Wilderness Waterway Questions

[Daniel Madrigal]

Hey everyone. I am planning on doing the wilderness waterway in March and I had a few questions for those who have done it. First of all, does anyone know of a good website for tides at flamingo? Salwatertides.com is not very accurate due to no close location. Next question is, does going flamingo to everglades city or vice versa matter? I was planning on going flamingo to everglades city. Last question is should I take deviations from the marked waterway? Perhaps to see some nicer areas or more wildlife or something. Thanks for all your help guys! 

[Connie Mier]

Not everyone uses a kayak. I have a wenonah vagabond canoe. I sold my kayak 2 yrs ago and haven't looked back. The canoe is the only way I can carry my camera equipment out there with me. Can't imagine you attempting to do serious video/photo work out there in SOT kayaks. But people manage to do it, to each his own I guess.

[Esther Luft]

Tahe Marine Wind 585, Expedition Touring/Sea Kayak Sit-In 19'2" and change (Semi-Carbon; kevlar hull, glass deck. Can carry a cadillac with two corpses in the trunk. Design for long distance expeditions. Floats in 6" at 46 lbs same as my Tracer) I am in love with this boat.

Hurricane Tracer 165 - 16'5" Touring Sea kayak. (Polyform plastic, tracks ok but can take a beating and floats in 6" at 46 lbs)

Aquaterra/Perception Sea Lion from 1912 (LOL) (Not the fastest but hauls a lot of gear. Rotomolded plastic, floats in about 8"-10" due to displacement due to weight. Weighs about 100 tons or close to 70 lbs)

All are extremely dry with deck skirts in use. Also keeps you warm and bug free, for the most part)

The problem with the mirage drive is not at extreme shallows, It has problems in a full foot.. One of the guys out with us last weekend was cursing his boat. We were in good depth, over 4', lot's of seaweed, as far as the eye could see. The rest of us cruised over and through as he clogged on them. Keep in mind that grasses grow tall underwater and depths change drastically from place to place, tide to tide.

The other issue with sit-on-tops is that when you load them, as do all boats, they sink lower in the water. Scupper plugs can become dislodged and then you are sitting in a lot of water. as you are no longer above the waterline.

I love Hobie's video where they put the peddle drive up against a surfski. What they neglect to mention is that surfski are race boat and not used for towing. They have a nearly impossible time providing rescue assistance. Then they show a speed challenge against a another ski but cut away before the boat passes the Hobie. You can see it gaining, gaining, gaining, stop. I have a good story as to how I put some loud mouth to shame. You already know the distance limits though. This could become an entirely different discussion topic. : )

[Daniel Madrigal]

Yea I know I need to keep the daily miles under 14 or so with the yaks we have. I need to be realistic. I will probably upgrade to a better touring kayak in a year or 2 but for right now my hobie will have to do! Im going to look at the ones you recommend.

[Esther Luft]

Vivian, I spoke with Alex, we were considering meeting at Graveyard or Oyster Bay but timing didn't work out. I think you guys got back before we did. We came in the night of the 1st, front passed over us while on Joe River. Awesome!! I think I spoke with your friends on the boat. The park rangers only removed the badly injured canoer. The other two stayed. Hopefully my timing is wrong. They should all have gone in before the front hit. It would have been unsafe for them to follow us in that night. Both for them, and for us. We did tell one of the rangers but there was not a soul in site when we arrived at Flamingo at about 8:30 pm on Jan 1st. Please tell me my timing is off and your friends contacted the rangers on on the 2nd

[vivian]

The ranger was contacted before as we came in on the 1st so you must have met them. We arrived at the flamingo campsite that afternoon and the front hit about 5 ish on our drive home and you were on Joe River. My friends said he had a bad gash on his arm? I wonder how that happened?

[vivian]

Daniel I started out with SOT Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro many years ago. Then switched over to touring kayaks these are the ones where you sit inside and have a spray deck mostly over 16 feet long. Had several and they were wonderful in rough water and cold. Now started paddling in 15' solo canoe with spray deck for coastal trips.It is a Hemlock Kestrel. I find these more comfortable for long trips and perfect especially for backcountry.

[yakmaster]

"Coffee, are you a coffee drinker? Instant espresso and the tiny cans of sweetened condensed milk recreate a very nice cafe con leche."

Esther, INSTANT COEFEE!?!?!

The single cheapest, lightest & most important piece in my cook kit is my coffee maker!

Get the cuban sock coffee maker @ Pubix ( I don't know what they call it, but that's what it really is).

It's under $5, basically a cotton funnel on a wire with a handle. Get one of those gourmet sample packs for each morning, pour hot water over it and you have fresh dripped coffee from a rig that fits in your back pocket!

I'm going to the Florida Paddler's Rendevous next month and I'm gonna take a dozen. Every time I pour a cup of fresh hot joe for some North Florida paddle freak they say...."that's the coolest thing I've ever seen...where can I get one" , so I give it to them & create more understanding of the nirvana that is the 305....(we got better flatwater & better food that the rest of the state combined!)

[yakmaster]

Daniel

Thanks to you & Alex for lighting a fire under the crew!

These boards had been asleep for the last few months until you started pushing the buttons. Our members are obviously nothing if not opinionated on how to roll!

You guys have gotten beat up for everything from boat selection, to gear & clothing selection to menu items! (not the least from me...I think you guys are crazy! ....I want an after action report with full video coverage!)

But hey....CRAZY IS GOOD! This site is one of the largest collection of nutcases I know (just ask our spouses and significant others) but I wouldn't have it any other way! Anybody who decides to paddle for 100 miles and climb into a chickee or eat sand for a week, when you could just as easily use a motorboat & sleep in a hotel has some explaining to do...we do it all the time when friends say "you're going where?...without a motor?....to sleep where?...and most of all...WHY?

But all the comments on this board are done with camaraderie and its productive! Because most of it comes from folks that got the t-shirt (as in, "been there done that"...sorry my wife accuses me of talking in code)

Get out there & enjoy the resource, and enjoy this resource as well, there has to be thousands & thousands of WW miles in this group. Keith has created an invaluable jewel for the South Florida Paddling community and them that want to paddle with us!

LONG LIVE GLADES GO DEEP!!!! Let's just keep going DEEPER!....& crazier

We Live in a blessed place

[Daniel Madrigal]

I am glad I have awoken the monster! And yes, all my friends, and parents, and g/f think I am insane for wanting to paddle 100 miles. Thats ok, they just don't know what a glorious and spiritual place the Everglades can be. Especially in solitude and no noise other than the wind and water. We tend to think these things are crazy but I am positive that for thousands of years people did the same things without any kind of hesitation. So you are right, lets keep going deeper and exploring further!

[Miami101]

Hey I think Jared wanted to do this trip also. Let me find out from him.
I have been looking to do this trip, but lack the skills...likethe other old timers on this site.

[Esther Luft]

Yeah. They only took the most badly injured guy out of the park Apparently he had required close to a hundred stitches to close the wound. The other two stayed behind. Those are the one we found at South Joe.

They told us it happened when one guy flipped boat while getting in. They ended up on an oyster bed. Not sure where but near Joe River Chickee. They were very scrapped up. No articles in the news about injured paddlers so I guess they made it.

[Esther Luft]

Yeah! Instant Bustelo. Try it before you knock it. Don't go instant Starbucks - gross. I have the sock too. From Presidente Supermarket #3 (Not really but it sounded more authentic). I HATE cleaning it out. After a week it's pretty gross. I also have a portable press, and all the other coffee accouterments. The instant S&%# works really nice. But you have to it with leche condensada a la 305. Oh no, we're getting all Miami on you now. LOL