Alligator Creek overnight

[Michael Palozzola]

I am looking to get my feet wet for camping by kayak. I was looking at possibly doing this site but the comments I read on Everglades Diaries about many gators and crocs present makes me hesitant. I was wondering possibly a stupid question. How do you keep the gators away from the site at night safely?

[vivian]

The Thermacell DOES NOT work against the no see ums FYI.  It somewhat works on the skeeters but not as well as it does on my patio at sunset.  If there is any wind at all it's useless but I still bring it along.  Best defense is bug jacket, long pants, wool socks and 100 % deet on strategic places like cuffs of shirts, underside of hat brim, bandana or Buff and on socks.

[Kim Gass]

I am not aware of too many backpacking tents with only no seeum netting. Perhaps big car camping tents  that you might buy at Gander Mountain or WalMart do.

Uh we have no seeums here too. so its not a North South thing.  My tent was covered with no seeums on the outside. at East Cape.. So when I opened up the door..of course some came in.

This is the remains of those that died and dried on the tent in the AM.

[Sarah Orman]

So, my impression is that winter is supposed to be less buggy and muddy. Is the message I'm getting here that it is soooo bad in the summer that less in the winter is still miserable and hard to deal with?

[Kim Gass]

Mud comes with low tide. You just can't escape it.  Bugs seem to increase in late March, but my experience is with three March and six January trips.  They can be a problem at dusk and dawn in sheltered spots.  January has about half dark and half light. So you can get a lot of sleep.  In March I always pitch my tent if possible where there is cross exposure to a breeze no matter which way it comes from.

Last January we camped at NW and East Cape and Lane and Watson and Shark River and Harney River Broad River and Highland Beach and Graveyard Creek  The latter being the most sheltered was the most problematic and we pulled out the bug jackets. Yet on Highland we star gazed with no bug protection.

I have not brought one but wonder if anyone ever brings a fan?

The no seeums seem to go crazy when the heat comes.   If you are paddling soon, remember I always bring cold weather. We will go in on the 25th.

[Sarah Orman]

We will just miss you. We head in next Thursday. I have my bug suit and a tent with (I think) adequate no-see-um mesh. I am bringing an old pair of tennies for the mud and backpacker-type meals for little trash. I have backpacked where there are no potties and can't wait to see my first crocodilian of whatever type. Thanks to everyone for all the great advice. I may have a few more questions before I fly out on Wednesday, so stay tuned.:)

[Kim Gass]

Sarah just be sure your tennies won't pull off..There is nothing quite as exasperating than digging in a mudhole for a lost shoe. Especially if its your only pair!

I don't think you will be plagued by bugs. Not much different than BWCA late in July.

I have a question though for the No Seeum attacks.. Somewhere there is a good bug spray for no seeums that does not have DEET.. I have covered myself in DEET and those buggers ignore it. I have been told baby oil with DEET might work better? I don't know.  Or Avon Skin so Soft which I can never find.

[Sarah Orman]

Better off in hiking boots, do you think?

[daniel]

not to throw an extra wrench into it, but also think about big cold fronts... you might wanna bring some warm clothes... so far it has been really mild. but i have been back there when it was literally 34 in the tent... yes, in the glades. it wasn't fun. i was wearing every piece of clothing i brought, plus my rain gear... 

[Sarah Orman]

Oh, I'm from MN. I would never camp without warm clothes!

[daniel]

right on, just never know with people thinking south florida is always 90 degrees... sometimes it's not. have fun.

[vivian]

Sarah, just bring dive booties or canvas lace up sneakers like the old school converse others here have mentioned. I wear Teva sling kings that don't come off easily. One thing that I found feels great is to wear my backpacking liner socks. Keeps my feet warm and wicks moisture away.

[Kim Gass]

Oddly enough also being a Northerner, I always bring wool hats and sox and gloves and usually have extra. I have lent it out to Floridians at Watsons and Mormon..seems they were not expecting it to be 32. Ice!

It goes both ways! A friend of mine from Ontario who has camped in the Arctic made the false assumption that FL is always warm!.  No you won't like the hiking boots, Sarah.  But please, no open toed sandals either. There are more oyster bars at the north end of the park., but even so an oyster can slice your toe open.  Another ditto for liner socks. 

But in camp should you meet the sandbur grass, you will appreciate good soles on your shoes.

There is so much native fauna that is so foreign to us..so every trip to me is another bit of something to learn.