Bryan Stockbridge quit his job in internet marketing in Virginia to embark on a career as an eco and kayak guide in Fort Myers, finding fulfillment along the waters of Southwest Florida’s Great Calusa Blueway.
Life as a kayak guide on the Great Calusa Blueway. Image by The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
Before Bryan Stockbridge and his wife Diana purchased Gulf Coast Kayak six-and-a-half years ago, he didn’t have a ton of experience on the water. “It was a big leap of faith,” he told Lonely Planet. “We were living up in northern Virginia and saw a listing for the business online and we thought ‘let’s give it a go’. It seemed like a nice way to make a living.”
Kayakers make their way through mangrove tunnels. Image by Gulf Coast Kayak
At the time, Bryan was working in internet marketing and Diana was working as a social worker with underprivileged children in the Washington DC area. But they both shared a passion for the outdoors, being active and helping people learn new skills. Bryan was especially drawn to water and the idea of working along the Great Calusa Blueway (a 190-mile network of kayaking routes through The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel that takes in wildlife reserves, sandy beaches, mangrove islands in the Gulf of Mexico) was particularly appealing.
There’s a great chance to see wildlife from herons to bald eagles and manatees along the Great Calusa Blueway. Image by The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
So they packed their bags and moved to Southwest Florida, aware of the risk they were taking but confident it would work out. They studied the waters, the tides and the local ecology. They got to know the locals and tourists, making new friends and customers along the way. Bryan trained to become an ACA level-two kayak instructor, kayak eco-guide and kayak fishing-guide. They expanded their team and before long, life on the water felt like home.
Rainbow afternoons on the water. Image by Gulf Coast Kayak
“We do put in a lot of hours and work very hard but being able to make a living on the water is very rewarding,” says Bryan. “Taking people who have kayaked before and bringing them into our world, showing them the beauty of the Great Calusa Blueway is really special. We’re surrounded by nature and wildlife and they get to see dolphins up-close and manatees. The pure joy visitors get from the experience is just incredible to see.”
The people who work and play along the Great Calusa Blueway are a tight-knit community and they’re all committed to protecting and maintaining the waterways. Throughout the years, Bryan and the Gulf Coast Kayak team have been involved in regular clean-up efforts in the Blueway, along with local boy scouts and programs such as Keep Lee County Beautiful and the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program (MRRP).
Dolphins can be spotted in the waters here, much to the delight of visitors. Image by Gulf Coast Kayak
It’s a far cry from their life in Virginia but Bryan and Diana say they’ve found fulfillment in their new way of life and wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It gets you away from the daily grind, from the distractions, from the noises,” says Bryan. “It’s completely still and peaceful when you’re out on the water, paddling through those mangrove tunnels. It’s just a completely different world down here.”
This article was produced in collaboration with The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel and written to reflect Lonely Planet’s policy of editorial independence and impartiality.
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