Route Planning Questions: 6 day Chatham R loop

[david blumberg]

hi,

we hope to launch Sunday 2/26 for a 5nt/6 day loop (counter clockwise) thru Chatham R.  Hi tide that morning is 5 am...Is block ice available in EG City or Choko?

My next question:  should we take Rabbit Key Pass or Choko Pass to get into the Gulf? By my rough reckoning Choko Pass is about a mile longer to Rabbit Key.

Is it reasonable to try to reach Pavilion Key the first day, or should we stop at Rabbit for the first night?  we will have 3 loaded tandem canoes...

Other contemplated stops include Mormon Key, and the Watson Place.

From Watson's it looks like about 9 miles to the Crooked R. chickee, and no intermediate camping sites.  A question:  after leaving Watson's going upstream, there is a 90 degree turn to the left heading up to Huston Bay.  Is this navigable, and preferable to going straight up Chatham R, then bearing NW?

We might do a layover day somewhere along the route.  any places to avoid or select for that?

thanks again for any advice...

david

[Keith W]

Some answers:

"...should we take Rabbit Key Pass or Choko Pass to get into the Gulf? By my rough reckoning Choko Pass is about a mile longer to Rabbit Key." Take your pick, either one is ok and they both have about the same amount of motorboat traffic. Getting through Rabbit Key Pass can be a little trickier on a low tide.

"Is it reasonable to try to reach Pavilion Key the first day, or should we stop at Rabbit for the first night?  we will have 3 loaded tandem canoes..." If you and your party are reasonably experienced paddlers then you should have no problem reaching Pavilion Key in a day. Leaving Choko at 7 AM I am able to get to Pavilion by noon or 1 PM if the weather is good.

"...  after leaving Watson's going upstream, there is a 90 degree turn to the left heading up to Huston Bay.  Is this navigable, and preferable to going straight up Chatham R, then bearing NW?" Yes and yes. You might also consider detouring through House Hammock Bay and visit Liquor Still Bay if you have some extra time. There is typically less boat traffic in House Hammock Bay than in Huston and Oyster Bays. Anything that gets you off the magenta line and away from the trail markers enhances the wilderness experience.

Others here will have many more ideas and alternatives for you to consider.

[Kim Gass]

Welcome David! Right across the road from the Gulf Coast Ranger station is a store that sells fishing stuff and way more booze than anyone needs. Yes there was ice there two years ago.

Dont miss the hardware store in town. It is interesting pickings You might find something  useful. There also is a grocery store on a side street but as of two years ago it was a bit thin on stock.

I have  used both Chokoloskee and Rabbit Key Pass and if you pay attention to your charts you should have no  trouble on either though Rabbit Key is trickier at low tide with more mud flats.  Paddle hard and early and getting to Pavilion should not be a problem. I would get the permit the day before for Pavilion. Listen to your weather radio first. Listen to it again in the morning and if the winds are going to kick up early you may well be able alter to Rabbit Key. The early birds at the Ranger Station usually get what they want.

I like both Mormon Key and Watsons for different reasons. They are kind of close together so I have not done them on the same trip.

Yes there is a river just above Watsons that turns to the left. Use it. It is very nice and avoids the potential waves of Last Huston Bay. There is almost no exposed paddling on Huston Bay,. Winds up..dart back down to House Hammock Bay which is calmer. Stay on the sides. Its shallow. Ergo not powerboat friendly. I find that bay quite appealing with the narrow outlet to Sunday Bay.. There is also a twisty creek between House Hammock and Oyster that looks interesting. I have not done it.

If you were going to have a layover day and the weather was favorable with quiet winds, I recommend Mormon Key. You can investigate south to Turkey and New Turkey Key.

Keith which is Liquor Still Bay? Is it one of those off House Hammock?

[Michael Waldman]

I am doing a similiar route next month. I am heading out for a five nighter. Crooked Creek Chickee-Watsons Place-New Turkey Key- Up Charley Creek-Darwins Place or Sweetwater Chickee-back to Crooked Creek. Depending on Tides/winds but that is the route as of now. Any suggestions?

[Keith W]

Michael, how about asking your questions in a separate post? You will get better results that way and avoid a great deal of confusion as people try to figure out which questions are being asked and answered.