West Oz Kayaker 2 Paddle Jan '14

[Lee WRIGHT]

I backpack a Folbot 'Cooper' kayak when O/S, its seen AK, Costa Rica, Panama, Bermuda, Charleston, Vancouver & 'glades waters.
Back in Oz I use a Barracuda kayak; it doesn't have the capacity of the Cooper but with minimalist gear I'm fine for 7 days.
So why I have joined: Hopefully the intellect & knowledge if members will ensure that my Bucket List #3 trip is fraught free...As I get closer to working out or remembering what I need or have to organise - members will 'wail in disgust' or offer direction.
Your waters are magnificent and where I am at peace... looking forward to the trip Jan '14 Everglades City City to Flamingo ~15th Jan - 25th Jan.
Happy to solo however a co-paddler wouldn't be refused :-)

[Amazon Bill]

Welcome Lee. Your best bet is to post your questions or ideas and the responses will emerge from the lurking EEN members. Try searching by key word, campsite name, river, route,
and lots of info will pop up.

[Lee WRIGHT]

Trip Everglades City - Flamingo Jan 2104 - coming in from West Oz. As I'm backpacking my Folbot & gear into the US, weight etc is a concern...

Safety says I should have a VHF Radio - I use a 'Spot Messenger' as an EPIRB in conjunction with GPS with UHF radio- preferred is to use wireless cellphone/tablet as backup.

My last trip to 'glades ('08) there was very limited Cellph cover.

Has it improved?

Has anyone used the new Spot Messenger Phone (it isn't available in Oz yet)?

What is the concensus on VHF vis UHF Radio (knowing that the UHF is very limited within the Mangrove trails)?

cheers,

wilt42

[Terry]

Wilderness Waterway 101

General:

1)  Start south go north.   Cold fronts bring strong north winds but the prevailing winds are from the southeast.

2)  Learn, understand and plan for tides.   Ebb and flood in the major rivers is intense but with planning you

     can minimize paddling against it.

3)  Try to stay off the magneta line, for solitude and remoteness stay to the east of the line instead of the

     west.

4)  Vary your campsites: chickee, ground, beach.  Vary your route: backcountry, frontcountry.  Vary your

     environment:  saltwater, freshwater.   A good route zig-zags east and west while traveling north.

 

Specifics:

1)  Start at Hells Bay Trail.   Flamingo and the Buttonwood Canal is like backpacking on I-95 and there's

     no reason to paddle with powerboats by going out in the open around Cape Sable.

2)  Best is to exit at Collier Seminole State Park, it gives you another day of wilderness after leaving your last

     campsite at Picnic/Tiger Key.   Exiting at Turner River is shorter and wild right to Tamiami Trail.   And the

     newest exit at Seagrape, Big Cypress National Preserve, provides an excellent launch, facilities, parking

     and no crowds.   All three of these exits allow you to avoid contamination from the eye-sore, gut-wrenching,

     honky-tonk known as Everglades City.

[Jay]

+1 on Terry's suggestions.

Following that methodology I started at Hell's Bay and finished at Turner River - Saw or heard no human for the first 4 days and had two other days of solitude on my 10 day trip.

Caution - watch out going up the big rivers.  You can paddle against the tide (barely) or you can paddle against a NE wind (barely) but you can't beat both.

Don't be afraid of The Nightmare.  Leave either end of a rising tide and you will be fine.

Here is my trip report from last year.

Jay

[Lee WRIGHT]

Terry & Jay,

Thanks for the direction - hadn't thought about 'into the wind/current' aspect - however I'll still be heading North > South as the plan is to arrive @ Flamingo in time for the Flotilla & my time is limited with other side-trips in the 6 weeks O/S.

I've viewed the trails via "The BOOK' (at the moment its name is missing) that describes the trail-ways and chickees. Much of it relates to North-South travel - with warnings. My experience in the 'Glades as well paddling elsewhere leads me to believe that the waters maybe against me at times however overall the distances are achievable over 6-8 hrs daily.

I've done, & can do, 20-36km into a 4knt tide shift & 10knt wind over 11 hrs - not blowing my trumpet, just saying that I'm aware and what you've tendered is 'bleeding' good advice - it's been filed and being considered seriously.

As an Oz: What is the "magneta line"?

cheers & thx

[Dallas]

As an Oz: What is the "magneta line"?

I think he's referring to the 'official' route for the wilderness waterway.

[Terry]

Magenta is a red-purple color used in cartography to indicate routes, boundaries etc.

The Wilderness Waterway is indicated as a magenta line on all the nautical charts of the area.

And thanks Jay, how did I forget number 5 in the general list?:

5)  The Nightmare is a feature of the Wilderness Waterway, in fact, the creation of the Wilderness Waterway

     hinged on finding a total inshore passage from Flamingo to Everglades City.   They struggled finding

     the Nightmare connection.

[Jay]

Thanks Terry.  Re-reading my post  - it should read - "depart either end ON a rising tide and you will be fine."

[Kim Gass]

I think one of your challenges with the Folboat is carrying water. You will need some 8-10 gallons and if you store in  your kayak, I fear that marauding raccoons could rip the fabric apart. I found over the last seven years that while I can paddle 20 miles a day in the Atlantic, the shallowness of Everglades water puts considerable drag and squat on the hull. Its tough paddling with even mile tidal currents and 15 mph winds!  Tougher than Maine.  In ten days you ought to be able to average 13 miles a day, so think about the zig zag course and get off the WW!  We usually cover about 120-150 miles on our Jan trips  (10 days)but we loop out of either Everglades City or Flamingo..