The park’s kayaks had been carefully aligned in orderly rows, shining bright yellow and orange under a layer of morning dew. My friend Margaret and I picked up life jackets and paddles from the ranger station and then picked up our watercraft.

The land within the park is made up of multiple islands, including Fat Deer Key, Deer Key, Little Point Key, and Little Crawl Key, where the campground and most park amenities are located. In addition to mangrove stands, the park also protects seagrass beds and other unique ecosystems. The strong winds that can spring up offshore also make the waters on the Atlantic Ocean side of the park popular with windsurfers and kiteboarders, and we saw quite a few visitors pull up into the parking lot and begin assembling their gear.

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