Everglades Exploration Network

Day two of the journey started at 7:30 AM. After packing up and stowing the skeeter bar I resumed my SW heading across the Slough. The progress forward was good for a while but I began to run into bigger sections of sawgrass and had to push hard through a couple of long stretches. At about 9:30 I reached the airboat trail running south from Shark Valley just above where it passes near Seagrape Hammock at N25 38.628 W80 45.099. The trail runs southeast from here for about a third of a mile, where it forks into two trails. The main trail continues southeast for a bit, then makes a gradual turn to the south, while the other trail heads due ESE until it runs into the end of the L-67 extension.

I made a 90 degree turn to the southeast to follow the main trail, but somewhere along the way I must have missed the fork, because I soon realized I was heading in the wrong direction, more east than south. I backtracked about a hundred yards and found the main trail to the south, and I was back on course. From here on the trail was clear and well-worn by years of airboat traffic, and there was no more chance of getting lost. Just a bit south of the fork I passed a deep gator hole, where a pair of baby gators sat on a floating grass hummock before sliding into the water at my approach. I gave the hole a wide berth - dealing with an angry momma 'gator was not on my agenda!

The trail passed Gumbo Limbo Hammock on the east, and then turned straight south. I made good progress, poling steadily through short grass worn down by passing airboats, and occasionally veering off the trail to explore for short distances on either side. The tree islands and bayheads were almost always unapproachable, and I soon gave up trying to get near one. Water gages were set at intervals along the trail, and as I passed each one you could see where water levels were growing slightly lower at each gage site.

About 0.7 miles south of Gumbo Limbo Hammock the trail began a gradual bend to the southwest, and just before noon I spied a large structure on the other side of a stand of sawgrass, at N25 36.134 W80 44.513. This turned out to be one of several research stations that were set up back in the '90s to measure the effects of fertilizer nutrient runoff on the Everglades ecosystem. Aerial photos show this as a series of narrow chutes separated by partitions. These partitions turned out to big rectangular pieces of nylon-covered styrofoam that were tied together to make a series of long walkways. The place was derelict, and the walkway sections were now scattered and storm-blown into the surrounding grass. The solar panels and instrumentation had been removed long ago, and only the wooden dock and platform with the solar array supports remained. I stopped here and got out of boat for the first time in more than a day, thankful for the chance to stretch my legs. I've been told since that this act of trespass would get me ejected from the Park and written up for a big ticket if I were seen by passing law enforcement. Even so, I may check with the authorities and see if I could use this platform as a campsite for future visits, as long as I had the proper permission and paid my toll via a special use permit. On this day, however, I sat and ate lunch on the platform, oblivious of my crime.

After eating my afternoon meal I got back into the skiff and returned to the trail. I soon passed Panther Mound about 2 miles farther down the trail. The one place I had really hoped to get close to was Panther Mound. More than a mile long, this is one of the largest hammocks in the Slough and has a long history of human habitation. It is even rumored by those who believe in such things to be a space alien landing site! Getting to Panther Mound from the airboat trail meant a long hard push through the surrounding sawgrass, and undoubtedly a long, mucky walk to get to the dry ground of the hammock. Someday, maybe, but not today.

About a mile south of the western end of Panther Mound a weather station came into sight just off the trail to the east. Still blissfully unaware of the legalities involved, I investigated, hoping to find a platform big enough to camp on, but this was not the case. I headed back to the trail, and just a short distance further on the west side of the trail at N25 32.984 W80 47.112, was an open pond area with another small research platform that looked like a water testing station. It was nearly 4 PM and I had covered an easy 11 miles for the day as planned, and I was ready to set up my camp for the night. The platform was way too small, and barely had room for the barrel-like apparatus that occupied it, but the pond was very attractive and free of sawgrass, so I dropped my anchor and began the routine of rolling out my sleeping gear and setting up the bar in the skiff. By the time I was done with dinner and the cooking gear was packed away, it was getting on to sunset. It was still cool, but the breeze was much lighter, and the mosquitoes made their first appearance of the trip, with several dozen of them clinging to the lee side of the bar in the dim evening light. That night I fell asleep under a full moon, lulled by the singing of the swamp angels.

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