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Thread: Kayaking Everglades National Park

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Default Kayaking Everglades National Park

    I'm looking for some advice. My DIL and a friend are going to spend 3 days kayaking Everglades National Park on the west coast. They are either putting in at the Flamingo Visitor Center in the south or some spot up north. I assume around Plantation Island but I'm not certain. They will have cell phones, radios and all the usual safety stuff (flares, whistles, etc). I'm just wondering if there is anything in particular they need to watch out for? Along the western shore I doubt animals are much of a concern. At least not like they might encounter inland. They are spending the night on islands or on chickees. These gals are novice at navigation and have no nautical navigation experience that I know of. That part scares the beejeebers out of me but when you're young....Smugglers an issue around there? Looking for advice and cautions. Thanks!


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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Batch may know, but lives on the other coast. I'll send a message to a friend that lives on that side of the state.
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    Get a report before you launch on wind and tides. Kelly and I barely made it back to the launch site after a wind got bad and the tide was wrong.
    Coons can be anywhere and can open coolers and chew through water jugs.

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Rick,

    Here's the response I got.

    Here's a few thoughts:

    I love the ENP and have kayaked and fished the area a few times. Make sure they get a copy of NOAA Chart 111430 (http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/11430.shtml). They can print the chart out, but it's well worth purchasing a waterproof chart for their journey. Also, download and read the Wilderness Trip Planner from http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisi...5corrected.pdf.

    Make sure to take plenty of drinking water, as there's no place to obtain water in the 10,000 islands. Raccoons will be the only land based animals to worry about. Make sure to lock and possibly buckle strap any coolers or boxes that contain food, toothpaste, etc., and don't sleep with food in your tent. Depending on the season of the trip, mosquitoes can be bad, especially in the summer months. It will help if you spray your gear and clothing with Permethrin prior to the trip (https://sawyer.com/products/permethr...ect-repellent/).

    Have plenty of dry bags for storage and maybe a small drybox for any sensitive electronics. Depending on where they go, provider, etc., cell phone access may be spotty. I'd suggest a dedicated handheld GPS unit in a waterproof case, with a couple of backup batteries. In addition, an inexpensive wrist worn compass is good to have to give you a general idea of your direction and a pointer east to the mainland.

    Make sure to have a tide table and make sure to use the tides in your favor when paddling. The tides can swing 3-4 feet and can be difficult when paddling against the tide, but a godsend when you use the tides to your advantage. If camping on an island, make sure you pull your kayaks or canoes up on the shore above the high waterline and tie off the boats securely to a tree. Also, on many of the islands at low tide, the ground around the island will be a deep muck that will be difficult to walk through, and you'll easily loose a water shoe or two if you try to walk through it, ask me how I know. If they've not camped on sandy beaches before, just be aware that sand will get everywhere and a small mat in front of the tent that you can use to take off your shoes and rinse you feet off comes in handy and help keep the sand out of your tent.

    Most of the Chickee's have portable toilets and can be great when you want that dry land feeling. Once again, pay attention to the tides when camping on the Chickee's, if you hit them at low tide, you'll have to climb up around 4 feet and can be difficult to unload your gear above your head while in the boat. Make sure to have plenty of rope to tie off your boat with the swing of the tides.

    Speaking of facilities, when camping on an island, make sure you take along a trowel for bathroom duties. Also, any fires you build on the island has to be built below the high water line.

    It's easy to get turned around in the 10,000 islands if you venture deep into the islands, as all of the mangroves start to look the same. If you pay close attention to your direction by glancing at your compass often and refer to the chart, you can maintain a pretty good idea of where your at and how to get back to the mainland when needed.

    I've always felt safe while paddling the area and have never run into any problems with two legged creatures. A lot of folks visit this area in the winter months so it's not as secluded as is is in the summer. When you check in at the visitor center, they have a board on the wall that shows the number of people camping on the islands or the Chickee's, so you'll have a good idea of how many folks are in the area.

    One last thought, always wear a PFD and make sure you have attached a whistle, an knife, and a emergency overboard light to the PFD.
    I forgot to mention, depending on when they're coming down, I'd be more than happy to drive down and meet them and maybe help them get started, situated and pointed in the right direction. I never need much of an excuse to go to the Everglades and do a little kayak fishing...
    I have camped with this guy quite a few times. He's the one I traveled to the N. Georgia mountains with last week.
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    Senior Member WolfVanZandt's Avatar
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    Part of the National Geographic National Parks series had a canoeing trip in the Everglades. It was pretty well done and would give you an idea of the "land". I've also read a good bit of Carl Hiaasen - people think his stuff is fantasy - nothing could be that horribly, awfully funny - they're wrong. But I wish I was able to go with you. It's been, what? 40 years since I've been down there. The Everglades have dried up, burned, and, maybe, come back. I hope so, anyway.
    True enough, my final home is still out there, but this is most certainly my home range and I love it. I love every rock I fall off and tree I trip over. Even when I am close to dying from exhaustion, a beautiful sunset doesn't lose it's power to refresh and inspire me and that, in itself, is enough to save me sometimes.

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Beware of Dinosaurs and Green Anacondas.....
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    That's funny. At first she told me they were kayaking the everglades and I said, "Whoa, let me get my list out." Then I figured out she was at the national park on the western side and said Pffft. About the only thing to worry about are Gambian rats. "Rats?!" she said. Oh, yeah giant two foot things about the size of a small dog. "What?!" But don't worry, they won't kill you outright. You're taking a gun, right? Anything above .357 should handle them. After she regained consciousness I told her I was kidding. The Gambian rats are further south around the Flamingo Visitor Center. She passed out again.

    Thanks everyone for the information you shared. It's really appreciated. I expressed the importance of an itinerary with the place where they are renting the kayaks (hard to fly commercial with a kayak).

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    Do you know when they are planning on going?

    The animals most likely to ruin the trip the Salt Marsh Mosquito tops the list. Followed by noseeums.

    The Salt Marsh Mosquito does not have to bite you to annoy you. It is one of the loudest buzzers there is and their bites are some of the most irritating to me.

    Crash's friend posted some solid advice.

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    Yeah, make sure she know about the ROUS's.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    She left today on the big bird heading south.

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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    What an exciting trip. I'm happy for her and hope it all goes well.
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