Shark River Slough and L-67

[Terry]

The airboat trail is obvious at 39'60" N and 42'25" W, just west
of the large hammock. When I was out there in October I could
not find the trail heading west from that point as it appears
on GoggleEarth, in fact, there were some thick areas up toward
Vulture Hammock. But from that point it's a highway all the
way down to Bottle Creek, Rookery Branch.

Now that that's established, run out GoggleEarth so that you get
both the new end of L-67 (where they pushed the levee back in)
and the point where the airboat trail is obvious all on your
computer screen at once.
Oh my, does that look inviting.
Francis Taylor Wildlife Management Area and L-67 is an excellent
slough starting point but we've been breaking out of the canal
very close to Tamiami Trail just because it's open to the
grass up in that area, easy and I managed to go to Canepatch
staying in the canoe without getting my feet wet.

The end of L-67 levee has been pushed out wider, they staged all the
machinery there when they filled in the canal, it is very much
like, identical to, Ernest Coe and Ingraham backcountry sites.
You know where this is heading: a levee road to service it, all
the end of L-67 needs is to be designated as a backcountry site,
a piss pit and maybe a picnic table. Slough travelers have the
Francis Taylor Management Area to park at and an easy paddle
down the canal to get themselves prepared for an early morning
run down the slough to Canepatch. This is very do-able, I did
it in one day starting all the way up at Tamiami Trail and
losing a lot of time getting stuck in thick grass between
Vulture Hammock and that hammock where the airboat trail starts.

Now run GoggleEarth in and focus on the short southwest distance
between the new end of L-67 and the hammock. I have not probed
that area west of L-67 but look at the little creeky
looking slot coming off L-67 just a hundredish
feet north of the end of the levee.
I have probed the west side of L-67 down in that area and did
not find an obvious opening, however, that was before having
these aerials and knowing that the airboat trail starts just
southwest of that point, very powerful incentives to probe
a little harder.

If there is anyplace that screams for exploration!!
This is a super easy afternoon probe, from Miami you can be
paddling in L-67 in less than 45 minutes. This can easily
be explored out to the airboat trail in one day.

I know what you're thinking, this is the same nut-cake that
has been pushing for documenting a short route through
the Lost Portage. And after a couple of times beating ourselves
up trying to find the Lost Portage you're apprehensive, but
it's an addiction, an obsession.
If anybody beats me out there there's only one requirement:
a full report on gladesgodeep.

[Terry]

I spent Saturday working at Shark Valley clearing over grown vegetation on the side of the roadway
and had time to study and think about airboat ramp at Shark Valley.
A number of months ago I informally started mentioning using the airboat trails for canoe trails
to park officials. The idea was not rejected. Considering that paddlers can go almost anywhere
they want anyway, we're already using the airboat trails. The airboat trails make perfect canoe
trails, they have common desired routes and they are already marked.
The airboat ramp at Shark Valley would make an excellent canoe launch. Using this ramp would
put canoers right on the airboat trail heading down to Canepatch, it also would cut out enough miles
from Tamiami Trail to make the trip a one day advanced trip instead of a one day super advanced trip -
it's about 33 miles from Tamiami Trail/L-67 to Canepatch.
Another airboat ramp that is perfect for canoe launching is the one at Pine Island. This one puts you right
on the Taylor Slough Trail which ends up at Nine Mile Pond only 21 miles to the southwest and
it even passes within a half mile of Ernest Coe Campsite. Possibilities scream here.
There are concerns of safety, an airboat not seeing a canoe and being able to get to paddlers for rescue
but it's hard to imagine an airboat 'sneaking' up on a paddler to run them over when you can hear them
for miles. Not only that but have any of us seen an airboat on those trails?
Rescue is a concern but we go anywhere anyway.
The nice thing about this visitor enhancement proposal is it's all there with no additional costs. Implementing
a permit for airboat ramp/trail users would let them know who's on the trails and when. It would help the
paddlers by allowing us to get on the trails fast without finding them. And from a management perspective
having paddlers on an already dedicated trail is better than off the trail.

At this point this is just an idea but an easy idea to implement. The more an idea like this is supported by
the park paddlers the more it will get attention. Thoughts?

[Keith W]

At this point this is just an idea but an easy idea to implement.

I don't know about Pine Island, but Shark Valley offers some significant challenges. How would people get to the Shark Valley airboat ramp? It's down by the observation tower and only foot/bike traffic is allowed, except for the Park tram rides. If they did allow vehicles on a limited basis, how would you get back to your boat after you dropped it off and returned to the parking lot? It's a 7 mile walk from the lot to the ramp. What you're really talking about is the Park or a concession providing a shuttle service, and that would most definitely incur additional costs. Either that or allow access to the sawgrass directly from the parking lot. For that matter, I'm not sure there is any rule against doing that now, not that they wouldn't try and stop you anyway.

The first time I ever pulled into Shark Valley carrying my skiff, the ranger at the gate showed the usual curiosity about the boat, and when I explained what it's purpose was, the first words out of her mouth were, "You can't put it in here!" and then was she just as quick to backpedal and give me a lame, "Just kidding...", when she realized she may not be right in saying that, which pretty clearly illustrates the mindset you might be dealing with.

[Terry]

It's the authorization, the implementation is insignificant.
Among the people I talked to while I was out there was the tram concessionaire,
needless to say if you pay them they are more than happy to stick the canoe in through the
side of their tram and throw you and your equipment out at the ramp. As long as they
have permission to do it. Don't even dismiss a park truck hauling you and your junk
down to the ramp. Don't worry about simple mechanics, there's
ways this can work, if there is a procedure. Officially designating the airboat trails as
also canoe trails is the goal, the rest will follow. So far park officials have only heard this
idea from one person but if more people start bringing it up something could happen.
It's a great scoping committee idea.
As I said, discussions about this have not been negative but it's only going to move
forward if there is demand.

