Lost In The Everglades

[el-amigo]

It is good to read that no one hurt.

Fortunately (or unfortunately for me) there are not swamp lands where I live, but I got lost in cities around Europe (and once in Australia).
I like smart phones, but sometimes a map on paper could be the best friend (like this year in Barcelona).

[Batch]

Maps are great and there are maps of the camps in 2a just south of this section of the glades. There you will see camps. But, there is no map you can buy. They are mostly hand drawn. But, since the airboat trails are run on a regular basis you can use the map. In Loxahatchee they don't allow airboats. So, the vegetation and trails changes all the time. You know about where you are anyway. But, the trails change all the time.

[Oddmott]

Glad they got out okay. Hope they didn't have to pay a fortune for the rescue.

I travel a lot. I love to explore various wilds and new terrains, but one place I haven't really wanted to go to yet is the Everglades.

I've been warned by far better bushmen than I that the 'glades can mess you up, fast. I'll stick with habitats that change significantly with the seasons... not the wind.

[backpacker3]

I always try to find fixed landmarks going into an area and try to make sure I navigate from one of those landmarks to another if I don't have a map. The only thing you have to be careful of is that you can still see the last landmark from the one following it. Then you can create a crude written map, for example: from fallen tree NE to mossy rock, and so on. Especially in an area where where the landscape changes frequently to I try to be extra proactive about keeping track of fixed landmarks.

[hunter63]

I'm thinking that getting lost in the Everglades is a whole lot more than just knowing where to go,.... there has to be a lot of "how to get there as well".....as in "I can see it but can't get there".

Several times when hunting and fishing in the maze of back waters on the Mississippi, and Wisconsin Rivers.....we would get back into a channel that would strand us.
With the canoe wasn't so bad, just portage across a land finger....but the bigger boat was a problem.

Following the current doe work ...to a point....but many time you will find the path blocked with down trees, or just runs out into a bog.

[crashdive123]

That's so true. I'm going canoe camping in a few weeks to the same island we went to a couple of weeks ago. I doubt I could find the island again, and know I couldn't easily find my way back. I'm bringing my very, very old gps - the track back feature will guide my return should I need it.