Welcome to our journey

Photo: GK Sharman

We are three women who plan to launch our kayaks in Sanford, Florida, where the St. Johns River dilates to become Lake Monroe, and paddle until the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Mayport, just east of Jacksonville, Florida, a distance of about 160 miles. 

We will depart on May 15, 2013, and reach the sea within the next two weeks. Our overnights will be spent camping or in waterfront lodging. We will rely on the kindness of friends and strangers along the way -- planned and unplanned -- but we will accomplish most of the journey on our own. An important part of our quest is that we will be our own safety net. 

Another important part of our journey is highlighting the need for a healthy river to support Florida's social, cultural, spiritual, and economic well-being. Like other waters in Florida (including the Floridan aquifer), the St. Johns has shaped the history of the state since long before Columbus arrived in the Americas. Without water, Florida would be a desert.

During our journey, we plan to experience as much of the river's history, the rivers and springs that feed it, its natural systems and wildlife, and its culture as we can squeeze into our days of paddling.  We will see the same shores and sights that the Native Americans saw 14,000 years ago, that William Bartram saw in 1774, and that hundreds of thousands of visitors have seen since then -- and which support our human activities to this day.  
   

How We Started

Paddle to the Sea originated with Delany's long-standing wish to launch her kayak on the St. Johns River from her front yard in Sanford and paddle all the way to the ocean. After Delany expressed her idea to Jane and Debbie, we decided to make the trip.

Our days are now filled with training for long days of paddling, planning routes, scouting places to camp and stay, researching historic locales and natural wonders along the river, and dreaming of the adventures that are sure to unfold.