East of Nine Mile Pond

[Keith W]

Who else here has paddled/poled the area east on Nine Mile Pond (other than Terry, whose epic voyage is chronicled here). Last year I poled my skiff out to where the big sawgrass starts at the western edge of Taylor Slough. Once you get past the mangrove maze just east of the Nine Mile trail, the prairie opens up and the mangroves are replaced by hardwood bayheads and cypress, a very nice change of pace from the endless monotony of mangroves you see everywhere else on the Park's paddling trails. For those who love solitude, this open prairie is about as isolated as you can get anywhere in the park. The sawgrass here is very sparse and is easy to get through in paddlecraft, at least until you get to the edge of Taylor Slough. I may try this trip again, maybe in a week or two, and make a loop straight east to the edge of Taylor, then south to Craighead Pond and back to Nine Mile.

 

Another area I have a great interest in exploring is the Reef. Back in the day, the Gladesmen would pole their skiffs from US 1 to Whitewater Bay following the Reef Trail. The Reef was a straight 'ridge' of slightly higher ground, parts of which you can still see on the aerials as a distinct line of foliage running east-west about a mile north of Nine Mile Pond Trail between the road and Taylor Slough. They would stay just outside the Reef where there was a line of deeper water, and this was the main drag for gator hunters, moonshiners, and others who travelled into the Everglades wilderness.

 

 

So much wilderness to explore, and so little time...

[Geoffrey H Kendrick]

Dennis, it was nice to meet you and Ben. Good attitude despite the worst two days of weather we've had here in a while. Despite it all, I'll bet it beat staying at home! Stuff memories are made of.

Geoff 

[Dennis McDonald]

Here's a few pics from around the cut from Nine Mile Pond trail to Craigshead. Yeah it was better than not going but could have been better. You always remember the trips that have the most drama.

[yakmaster]

Makin' me hungry for the sound of grass sliding past the paddle!

[Dennis McDonald]

We are gonna go back before winter probably some time in September. More than happy to have a few more people along for the trip.  I added some photos to my gallery also.

[daniel]

aw, nice photos. i love days like that. glad the bugs didn't get ya... 

[Swamp Hunter]

September is a bad month for bugs.

[Ted]

Dennis,
How was the water level as I'm thinking of going the 7th of this month?

[Dennis McDonald]

The water levels are good the whole way out. We could see the bottom but is deep enough that you never hit while paddling. Good luck hopefully you have better weather than we did.

[Terry]

Use Halfway Water Station, 251432080444100, when it's down at -0.2 your paddle will

touch and you'll push halfway through your stroke.   The lowest I ever did it was -0.15

and it was still very paddleable.

It's currently around +0.65 so you can swim it if you'd like.

[Ted]

On Friday I spent the night at Johnson Chickee and Saturday when to Nine Mile Pond.  The weather was hot on both days by the constant breeze help make the heat and mosquitos bearable.  Since a thunder storms where to come in at noon I skipped going to Craigsheads Head Pond.  At marker #72 the storm clouds started to roll in so it was a sprint back to the finish to beat the storm.  Look forward to doing a trip out to Craigsheads but in a solo canoe.  Below links to my Spot Adventure trip reports.

http://www.findmespot.com/spotadventures/index.php/view_adventure?t...

http://www.findmespot.com/spotadventures/index.php/view_adventure?t...

[Geoffrey H Kendrick]

Was nice to meet you Ted, another face to a name. Thunderstorms have been every day lately, and earlier than usual, about 1-1:30. Plan on doing Craigheads and maybe a little south Wed. or Th.(my weekend).