October 8 full moon kayak of Miami river

[shawn beightol]

Fellow explorers, I've recently moved to the Miami river (apt).
I've invited Florida trail assoc members to paddle a portion of the Miami river October 8 for the full moon. If they formally accept and you'd like to join, you'll sign a release to join. If they don't, we'lol just launch. Here's invite
:The plan is to start MEETING at 630 PM and socialize, enjoy a beverage while we get our boats ready at the boat ramp area.
The sunsets at 718 PM and we'll toast her setting and the moon's simultaneous rising before setting off (BYOB & BYODinner).
We will shove off at 730 PM and move west (with the night ; ).
We will swing by historic Musa Isle where a Seminole village became a tourist attraction through the 50s
We will travel on west past where the Miami River Rapids/waterfall used to be until they dynamited them in 1908.
We will dip into the Tamiami Canal and learn about the drama of Hope City and the taking of the lock at gunpoint. We will view the historic (1921) and functioning Swing Bridge
We will then "mosey" up to the secret entrance to Palmer Lake, a rock pit dug after 1845 maps and hence NOT subject to Riparian Laws/Rights, the conclusion of a contentious court case over access rights between Jones Boatyard and another property owner.

By this point, the tide will have slacked and we will turn and return east.
We will pass the Curtis Boat Ramp again and those wishing to return home may do so (total 3.5 miles).

The remainder of the paddlers will continue east to the South Fork and we will dip in and learn about its history.
Continuing east, we will reach Sewell Park and turn south into the Lawrence Canal and visit the secret Seminole Caves at the embassy.
Returning to the Miami River we will head east to the 836 Bridge to see some of the sailboats and houseboats tied to the seawall.
At this point, we'll head back west and either eat our packed dinner at Sewell or at Curtiss Park (total mileage: 6.7 Miles)


Required Safety Equipment, the signing of any FTA paperwork should carry the wording that shows the signor is aware and by signing acknowledges his/her vessel is so equipped:
Gear required by the United States Coast Guard

Life Jacket - Good and serviceable condition, Readily accessible, which means you are able to put the PFD on quickly in an emergency.

Sound Producing Devices - All vessels are required to carry an efficient sound-producing device, such as a whistle or horn that is audible for at least one-half mile.

Navigational Lights - The required navigation lights must be displayed between sunset and sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility. A vessel...under oars, of less than 7 meters in length shall...have ready at hand an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision.

Visual Distress Signals - Not required as the Miami River at this point is < 2 miles wide:

Vessels operating on U.S. coastal waters...as well as those waters connected directly, up to a point where the waterway is less than two nautical miles wide, must be equipped with U.S. Coast Guard-approved visual distress signals

[shawn beightol]

[Rob Stevens]

Shawn,

   You  got me with any mention of boatyards and riparian rights. What do you suppose the outcome would be if Palmer Lake was dug between January 1861 and July 1868?

[yakmaster]

working too hard to make it, so how did it go?

Repost if you're going to do in November or later

[Swamp Hunter]

Sorry I couldnt make it Shawn.   How did it go?  Keith came up to Bear Island to camp this past weekend and he brought me a 16 foot canoe.  Thanks for the great canoe Keith!  Now I can experience the WW.

[shawn beightol]

[shawn beightol]

[shawn beightol]

[shawn beightol]

I narrated the tour with a PA system... I had the outriggers on the canoe to counteract any undesirable PBR effects...

[shawn beightol]

We had 24 paddlers join up.  Here we are entering the secret entrance to Lake Palmer...most people don't know where this is...it was hotly contested in court not too long ago because someone bought waterfront property on the lake to engage in maritime business.  Jones family won because it was shown that the lake was dug as a rock pit and therefore not subject to Riparian Law.  And I don't know the answer to the question the other gentleman asked about the timing of the digging and the law...

[shawn beightol]

[yakmaster]

Looks like a good time was had by all!

 

Must be done again!

 

Circulate notices!

[shawn beightol]

Dale and all...it was a gorgeous evening.

I took them to the original North Fork (the canal is not the North Fork) where the rapids and the waterfall were.  It was the returning venue for pioneers, army and indians returning from the glades because they could shoot the rapids when the water was up.

I showed them where the Musa Isle Indian Village was (the 2nd tourist trap on the river), named for the Musa bananas grown on the fruit grove next door.  I showed them where the Cardale tower was located where you could pay 25c downtown for a boat ride to climb up and look out over the everglades.  Local boys would dive for coins tourists threw into the clear waters of the Miami River.

I showed them the remnants of the Ferguson Canal that was dug to deliver spring water to Flagler's pipe to bring cold water to the Royal Palm Hotel downtown.  Later the Ferguson family put a coontie mill on it.  A piece of this late 1800 ditch still exists!

I showed them the original 1921 swing bridge that WAS over the original North Fork...its now over the Tamiami Canal connector (South River Drive crosses this bridge which is destined for Fern Isle Park to span the south fork and be preserved as a historic monument).

I showed where the lock was where the squatters of "Hope City" took the lock at gunpoint one day as the lock keeper closed it to keep Miami from flooding and in doing so yet again flooded their squatter fields of vegetables that they scrabbled by on (1912?).

We then went to Lake Palmer and turned back to the Lawrence Canal to see the Miccosukee Embassy and the Miami River Caves that go under their property.

We stopped at the South Fork where those destined to the Everglades departed through (to avoid the rapids and waterfall of the north fork, through which the army party that killed Chekika left).  We looked at the land that was Coppingers Grove and Indian Village (the first Seminole Indian tourist attraction on the river).

We finished with a picnic at Sewell Park.

Magical!