Today, I checked off a baby bucket list item: bioluminescent kayaking with BK Adventure. The journey certainly was an adventure from the start—taking us over three hours to get to the east coast of Florida, with rain and fog patches making it feel like the odds weren’t in our favor. The forecast even called for thunderstorms right at 8 p.m., the exact same time that our tour was supposed to start. The sun set fast since summer solstice is so far away, and by 7pm, dusk was quickly escaping. Yet we continued to drive on, across the state, up i95, and toward the Kennedy Space Center. We finally arrived at a remote wildlife refuge to pitch black everything. Pitch black porta-potty’s . A pitch black body of water. And yes, we were about to kayak out into the brackish waters of “Mosquito Lagoon” under the pitch black night sky of the new moon. Fun but spooky fact: this brackish water was home to both alligators and sharks!
We eventually set out into the warm, windy night, paddling hard to keep up with our guide and the rest of the kayaks. The winds were strong, pushing us, but as we continued from the lagoon toward the intercostal, we began to see shimmers of gold dust under our glass-like watercraft. Glittering particles sparkled as the water rushed below our clear kayaks. Every paddle stroke lit up the water, leaving trails of shimmery Disney magic in our wake. I loved touching the slimy comb jellies that lit up like fireflies, and my daughter insisted that it looked like all the stars that belong in the sky fell into the water. What an accurate and imaginative observation because tonight I felt like I boated through a sea of diamonds.
On our way to our Airbnb, hunger hit hard since we’d skipped dinner. Thinking we’d have to settle for fast food, we were surprised to spot the Moonlight Drive-In, a classic diner from 1964, the perfect pit stop for a car full of wet, tired adventurers. From the comfort of our car, we ordered burgers and milkshakes, grateful to refuel before heading off to rest.
Nights like these make it impossible to question whether something greater is at work. Somehow, we dodged storms, embraced beautiful weather, enjoyed a mesmerizing night on glowing waters, and found the perfect place dining accommodation at just the right moment. It was the kind of night that fills you with gratitude, serving as a reminder that these are the moments and memories worth living for.