San Carlos Bay is a coastal bay in Lee County, Florida, forming a broad, shallow waterway between Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island. The primary and most detailed paddling access is through the San Carlos Bay-Bunche Beach Preserve, a 718-acre natural area featuring mangrove forests, salt flats, and sandy beaches. The main launch point is the Bunche Beach Paddle Craft Launch, accessible from the Outdoor Activity Center at the end of John Morris Road. This facility offers a dedicated launch, and paddlers can also put in along John Morris Road itself. A commercial outfitter, Kayak Excursions, operates at this location, providing kayak and SUP rentals and tours. Parking is paid, at a rate of two dollars per hour, and the preserve is open from dawn to dusk. The launch area provides two immediate route options: heading east under a bridge leads into a network of mangrove-lined canals and narrow mangrove tunnels, while heading west along a creek channel for about 0.3 miles brings you out into the open waters of San Carlos Bay.

Once on the bay, paddlers encounter a predominantly shallow environment, with much of the water less than four feet deep. The bay is tidal, and at low tide, extensive sandbars are exposed, which may require pulling kayaks over to reach isolated beach areas. Wind can be a significant factor on the open water, affecting conditions more than in the protected mangrove creeks. Currents in the deeper channels away from the shoreline can be tricky. The bay sees boat traffic, and a crossing to Sanibel Island is specifically noted as suitable for experienced kayakers only, typically in sea kayaks. The area is part of the marked 190-mile Great Calusa Blueway paddling trail, with Bunche Beach serving as a starting point for phases leading east into Estero Bay and west into Pine Island Sound. Popular short trips include paddling to nearby Fort Myers Beach, exploring the mangrove tunnels of Rock Creek, or cruising the natural shoreline to observe wading birds, shorebirds, pelicans, and fiddler crabs. Summer afternoons frequently bring thunderstorms, making morning departures advisable, and insects like no-see-ums can be prevalent at dawn and dusk.