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A kayak in a salt marsh creek

Kayaks and paddleboards, every place to launch.

63 public hand launches in Nassau, Duval and St. Johns counties, from FWC’s inventory: marsh creeks, the Intracoastal, the St. Johns and its tributaries. The state’s paddling trails, the rules on a kayak or a board, and how warm the water gets.

Krista Fracke - Broker Associate

By Krista Fracke — Broker Associate, Christie's International Real Estate First Coast · 20+ years in Northeast Florida · 500+ closings · client reviews

Every public launch

I’m Krista Fracke, and this coast is one of the easiest places in Florida to own a kayak: tidal creeks wind behind nearly every beach town and through the preserves between them. These are the public places to put in, blue for salt and brackish water, green for fresh. The big boat ramps work too; they’re on the boat ramp map.

Salt or brackishFreshwaterClosedShowing 76 of 76

The state’s paddling trails

The Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail runs the whole state coast, and three of its segments are here: Segment 26 around Amelia Island and Fort Clinch, Segment 25 along the Jacksonville coast, and Segment 24 through St. Augustine. FDEP publishes a map book and guide for each, with launches and campsites.

Inland, the state designates the St. Marys River and Pellicer Creek, a short beginner trail on the St. Johns–Flagler line, as paddling trails. Guana Lake inside the GTM Research Reserve is limited to 10-horsepower motors, which keeps it quiet water for paddlers.

What the law asks of a kayak or a board

  • Outside swimming, surfing and bathing areas, FWC counts a paddleboard as a vessel, the same as a kayak or canoe.
  • One Coast Guard-approved life jacket aboard per person. Children under 6 must wear theirs; adults are strongly advised to.
  • A whistle, horn or bell that can be heard half a nautical mile away.
  • Between sunset and sunrise, a white lantern or flashlight.
  • No registration for a kayak, canoe or board without a motor (FWC).
  • Right whales offshore from mid-November to mid-April: the 500-yard rule covers kayaks and paddleboards too (NOAA).

How warm the water gets

StationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Fernandina Beach57°59°64°71°77°82°84°84°82°77°68°61°
Mayport58°58°63°70°76°81°83°83°83°77°69°62°
St. Augustine59°60°64°69°76°80°81°82°83°77°70°63°

Long-term monthly averages, °F, from NOAA’s coastal water temperature guide. Bold is 75° or warmer.

The part nobody tells you: the tide plans the trip

The marsh creeks here are tidal, and a creek that floats a kayak at high water can be a mud flat at low. Paddle out with the falling tide and you may walk home; go out on the last of the rising tide and ride the fall back. The current in the inlets and under the Intracoastal bridges runs hard enough to matter on a board.

For a homeowner, that is the difference between a creek-front lot you can launch from every day and one you can launch from twice a day. Walk the dock at low tide before you buy.

Launches by county

Nassau County (3)

Duval County (43)

St. Johns County (17)

Homes on creeks, marsh and the Intracoastal in Nassau County

Paddle from the backyard.

Homes on creeks, marsh and the Intracoastal in Duval County

Paddle from the backyard.

Homes on creeks, marsh and the Intracoastal in St. Johns County

Paddle from the backyard.

This is the work I do every week. Want to launch from your own backyard? Tell me which creek or stretch of the Intracoastal you love. I'll find the homes on it and check the water at low tide before you offer.

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Broker Associate · Christie's International Real Estate First Coast · 20+ years · 500+ closings

Common questions

Is a paddleboard a vessel in Florida?

Yes, outside swimming, surfing and bathing areas. FWC classes a paddleboard as a vessel, so it needs a Coast Guard-approved life jacket aboard for each person (worn by children under 6), a whistle, horn or bell, and a white light between sunset and sunrise.

Do I need to register a kayak in Florida?

No. Canoes, kayaks and other boats without a motor are exempt from registration regardless of length. Put a motor on one and it needs a registration.

Where can I launch a kayak near Jacksonville and St. Augustine?

FWC’s inventory lists 63 public hand launches in Nassau, Duval and St. Johns counties, 40 of them on salt or brackish water: marsh creeks, the Intracoastal and the St. Johns River. The map on this page shows every one with its parking, fee and directions.

When is the water warm enough to paddleboard?

NOAA’s long-term averages at Mayport run about 58°F in January and February, near 70°F in April, and above 80°F from June through September. Most people paddle without a wetsuit from May to October.

Every public boat ramp →

Lanes, trailer parking and fees, on one map.

Surfing and water sports →

Pier zones, kiteboarding, jet skis and rip currents.

Fishing the First Coast →

Surf, pier, inlet, river and offshore.

Neighborhoods for outdoor life →

Where the trails and the water are close.

Springs near Jacksonville →

Paddle the spring runs, within two hours.

Launch data from FWC’s Florida Boat Ramp Inventory, read October 17, 2026. Check the launch’s own page or the posted signs before you go.

Water out back?

Tell me how you like to paddle. I’ll send the homes on water you can launch from.

Talk to Krista