BK Adventure: Florida Bioluminescence Tour Company Where You Can Kayak Through Glowing Waters

Have you ever wanted to paddle through a bioluminescent sea of sparkling stars, and glow-in-the-dark waters? Then you have to check out BK Adventure! Florida bioluminescence tour companies take you on a magical journey that is a total bucket list item, and we found the perfect company for the experience. BK Adventure in Titusville, Florida uses clear kayaks, and it’s the best way to experience the glowing Bioluminescent waters of the Space Coast.

BK Adventure: Florida Bioluminescence Tour Guides

Living half my life on the opposite coast of Florida, and being very interested in marine biology activities in my youth, I was kind of shocked that I was completely unaware that a bioluminescent kayak tour was a thing I could do off the shores of Florida until last year!

Unfortunately by the time I discovered the Bioluminescent tours, the season was nearly over and I wasn’t able to go. That just gave me time to watch and plan for the perfect window of opportunity and head to the Space Coast when viewing was at its best!

Thank you to BK Adventure for providing my son and me with this unforgettable experience to share with readers. All words and opinions are my own and genuine.

Planning Your Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour With BK Adventure

Experiencing this is totally worth planning a trip around. In order to see the organisms best, you should plan to book your trip during a new moon (the less moon the better). This gives the little glowing creatures center stage and you the best view possible. Check your calendar, and then head to this Moon Cycle Calendar to plan your trip.

Two bioluminescent organisms are native to the waters off of the Space Coast:
Dinoflagellates – are a kind of plankton, that are present throughout the warmer months.
These are what will turn the water blue when agitated by your paddle, the kayak, fish moving thru the water, or just about anything!
Comb Jellies – are not actually jellyfish; they are invertebrates and do not sting. These can be seen during the colder months in the water. You will get to see them up close on your tour!

Our tour in June was during warm days and colder nights, so we witnessed both organisms! As soon as you know, you are planning a trip to the Space Coast, head to the BK Adventure website to book your tour. The excursions occurring around the new moon nights get booked quickly.

BK Adventure also offers a Biolum Family Rafting Excursion that includes a guide on each raft if you don’t feel comfortable in a kayak. If you can practice getting comfortable enough beforehand at a local lake like Lake Cooley, the view from a clear kayak will be so much better. However, the raft option is available for those who prefer it.

Out On The Bioluminescent Water With BK Tours

Once you have your tour booked, the hardest part is waiting. At least, that was the hardest part for my son and me. The tour leaves from the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, in the shadow of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral and about an hour from Cocoa Beach. With that in mind, and remembering that launches are often scrapped due to numerous things, coordinating your excursion with the new moon and a launch from Cape Canaveral would make this a truly unforgettable experience.

Things you will need to bring with you:

• Bug Spray
  Keep in mind the locals joke that the Florida State bird is the mosquito. This is necessary, as you will be standing on shore a bit while everyone gets signed in and vested up. The bugs will make themselves known to you; consider them the welcoming committee.
• A Wet Bag or Waterproof Activity Case with a carabiner
  Leave everything in the car, including your camera and phone. It sounds crazy, “NO PHONE? NO CAMERA?” I know, but I’ll explain that in a minute. Instead, bring something to protect your keys and anything you need from the water and the carabiner to attach it to you or the kayak. In the unfortunate event you flip the kayak, those things will never be retrieved from the midnight black waters of Mosquito Lagoon, and a tow truck out there will cost you more than the tour.
• A Small Bait Net
  The tour guides will scoop comb jellies out of the water to show everyone. We happened to have my daughter’s little net in the car, and we caught the Comb Jellies shown below. Having our own net made the trip even more fun because the guides are not allowed to share their net.

When you arrive, ask if Rhett is one of the tour guides! He’s a native of Greenville and was full of interesting information about Mosquito Lagoon. Tell him Kidding Around Greenville sent you!

While you glide across the water, look down. It will look like you are sailing through the night sky. It’s surreal and something I won’t soon forget.

Why Should I Leave The Camera Behind?

This is where the first-hand experience behind Kidding Around articles and adventures comes in handy to readers. Far be it from me to tell a grown person what to do, but it will save you tons of anxiety, grief, and frustration if you heed my advice.

Capturing photos of this amazing experience to share with our readers was at the top of my priority list. I was excited, nauseous; I was ALL THE THINGS. As you may have noticed, there aren’t tons of photos from this trip, at least not taken by me, included in this article. That’s something that was not for lack of trying, and I’m going to have to share a hard truth.

In the time of social media, maybe some things are so special that they just need to be enjoyed in the moment and not captured for posting on social media.

I know. It’s literally my job. Coming to terms with the above statement keeps me from losing my marbles over all of this. Long story short, the bioluminescent organisms are only capturable by VERY EXPENSIVE, mirrorless cameras. I repeat – your phone, point-and-shoot, and SLR won’t cut it in this situation. I also don’t suggest you haul a $3,000 camera out on the water with you. I was told during a desperate trip to Best Buy that my GoPro would work. It did not.

So, just head into this adventure with the plan to enjoy it with your eyes and only have memories to share. Do with this information what you will, but it is shared from a place of love for our readers.

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BK Adventure Tours Pricing and Info

Where:
The tour leaves from Beacon 42 Boat Ramp inside of Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Please map out the time it will take you to get there from your point of origin in advance. Merritt Island and Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge are two separate things and not near each other. Mistaking that you are nearby could result in you missing out on your booked adventure, and I think this is a common mistake.
Directions to Beacon 42 Boat Ramp

When:
Summertime Tours (May – Nov)
This is the best time to see the bioluminescent plankton (dinoflagellates) start to glow.
Wintertime Tours (Nov – Mar) 
This is Comb Jelly weather, don’t forget your net!

How Much:
Sunset Tour: Kayaking Bioluminescent Tour – $85
Clear Kayak Bioluminescent Tour – $79
Traditional Kayak Bioluminescent Tour – $60
SUP Bioluminescent Tour – $65
Family Rafting Bioluminescent Tour – $60
Island Bioluminescent Tour -$59

*Prices are subject to change, for the most up-to-date pricing and info please see the BK Adventures Booking page

BK Adventure
407-519-8711 – office
407-361-9969 – mobile (feel free to text)
On Facebook messenger chat: https://www.facebook.com/BKadventure

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