With fantastic weather, an abundance of rare and exciting wildlife, and comprehensive amounts of restaurants, bars and hotels, St Augustine is one of the most ideal getaway locations for those seeking activities and fun such as paddleboarding. While there is no limit to the amount of historic, spooky, or wildlife reserve activities, the real attraction to St. Augustine is what you can do on the water. I have therefore put together some suggestions of water sport activities waiting for you in St Augustine, with a range of adrenaline pumping thrills, to soothing and tranquil ways for you to relax on the water.
Jet skiing. What could be more thrilling than whipping through the water on a Yamaha WaveRunner? While the glimpses of nature and the shoreline may be fleeting, you will have the wind in your hair, and some of the most awesome photos to upload online. There are countless places to rent a jet ski from in St Augustine, such as www.ragingwatersports.com which offers rentals, as well as tours in the jet ski with a knowledgeable and friendly tour guide. These operate from the Sebastian river to the inter-coastal waterway, so you aren’t left to navigate the ocean. This is a truly scenic route, passing the historic Castillo de San Marcos… that is, if you trust yourself to look around you while you’re jet skiing!
A private boat charter. While this may be on the pricier end, private boat charters are undoubtedly the best way to explore St Augustine in style and luxury. The sunsets in St Augustine are famously stunning, and a privately chartered boat is a fantastic way to experience these, with a group of friends, as a romantic getaway with a partner, or with a family, there are a wide variety of different charters to cater to your needs. Imagine a glass of champagne (or even Prosecco) from the hull of a 1962 Mathews Yacht, gliding past the ancient city. Most of your worries would simply fly away.
A catamaran. These two seater water crafts are certainly more stable than a jet ski for exploring St Augustine’s waters. Catamarans truly allow you to sit back and enjoy the scenery, without worrying about toppling off or capsizing. Companies such as Blue water adventures operate tours as well as rentals, giving you the option for independent exploring, or a guided tour if you would prefer to hear more information. Due to the calmer and slower movements of the Catamaran, you have perfect opportunities to see dolphins and take photos of any beautiful views or wildlife.
A kayak. With kayaks there is the option to stand up or sit down, similar to paddleboarding, to explore the waters of St Augustine. Kayaking is a surprisingly physical activity, and due to the oars on each end making for a lot of arm movement and core strength to push through the water. This is a great option for those wanting a physical exercise for slightly cheaper. There are also stable fishing kayaks available for those who want to get the best of both worlds and kayak and fish at the same time!
A cruising tiki. This is certainly one for the bucket list, and a one of a kind experience. In St. Augustine, you can hire out small, motorized tiki-hut boats, with bamboo posts, grass roofs… the works. They genuinely look like floating tiki huts. These huts come equipped with Bluetooth speakers, bar seating, and a cooler with ice. Guests bring their own food and beverages and enjoy an experience of sitting at a Hawaiian tiki bar, while moving around the water and observing the wonders of St Augustine. There are sunset and island tour cruises available, which set up what will ultimately be the vibiest party for you and your group.
A fishing charter. There are countless options for captained fishing charters around St Augustine, which specialize in in-shore, light tackle and fly-fishing. These charters have the benefit of a knowledgeable and reliable captain, to improve their fishing, and learn more about the creatures under the water in this area. The charters provide the tackle, bait, fishing licenses, and often will provide food and drink refreshments throughout the charter as well. Most charters will provide all of the fishing equipment required included in the price, and some captains will even clean up and fillet your catch free of charge at the end of the day. St Augustine has a wide variety of fish to catch, including but not limited to redfish, black drum, tarpon, trout, and snook.
A paddleboard. The most affordable and arguably the easiest option, paddleboarding is a fantastic way to enjoy St Augustine’s waters, due to the independence and ease that it gives you. Paddleboarding is very inclusive water sport, due to its affordability, and range of levels for different ability levels to try. If you’re after something to burn off calories, stand up paddleboarding is a great way to explore while exercising your core, back, arms and shoulders. If however, you’re fairly new to it, and would prefer to see the wildlife of St Augustine without falling in the water, you can simply sit or kneel, and head to slower moving water, such as the St John’s river. There are paddleboarding tours available, which are great to learn about the area. However, for better independence to explore and take your own time, you can always rent a paddleboard. Doing this means that you can take your own snorkel gear, take pictures, and head out if you prefer a morning paddleboard or a trip to see the sunset.
So hopefully this sheds some light on paddleboarding and the huge range of water sports activities available to explore St Augustine. All of which involve awesome photo opportunities to send home, and excellent ways to observe the ancient city from the water. In a location abundant with sea turtles, dolphins, manatees, wading birds, a range of different fish, and much more, it would be a crime not to explore the water while you visit. Make sure to pack plenty of sun cream, and enjoy the activity!