From the Jupiter Lighthouse to the Mangroves in a Clear Kayak
A guide leads you down the Loxahatchee River into the Indian River Lagoon, and the clear hull shows what moves underneath.
The launch is on the Loxahatchee River, beside the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Museum. The operator, Clear Kayaking Adventures, runs the tour under a Bureau of Land Management permit, and some or all of the route lies on public land inside the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area.
It is a small outfit. In reviews from the past two years the same two names keep coming up: Mike, who guides on the water, and Sandy, who handles the messages before the trip. The kayaks are clear polycarbonate. Whatever passes under the boat shows through the hull when the water runs clear.
Adults pay USD 85, and paddlers aged 3 to 17 pay USD 75. On weekdays there are three departures, at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Weekends have a single departure, at 9:00 AM. Confirmation is instant, and booking stays open until two hours before the start.
Every kayak is a tandem. The operator doubles everyone up, and a solo booker rides with the guide or paddles alone, depending on availability.
Clear Kayak Eco Tour in Jupiter, FloridaA two-hour guided paddle from beside the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Museum, with a clear tandem kayak, paddles, life vests and a dry bag included.www.viator.comWhat Shows Up Under the Hull
The listing names manatees, rays, sea turtles, sea stars and colorful fish below the boat, and pelicans, herons, ospreys and owls above it. Sightings change with the season and the conditions, and some trips see none. A March 2026 review reports no sea wildlife at all on what the guest still called a gorgeous day.
Polarized sunglasses help. A guest put it plainly in December 2024: "Highly recommend having polarized sunglasses - it helps you see a lot more than you normally would!"
Down the Loxahatchee and Into the Lagoon
The guide starts on shore with basic paddling technique and safety. From the launch you head downstream on the Loxahatchee River toward the Indian River Lagoon, and the guide talks through the river's history on the way.
About an hour is spent in the lagoon, past mangroves, shorelines and shallow sandbars. Tides and conditions decide the rest. That can mean a mangrove tunnel, a quiet stretch of shoreline, or a stop on a sandbar before you turn around. The paddle back takes about 30 minutes.
Who Fits in a Tandem
Children can join from age 3. Paddlers 17 and under ride with an adult, and children under 6 wear a life jacket the whole time on the water. Each kayak carries up to 425 lbs combined, with no single paddler over 250 lbs.
The operator calls the tour beginner and family friendly. The listing asks for at least a moderate level of fitness, and it does not recommend the tour for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.
One April 2025 reviewer and a friend, both in their 70s, "weren't sure we were strong enough to paddle a kayak." Sandy pointed them to the 9am tour in the middle of the week, when boat activity is low.
Before You Book
- Group size: 10 guests or fewer per tour
- Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund; inside 24 hours, nothing is refunded
- Weather: tours the operator cancels for weather are refunded in full or rescheduled
- Late arrivals: the tour leaves on schedule, and latecomers and no-shows are not refunded
- Bring water-friendly clothes, sunscreen, water, a towel and a hat; polarized sunglasses, water shoes and a change of clothes are worth packing
- Expect to get wet. A March 2024 guest wrote that "it's extremely hard to stay dry"
- Tipping is optional
📍 The launch site is next to the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Museum, 500 Captain Armour's Way, Jupiter. Parking in the museum lot is free. Arrive 20 minutes before your tour for check-in, the safety briefing and the waiver.
There are no restrooms at the launch. The nearest are at Lighthouse Park, in the yellow building on the left as you drive down Captain Armour's Way toward the museum lot.
- Departures: 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM on weekdays; 9:00 AM on weekends
- Included: clear kayak, paddles, dry bag, life vests, safety whistle and a local guide