A great thing about paddleboarding and kayaking is that you really don't need to know much to have a good time. You just need somebody with you to make sure you don't get into trouble. The number one trouble would be making sure you save enough energy to get back home. My daughter came out with us in Bokeelia, FL to paddle around the mangrove islands of Charlotte Harbor and she was off in a blaze and when we finally got back, she was whipped for the day. You need to keep a reserve in case the wind decides to start blowing in an unfavorable direction, which happened to us this trip several times. May is one of the most beautiful months in Florida, but there is a good chance of big wind in May. We usually waited for the periods of slack wind to do our paddling and stayed near the sheltered sides of islands. In the summer, when the wind can be very calm, paddling a mile out to a sandbar is not out of the question. The summer has the heat and thunderstorms, so May still sounds like fun. The wind also keeps away the no-see-ums. We remembered this last night as, for the first time this trip, the wind came to a complete stop. Within 15 minutes, the bugs were on us and everyone was chased indoors. In the summer, they spray for the bugs with airplanes and helicopters, but you can still get chewed up quickly if you go outdoors at twilight.
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