Lake County, Florida, has plans to formalize and promote 135 miles of paddling trails for kayaking and canoeing.
Says the Orlando Sentinel:
On weekends, Lake County's waterways are full of people in kayaks and canoes. The savvier among them may know how to find help if they get lost or where to grab a bite to eat. But they might not know about the ghost town along the St. Johns River, the birds they might see or the fish they can catch. County officials hope a new program will change that and draw people from around the country to paddle the waterways, stay the night and spend some money.*
Paddling trails, or so-called "Blueways", are special because the experience has limited intrusion from loud powered motorboats, since the routes are can not be followed by the larger boats.
The county is taking request for waterproof guides that provide maps to the paddling trails and contain info on history, wildlife, weather, restaurants and lodging. If you want more info, contact the Lake County Government.
For more info, visit the Lake County Blueways homepage. (Click on pic to enlarge.)
*Reference: "Lake sees gold in 'blueways'", Orlando Sentinel 2/2/2005, by Etan Horowitz.