Checklist for Beach Day:
Sunscreen ✓
Sunnies ✓
Towel ✓
Water ✓
On September 19th, 2026, I went on an adventure with USF’s Outdoor Recreation crew.
My day started out early, with a 7:00 am departure time (caffeine was definitely needed). When I arrived at Lot 6 behind the Rec Center, I was met with three group leaders, Bruna, Leila, and Nico. They quickly got us checked in and once we had signed our waivers, we were ready to hit the road. We drove down to the Dunedin Causeway so that we could launch our kayaks and head towards Caladesi Island. It’s an hour drive from USF, but it goes fast with good music and conversation! Our guides also offered us plenty of snacks to get us pumped up and ready for kayaking.
Once we got to Dunedin and our kayak launch spot, our guides started unloading our gear: kayaks, life jackets (safety is key!!), paddles, and dry bags. While everything was being set up for the perfect launch, one of the guides, Bruna, walked us through some name games (a little silly but effective at helping us remember names and breaking the ice), stretches (loosen up our muscles to get ready for kayaking), safety instructions, and tips for beginners. While I’ve been kayaking before, it’s always good to hear and see safety instructions again. Once that was done, we were ready to set off to Caladesi Island. There was a slight breeze in the air, but the water was calm and the sun was shining! It was literally the perfect day to go out to the beach and kayak!
We were grouped in pairs and our instructors were in the front, middle, and back of our group to keep an eye on us and to help if we needed anything. We were guided through the channel that separates Dunedin from Caladesi Island and it probably took us about 20 minutes to kayak. Caladesi Island is also a State Park. It is only accessible by boat and is part of the Clean Marina Act. The Clean Marina Act aims to keep Florida’s water clean and to reduce water pollution. This is evident at Caladesi as it was possibly one of the cleanest beaches I’ve been to. We were advised also by USF Outdoor Rec to leave no trace, i.e., pick up after ourselves, don’t take any shells home, and to leave everything at Caladesi as if we were never there. It’s honestly such a great policy and I can see that it works!
Caladesi is home to a white-sand beach filled with lots of shells and beautiful blue-green water. The water was cool but felt so refreshing after being in the hot sun. I swam in the water and walked along the beach to see all the sights at Caladesi. Our lunch was to make our own wraps (yummy!) alongside chips, dips, and fruit. We also had the holy grail of a CapriSun to top off our lunch. We all then swam for a couple more hours before kayaking back to Dunedin. Our ride back to campus was filled with good music (Island in the Sun by Weezer, need I say more?) and treats. Chips Ahoy for the win!
I definitely would recommend this experience to any students looking to get more into the outdoors. It was a wonderful experience where you can actually be present with nature. USF Outdoor Rec has so many more things planned for the semester. I hope other students will try things out and take a chance. You might make a new friend and gain a new experience under your belt! Going out into nature as a college student is so important for our mental and physical health. Vitamin D deficiency is real, even in Florida. It’s also a great way to recharge before going into more coursework, midterms, or finals. I had such a great time and can’t wait until I can go again!
