Igniting a passion

Castaway Island Preserve: Shoving off from the dock with no where to go but everywhere

Florida is home. It’s a wonderful piece of land that has endless bounds of water. Whether it’s the Atlantic or Gulf coasts, or the many rivers, estuaries, and creeks; there is plenty of water to explore.

I have fond memories of playing in the St. John’s river off Mandarin Rd. as a little kid. We would sneak onto properties with giant mansions just to swim off the docks or fish and crab. It was there that I really began to develop my love for the water. It was a great way to grow up and a great way to entertain ourselves as kids before there were all the distractions caused by the technology and our devices of today.

Once I received my driver’s license I began to spend more time in the ocean. I would sleep on friends’ couches that lived at the beach just so I could wake up before dawn to get out on the waves before anyone else. There is a sense of calmness and inner peace when you are sitting alone in the lineup waiting for the next set to arrive. It was my form of meditation to

start the day.

Goodby's Creek: One of the many bridges you go under along this creek

Unfortunately, life happens and my opportunities to hit the surf or “play” in the river slowly dwindled as career and family became a priority. Then, I recently decided to purchase a Honeycomb Great Lakes Paddleboard (I will be doing a review on this board in the near future) from St. Augustine Paddle Sports. This has ignited a passion that brings back that feeling of playing in the St. John’s river as a kid and the calmness and inner peace I’ve experienced while surfing. It has given me a sense of adventure that I haven’t felt since I was little kid. The best part is that I can share these experiences with my daughter.

Come, join me on my adventures as I explore the many waterways throughout north Florida. There are many avenues to which you can follow along. Feel free to follow me as I document my adventures on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or SUPJaxFL website. I will also provide tips and equipment reviews so please follow, subscribe, or like my pages to see the latest adventure.