Water Height

[Terry]

Take advantage of this late season rain.
This is a rare opportunity to go up-land paddling in December and maybe later.

Water station G-3576 is reporting +7.4 (NGVD29) this a little higher than it was in October 2013 when I last paddled the New Bridge Loop.
New Bridge Loop starts at the Coopertown ramp goes east in the Tamiami Canal to the new bridge,
under the bridge, through the grass to the airboat trail and then
back to Coopertown. It's a short (6 mile) introduction to grass and airboat trail paddling.
I have done it staying completely dry in the boat when the water level at G-3576 was +7.2.

Water station P-38 is reporting +0.54 (NAVD88) this is holding the same height since
early October. As everyone knows this station monitors the water level for the only
paddling from pine trees to mangroves, the best up-land paddling
in the park - Mahogany Hammock!  Day picnics to Roberts River Chickee or even
Lane River Chickee, single day through trips to Lucerne Country and Whiskey Creek and with the water level holding, a very unique, off the brochure way to start
the Wilderness Waterway.  I paddled Mahogany Hammock two times this season
since mid-October and have paddled both times without much pushing.

Water stations R127 monitoring Taylor Slough and NP202 monitoring Shark Slough
are both holding the same level as October.  A slough trip in December?!
Yes indeed very doable.

[vivian]

Wish I could join you but, holiday work/family gets in the way. If I can pull it off will be trying the inland route during Xmas and with new rain amounts might work for us.

[Terry]

6 Dec, Taylor Slough, R-127, +1.85 (NAVD88)

6 Dec, Ficus Pond, P38, +0.95 (NAVD88)

6 Dec, New Bridge, G-3576, +7.75 (NGVD29)

6 Dec, Shark Slough, NP202, +5.85 (NAVD88)

December!!   Taylor Slough is a half foot higher than when we went down it

in October!!  In fact, this is higher than anytime I've paddled Taylor Slough.

Governing Mahogany Hammock, P38, is higher than I've ever seen it - a few years

ago I thought +.8 was high.

The New Bridge, G-3576, is the highest since the bridge was built.

Frog City paddles out to Duck Camp or Causeys for picnics could not be any better.

What the heck, take High Route or Cattail Route out to NP202 Hammock just

to have a picnic at the head of Main Street.  Going all the way from Tamiami Trail

to Canepatch would be too easy, so do a one-day from the Trail and come out

at Pa-hay-okee.  I wonder what Michells is like down to Coconut Hammock and

out to Willy-Willy.   Too many choices!

No excuses, you better be upland in your paddlecraft this weekend.

[Dallas]

Thanks for all the data Terry

[Amazon Bill]

So much water and so little time. I thought the Trail to Payhokee was still unproven?

[yakmaster]

All trails are unproven...until they are...

Besides, Terry doesn't need grass, mangroves or wilderness for a near impossible paddling trip.He can do it in the shallows of Biscayne Bay within a stones throw of civilization.

[Terry]

The best route between Pahayokee and Main Street is still unknown.   We found a good route to

about two thirds of the way but did not connect.   I think the maps are all documented somewhere

on this website, I have the data if it's not posted.   Proven is Pahayokee requires

slogging even during high water and the slogging section is right at the beginning slowing down exploring.

It gets deeper west and north of the tower but that too goes slow because of negotiating a maze

of spike rush verses sawgrass.   The bottom line is until the oceans rise where mangroves inundate

the area like what has happened to Paurotis Pond and Mahogany Hammock, Pahayokee will be

a highly challenging 'paddle'.

By the way, Saturday's Crocodile Creek trip was 20 boats and 30 people in a 'small craft caution',

about half of the group was professionals.   Extra thanks to the professionals for making it all

smiles by the time we got to the grill. 

[Amazon Bill]

Nov 17, 2020 —-NP202 reads 7.5 ft NAVD88 !!  Who wants to run the Shark?!NP202 Guage

[yakmaster]

Levels are SUPER HIGH!

Pahayokee road is closed, mahogany as well.Shark valley entrance is flooded as is the loop out to the tower.

SFWMD has opened the gates at 40 mile bend and plans to keep it flowing through year end.

Good time to take a stroll down mainstreet!

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

Time has come!

[Amazon Bill]

I found Terry’s L67 kmz on the site. He always said pick a day when A good full moon is up in the sky near sundown to get through the creek at dark. Looks like Thanksgiving weekend and Dec 19 are the next two options. How many hours is the tide -+ from Shark River? 

[yakmaster]

Bill
2020 is shaping up to be an epic grass paddling year.

Water levels below 41 are at historic highs and the water above 41 has SFWMD moving even more into the park!

Pick a date and GO!

Report back!

[Gary M]

I was in the Park last weekend and took a look around.

While the road back to Mahogany Hammock is closed, there is so much water that it looks possible to paddle *east* from the turnoff and back into the pines.

If my plans hold, I'm heading to East Cape via the back way from Coot Bay over the TG weekend. Should be more than enough water.