May 28, 2023 · Hole in the Hedge · Pinellas Paddlers · Mangrove tunnels, dogs and lunch at The Getaway
All photos are clickable for the full-size image.
Gandy is one of our favorite easygoing places to paddle because it combines open water, mangrove tunnels, shallow sandy back bayous and plenty of places for the dogs to play. On May 28, 2023, I joined a group of Pinellas Paddlers — including Susan, Tony, Cindy, Wendy and many others — for a sunny midday paddle from the little launch known as the Hole in the Hedge, very close to The Getaway Grill and Tiki Bar.
DateMay 28, 2023
LaunchHole in the Hedge near Gandy
GroupPinellas Paddlers
RouteMangrove tunnels and back bayous
AfterwardLunch at The Getaway
Buddyboy looking out from the kayak as the group gets underway at the Hole in the Hedge.
Launching at the Hole in the Hedge
The Hole in the Hedge is an informal but obvious little launch spot near Gandy, just a short distance from The Getaway. We park nearby, carry the boats down to the water and slide into a protected bayou that makes for an easy start.
From the launch we usually paddle straight across the bayou, passing the old liveaboard sailboats, then work along the far shoreline. The goal is not a marked trail or a fixed destination. We look for one of the wider openings in the mangroves and simply follow it through.
The group moving away from the launch and toward the mangrove shoreline.Warm, shallow water makes Gandy a great place for Buddyboy and the other dogs to hop in and swim.
A short video from the group gathering in the shallows near the beginning of the paddle.
Into the mangrove tunnels
Once inside the mangroves, the setting changes almost immediately. The wider tunnel passes through the mangrove fringe and opens into a maze of back bayous. It feels surprisingly remote — almost like being on the back side of Weedon Island — even though roads and developed land are not far away.
There is no need to follow a single route. We can pick whichever opening looks interesting, wind through the tunnels, circle around the back bays and eventually work our way back toward open water. The surrounding roads and solid land put natural limits on how far the maze extends, so it is a good place for relaxed exploration, though it is still easy to lose track of exactly which little tunnel you came through.
Buddyboy riding through one of the shaded mangrove passages.Me enjoying one of the narrow, winding mangrove sections.Sunlight filtering through the mangroves as we wander through the back bayous.
One of my favorite parts of Gandy: drifting quietly beneath the mangroves with Buddyboy along for the ride.The group winding through the mangroves, choosing whichever route looks interesting.
Warm shallow water and sandbars
Most of this area is shallow, warm and sandy on the bottom. That makes it an easy place to hop out of the kayak for a quick dip, stand around in the water, or let the dogs play. When the water is especially shallow, little sandbars appear and the dogs can run around between the boats.
The tides are not nearly as critical here as they are on many other local paddles. The water may get shallower or deeper, but there is usually enough to float a kayak and not so much that the protected back areas lose their character. The deeper boat channel is easy to identify, and boat traffic is usually very light.
Buddyboy standing in the warm, sandy shallows beside the group.Exactly the kind of place the dogs love — shallow water, sand underfoot and plenty of room to play.
A sunny midday break with paddlers, dogs and boats gathered over the sandy bottom.The dogs get as much out of these warm-water paddles as the people do.
Snug Harbor and the western backwaters
On many Gandy trips we keep working toward Snug Harbor and then explore the back areas beyond it. Manatees are common in this part of the bay, and we also see rays, wading birds and plenty of other wildlife. Farther west of Snug Harbor there are still more mangrove tunnels and quiet pockets of water to explore.
This particular day was not about covering a lot of mileage. It was simply a relaxed sunny paddle with the dogs and a good group of Pinellas Paddlers, wandering through the mangroves, swimming in the shallows and enjoying one of those places that can feel much farther from the city than it really is.
A quiet back bayou where the mangroves close in and the city feels a long way away.
Lunch at The Getaway
One of the other reasons this is such a good group paddle is what happens afterward. The Getaway Grill and Tiki Bar is right near the launch, so when we get back to the cars most of us can simply clean up, change what we need to change and head over for lunch.
After this May paddle, most of the group did exactly that. We found a table in the tropical waterfront setting, ordered lunch and spent some more time together off the water. It makes an easy paddle feel like a full day out without ever having to travel very far.
Most of us finished the paddle with lunch together at The Getaway.A perfect post-paddle stop: shade, food and plenty of time to keep talking about the day.
The tropical waterfront setting at The Getaway, only a short distance from the launch.Beach chairs, umbrellas and the bay — a pretty easy place to settle in after a warm paddle.
Buddyboy and me enjoying the water at the end of another easy Gandy paddle.“High tides, good vibes” — a pretty good summary of the afternoon.
A simple local paddle that never gets old
Gandy is not a wilderness expedition, but that is part of what makes it so useful. You can launch with almost no fuss, be in mangrove tunnels within minutes, wander through quiet shallow backwaters, swim with the dogs, look for manatees and rays, and then finish with lunch almost beside the launch.
For a casual Pinellas Paddlers day — especially when the goal is more fun and exploration than mileage — it is hard to beat.
A favorite reminder that fits days like this: live your dreams, take the opportunities, and get out there while you can.
