Even with the advent of retail malls, recreational amenities and a plethora of entertainment options, residents of The Villages have not shied away from opportunities to appreciate the area’s natural beauty. The Villages Recreation and Parks’ outdoor excursions are as popular as ever, with the department organizing guided fishing, kayaking and wildlife tour experiences on the tranquil waters of Lake Sumter. The trips began in 2018 and were received with overwhelming enthusiasm, with weekly activity slots filling months in advance, with their popularity again resuming following a temporary pandemic-induced halt.
“It’s almost like we never left,” said Capt. David Weston, recreation leader of outdoor recreation for The Villages Recreation and Parks, who supervises the department’s activities. “There’s just been so many people taking advantage of the opportunities to get out and enjoy all that we have to offer.”
Residents and their visitors — up to four per group — may take a two-hour excursion on the 340-acre lake aboard an 18-foot catamaran as part of the guided fishing activity. The catch-and-release excursions include a guide, rod and reel, tackle and artificial bait — although experienced fisherman may bring their own equipment — with the $250 group outings producing tournament-like results.
“The fish are just off the charts,” said Gary Leonard of the Village Palo Alto, who went fishing with his wife Joanne recently. “It’s absolutely worth the money. The lake is just full of fish.”
The kayak adventure, which can accommodate parties of up to eight people, includes an expert guide, a single or tandem kayak, a paddle and a life jacket for each participant. Kayaking tours provide two hours of animal viewing for only $25 per person as they skim over the peaceful waters.
Nature trips on a pontoon boat around Lake Sumter are also available for $25 per person, up to four persons per trip, and include an expert guide who will impart knowledge of the local environment.
“I just love talking to the people who come aboard with us, just because they come from so many different places,” Weston said. “I’ve heard so many different stories and experiences, and that’s what makes it great.”
Since the COVID-19 epidemic began, Americans have been furiously seeking isolation and risk-averse forms of leisure, and these chances feed both a regional and national thirst for outdoor sporting experiences. Using end-of-year participation numbers from state wildlife agencies and other sources, at least 32 states reported a rise in some aspects of outdoor activities in 2020, with industry analysts expecting that trend to continue in data provided for 2021.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Sunshine State had some of the most significant gains in outdoor sports participation in 2020, with both fishing and hunting license distribution numbers reaching five-year highs (FWC).
“We’d like to say the increases are because people just love the great outdoors, but we all know how isolation and being indoors has forced us into doing different things,” Greg Workman, regional director and spokesman for the FWC, told The Villages Daily Sun. “But we also know that the hunting and fishing activities that individuals took part in, the boating outings that families took together, all of those moments meant something to those people. And in this pandemic, I think we’ve all found that we want to be closer to things that mean something to us.”
That message is mirrored by The Villages Recreation and Parks, which intends to continue hosting the trips — and to create new vacancies in the foreseeable future – so that even more people may participate.
”One of the great things about being in Recreation and Parks in creating more opportunities for our residents to enjoy their lives and living here,” said John Rohan, the recreation department’s director. “Offering this program allows our team to interact with our residents in an environmental setting that is complementary, yet different than our recreation centers. Our staff enjoys getting on the water with our residents and showcasing this element of outdoor recreation, which is a sampling of what our state offers year round.”
There is limited space and availability for outdoor trips with The Villages Recreation and Parks. For more information, visit your local regional recreation complex or go to district.gov and look under the “Departments” tab for “Recreation.”