Big news, my sandbar aficionados! We’re upgrading our fleet here at Casual Monday, and we are now offering paddleboarding as part of our sandbar tours. They’re just one of the best water toys for the Key West sandbar that we keep aboard, but we think they take your sandbar charter to the next level.
Why’s that a big deal, you ask? It’s just another fun water toy, you say. Well, not so fast!
Most adventures in paddle boarding Key West offers keep you close to the island, where it’s convenient. But convenience is overrated, since the island is where everyone else is.
When you launch from the boat, you’re able to tour the Key West sandbar at your own pace — either be part of the party or head off looking for wildlife in the mangroves.
Typical Key West Paddleboard Rentals
There are a couple of places to rent paddleboards in Key West, so I know we’re not the only game in town. But all of those other places are accessible by car, which means that you can only paddle around the populated areas of the island. Oh, sure, there’s a patch of mangroves and some cool stuff to see, but it takes a while to get out there.
When you compare the standard rental shop to taking the boat out and paddleboarding at the sandbar, the difference is amazing. Plus, you get a lovely boat ride out of the deal!
Around town, you’ve got the traffic noise, the houses along the canals, and the boats going by. Plus, you’re leaving from a spot where everybody else can get to, and from where they rent paddleboards. It might not be the quiet, fun, and special experience you’d planned for.
If you head over to a place like Geiger Key, you can put civilization behind you and explore some deserted islands. But it takes you a while to get there, and that means you’ve got to
But you’re in Key West, so it’s not all bad. And paddleboarding is still one of the best Key West tours to take, since it gets you out on the water.
But the Keys are about getting away from it all, so let’s look at a better way to go paddleboarding in Key West.
The Backcountry, the Best Place to Paddleboard in Key West
The backcountry of the Keys includes all those little mangrove islands and wilderness on the bayside of Highway U.S. 1. When you head out on a boat, you might head to the northeast, toward the little islands along the Gulf side. This is where some of Key West’s best sandbars are, places like the famous Snipes Point sandbar.
Of course, there are also some incredible Key West sandbars out west of the island. The road ends at Mile Marker 0, so the only way to see these spots is with a boat. Boca Grande sandbar and the Woman Key sandbar are out that way.
All of these places are miles away from Key West, across busy boat channels that no one wants to paddle across. By placing the paddleboards on the boat, you can zip out to the remote and secluded areas, the prettiest beaches, and the most fantastic swimming holes. From there, hop on your paddleboard and explore, far from the traffic, other boats, and noise of the town.
Key West Sandbar Tours and Paddle Board Adventures, the Perfect Boat Trips
Around all of these sandbars are miles and miles of mangrove islands and shallow, clear water to be explored. Paddleboards are perfect because they can float in just a few inches of water, and they allow you to move silently through the water.
Standing up on the paddleboard is a great way to see wildlife, too, because you can look down and see what you’re passing over on the bottom. When you are on a kayak, you’re close to the water so you can see less. On a paddleboard, you’re standing tall, and you’ll spot all sorts of cool sea life and creepy sandbar critters on the flats out there. Things like starfish, crabs, sea cucumbers, fish, stingrays, and sometimes even bonnethead sharks are easy to spot when the ocean is calm and clear. Don’t forget to bring polarized sunglasses, which help you see through the water!
Speaking of having a great view, one of my favorite uses for the paddleboard is to scope out places to snorkel. Paddling around lets you cover a lot more territory than swimming does, and you can see a lot more. But when you spy a wreck, debris, sponges, or even a little patch reef down there that might be a good home for critters, it’s super easy to don your mask and dive in to check it out.
Of course, you don’t have to spend your time working up a sweat. The paddleboards are also epic floaties, platforms to hold your White Claw while you swim around, or just use them as giant lounge pads. This is really one of the main reasons I like them so much — they’re multitaskers.
Book Your Florida Keys Paddle Board Adventure and Eco Tour
If you’re ready to get out there and start sandbar hopping Key West with a paddleboard, give me a call, and we’ll set it up and reserve your private boat trip. It’s the perfect way to experience the beauty of the Keys and enjoy the backcountry.
The paddleboards take up a little bit of space in the boat, so we’re not taking them on every trip. If you’d like to paddle during your sandbar tour, please let me know in advance when booking your charter. That way, I can make sure the boards are aboard and we’re all set for your Key West paddleboard adventure!
If you’ve any questions about paddleboarding during your vacation, just give me a call, and I’ll be happy to answer whatever you need. Just like the location on our sandbar tours, using the paddle board is dependent on the weather. A great time to set out is on the morning charters; it’s a fantastic time of day for water sports, when there are fewer boats out and the weather is usually calmer.
