Tarpon Bay Explorers offers new custom Hobie tours
Tarpon Bay Explorers is now offering custom Hobie trips to explore the wilderness of Tarpon Bay’s mangrove estuary and back-bay waters of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge.
TBE added three Hobie kayaks to its fleet earlier this year.
“They are awesome boats,” Capt. Brie Coffman, who will lead the trips, said.
“Personally, I love fishing from Hobies the most, but it will be a great way to get people on the water in a different way,” she said.
Hobie kayaks are not the traditional “all-arm-powered” vessel. They have a pedal drive system that allows the operator to use their legs instead of their arms, which means the kayaker can go further and faster without as much fatigue. The set up looks similar to a recumbent bike, but the pedals power a kayak instead of a bike. The kayaks still come with a paddle, so if one finds themselves in extremely shallow water, they can still navigate their way to their destination.
The Hobie tours will combine an introduction of Hobie operation with wildlife education.
“To stay in line with our mission and the refuge’s mission, the tours will have a heavy educational component,” part-owner and General Manager Wendy Schnapp said. “We want to provide visitors with a myriad of ways to explore the refuge while still providing excellent stewardship of one of Sanibel’s gems.”
The starting rate is $50 per person for a two-hour tour.
Visitors can add a fishing option for an additional $25 per person. Adding a fishing option would include all amenities, excluding Florida Saltwater Fishing licenses.
For more information and reservations, call 239-472-8900.