KAYAK TOURS & RENTALS
Join the fun as we encounter manatee, dolphins, sea life,
and more near Anna Marie Island, Florida.
SERVICES
GROUP TOURS
Try an exhilarating watersports experience with large groups of friends, small groups, or tandems. Plus, you can hardly beat the scenic landscape you’ll find in locations like Anna Maria Island, Coquina Beach, or Emerson Point.
Choose from full day or sunset trip, add in some hiking, fishing, or other activity. Ask us for availability.
PRIVATE TOURS
KAYAK RENTALS
Want to make your own, unguided plan? No problem! We rent our single and tandem kayaks and will deliver them for FREE to your location! Call (941) 223-9711 for any additional questions.
Let us create a tour that fits you perfectly, adjusting for physical limitations, time restraints, or extra participants.
CUSTOM TOURS
MANGROVE TOURS
We start the tour paddling the Anna Maria Sound which is in Sarasota Bay just to catch a view of the subtle manatee and playful dolphins.
While continuing our paddle toward the mangrove islands our Cormorant friends take the opportunity to fish while using our kayaks to find the fish. By now we are entering into a hundred years of history into the mangrove tunnels.
We love to engage with our guest and tell them some of the importance and stimulating facts of the vegetation and wildlife.
You may see a variety of birds from white pelicans, to the pink spoonbill, osprey, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, along with many more depending on season.
SUNSET PADDLE TOUR
Come meet us on the bay at Coquina South Boat Launch for a relaxing paddle to the sand bars off Jewfish Key looking for sand dollars and other shell creatures.
Then a short paddle by Beer Can Island where we will dock on a secluded beach in the lagoon having to walk just a few steps to the Gulf to see our beautiful sunsets here on Anna Marie Island.
Disclaimer: Sunset Paddle Tour times are subject to change due to daylight savings.
EMERSON POINT TOUR
We begin our tour through the mangrove tunnels of Emerson Point Preserve. During our tour, we will search for amazing wildlife including Sea Stars, Mangrove Crabs, Cormorants and more. You will also learn the importance of the mangroves to our eco-system.
Once through the tunnels, we will coast through Terra Ceia Bay watching for Dolphins, Manatee and Spotted Sea Rays on our way to the sandbars where we can snorkel and dig for Sea Urchins, Sand Dollars, Shells and more!
Start times: 9:30am | 1:00pm | 3:30pm — 7 days a week
3-Day Tour
THE MEMORIES START HERE...
ABOUT
Todd Childers, Yak-Shack Owner & Guide
Primarily located in Bradenton, Anna Maria Island, and Palmetto, Yak Shack Watersports is an all-inclusive paddle sports company. Yak Shack originally started in my hometown of Barboursville, WV where I started my love of water and nature in the Boy Scouts.
As a young kid, I was always drawn to the water. After raising three kids and working in the school system, I decided it was time to follow my dreams of showing people my passion for nature on a kayak. I moved to Florida in 2018 where I worked for other kayak companies to learn waterways.
Learning the different tides, and currents were totally different than rivers and lakes. Two years later, Yak Shack Watersports’ new home is the Sunshine state.
YSW isn’t just a kayak company, we pride ourselves on smaller more personal experiences. Our groups are no more than 10-12 per tour and we offer private tours as well.
Although we can’t promise what Mother Nature will show us, we promise to put you in the best possible location for your experience. Here at YSW, we look forward to taking you on an awesome adventure!