Solo canoeing the Everglades.

[vivian]

All this talk about solo canoes vs. kayaks and the legendary BJX got me thinking about a video I had seen a few years ago.  Bardy Jones takes the BJX from the old Turner down through the Chatam to Pavillion.  Pretty neat here are 6  short clips.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3090598072456366412&hl=en

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7352872010808145106

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-838922075978695825

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5719931242222319431

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6194454329864808259

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6194454329864808259#docid=...

It is funny seeing him talk about the 14 oz marathon paddle. My have things changed for the best :-) mine is not considered light and weighs 10 oz.

[Kim Gass]

Thanks so much for posting these videos..from the old Trailside series I suppose. I can't wait!

[Steven Smith]

Yes, Its one of the Trailside videos.  I consider myself lucky to have bought a few of them (this included) a few years back.  Don't suppose they are still available in any format?

[Kim Gass]

I get a kick out of the unloaded boats..You don't suppose the film crew had a powerboat now....:)

My solo boat (Curtis Nomad) did not look like theirs ...I had two water jugs in mine..a seven gal and a four gal..was out for a while.  

[vivian]

Kim, glad you had a good trip here this season. Did you loop through to the cape? How did the Nomad do in the winds and chop without a spray deck? Is the Nomad similar to your Peregrine?

[Kim Gass]

The Nomad is much more manueverable in tail winds than the Peregrine. Its also for some reason a little faster.  We (two of us each in a solo canoe for sanity)had a very good two weeks. Only one day of wind which woke us to a chilly North wind on Watson River Chickee. We escaped via the Labyrinth to Shark River.  Pretty much out of the wind.  Our route could have been more adventurous but we were conservative. Loop out of Flamingo

Lane Bay Chickee

Watson River Chickee...with a side trip way up the river

Shark River

Harney River.. Now that day was a bit of a slog..both the tide and the wind was agin us.  We had Harney all to ourselves and went more exploring after an early camp

Through the Nightmare to Broad River. The dock there is a mess.  The mud was a worse mess

Short day to Highland. Note to self. Next time bring hammock for under the palms.

Short day back to Graveyard. Pesky coon there. Very buggy..note to self..avoid next time

Then across Ponce de Leon Bay early..then the wind came up but not too bad before NW Cape.

Next day to East Cape in a fresh but not brutal SE wind.

Never had to use a spray skirt.  This was the easiest trip I have yet done, thanks to the cooperation of the wind gods for the most part.

[vivian]

That is the trip I planned this season but opted for charley creek adventures instead. Maybe next season! Oh boy, I should resist temptation to look at the Nomad for my next solo canoe :-)

[Kim Gass]

Its a bigger cousin to the Kestrel.  Yes it holds more with more freeboard.  The downside is its more skin to haul around,

Someday we will meet. I have not made Camp Lonesome nor Canepatch so next year those are priorities..   I really  liked the Lane Bay ad Harney River chickees.  For some reason the ladder at Shark River is two rungs only.. and a bit of a stretch standing on the gunwales to get out at low tide..

[Terry]

"....Camp Lonesome and Canepatch...are priorities..." ?!?!

I can hear the Lost Portage screaming "me, me, me".

[Kim Gass]

What can I say...northern masochist me.. I like Willy Willy very much.

Tell me more about the Lost Portage!  I do see the link here about it.