While most people are familiar with Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center, few know about the other treasures of the Space Coast…

It’s nine a.m. The sun feels good on my face as it peeks in and out of the clouds. My fellow journalists and I have picked out our kayaks, loaded our cameras and gear and pushed off from the shore at the Indian River Lagoon. Our guide is Laurilee Thompson, owner of the popular Dixie Crossroads Restaurant in Titusville and a one-woman tour de force who has made it her mission in life to help protect the pristine environment that makes up the 140,000 acres of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Off in the distance I can see Shuttle Launch Pads 39A and B as well as the massive Vehicle Assembly Building that looms on the horizon. As we paddle our way towards Mullethead Island and its surrounding grass flats, cameras with telephoto lenses come out of watertight bags and start snapping away at more birds than I have ever seen in one location. Roseate Spoonbills, Blue Herons, Tri-colored Herons, Snowy Egrets, White Ibis, Brown Pelicans, and Double- crested Cormorants are all congregating on trees, on the shore and in the water. It is an incredible sight and those who have never seen any of these birds are awestruck.

As we drift in a little closer to shore and endeavor to become part of this timeless moment, the only sounds we hear are those made from our colorful friends. We linger for as long as possible trying hard not to disturb as most are watching us with a wary eye. After getting some great shots, we slowly paddle away and head toward Hanover Canal, a sheltered passageway between the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon and part of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Along the way, Thompson tells me about her background as a longline fishing boat skipper similar to the one played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in the movie The Perfect Storm. After spending 10 years as commercial fisherwoman, she had an awakening and realized that her efforts were directly contributing to the declining fish populations over the years. She comments on the encroaching development in the area and how it is adversely affecting the local wildlife and destroying many of the state’s most prized natural resources. Together with her restaurant, she pioneered the massive Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in 1997, which is now held every year in November.

As we creep quietly toward the boat dock we look for signs of manatees. Our eyes strain against the glare of the sun, looking for a nose poking just above the surface disguising the large body below. These gentle creatures are known to come right up to your kayak and nudge it with their snouts. Although we don’t find any on this day (too late in the season it seems as they seek out warmer waters), we do learn about stingrays, horseshoe crabs and mullet. About 30 yards away, one member of our group pulls a redfish from the waters and holds it up proudly for all to see.

Along the banks, mangroves line the water’s edge as they silently do their work as part of the food chain. Microorganisms feed on the decaying leaves of the mangroves and provide food for shrimp, crabs, snails, and worms. In turn, the latter become food for many species of fish that are part of this habitat. The roots of the red mangroves also provide oxygen and eliminate the salt, providing a solid foundation for the ecosystem.

As we turn around and head back to shore, we see two bottle-nosed dolphins playing off the point. We pause and watch them as they surface and dive. “There goes a Kingfisher!” shouts an excited writer as he points toward the trees. As I round the final sandbar, an Osprey lands about 20 feet away on a large branch. I hurriedly fumble for my camera—click, click, click. As I peer through my lens, I can see the bird’s golden eyes, and even though my kayak bumps the rocky shore, the Osprey pays me no mind. I snap a few more shots and then just watch as he spreads out his wings and eventually flies away.

It has been an unforgettable experience. This was only one of two rivers that we had the chance to experience. The other one was the winding Econlockhatchee. But that is a story for another day. Since I grew up in the city, I never had the opportunity to see what sorts of natural sights could be found in Florida besides the usual tourist attractions. But now I understand the passion that Thompson felt as I found myself becoming part of her cause in telling others about the wonders and majesty of this undiscovered part of Florida’s Space Coast.