FL -- Crystal River & Pensacola, 28 February-11 March 2016

Crystal River  FL

Pensacola FL

Three days in Crystal River and then nine days in Pensacola…

Crystal River…Why we came…

To kayak with manatees.

The campground…

Crystal Isles RV Resort was ok.  It was filled mostly with “permanents” or “seasonals” with a lot of clutter.  The short term sites were mostly on grass, had decent room, but were oriented back to back (which we don’t like).  We didn’t use their facilities, but they had a swimming pool, bath house,  decent looking laundry room, an activity schedule, and a few other resort type things.  They made a big deal about their four pages of rules, had us sign them, took a picture of our ID and signature, and then didn’t enforce the rules (dogs not on leashes, dog poop here and there, more vehicles than allowed, multiple outside canopies, and other silly violations)!  We had good cell phone and did not pay the additional fee for wi-fi.  We chose Crystal Isles RV Resort for it’s location and boat launch with easy access to the Crystal River. It was peaceful, especially at night.  In spite of the gripes, we were comfortable.  However, it would be a coin a flip on whether or not we’d stay there again. 

We are in the middle

Some of the sites are a bit rough and most are taken by “seasonals”

The boat ramp

Know the rules!

Crystal River, population 3,108, is only three or four miles from the RV park.  It has a decent selection of restaurants and places to get supplies and groceries.

Homosassa Springs, population 13,791, is about 10 miles southeast of the campground.  It has plenty of amenities and more RV parks.

Adventures…

On 29 February we kayaked down the Salt River…

On this morning we set off directly from the campground’s boat launch and then floated down the short canal to the Crystal River. At the river we took a left towards the ocean.

As we paddled along there were interesting sights everywhere. We had to stay river left as boats roared by in the main channel. We chatted with fellow fishermen on the Fort Island Trail County Park pier.

We paused for a break and watched some crabbers change out their pots. They had quite the audience of pelicans waiting for a treat.

Finally at the big Y in the river, we went left and down the Salt River towards the salt marsh estuary area with hopes that fish were seeking refuge in the warmer shallow waters. On the way, we passed the Marine Science Station whose mission is to, “increase student environmental literacy through hands-on laboratory and field-based educational experiences in Gulf of Mexico coastal and nearshore habitats”. We knew that their focus was middle and high school students, but it looked like good fun to us!

As we moved into the estuary area, the water cleared allowing us unlimited sight. We immediately started fishing a few oyster bars, but saw no signs of fish. We kept moving in and among the islands.

Suddenly there was a commotion of birds on the water. As we looked we saw the fin of a dolphin and we could hear it take a deep breath! As it swam, feeding, its pet flock of cormorants moved with it, feasting on the castoffs. We sat entranced and watched the dolphin for over a half hour.

We fished for a while longer. Though we did not have any hits, watching that dolphin and the accompanying cormorants made the paddle to the salt marsh worth the effort.

On our trip back up river, we sighted 10 manatees in three different pods making their way from the warm springs to the estuary and its delicious acres of sea grass. We even saw one licking the moss off of a crab pot buoy. They are fascinating critters.

   

Kayak route up the Salt River  /  A crab pot in the estuary

Checking the crab pots

No fish for us in the Salt River estuary

This dolphin put on quite show feeding aggressively in the shallow water

The dolphin had help from cormorants

We met Kevin and Jim at the Riverside Crab House for dinner…

We met my cousin, Kevin, for dinner at a local seafood restaurant, Riverside Crab House. It turned out to be a very entertaining evening with a good meal.

First of all, the Homosassa River runs right behind the restaurant and, there in the river, is a little island: Monkey Island with its own little lighthouse, boat, and tree house for five monkeys! The monkeys entertained us with their antics while we waited for our meal.

Kevin, brought his friend Jim, who had been a fellow state prison guard. They told us harrowing stories of their time working together. In addition, Jim told us stories of looking after his son who was at MLB spring training with the Baltimore Orioles. We will be following his son’s career!

   

Monkey Island

   

Sharing a good laugh with Kevin  /  One pound bucket of blue crab

On 1 March we kayaked up the Crystal River to see manatees…

We launched from the campground again, but this time we turned right and headed upstream on the Crystal River towards Kings Bay and the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. The mission today was not to fish but to spend time with the manatees that are rumored to migrate up Crystal River to the warm waters of the springs.

We paddled over two miles upstream, against a steady current.  We had to stay river right, again, to avoid the roaring boats in the main channel. As we approached King’s Bay, there were more houses lining both shores.  The houses were nice and they each had a boat and a dock.

Once in Kings Bay, we circled the island set aside as a manatee sanctuary. On the far side of the island, we unknowingly got too close to a few manatees hanging out in the murky water. They flashed their big tails and mud spread everywhere. Unfortunately, that was most we would see of manatees all day.

The winds had picked up out of the west and the tide was coming in so we headed downstream for a difficult paddle home.

   

Kayak route up the Crystal River  /  The “Manatee Zone”

   

A turtle soaking up the sun  /  Cormorant

Pensacola…Why we came…

To see family and friends and do our last fishing in Florida.

