Chaotic Calm

The Maze Through the Mangroves kayaking tour is one of AJ’s most popular to tourists, though he dabbles in paddle boarding and snorkeling tours, as well. Mangroves are various types of trees that grow in the tropics and subtropics, but they can thrive virtually anywhere, from fresh water to salt water to brackish water, which is somewhere in between. They often grow so large that they form canopies that shield you completely from the sun. The Florida peninsula is one of the only places in the continental United States to have mangroves. AJ’s tour is marketed as a “maze through the mangroves” for good reason. It would be easy to get lost.
AJ is the only person who allows people to drink on his kayak tours and encourages his guests to do so. He is unencumbered by the liabilities that bigger tour groups have to keep in mind, because he just doesn’t give a shit about that crap; he wants us to have a good time. That being said, the expanse of glittering, undrinkable salt water makes a water bottle seem more appealing than the Landshark beer that is offered. AJ doesn’t wear a watch, so don’t book any early dinner reservations.
As we cruise through the pristine waters of the Florida Keys, AJ deftly avoids each obscured root and rock, while still managing to spot and identity every marine sea creature under the sea. My kayak continually lags behind with much less grace than that of my grizzled counterpart’s. AJ lights a cigarette.
Kayak Kings of Key West markets itself on Trip Advisor as a multipronged, personal experience. Each kayak or paddleboard tour is designed to fit the customer’s needs. Often, the tours are comprised of only two people. The price for a mangrove maze tour is $50, without tip. AJ's girlfriend works for the Fury Water Sports Company. They reap the rewards of Key West’s year round spring break attitude. Fury offers booze cruises, snorkeling, and more booze cruises. You know what to expect if you sign up for one of Fury’s tours: a large conglomeration of glassy eyed undergrads coming straight from a pregame, ready to slurp up every last drop of mysterious jungle juice on deck. The boats follow specific trajectories and return to dock at the same time for every tour. Fury is a corporate company that capitalizes on the natural beauty of Key West. They are precisely the sort of mass consumer experience that AJ fights against. AJ's business motto is: “Kayak Kings of Key West…Get off the beaten path.” I would advise everyone to do the same.