Seagrass, the vegetation under the water surface, provides food and shelter for most of the marine life, from tiny invertebrates to fish and the manatees. It’s the foundation of the ecosystem inside the Indian River Lagoon, and without it, the lagoon simply wouldn’t be the same.
What is Happening with the Marine Grass in Florida?
The Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV), as the scientific community calls it, has been going through a rough patch for the last few years. You may have heard of the massive blue-green algae “super bloom” that hit the lagoon back in 2011 and wiped out more than half of the seagrass in the process.
As always, the blooms were fueled by pollution from fertilizers, sewage, and runoff from the land. When these toxins contaminate the water, it feeds the algae and allows them to block the sunlight from reaching the seagrass. Without sunshine, the seagrass can’t survive. Even though there has been some progress thanks to the efforts made by government and local organizations in cleaning things up, water pollution is still a major concern.
Of course, the saddest part of this has been its impact on the manatees. Sea cows depend on, well, seagrass for food. With less seagrass available, they have been clustering in a few choice spots, which results in overgrazing. Like a buffet where too many diners show up all at once; they are eating so much of the vegetation that it cannot grow back fast enough. As the seagrass has declined, so has the variety of biodiversity around the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.
The shoal grass, paddle grass, manatee grass, turtle grass, star grass, and widgeon grass are the most common ones found throughout the shallow and deeper waters in the lagoon. And all of them grow slowly. Once the grass is gone from a particular area, it can take years if not decades to return to its former glory.
The good news is, there have been some signs of recovery recently in the northern parts of the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon. Although the southern region and the Banana River are still struggling with very little seagrass, experts have reported a 24% increase in seagrass growth over the past two years.
What This Means for Your Kayak Tour
As we mentioned earlier, seagrass cannot grow without good access to sunlight. So its return is a sign that the quality of water is improving. Water is getting cleaner with each passing day, which means you will have much better visibility when paddling. If you couldn’t before, now you will be able to see the schools of fish, manatees, dolphins, and other creatures under the water’s surface during the daytime. If you are getting ready for a bioluminescent kayaking tour in the Indian River Lagoon or Banana River, that might also be an enhanced experienced compared to, say, last year. The glowing waters you are so excited about are due to dinoflagellates (bioluminescent algae), which emit a blue-green light whenever they are disturbed. Seagrass doesn’t light up on its own, but its recovery will go a long way in making your paddling a more magical experience.
The return of seagrass has also brought a wave of life back to the lagoon. Whether you go kayaking during the day or night, you are more likely to see the:
· West Indian manatees
· Atlantic bottlenose dolphins
· Green sea turtles
· Loggerhead sea turtles
· Brown pelicans
· Ospreys
· Great blue herons
· Snowy egrets
· Roseate spoonbills
· American white ibises
· Red drum (redfish)
· Spotted seatrout
· Tarpon
· Blacktip sharks
· Horseshoe crabs
· Blue crabs
· Mangrove snapper
· Stingrays (including Southern and Atlantic)
· Mullet
· American alligators
· Eastern box turtles
· Bald eagles
· Roseate spoonbills
· Black skimmers
· American kestrels
· Red-bellied woodpeckers
· Great horned owls
8 Things to Remember During Your Kayaking Tour in Florida
Our tour guides at Florida-Adventurer are very protective of the lagoon’s ecosystem so we always make sure that our kayakers don’t spend a lot of time paddling directly over the seagrass beds. We take you to deeper channels where the grass doesn’t grow too much, or let you stop and enjoy the view from a stationary position rather than moving through it. We are conscious
about not getting too close to the manatees, dolphins, or nesting birds, or making loud noises that might startle them. It’s their home, after all, and we are just visiting.
We also recommend following these tips to do your part while making the most of your bioluminescent kayaking trip:
1. If you see a manatee resting or feeding, give it some space. They are slow-moving and stress our easily, so if one is surfacing frequently, it might be trying to avoid your presence. Back off slowly and let it go about its day.
2. Bring reusable water bottles and snacks in eco-friendly packaging. The last thing the lagoon needs is more plastic pollution. If you want to go the extra mile, carry a small net or bag to collect any debris you see floating in the water.
3. Don’t leave any trash, gear, or food scraps behind. Everything you bring should go back with you.
4. Believe it or not, your regular chemical-laden sunscreen can wash off and harm the marine life. You may want to buy a biodegradable or reef-safe sunscreen that won’t damage the sensitive ecosystem you are kayaking through.
5. When we are going through shallow areas, keep your paddle stroke slow and gentle. This will help prevent stirring up the sediment otherwise responsible for clouding the water.
6. If you or your children feel tempted to share your snack with a manatee, dolphin, bird, or raccoon – please don’t. We don’t want to disrupt their natural behavior or make them dependent on human food.
7. When enjoying the bioluminescence, paddle lightly to stir up the glowing plankton without disturbing the seagrass beds below.
8. When kayaking near mangroves, don’t grab or pull on their prop roots. It is okay to use your paddle to delicately push them away.
With so many people eager to get out on the water at this time of the year, our “Kayaking with Manatee and Dolphin” tours are filling up fast. We start at Haulover Canal, and for just $50, you get 90 minutes of guided kayaking with all equipment included. Grab your spot before it’s too late.
