By: Mike Hammond
There are still a few “Old Florida” marinas out there. Places where people who make their living on the water hangout with tourists, friendly dogs are welcome, and the nautical antiques were actually new when nailed to the wall. One of these places is the Mullock Creek Marina, located just off 41 in the San Carlos area. Many paddlers are not even aware of this launch.
Launch fees are accessed at $10 per parked vehicle. This is great for families like mine who usually have one vehicle and several paddlecraft. Live bait, ice, snacks and bottled water is available for purchase before paddling. Other beverages are available for when you’re done paddling. We launched from the concrete boat ramp since the water was a little too low to use the dock.
It is a little less than a two-mile paddle from the marina to the point where Mullock and Hendry Creeks meet and empty into the northeast corner of Estero Bay. There are several little lagoons, unnamed creeks, and sandbars to explore within a mile of the launch. We turned up the first fairly wide side creek and followed it until the creek narrowed to the point a sea kayak could not turn around. Several species of herons and egrets were spotted along the way.
Mullock Creek is a wide mangrove lined open creek with almost no canopy. Plan for direct sun for most of the paddle. Also, the creek has blind spots and smaller boat traffic. Although the speed zone is slow all year, be prepared to get to the side of the creek if you hear a boat approaching.
After your paddle there is a covered pavilion with tables, outdoor bar, corn hole and Bimini ring game setup at the marina. There is also a grassy area with a hose nearby to rinse off your yaks. It was nice for the kids to have things to do while I loaded the gear.
The Old Florida marinas and fish camps seem to be disappearing quickly and I was recently told the Mullock Creek Marina is for sale. Who knows the future of this funky waterside hangout? All I know for sure is we can launch there now and we plan on taking advantage of it for as long as possible!
