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Our location in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is also the best place to see the various launches at the Kennedy Space Center. At the end of our kayak launch site on the Haulover Canal the US Coast Guard draw an imaginary line across the lagoon which is as close as you can possibly get to the launch pads for viewing a launch. On our paddle to the end of Haulover Canal we often see dolphins, manatees, and many birds like osprey, and herons.
When the shuttle or rocket starts to smoke and rumble you can feel everyone’s energy as the land around us shakes from the thrust produced by the rocket engines. Make sure to bring your camera because we’ll have a totally unobstructed water view from start to finish. We'll be in very shallow water so you can walk around or set up a tripod for taking photos of the spectacular sight. Call ahead and we can arrange to have a dry-bag for your camera or electronics.
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At night, the experience is magical. The rumbling from the powerful rocket engines is heard well after the bright flames disappear and become a dim glow as it joins the rest of the sparkling stars. On clear nights, if you watch closely, there’s a great chance of seeing satellites in orbit passing by our side of the planet. They're pretty special to see and look similar to a shooting star only they move a little slower (usually moving from the northeast) and just keep cruising across the sky until they are past the horizon.
During our paddle to and from the launch viewing area we often see all sorts of nocturnal animals on the prowl. Raccoons will be along the waters edge digging for clams, crabs will be scurrying back and forth, and fish all over. By all over we mean that literally... In the shallow flat-waters of the lagoon are many schools of mullet which get spooked when our kayaks pass above them. Their response is to freak out and swim really fast any which way they can go and the result often involves mullet hitting the sides of your kayak, hitting your paddle, landing on top of the kayak, or in one of our guides' case hitting you in the head. In the summer months these are the same fish which create brilliant underwater fireworks with the help of "bioluminescence":/tours/bioluminescence. Make sure and book these trips early, because they fill up pretty quick.
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