{"id":149,"date":"2017-07-18T11:33:21","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T11:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/?p=149"},"modified":"2021-12-01T19:52:30","modified_gmt":"2021-12-01T19:52:30","slug":"kayaking-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bootsnotroots.com\/kayaking-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"Kayaking and snorkeling sea caves in Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I first started planning the hubby\u2019s 30th birthday to Portugal one of the first pictures I stumbled across were the caves in Lagos. I started researching how to see these caves from the water and found a few different tour companies offering boat rides. We already had a boat trip planned and wanted to do something more adventurous. Enter Kayak Adventures<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since this trip was a complete surprise for the hubs I didn\u2019t tell him we were going kayaking in advance. I was certain he had been kayaking before and would love it. Word to the wise: Before signing your partner up for a 3 hours kayaking tour you should ask them if they have ever been kayaking.. #woops<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As can be seen by this video (woohoo for my very first ever youtube video!) we managed with only bumping into a few things and saying a few bad words. \ud83d\ude42 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Logistics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a few different tours you can do with Kayak Adventures. We opted for the 1:30 p.m. 3-hour tour which cost around \u20ac35\/person. There is parking about 10 minutes away and the company provides you with a waterproof bag to keep all of your belongings in during the tour. You should bring sunscreen, water, your bathing suit (we all kayaked in just our suits), and sunglasses. I also brought water shoes but didn\u2019t end up using them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kayaking<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

And we\u2019re off!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we ever got into the boats the guides did a great job explaining to us the various safety rules and what to do if you got too tired to keep going. There is a boat that follows alongside in case anything goes wrong or they need to pull you due to fatigue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kayaking<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

After the briefing, we quickly started moving into the open sea. The water is super calm so you won\u2019t need to be in a traditional sea kayak and we were never afraid of being tipped over due to the waves. The only thing that causes choppiness are the boats roaming around throughout the caves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kayaking<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Kayaking through caves<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After a bit of practice kayaking through the open sea it\u2019s time to try maneuvering into your very first cave. We were really bad at this. I mean really bad. But, the paddles and the kayaks themselves are surprisingly sturdy and with a little pushing off from the rocks we managed just fine. Jump back to the fact that the hubs had never been kayaking and I am a novice at best and you can understand why we weren\u2019t very good at this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kayaking<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Despite being TERRIBLE at navigating through the caves they were absolutely amazing. The rocks had this perfect yellow color, the water was a mesmerizing turquoise, and we had the brightest blue skies. Ah, pure perfection. I mean you can\u2019t make up the color of that water. Pure beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kayaking<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Snorkeling at the beach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Kayaking<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

After kayaking around for about an hour and a half it was time to head over to our own private beach and enjoy some time relaxing and\/or snorkeling. Pro Tip:<\/strong> Bring a towel with you so that you can lay out in the sun while here. The water is COLD and although I was pretty hot from kayaking, there was no way you could convince me to snorkel. However, if you are into snorkeling this water is ridiculously clear leading to perfect conditions for adventuring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since I was too afraid to snorkel, my husband thought it would be funny to throw me into the water. I got a cool shot of it from the GoPro though so I guess I can\u2019t complain. It should be noted that there will be severe payback for this in the future when he least expects it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kayaking<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

After your time playing at the beach, it\u2019s time to head back to the starting point. I thought this would be a leisurely paddle, but it felt rushed and if I did it all over again I would have opted to be pulled by the boat instead of paddling all of the ways back. After all we were on vacation, not in a fitness class. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pros<\/h3>\n\n\n\n