Ted Sperling / South Lido
South coast launch
Ted Sperling / South Lido is a south-coast kayak and paddleboard launch, free to park, clearest on an incoming tide.
The most famous mangrove tunnels in the region, and worth every bit of the reputation. Ted Sperling Park sits at the south end of Lido Key in Sarasota, and the paddle trails lead into a 100-acre maze of red mangrove channels so dense in places the canopy closes overhead and the water turns green-gold from the filtered light. Brushy Bayou opens into wider lagoons where dolphins surface and 200+ bird species have been recorded. The park is sheltered from almost every wind direction. When the open bay is whitecapping, you can still paddle here in calm water. There's an outfitter on-site that rents boards if you don't have your own, and a map at the launch shows the four main trail loops. Don't skip the longest loop.
Where do I park, and is it free?
- Cost
- Free
- Parking
- Ample
Free Sarasota County park with ample parking (busy on weekends), restrooms, a rinse station, and an on-site outfitter that rents boards. The mangrove tunnels are sheltered from almost any wind, so it is the go-to when the open bay is rough. Best beginner spot in the south.
How clear is the water?
Tunnels stay shaded and clear; incoming tide brightens Brushy Bayou
What will I see?
- Dolphins in the channels, 200+ bird species
- Manatees push into the bay
What's the fishing like?
Snook, redfish, and trout in the mangrove tunnels; sheepshead and mangrove snapper around the roots.
What about the current?
Current readings come from Big Sarasota Pass (NOAA, about 0.7 mi away). The station sits just outside the launch, so treat it as a nearby reading.
How do I share the water here?
These hundred acres of red mangrove channels are nursery and shelter for the 200-plus bird species and the dolphins and manatees that push into the bay. Stay in the marked channels and the paddle-trail loops instead of forcing a way through the mangrove roots or the shallow grass, and swing a wide arc around any roosting birds rather than paddling them up. If a manatee comes through, hold still and let it pass, since by law it is passive observation only.