From Rum Island to Gilchrist Blue in a See-Through Kayak
A guided paddle on the Santa Fe River with an hour set aside at Gilchrist Blue Spring to swim and snorkel.
Kayak Adventures Old Florida is a locally owned outfit in Fort White, Florida, and its group tour launches from Rum Island Springs County Park on the Santa Fe River. The route explores the river and a few springs along it, makes its way to Gilchrist Blue Spring, then returns to the Rum Island parking lot.
Gilchrist Blue takes up an hour of the two. The listing describes a quarter-mile spring run over beds of submerged plants and a 20-foot swimming hole fed by 44 million gallons of spring water a day. Swimming and snorkeling there are part of the plan.
Pricing is per person: USD 60 for travelers ages 16 to 85, USD 50 for children 5 to 15. Two adults pay USD 120 in total. Daily starts include 9:30 AM and 3:00 PM, and booking closes at 7:30 PM the day before. Confirmation is manual: the operator reviews each booking before confirming it. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund; inside 24 hours there is no refund.
2 Hour Guided Clear Glass Bottom Kayak Tour Gilchrist Blue SpringTwo-hour guided clear-kayak tour from Rum Island Springs County Park in Fort White, Florida, with a swim stop at Gilchrist Blue Spring.www.viator.comThrough a Clear Hull
The group tour uses tandem clear kayaks, which the operator says are made in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Each boat seats two, with a weight limit of 425 pounds. When a pair runs over that limit, the heavier paddler gets a kayak of their own.
The listing includes a life jacket, paddle, dry bag and snorkel, and the operator's site describes the dry bags as being for a phone and camera. The itinerary gives about 30 minutes to Rum Island and its springs, an hour at Gilchrist Blue, and 30 minutes on the Santa Fe River.
What Turns Up Along the Santa Fe
The operator's list of wildlife that can turn up on a trip includes turtles, fish, birds, otters, manatees and alligators. The listing adds turkey and deer along the banks.
The Santa Fe is an unusual river. Per the listing, it sinks underground in O'Leno State Park, runs through a cave system and comes back up at River Rise Preserve State Park. More than 36 named springs feed it.
Who Can Come Along
Children can be booked from age 5, at the child rate up to 15. The operator requires children under 7 to wear a life jacket at all times, and a parent or legal guardian signs the waiver for anyone under 18. Alcohol is not allowed on the tour.
The listing asks for at least a moderate level of fitness, and the operator describes its trips as suitable for any skill level. Groups top out at ten people in five boats. You may have the guide to yourselves, or share the water with another booking.
Getting Into Rum Island
Rum Island Springs County Park is a gated Columbia County park at 1447 SW Rum Island Terrace in Fort White. The county charges an entry fee of USD 5 per vehicle. Follow the prompts at the gate and the road down to the parking area, where the guide meets the group. The county lists park hours of 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM, with winter hours of 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
The park has accessible restrooms, picnic tables, charcoal grills and an accessible ramp into its spring. The operator's site traces the island's name to Prohibition, when outlaws used it to make and sell rum.
📍 Meet the guide in the parking area at Rum Island Springs County Park, 1447 SW Rum Island Terrace, Fort White, Florida. The tour ends back there.
- Included: tandem clear kayak, life jacket, paddle, dry bag, snorkel
- Not included: lunch, transportation
- Price: USD 60 ages 16 to 85, USD 50 ages 5 to 15
- Cancellation: full refund at least 24 hours ahead
- Weather: the operator does not launch in unsafe conditions and refunds trips it cancels
Come dressed for the water: the hour at Gilchrist Blue is when the paddle turns into a swim.