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Kayak Rentals at Eco Preserve Offer Weekend Adventures

Feb 21, 2018 07:51AM ● By Kevin
The Kayak Shack at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve is offering a special promotion now through the end of February. By using the special coupon code, KatieSaidSo, visitors can rent a single kayak for four hours and get 50 percent off a second single kayak.

For those looking for an adventure, The Kayak Shack at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve is open for weekend rentals every Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through May 27. The shop operates seasonally, and opens in November of each year. Single and tandem rentals are available.

"It was sort of spur of the moment," said senior environmental rec specialist Katie Locklin. "I was asked if we wanted to offer a coupon, and I thought, 'Sure, why not? We've never really tried it before.'"

So far, Locklin said, a few people have shown up because they read about the promotion in the parks and recreation department's newsletter. Locklin said she thought it would have garnered more interest, so they will probably run the promotion again in the future.

The reason for a four-hour rental recommendation is because there's a portage involved, which takes about 20 minutes to do, Locklin said. She noted that the other side of the portage is the best part of the park, so if you only go out for two hours, you don't get to explore the other part of the park as long as you may like. 

"I really want people to get to the other side because, due to Hurricane Irma, trees got uprooted on the trail, so it's just open," she said. "They were Brazilian Peppers so it's not bad that they're gone. It's just ugly and open. So, the best part of the park is the other side. It's like being out in the wilderness of Cape Coral ... no houses, not a lot of boat traffic, very narrow waterways ... We want people to get to that side."

When asked about how the re-planted and cleanup process has been going, Locklin told us, "It's not a one-man job. We've got a lot of work to do." She has been reaching out to local Boy Scout Troops, among others, that are willing to help in this process. 

Between this Friday and Sunday, the weather forecast, according to The Weather Channel, is mostly sunny, with highs ranging between 85 and 87 degrees. This makes for a nice day out on the water, Locklin said, expecting the water to be calm on the good side of the tour, making for a relaxing day.

At Four Mile, kayakers paddle through mangrove tunnels and experience the nature of Cape Coral up close. 

Locklin said the department is planning several projects to fill in the trees, working with the Boy Scouts and several other groups to get the shoreline replanted.

For more information on kayak rentals, click here, or call the Kayak Shack at 239-574-7395 on weekends or Environmental Recreation at 239-549-4606 during the week.