Voted Best Place to Kayak by Folio Weekly for 2007, 2008 and 2009!

"Located just off A1A south of Ponte Vedra Beach, Guana remains an environmental treasure of epic proportion."

Formerly known as Guana River State Park, the GTM NERR is the 25th National Estuarine Research Reserve in the United States. This designation assures one of the best natural systems in the country.  The Friends of the GTM NERR and Ripple Effect Ecotours have partnered to offer extensive eco-educational opportunities exploring the ecological diversity of the GTM NERR. The coastal estuary offers incredible views of nesting bald eagles, possible encounters with Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin and the West Indian Manatee, and a real glimpse into what real Florida has to offer in abundance of shear beauty. Our touring kayaks are the perfect vehicle for exploring one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet in a low impact and environmentally friendly way leaving behind only Ripples!

Kayak Tours offered at Guana:

• Guana River Estuary
• Family Kayak Tours for ages 6 and up!
• Lake Guana from the dam
• 6-Mile Landing Lake Guana
• Indians of the Estuary
• The Zen Kayak Tour
• Sunset Tours every weekend
• Full Moon Kayak Tours
• Eco-educational Kayak Fishing Tours
• Kayak Instructional Classes
• Night Sky Astronomy Kayak Tour

Click here to for the GTM-NERR online Nature Store!

GTM NERR(Guana River) Directions

Ripple Effect Ecotour Customer Reviews (25)

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Serge said:

	We had relatives visit us from Germany, so we took them out kayaking with Ripple Effect Ecotours. We all loved it. Both guides were very informative, and the company provides high-end kayaks that glide effortlessly including a 3-person kayak we had. We highly recommend this tour.
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September 03, 2008
Votes: +3

phil edwards said:

	Great guides! Great equipment! And an outstanding educational eco tour! We loved the glowing kayaks that illuminated the full moon kayak tour! Way to go Ripple Effect Ecotours!
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September 22, 2008
Votes: +2

Jennifer G said:

	Friendly people and beautiful scenery - could not have asked for a better experience. Thanks!
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October 21, 2008
Votes: +1

Karole B. said:

	Chris This was by far the most educational and impressive kayak tour I've taken yet - what a great learning experience. You truly understand - explain - and appreciate all the natural beauty that surrounds us! Your tours are always a must when family and friends come to vist. Great Job!!!
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November 28, 2008
Votes: +0

Patricia C. said:

Chris - Thank you for the pictures! We had a truly unique, enlightening, great time paddling around with you and listening to your stories and wealth of knowledge. Your enthusiam and passion is contagious, and you are a great asset to GTM- NERR. I will defintely be calling to book a tour every time I visit your area. I loved the idea of a quiet, reflective Zen tour! Thanks again for inspiring all of us with your knowledge and great personality! If you ever come down our way to Rookery - Naples- give a ring- I would welcome the opportunity to paddle around and grab a bite - in fact I could probably gather up a couple folks that would love to have you take us out in our own back yard! Be Well & Enjoy! Patricia C.

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December 02, 2008
Votes: +1

Bonnie and Lance Etherton said:

Hi!!!!!! WOW – what incredible pictures to represent an even more incredible experience. I have already forwarded this email to everyone in my contacts. We loved every minute of the tour and will cherish the memories for the rest of our lives. You are a special man and a fantastic guide – thank you from each beat of our hearts. We are already in the beginning phases of planning future kayaking adventures to include our boys and hopefully some friends. Take great care ~ Truly Sincerely, Bonni and Lance Etherton

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April 07, 2009
Votes: +3

Sally Zangger said:

	Chris and Matt were incredibly knowledgable and helpful. We had a wonderful time learning about nature and also had a lot of great giggles!!! Thanks for a terrific day on the water! Sally Zangger Atlanta, GA
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May 28, 2009
Votes: +0

Jennifer Weiler said:

	Danny was a great guide, especially wonderful with our 6 year old girls. He was very patient and taught us a lot about the environment, especially birds. We will tell our friends! Jen, Halle, Grace and Abby
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June 28, 2009
Votes: +0

The Zimmerman Family said:

Our decision to include Kayaking with Ripple Effect in our brief trip to St. Augustine was the smartest move EVER! Our family had never Kayaked before. Our children are ages 13 and 11. It was one of the BEST experiences our family has had. We enjoyed the exercise, the nature surrounding us, and the new information we learned from Chris, our guide. TOTALLY WORTH EVERY PENNY. Thank you so much for a magnificent adventure.

