Inland Route - Flamingo / Cape Sable

[Terry]

Inland Route - Flamingo / Cape Sable

Before Hurricane Andrew the preferred paddle route between Flamingo and
Cape Sable was the Homestead Canal. Avoiding the open bay provided a
wind protected route and separated paddle craft from power boats. It also
guaranteed solitude and remoteness by staying in the back country wilderness.
The 1992 hurricane damaged Homestead Canal with downed trees making passage
very difficult. As it became less traveled, foliage growth accelerated and
the 2005 storms made the canal impassable. After Hurricane Wilma a plan was
created to reopen the canal and a volunteer group headed by Tom Rahill and
Jim Brack took on the project. They cleared the canal to Bear Lake and
reopened the Bear Lake Trail which loops through Mud Lake and comes back
down Buttonwood Canal to the Bear Lake parking lot. The section of
Homestead Canal between Bear Lake and Gator Lake remained impassable,
cutting off the inland route to Cape Sable.

Sue Cocking, Bill Evans, Terry Helmers and Jay Thomas devised a plan to
survey the damage to the canal west of Bear Lake and search for an alternative
passage through a body of land between the waters of Bear Lake to the east
and open water to the west. Previous trips by Thomas had identified
the narrowest section of land between these two waters which was called 64M
but there was another slightly wider area of land that warranted
investigation. If a navigable route could be established through these two
bodies of water the entire stretch of Homestead Canal between West Lake and
Gator Lake could be abandoned. It would also establish a natural route from
Coot Bay Pond to Cape Sable - the ultimate trophy. The group also had heard
reports of a route that went into Bear Lake with a portage over the narrowest
piece of land between the canal and the lake.

On 18 January 2014 the four set out in 3 canoes from Bear Lake parking lot
and went directly to the narrow area between the lake and canal. The last
time Helmers had paddled the canal was 28 years ago when there was nothing
at this narrow spot. This time, the explorers found ruins of what appeared
to be a dock that could have been built to assist portaging. It's assumed
that shortly after Hurricane Andrew an attempt was made to keep the
Inland Route open by using as much of the lake as possible to shorten the
length traveled in the canal. Today there's a small break in the narrow spot,
making it easier to slide a canoe through this slot and back into the canal.
After doing this, the group continued west through near impassable
"jack straws" (a sawyer term for criss-cross piled trees) but after making
headway of only a couple hundred yards in an hour the effort was abandoned
and the canoe party returned to the lake to continue west in Bear Lake and
then across the lake to its' west. Since Thomas had already examined the
narrowest portion of land barrier between the east and west the decision was
made to continue directly to the other narrow spot just south of 64M. After
negotiating mud bars a small creek-like opening was spotted. Although there
was a 3 foot mat of pneumatophore roots to be portaged, the creek continued
west with a hard twist to the north then west again to the open water of the
"other side". After the search party spooked a spoonbill at the west mouth
of the creek it was quickly dubbed Spoonbill Pass. Knowing "this was it" all
agreed to ignore 64M and paddle the shallow but open water to Gator Lake.
How ironic that paddlers spent decades paddling back and forth in a straight
as an arrow canal, how ironic that a large dock was built to go over the
narrow spot between Bear Lake and the canal, how ironic spending the effort to
keep trying to push through the canal between Bear Lake and Gator Lake when
there was a beautiful natural creek waiting for paddlers at Spoonbill Pass.

On 20 January 2014 Terry Helmers launched at Coot Bay Pond to
specifically survey and map the Spoonbill Pass area. Although launching at the
pond meant it took 2 and a half hours to get to the pass, it reduced the
paddle distance in the canal to just 200 yards between Bear Lake Trail and
Bear Lake. Two additional non-portage creeks were mapped with the optimal
route going from 09.858'N and 59.397'W to 09.857'N and 59.447'W. After two
rewarding explorations, a natural route from Coot Bay Pond to Lake Ingraham,
Cape Sable has been established.

To use the Inland Route, study and printout or download maps of the area.
Carry a spare GPS unit. There's a lot of shallow water throughout the trip
but it's all open paddling.

[Miami101]

Guys I did this about 3 years ago. In fact I have 3 paths which takes me back into that area. I have photos posted from years ago in that area. My paths do not require me to get out of my yak. If you recall this was the period when someone on the site got upset because I was in that area, and had found a way to get there.....

with this said welcome to the club.........I don't post much here do to the large ego's in this group, and old guys that hide paths.

Have a nice day

Johnbob

[Miami101]

oh yea I have the KMZ files if anyone wants them.....

[Miami101]

Is this the same Bill Evans from Swamp ape who sent the park after me for finding this path years ago? Wow that would be funny////

[Miami101]

I went back because I kind of sick of seeing you guys post up these routes like they are new. Also back in the days when I would post information like this you guys would turn me into the park ASAP, and try to have me band. In fact it was so band I got kick out of this site for a period of time. (History)

My point is why are you allow to post this information, and it is O.K. when you do it?  When I post this stuff in the past in 2009 everyone (old guys-this includes Bob) in the site had issues with it....I think we have a big double standard on this site, and people ego's get in the way. I have had these routes from 2007, and in fact took Jared who is a member there in 2009. He created a KMZ file for me because I did not use a GPS at the time, and had going back into this area for years to go fishing.

