out the well-known rope swing (left) for a thrilling entrance into the aqua-colored current.
Springs, Shangri La Springs, Twin Caves, Hole in the Wall and Gator Hole Cave.
“Also, we recently tested out a night tour of Cypress Springs and put glow lights on the bottom of our paddleboards,” Elliott said. “We saw catfish, eels and all sorts of wildlife you don’t see during the day, so we’ll be adding that option soon.”
With a hidden gem as cool as Cypress Springs, Elliott says some visitors rate it as the best part of their vacation. Of course, tourists come to Panama City Beach for the beach, but when the sizzling sun gets too hot, 70-degree water is a refreshing way to spend a summer day.
