Pourotis Pond

[Daniel Madrigal]

Last time out I saw the sign was finally down for no paddling. Anything back there worth launching for? Or is it just a small lake?

[Gary M]

You can almost see the whole thing from the parking lot.

 

Years ago, a friend told me you could get from the pond onto the prarrie further west, but I was unable (read: unwilling) to push through.

 

If you do make your way off the pond, post your results... it looks kinda interesting westward!

 

Those signs will probably go back up soon when the birds start to nest.

[Wayne Wells]

From Last Year

Paurotis Pond closed for Nesting Season

Date: January 22, 2010

Everglades National Park announces the seasonal closure of Paurotis Pond and the area beyond the parking area adjacent to the pond, in order to protect the endangered Wood Stork and all nesting birds in this area from human disturbance. This closure will be in effect through nesting season which can vary in length depending on bird behavior, but is generally from January to late May. Bird watching from the Paurotis Pond parking area off the main park road will remain open, with the pond and the area beyond the lot closed. If you're a birdwatcher, this is a particularly good time of year to watch these wonderful creatures in the nesting process.

Every winter "dry season", wading birds throughout the Everglades gather at traditional (and new) nesting sites in preparation for nest building. They form nesting colonies that often contain hundreds and even thousands of nesting birds. Paurotis Pond is one of the traditional nesting sites located in the heart of Everglades National Park. Species nesting here include the Great Egret (Ardea alba), White Ibis (Eudocimus albus), Snowy Egret (Egretta thula), Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), Tri-colored Heron (Egretta tricolor), Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Black-Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), and Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga). However, one nesting species in particular really stands out among the others: the federally endangered Wood Stork. In recent years, Paurotis Pond has been the nesting site for approximately 400 pairs of nesting Storks.

[Terry]

 

As the southern end of the Shark Slough airboat trail, I remember seeing patrol and research

airboats lined up on trailers in the Paurotis Pond parking lot in the 1960's.

The ramp is still there, as well as traces of the old trail heading back up along the driveway then

north near the intersection of the highway.

It was still mostly grass around Paurotis Pond as late as the 1980's.   The west side of the pond

had only a few pods of mangroves and you could freely paddle right out of the pond.  The area around

it was more open like Sweet Bay Pond is today but since it was on the Shark Slough side of the

highway it had more water.   Mangroves completely surrounded the pond by 2000.

 

Probes launched from the driveway near the highway in 2008 and 2009 did not find any open paddleable

water west and north of the pond.  These explorations discovered the dwarf mangroves have completely

grown-in making even slogging difficult.

 

 

[Amazon Bill]

Just got home from The Widow Maker.  Right now, I can only speak two words and they start with A: Awesome & Advil!

[vivian]

All of Terry's trips require Advil upon returning, LOL! Glad you all had fun.

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

So at least one person returned!

[Amazon Bill]

WHY was the trip called the WidowMaker…According to Google the term Widowmaker has many applicable aspects to this trip.

Widowmaker event: A nickname for a blocked artery to the heart causing your spouse to become a widower. That first mile gets your heart rate clocking overtime slogging through the mud…Gotta get a lighter canoe. 

Widowmaker cocktail: A concoction of contraband that when smoked causes a mind altering effect causing one to do unusual and uncustomary acts. That could apply since it is definitely requires one to loose a portion of sensibility and perform uncustomary actions; and the legend of the area has the notorious Ashley Gang running contraband and boot leg liquor out of the areas.

Widowmaker gun: Perhaps the lawmen like OB Padget of Stuart that pursued the Ashley Gang using a widowmaker revolver.   https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/6959/1/o-b-padgett-a-flor...

Widowmaker fireworks: Yes that applies because when you get back, you’re ready to celebrate or if you don't make it back you need to send up a flare.

The Widowmaker, professional wrestler. Definitely this is it, since it took a lot of muscle and professional moves. I had to tame my canoe with a couple of figure four moves and sleeper holds not to mention multiple canoe body slams.

 

[Jay]

At least two of us made it back Flex!**

Watch the video to see how many made it to the Landing.  One could not wish for a more perfect day!  Thanks Terry and the other intrepid travelers.

Widowmaker - the Movie

NEVER a brochure trip!

**Props to Flex for getting me on to aerial videography - we need to go higher!

[Amazon Bill]

Good video Jay,  You make it look so easy, like a walk in the park on a clear day.  I like the underwater footage, it adds a new dimension. The shadow of the canoe and car leading you out of the park is cool.Glad you kept the camera rolling.

[vivian]

Loved the video and wish I would have been there with all. Interesting route Terry, is the park historian posting any of these trails in a document somewhere?

[Terry]

Park officials monitor and record all of these activities and expanding the

Everglades National Park paddling access and awareness has been formally

submitted to the current GMP committee in detail.

Thanks, kids, for taking me canoeing.

The Widowmaker:  A double black diamond (triple black diamond if they had such a designation),

put-hair-on-your-chest, throw your boat over your head, slog for the first mile to get to paddle-able

water route.   This gang of 8 in 8 boats conquered the Widowmaker in less than 2 hours and

could laugh it off during the remaining 8 hours of paddling to Lard Can and back to

Ed Brookers Landing.

A challenging route, excellent group of deep backcountry explorers, excellent weather and a

number of Flamingo sightings.  It don't get no better.

[yakmaster]

Jay

You're getting OUTRAGEOUS on the vids!

 

Excellent video, seems like an excellent trip.