Alligator Creek overnight

[Michael Palozzola]

I am looking to get my feet wet for camping by kayak. I was looking at possibly doing this site but the comments I read on Everglades Diaries about many gators and crocs present makes me hesitant. I was wondering possibly a stupid question. How do you keep the gators away from the site at night safely?

[Sarah Orman]

Can we get from Shark Bay Chickee up to Hell's Bay or Pearl Bay in a day?

[Kim Gass]

If you get going early..and that is at sunrise, you can actually get somewhere before the winds kick up. By 11 they can make paddling miserable.

[vivian]

You would come back to the parking lot at West Lake and drive to the Hells Bay put in. If you don't want to overnight at Flamingo and get a fresh start the following day, there is a campsite 3 miles in from the Hells Bay trail put in called Lard Can.  Then the next day continue on to Lane Bay Chickee or Hells Bay chickee.

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

Hi Sarah, there's the Shark Point chickee in Florida Bay, less than 3 miles south from the Alligator Creek site (pics):

see: http://kayakfari.wordpress.com/random-gallery-2/florida-south-flori...

So for instance if you weren't comfortable with Alligator Creek, you could just continue to Shark Point (assuming it was available). I didn't see any gators, but did see a huge 10+ footer croc in the creek on the bank.. also beware the possible strong wind fetch on West Lake if you go that route!

Then there's also the Shark River chickee which is in semi-close proximity to Hell's Bay/Pearl Bay right up above Whitewater Bay:

http://evergladesdiary.com/dir_central.html#shark

T two not to be confused - I doubt you'd have time to do both in one day .. they are completely opposite each other.

If you're new to the Park, go with the Hell's Bay route. You can take your time, won't have to deal with mud flats or much wind. Pearl Bay is like the "Condo" of all the chickees but does get a lot of use so check with the rangers when you get your permit(s).

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

Bob I think I saw that same croc on my trip, but I couldn't get nearly as close as you did! ;)

[daniel]

also, and maybe i'm extreme, but i don't use dishes, pots, pans, etc. out there... i bring a loaf or two of bread, and peanut butter and jelly, and cold cuts. one less thing to worry about. one less thing to carry. 

[Michael Palozzola]

I recently spent a night out by cape sable on clubhouse beach, a very narrow sand beach with about 100yrds of marl mud a low tide, on a whim I threw my hiking boots in my kayak before I left. Great idea. I just threw on my boots and pulled the kayak out to the water line absolutely no problem. So if your going to be landing somewhere that's known for mud at low tide bring an old pair of tie up sneakers or boots.
Also for Mosquitos I highly recommend a thermocell. It's a small butane run unit that u can pick up at any sports store or even Walmart. Works amazingly for keeping Mosquitos away as long as there isn't too much wind.

I love how suddenly after a year plus this Thead has gone hot again :D

[daniel]

just cause i can add this... i have seen huge crocs around the cape... many many times... more so on the backside... also a lot of bugs in the bushes on those beaches... no see um paradise. 

[Kim Gass]

I dont bring any footwear that can pull off. Especially at that beach! Wetsuit booties have served me well, though they are not fashionable.

I just pulled out my Thermacell. It sucked in the Northwest Territories this summer. The skeeters(which are large enough for the CAA to issue numbers) landed on it. But I will give it another go as I have cartridges and extra pads.

I have an awful pic of my tent completely covered in no seeums at East Cape.  While this trip won't take us there, you never can have enough insect ammo

[Flex Kayakfari.com]

Yup! Sometimes I still see folks from up north bringing out their tents .. the kind that have mosquito netting only, but are NOT no-see-um proof! Then I have to decide whether to break them the bad news right then and there .. or sadistically wait and listen for their agony later on in camp.. LOL !  ;)

Sadly the big retailers sell these kinds of tents down here to the unaware; that's sadistic too~

[Bob Bonnen]

That day I saw 3 big crocs like that - I only got a glance at the other two further up the creek as they jumped in the water as soon as they saw me. I thought this one may be habituated - we paddled back and forth several times before he went in the water. He could have been just cold and sluggish I suppose but it did make me a little leery of camping there, though not so much as the mud.

[daniel]

nah, bob... i don't think it's cold with some of them now... i just saw a monster one first week of dec... the weather was actually really warm... water in the high 70s, air in the high 70s, low 80s, overnight lows very mild... he was just absolutely huge and probably has seen people... we were less than 20 feet away, he would not budge. most times, i agree, they bolt. it would have been interesting if he were laying on the campsite...