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July 06, 2009
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Diana K. said:

	Great tour! Very educational as well as a beautiful spot for kayaking. Chris was very enthousiastic & helpful. Looking forward to the Night Sky Astronomy kayak tour. Thanks for the photos, Chris!! Diana
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July 08, 2009
Votes: +0

Kim Johnston said:

	Hi Chris, Thanks so much for a great kayak tour last weekend. Bill and I went away for a great weekend and we had so much fun on your tour and learning and laughing. The pictures are really great, you did a wonderful job and we will definitely be back again. Kim
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July 18, 2009
Votes: +0

Becky Estes said:

	Thanks Chris for the wonderful kayak tour last week. This was the first time for all 3 of us. My 10 year old daughter Sara loved it. She was scared at first, but since she got to go in your kayak, she got over it real quick. We will definitely plan on it again next year. Thank you for the pictures. I love the one with me and Mike and the rainbow in the background.
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July 18, 2009
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Beth said:

	We had a wonderful trip with Chris! He made our kayak tour fun and very interesting! We learned a lot about marine life and all about birds. It was great! We will see you again on our next trip to Jacksonville! Thanks! The Watsons
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July 20, 2009
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Martha Henderson said:

	Second time with Chris. First time with the Eagles! wonderful!
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September 01, 2009
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Kim K. said:

Hi guys. Thanks so much for the pictures. What a wonderful adventure. The glowing kayaks pushed an already perfect trip over the top! All of you are so kind and knowledgable. I was asked when I got home if I had learned anything...I think they're sorry they asked. Thanks for sharing your passion. I'm really looking forward to another trip. Until then be safe and stay cool. Kim p.s. Chris, I'm really sorry you couldn't find a job that you like

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September 09, 2009
Votes: +0

Michael Cutter said:

	My Fiance and I went on this tour and another one of Ripple Effect's tours within a span of two weeks. They are great; highly informed and friendly guides, great equipment, and beautiful locations. An outing worth every penny!!
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September 28, 2009
Votes: +0

Cindi & Shawn said:

	We had such a great time on the Ecotour! It's something that I had read about and always thought would be fun to do, but never quite got around to it. We had relatives come in town so it was the perfect opportunity and chance for them to see what beautiful natural wonders we have to offer here. Thanks so much!
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September 28, 2009
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Guillermo said:

	Chris's knowledge of the habitat and history of the area is great and makes this a great way to spend the day. Lots of interesting information about eagles, fish etc. Thanks Chris
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December 01, 2009
Votes: +1

Patty Redman said:

	OH MY STARS! It was sooo much fun to enjoy nature at a new level. We are homeschooling our children and this was perfect for them. I am looking forward to coming back for the night time tour with my group soon!!!
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April 03, 2010
Votes: +1

Petra Cartagena said:

	It was sooooooooo nice and relaxing. The Habitat and history of the area is great. We loved every minute of it. THANKS
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April 12, 2010
Votes: +0

Tania said:

	We had a fantastic time with Matt. Very fun and informative. The time flew by too quickly and we'll definitely be going back. It was only my second time kayaking but the kayaks were easy to handle and a good time was had by all. Thanks!
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April 21, 2010
Votes: +0

Kevin Chaney said:

Many thanks Chris, I just wanted to inform you that Danny did an excellent job as a guide (and photographer!). He was very informative and receptive to the many questions we had, as well as other kayakers. The scenery was gorgeous and we stepped away from the trip with a lot of valuable knowledge about the importance of the marsh land. Originally, my family and I were going to the gulf coast but opted to go to St. Augustine instead, as a result of the oil spill. We were looking for things to do and we found your website and decided to give it a try. (A great decision). The educational 'take-away' from this tour (ex, of why the marsh system is such a valuable resource from several standpoints) helped to ingrain in my mind the current and potential impact the oil spill will have on the gulf coast marsh system. I truly walked away from this experience with a great appreciation for the conservation work you are doing by educating folks, such as myself, and allowing us to see in an intimate way, the wildlife of the area. We will definitely be back next summer ready for another kayak trip. In addition, thanks for the pictures of our trip! Best, Kevin Chaney Washington DC / Cincinnati, OH

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June 20, 2010
Votes: +0

patrick gardner said:

We took another great trip with RippleEffect - this time at the GTM NERR. Danny was our guide and led a great trip full of information about the NERR and its fascinating role in our environment. We always walk away from our trips full of anticipation for another paddling adventure. Thanks for another great trip and a great morning on the water. We have done most of tours offered, some multiple times and cannot recommend RippleEffects enough - to persons of any age or experience. Pat & Leslie Gardner

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July 03, 2010
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Jane said:

What a wonderful experience RippleEffects provided for my new-to-kayaking family. Danny and Chris are enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides and do a great job of keeping the 10 and 12 year olds interested, focused, and providing a bit of local knowledge as well. I'll always be thankful for Danny who did a stellar job of keeping the 12 year old calm and in her kayak when a "monster" shrimp jumped in her lap. I highly recommend RippleEffects, the sunset tour, the Marineland tour, and the Guana River experiences. Thanks again.

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July 20, 2010
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Stattie said:

Well, this was my first time on a kayak at night, and I was nervous on the way to Guana. But my nerves were soon calmed when I realized what a professional, polite and knowledgeable staff I was dealing with. It turned out to be a wonderful evening with friends that I shall not soon forget! Although I needed help getting out of the kayak, I plan on doing this again and hopefully the more I do it the better I will get and will soon be able to remove myself from the kayak without assistance! Great job, Ripple Effect Ecotours! Thanks for a wonderful evening!

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July 26, 2010
Votes: +0

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