First Trips

[Amazon Bill]

This is a post for your first trip, to new place, to ENP, or to back country or with a non-yakker.

[Amazon Bill]

Today, I had all the intentions of heading to Nine Mile Pond taking a right turn at Marker 65A and heading to open-back country. Well after months of reviewing EEN blogs and I took the big step and got a PN-60!  Downloaded aerials, topos...grabbed some routes from sources and plotted the trip to Craighead.  Easy enough, we launch, zip throught the 9 mile pond maze, get to M65A in an hour, bank right and hammer down. No problem...

I was so exicited the night before, sleeping was a burden.  I lied in bed till 1:57 AM wondering when I'd sleep, fell asleep eventually, then woke at 4 am, napped until 5:10 am, said FINALLY I can go now! Left West Palm, picked up my canoe partner at 7:30 am in Miami and reached 9 Mile Pond by 9:15 am. 

Looking across the lake I could just see the first marker across the pond. After bumping around the mangroves we got out into the more open water. The water was incredibly clear and clean. The wind was siging through the reeds and bushes.  Somewhere around 11:30 am we reached M65A. I said ok we take a right and go off the grid here! Looking southeast down the Craighead route I quickly realized that 'open' back county ain't so open. I looked at my aerial prints...looks open...at least from a satellite viewpoint.  Meanwhile my canoe mate is seriously searching for M66 but to no avail. The wind was 15+ mph so we backed down from Craighead and decided to stay on the grid.  That backcountry is a special place, like a wet African grass plain that doesn't end. With the tall grass you can't really see the water when you look to the horizion. The canoe floats on a sea of grass. Pretty cool.

Stats: 4:24 minutes to do the full loop at Nine Mile. Caught 5 bass, hooked a couple big ones. Spooked a gator and he took off like a torpedo trailing a row of bubbles throught the clear water. Water depth near marker 50 was about 35 inches, about 30 inches at M65A and the north/back side around Marker 88 it was 24 inches deep. Thanks for all the tips on the water depth and trails... I am planning the next one.

[Terry]

 

I'll take you to Craigheads Pond, in fact, I'll take a group of EEN'ers to Craigheads Pond.

Pick a Saturday, Saturday's are best for me but I can do a Sunday, do it before water levels

drop and you can't get a late start like you did yesterday.  To go to Craigheads Pond you need

be paddling at 07:00 (for these trip I often leave even earlier to use every bit of sunlight).

Get a group and let's do it.

PS:  The 'bay of sparse short spike rush' gets even better the closer you get to Craigheads Pond.

 

[Gary M]

Consider me interested in joining the group. I've been wanting to get out into that area for quite some time.  I usually do solo, but this sounds like fun.

 

There is *plenty* of water right now, but who knows how long it will last.  I vote we go soon.

 

As for a departure time, I launched into West Lake yesterday at 6:30 AM and is was not only light, but I felt I had missed the best fishing!  Twilight is probably around 5:45 now.  Tough to leave Ft. Lauderdale and get on the water before sun up... I left at 4:30 and was too late.  I'll probably camp the night before, from now on.

[Amazon Bill]

I'm thinking about the Saturday of Thanksgiving Weekend? That way I can camp Friday night and be ready at Safe Light. What do you think?

[Terry]

I'm taking a group from Noble Hammock Landing to West Lake Ramp via Still Creek on

Sunday but I can do back to back trips.  Yes I can do Craigheads Pond Canoe Trail on

Saturday 26 November.  Let's see what Gary wants to do.

I can't believe everybody ain't jumping on board for a Craigheads Pond run, conditions are

great and it's a great off-the-brochure paddle.

[Gary M]

I'm in for Saturday Nov 26! 

 

I'll plan to be down there Friday evening at the latest, to camp nearby, so I won't hold up an early departure.

[Terry]

 

Craigheads Pond Canoe Trail

Saturday 26 November 2011, 06:30

Nine Mile Pond parking lot

Sunrise is 06:47 so we'll be paddling at sunrise.

See you all there.

[1vam1k849is7g]

Are the amazing  orchids blooming? Last time i went I couldn't believe so many of them were blooming on the 9 mile trail.

[Terry]

 

I posted a comment to answer questions and concerns on the event link.

Click on "Events" then click on the "Craigheads Pond Canoe Trail event".

[Amazon Bill]

I'll be there around 6 am. Might be doing solo in my 14.5' tandem green Ole Town Guide. See Event for the good weather report.