Tampa Bay Travels

Eagle Point Park

 

Kayak Opportunity Found

I knew I would have to revisit Eagle Point Park when I saw the launch designated just for kayaks. Eagle Point Park is on the Gulf of Mexico in the city of Holiday, Florida. The Tampa Bay area has two types of coastline. The most well-known and popular shores are covered in vacation-colored pure white sand. In other areas, mangroves grow in wide swaths. Where the Florida coast heads north, away from Tampa Bay, the beaches dwindle and the mangroves thrive. This region is called the Nature Coast.

The Nature Coast

The Nature Coast is home to an enormous number of animals, mostly birds. When taking a boat ride along the shores, it takes on the feel of a natural zoo. Exotic looking birds walk the shallows while others perch in the branches of the mangroves. The waters are a favorite for fishermen.

Roseate Spoonbill

Recreation at Eagle Point Park

Eagle Point Park sits along the waters of Trouble Creek, easily located by driving down Troublecreek Rd. off of Hwy 19. The park proper contains great recreational opportunities. A number of picnic tables sit under shade trees as well as pavilions. Visitors will find a playground set at the center of the park and the surrounding terrain is stitched with hiking trails. The park has several fishing piers. Our visit trip began at the docks.

Kayaking Trouble Creek and the Gulf of Mexico

Crab cluster

We launched into placid, mirror-like waters and headed out. We immediately caught our first of many sightings of the thousands of shore crabs, running across the banks in mini stampedes or sitting in clusters waiving their claws. We continued on, wondering if the initial waterway connected to the Gulf of Mexico. Often times, the satellite maps tell a different story than the actual experience, but we were in luck. The waters opened up the gulf after very little paddling. Kayaks operate best in smaller waterways where the winds and waves of the open gulf are not present. We rounded a point of land on our left and turned into Fillman’s Creek. Fillman’s might start as a small waterway, but where it meets the gulf it is more like an inlet. We paddled in over shallow waters and soon found great views of the wildlife.

Gulf Coast Wildlife

Ospreys flew overhead while several pelicans floated nearby, lazily poking their beaks in to the shallows for easy pickings. We spotted pink feathers and headed in for a closer look. Roseate Spoonbills waded in ankle deep water, pushing their beaks through the muddy silt. A Blue Heron pulled up a sand worm while we paddled within a dozen feet.

Blue Heron catches a worm

Kayak Shoes

We noticed the tide leaving us behind all too late. Before we could escape, the shallow flats drained of water, leaving us in a depth of less than four inches. The kayaks bottomed out and we were forced to put our boat shoes to work. When you kayak in the Tampa Bay area, you learn to wear the right footwear. Tennis shoes or flip flops will not do. We walked our kayaks out of the tidal flats and back into deeper water. Before we got back to the launch, we were forced to walk again; Trouble Creek indeed. 

Eagle Point Park

• Restrooms
• Picnic pavilions
• Playground
• Hiking trails
• Kayak launch
• Fishing piers
• Scenic coastal drive
• Parking pass $2, good for a many other county parks during the same day.