Jacksonville Outdoor Activities

Situated near the flourishing wildlife of Big Pottsburg Creek, All Wet Sports stocks an arsenal of boards, boats, and apparel for careening across both land and sea. Kayaks, surfboards, and skateboards line the shop’s walls for purchase or rent, and more challenging activities such as windsurfing, kiteboarding, wakeboarding, and standup paddleboarding are made understandable for eager adventurers by a crew of deft instructors. On their chosen mode of transport, customers venture into the placid waters of Big Pottsburg Creek, teeming with such inhabitants as ospreys, manatees, and unemployed Disney characters.

Nestled in the scenic shadows of the Smoky Mountains, Bent Creek Golf Course's 18-hole layout stretches across 6,182 yards of fairways that rise and fall among rolling foothills and pristine valleys. Golf legend and course designer Gary Player made deft use of a babbling mountain stream by running it through the course and seamlessly uniting two distinct nines: a front nine that sprawls across the valley floor and a back nine that roams the hilly mountainside like a forlorn sasquatch. The overall effect is a course that does justice to both the sheer scope of the rising peaks with bottom-up views and the panoramic splendor of Great Smoky Mountains National Park when seen from the cresting hilltops of the back-nine. The inventive layout is perhaps best characterized by the 11th hole, a 362-yard par 4 where a 90-degree dogleg-left plays into a green completely surrounded by the creek's rippling waters. A blend of bent and bermuda grasses grows resiliently for golfers striving to play all year-round, and fragrant wildflowers blossom at every tee to warm the hearts of world-weary nine-irons.

Bent Creek bolsters the pin-hunting prowess of its golfers with a staff of PGA-certified instructors that conducts lessons and presides over the domain of their full-service pro shop. A practice putting green helps players trim their score by reading dicey slopes, and the Creek Side Grill hosts postround revelry and community gatherings to decry the historical hardships of the mashie niblick.:m]]

Course at a Glance:

• Designed by three-time Masters and British Open Champion Gary Player
• Bermuda-and-bent-grass combination
• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,182 yards from the farthest tees
• Three tee options
• Link to scorecard

Waves aren't created equal—each rolls in differently than the ones preceding and following it, which explains why surfers often lie on their boards, studying the waters in anticipation of the next worthy wave. Reading the waves is one skill; popping up on the board to catch a wave is another. The instructors of Saltwater Cowgirls teach youth and adult students both skills in year-round private individual and group lessons. Students also learn basic through advanced maneuvers and board maintenance, such as what vitamins boards need for shiny coats. The staff organizes weekday and weekend surfing camps, meeting up with students directly on the beach.

The instructors at KGB Kiteboarding empower their students to skate over the ocean's waves, propelled only by a high-flying kite and a large board. The staff teaches lessons at Jacksonville Beach and Huguenot Park for every experience level, from beginners to advanced boarders. During each session, they handpick gear to suit varying builds, riding styles, and weather conditions, walking their pupils through equipment setup and safety guidelines. Whether they are imparting basic launch techniques or teaching experts how to surf with a blimp in lieu of a kite, they welcome anyone to observe their training and ask questions on the beach. They also stock their own brand of boards, harnesses, and fins. With year-round private and group seminars, they encourage their clientele to tame the surf regardless of the season.

After the tidal surge, 5 feet of water settled over the main office. Splintered fragments from 22 yachts floated by the docks and lay strewn across the highway. Investment advisor and maritime aficionado Don Shapray gazed toward the now-tame seas, surveying his crippled fleet. Though he and his business weathered 1983's Hurricane Alicia, he knew he couldn't stay in Houston. Memories of weather reports touting calm waters and seasonable heat called him to Jacksonville, where he rebuilt his sailing academy from the ground up. Nearly 30 years later, he's instructed more than 15,000 students in the art of sailing keelboats and sailboats. A team of certified captains helps him train students aboard a fleet of Sonar 23 and Precision 15 boats, each lightweight enough to allow for drag races against other boat gangs with names such as The US Coast Guard.

Southern Sailing's experienced captains sail year-round, but conduct their summertime lessons and cruises at night to avoid the brunt of the day's heat and seasonal storms. They teach sailors to navigate the St. Johns River's calmer waters, drifting up or downstream as the evening wind permits past trees, docks, and riverfront homes. Though they guide novice sailors through basic sailing overviews, instructors can also certify them through a 12-hour bareboat sailing program that begins with an educational DVD starring Don Shapray himself. In each on-water lesson, instructors coach students one-on-one, allowing for personal attention and hands-on instruction. When not teaching, captains ferry visitors through the waterways on chartered cruises, or help customers find their sea legs among a fleet of small yachts.