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Cockroach Bay Padding Trails

Cockroach Bay is located in Ruskin, Florida in lower Tampa Bay. Despite years of abuse from mining and farming, the State and County have taken significant steps in the last decade to preserve and enhance the Bay (click here for an excellent example). It is now a near pristine aquatic preserve with an astounding number of islands and winding mangrove trails. There are many isolated parts of the Bay, far away from the power boats, where you can become lost in an endless maze of islands and trails. You can paddle there 20 times and still stumble across hidden inlets populated with abundant birds and fish. Cockroach Bay also provides several different types of paddling opportunities from exploring thick mangrove trails, to gliding through open bays, to distance paddles around Tampa Bay.

There is not a great deal of information available on how to navigate Cockroach Bay, especially on the Internet. These pages are intended to provide a source for maps, trails and other information on the Bay.

1. Things to keep in mind if you paddle Cockroach Bay Things to watch for, suggested equipment to take along, tide reports, etc.
2. Trip Reports Learning to navigate Cockroach Bay takes time and I'm still only a novice in paddling this area, so I've documented my learning experience in a series of reports.
3. Resources Several maps to help out understanding and navigating Cockroach Bay. Includes copies of the Little Cockroach Bay Canoe Trail
4. Suggested Paddles Several suggested paddle trips for the Cockroach Bay region varying from the easy to challenging.
5. Links Other sources for information on Cockroach Bay

Why isn't Cockroach Bay more actively used by recreational kayakers compared to places like Fort Desoto or Weedon Island? My guess:

Cockroach Bay is already heavily used by local fisherman and, with the loss of several public boat ramps on the east side of Tampa Bay, there is mounting pressure on the remaining facilities such as the Cockroach Bay Boat Ramp. The State and County already have their hands full meeting the needs of the fisherman and there are limited funds and land available for other forms of recreation. Cockroach Bay does not lend itself to be developed as a 'tourist' attraction with reliable marked trails, numerous camping sites, wide beaches, plentiful well-maintained restrooms, etc. There is only one direct access to the Bay, a simple boat ramp, and there are no plans to improve it. The Bay's charm rests in its wildness and the government seems intent to leave it that way.

If you put this all together - the State and County have done a great job of creating an aquatic preserve area for fishermen. If you want to use it as a recreational kayaker, you are more than welcome, but don't expect any amenities or hand holding.