It is not a good thing when people have to fear posting routes on this site, or information. Also please stop naming the areas......We call this area Deep Texas name it before you....get it right! Also we call the end of Bear Lake the Taco stand!

We had to use these code names to avoid issues on this site. I'm very sorry, but this is getting old this good old boys club you have going on this site. Post something I can use like Cattail which was used to turn me into the park 10 years ago, and other request I have put in. I just wanted to point this out, and keep everyone in check...Also I know other members on this site that use these routes Gary M would you like to jump in.....I hope this changes this site..

Here are the photos from that area posted here back in 2007/2009.

http://gladesgodeep.ning.com/photo/jared-going-deep-into-texas?cont...

http://gladesgodeep.ning.com/photo/deep-in-the-heart-of-texas?conte...

http://gladesgodeep.ning.com/photo/small-hidden-lakes-another?conte...

http://gladesgodeep.ning.com/photo/small-hidden-lakes-closer-to?con...

http://gladesgodeep.ning.com/photo/small-hidden-lakes?context=user

I have included the KMZ image created via Jared:

[Miami101]

Here is the KMZ GPS track Jared created when I took him back in 2008/2009.

[vivian]

Carlos, I won't get into the discussion on your experience with past posting problems on this site. However, finding this trail was of interest to me as a connector to the cape in high wind situations. I've always been quite upset that the trail is such a big secret because I know as you do that there are a few people that have gotten through. Since you have so much information, why did you not share it with us back when Jay kept trying to find an alternative to M64?

Why don't you join us on the trip? It would be good to have some alternatives (if there are any) to get to the cape via the prairie. Have you actually been able to get through all the way without using the canal or the dam crossing? Plus, I would like you to share a few good fishing spots :-) and there are some good photographers going which should also be fun.

[Miami101]

Folks I been a member in this group from 2006/2007.  Vivian as you know I belong, and lead other groups in which I have no issues in, and would like to point this out. At this time I would like to say sorry to clear the if any of the statements I made upset anyone.

Vivian I tried to share that information years ago, and ran into issues with the group that is a fact. Any time I talk on this site I'm shut down, talk down to via Email, and so on.

As per your tripif you look at my gallery there are photos of this area, and the path from last month. Also I had talk to Leah, Flex, and some of the other folks we where going to do it about a month ago. I had sent them map etc. I used the route I included in the JPG, and have come in from the front side also. I will send you a JPG, or KMZ file via FB, or other groups we belong to avoid angry emails.

One last correction: My statement above was corrected for me on why I left the group the 1st time: "Correct your statement that you were previously banned from the group. You were not. It was suggested that you take some time away from the group to cool off, and you then left voluntarily."

[Amazon Bill]

Carlos, No it's not the same Bill Evans. For me this is a public park with the purpose of creating an experience for the public to enjoy the great outdoors. We all pay for it with our tax dollars, so my opinion is, let's talk about new routes, celebrate the findings and enjoy it. In most cases, someone before us probably already has been there, but to the individual's experience, they are the explorer finding something new.  We talked about finding a route since last May and no one chimed in, so we thought we found something new. It's a typical exploration headline like..."Columbus finds America", but the Indians had lived here for 1000's of years already. :). We still celebrate Columbus Day, go figure?:-)
 
Miami101 said:

Is this the same Bill Evans from Swamp ape who sent the park after me for finding this path years ago? Wow that would be funny////

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

Atomic, I'd like your KMZ file .. for favor!

Miami101 said:

oh yea I have the KMZ files if anyone wants them.....

[Terry]

Let's stay on track folks.   Here's the real issue:

Since it appears the route through Spoonbill Pass, or whatever you want to call it, is the correct route

and it appears it's been open for some time, why does the brochure still read 'IMPASSABLE'?

Why was there even discussion about opening the canal up past Bear Lake?  Why are visitors still

directed to take the less safe, less scenic and motor boat crowded open water route in Florida Bay?

For that matter, why was the Inland Route marked using the canal in the first place?    I guess the

excuse for our early runs using the canal was before GE and GPS so we just didn't know but that

was a 'few' years ago isn't it about time to make this right?

Saturday 1 February, Coot Bay Pond, 07:00

[Swamp Hunter]

Taco Stand? Old Boys Club? A lot of anger and accusations here.

[Swamp Hunter]

Hello Carlos. Most names were created years ago. You cant force a name on an area because you want it or a small group of friends like it. If the new name is catchy and it fits, people might use it and it could someday become commonplace. If people dont use it, it will not be, and that includes Spoonbill Pass as well as Deep Texas..

Miami101 said:

 Also please stop naming the areas......We call this area Deep Texas name it before you....get it right! Also we call the end of Bear Lake the Taco stand!