For my first time kayaking, Frank at Islamorada Key Kayak Rentals let me ride all day for $25. I paddled for 7 hours (a total of 3 miles).

I spent half the time kayaking around Indian Key -- an old Indian site, preserved to reflect their way of living more than 100 years ago.

The other half of the time was spent paddling through the shallow mangroves, which was very peaceful!

However, to get from one to the other, I had to cross through the middle of the deep blue sea, and at one point my heart stopped beating when I literally FLIPPED my kayak 2 miles out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!

There were no boats, no other people in sight for miles, and I briefly feared for my life -- afraid sharks were going to eat me alive (or at least snack on my dangling legs).

I had never "righted" a kayak before, but I managed to hoist my wet self back up into the kayak by myself. Then I just sat there, motionless and in shock, for a long time -- absorbing what had just happened!