[Keith W]

Sounds good, let's go for it. I just wish I had your faith in the bureaucracy :-)

While we're at it, let's push for opening those derelict research platforms to campers. Nice big wooden platforms that will hold 2 or 3 tents. No need to put up roofs like they have over chickees, they only block the view of the stars at night. Make people bring their own portable toilets like they do up in the Okefenokee and they won't have to worry about port-o-johns. I want to be on the volunteer crew that will clean up and remove all the broken down equipment and foam walkway sections that are scattered around in the sawgrass.

[Terry]

Speaking of volunteering to clean stuff up, I haven't been down to the end of L-67 for a
number of years but the last time I was there the yellow floating skirts were left at the
end from the filling in. It was quite nasty to see a line of those things half sunk, some
broken away, some in the sawgrass. They're probably grown in by now but that was
a disgrace how they were left there. I bet I know just how it happened too. The
contractor was able to drive down to the end with trucks and put in the skirts, then
as they pushed the mounded fill back in they worked their way up the road
destroying the road as they went. With no access to the bottom few miles of
the old L-67 extension it would be hard to get those skirts out of there but
if there was any way I could volunteer to get this done I would.

These skirts, the old science platforms, there's also PVC pipe science project
markers all over the open areas, all this stuff, if no longer used needs to be cleaned
up. Once again we need to bring this stuff up at meetings.

Do I hear the calling for an advocacy group again?

[ThereAndBackAgain]

Just did the L67 and spent two nights out in the grass. My first try was out of Flamingo on Tuesday. I went to the Cane Patch but couldn't find my way. I went home for a night and rested and decided to leave my truck at 41 and the L67 canal. On Friday about one o'clock I put in and got about 12 miles in. I slept in my canoe. The next day I got down to the end and found my way through. I doubled back a mile or two and spent the night. Today I covered about 28 miles returning in about 11 hours. That will tire you out. Here's my SPOT link.. http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=044pA7P... Note there are multiple pages. (copy and paste)

[Terry]

You can cut that deep south corner off by breaking out of L-67 about a mile south of Tamiami Trail
and finding your way to that big hammock just west of L-67 about halfway down the canal.
The southern most opening breaking out on the west side of the canal is at 44.688 minutes north
and 40.415 minutes west. However, to go through the grass not on the trail requires the highest
water possible, my trip last year had about a foot higher water than it is now.
Obvious on the aerials, you passed the trail heading north off of about your spot 26 or 27 it
goes to that big hammock. On the aerials it looks like it continues over to Vulture Hammock
but I could not find that segment.
I think the best route would be to continue that trail from the big hammock northeast straight into
L-67 but that would require boring a hole through that thick vegetation on the west side of the
canal.
Other than that you're right on track, once you get to the airboat trail it's just following the
highway to the intersection near Gumbo Limbo and then following the bigger highway down
to Bottle Creek. The airboat trial dumps you right in Bottle Creek and then it just gets bigger
and bigger down Rookery Branch to Canepatch. It's 33 miles from Tamiami Trail/L-67 to
Canepatch if you break out of the canal earlier and stay closer to a southwest course.
You were on schedule, you have the speed - you did 28 miles in 11 hours, so you can
definitely do it in one day. When are you going to try again?

[Terry]

Forgot to mention, did you see any big yellow floating skirts, used in construction and maintenance,
at the end of L-67 just before it turns into the airboat trail heading a little east then south?
If those are still there, by now grown in, I'll raise hell.

Also, as I mentioned in previous posts, I'd like to route a pass from that big hammock (the
northern end of the airboat trail) northeast and into L-67. This would be one day probes,
probably the best way would be to go to the hammock and find the best open water
back northeast to L-67. Count me in if you ever want to explore that. I can be at L-67
in 45 minutes from Miami. That would fill in a small stretch to make a direct trail straighter
to Rookery Branch.

[Terry]

Here's the numbers: The Big Hammock, 40' 00" North and 42' 13" West.
North end of the airboat trail, 40' 00" North and 42' 21" West.
A very inviting thinness in the brush on the west side of L-67,
42' 21" North and 40' 19" West.

Find that route - between Big Hammock and that thin spot on L-67 and you'll open up
a direct trail to Rookery Branch. I'll bet there's something going on at that spot on L-67,
all these airboat trails and various paths are historical routes. There's a reason the
airboat trails on the east side of L-67 converge at that spot on L-67.
As I said before the way to explore this is to come off L-67 where it's easy, go to
Big Hammock and find the best route northeast, when you get to L-67, crash through
the vegetation on the west side of the canal at the thinest spot.

[ThereAndBackAgain]

This trip was like Disney, everyone should do it once. I think that I'd only go back if it was to guide someone through. I was ignorant of a few things which I learned at the end of my journey.

As I got to within 2 1/2 miles of 41 an Airboat approached me, three armed ENP officers onboard. It seems they had noticed my truck at the launch area Friday afternoon and noticed someone was in the "L67" area boating. They expected that the boat would return by dark since the area is a daytime use only area. (I really didn't know) They explained to me that "camping" in the area was off limits, even if "camped" on my boat.

After my not returning the second day they feared someone may of become lost or out of water in the area and started a search. It only concerned them more with my second night spent in the "L67" area.

To make the story short, I was informed that the trip was for day use only and that I should notify ENP anytime I trek across their area.

I think my next adventure is the Lost Portage. They new Google Earth photo sure is revealing!

[ThereAndBackAgain]

No signs of any garbage what so ever. All yellow skirts seemed to have been removed.