The campground…

Oak Grove at Pensacola Naval Air Station is nice!  We really liked the location.  It is on a nice stretch of beach, a half mile from the Navy Aviation Museum and Pensacola Lighthouse, and a mile from the Navy’s public boat launch.  It is also near the end of an active military aircraft runway.  During our stay, all of the flying was during daylight hours so it was peaceful at night.  In fact, it was really nice to sleep with our window open and get lulled to sleep by crashing waves.  The sites were good-sized, mostly level, paved pads.  We had decent wi-fi, good 4G cell phone, and satellite reception.  Laundry was reasonably priced and well maintained.  There was a Target, Walmart, Winn-Dixie, Naval Exchange, and Commissary within five miles.  We also liked the walking path that went a mile or two in either direction of the campground.  We were comfortable, liked our spot, and would gladly return!

A sweet spot at Oak Grove Campground on Pensacola Naval Air Station

Pensacola, population 51,923 and metro area 461,227, was busy for us.  It’s a popular retirement area, especially for retired military folks.  There are a plethora of restaurants, stores, and services.  If you like water activities and beaches, it’s a great place!

Adventures…

On 4 March we walked the beach and checked out the lighthouse…

Our first adventure in Pensacola was unplanned. Shawn and I set off on a morning walk, and Shawn turned it into a spontaneous adventure. I love it when he is feeling good!

From the campground, we walked along the beach and up to the Portside Enlisted Club. As we circled back on the nature trail, Shawn suggested that we stop at the Pensacola lighthouse, built in 1859, and tackle the 177 stairs for more exercise.

We paid our $6.00 each at the door and briefly popped in the Keeper’s Quarters. We wandered around the yard and learned about pulleys, different knots, and the history of the lighthouse.

Finally, we reached the 177th step, a bit out of breath, and were treated to stunning views of Pensacola Pass (where Pensacola Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico), three forts, the Pensacola skyline and the historic Navy Yard. We took in the sights for a while before we headed back down.

We learned later that the Pensacola Lighthouse is rumored to be the most haunted lighthouse in the United States. Too bad we didn’t see any ghosts...we like making new friends!

Our boardwalk out to the beach

  

The Pensacola lighthouse  /  Learning about pulleys

Panoramic view from the lighthouse

On 5 March we did some kayaking and fishing…

We launched our kayaks from the Navy’s public marina just a mile up the road.

First, we had to paddle out of the protected lagoon. As soon as we exited we picked up the pace and safely crossed the main channel. The current was flowing which forced us to paddle harder…it was a good workout.

We maneuvered around the north end of Robertson Island and turned into a narrow channel between the island and Perdido Key. We were impressed with the high sand dunes of Robertson that obscured our view of the mainland. This channel was protected from the winds and had less current. We enjoyed the more leisurely paddle.

We immediately spotted numerous boats anchored. These were not fishermen but pleasure boats. Most of them had dingys that allowed them to set up camps on the islands or go back and forth to the marina for supplies.

We made our way to our goal: the east end of Perdido Key and the remnants of Fort Fort McRee.  From here we could see the mainland and the Pensacola lighthouse. The perspective from the ocean made it obvious why the lighthouse was built there.

We were hoping that the rubble from Fort McRee would provide cover for schools of Redfish, one of our wish-list fish. We beached the kayaks and carefully walked out on the moss covered rubble.

There were a number of fishing boats anchored in Pensacola Pass and near us. We fished hard for a few hours. At one point a shadow followed my shrimp back. As it moved into the clear water, I could clearly see it was a two to three foot long Redfish. But it never grabbed the bait! We each had a few weak hits but never hooked a fish. We left disappointed, but the folks in the boats weren’t hooking much either.

We traced our way back the same way we had come. The traffic had picked up in the main boat channel. First we waited for a Coast Guard patroller to pass. He sat low in the water and pushed up a significant wake…one that we might have been able to surf! We could see the boat behind him was slowing for us, so we propelled ourselves into the wake and bucked over it. We could see three other boats headed our way behind the kind boat captain. Though the channel is only a hundred yards across, it is not a crossing for the novice or faint of heart!

   

Kayak route to the ruins of Fort McRee  /  Fishing the old fort’s rubble

Kayaking near Robertson Island

Great view of the lighthouse from near the tip of Perdido Key

On 6 March we met my step-brother at historic Fort Pickens…

Shawn had not seen his step brother, Mark, in over fifteen years. He eagerly looked forward to the reunion! We arranged to meet at the historic Fort Pickens to do their favorite pastime together: fish!

First we walked through the old fort. Fort Pickens was built after the War of 1812, completed in 1834, utilized during the Mexican-American War, occupied by the Union during the Civil War, and fortified prior to World War II. It remained in use till 1947 when it was turned over to the National Park Service. Everywhere we walked, families scrambled over the old fort reenacting long forgotten battles.

The three of us walked out on the beach to the far western point. We could just make out our little home hidden behind the beach across Pensacola Pass and tucked in the trees. Interestingly, I could have paddled to Fort Pickens in 30 minutes, but it took us over an hour to drive there.

Mark and Shawn tried their luck surf fishing for a few hours in the clear water. Mark had the catch of the day; one small, miniscule Jack. Just like the previous day, it looked slow for all of the fishermen.

After a few hours, we followed Mark back to his house to meet with his wife, Tina. They fed us a wonderful dinner and we had a good time catching up and sharing stories. Of particular interest were Tina’s stories of bug collecting with their grown children. We left with hopes of seeing them again soon before another 15 years passed.

   

Fort Pickens was completed in 1834 and used until 1947

Mark and I fishing Pensacola Pass

   

Mark caught the only fish!  /  Tina sharing one of their many bug collections

Visits with friends…

We had a welcome committee as we pulled into the Pensacola Navy campground. Bill and Jenn had been following our progress and found that their journey would intersect with ours. Bill, Shawn, and I are retired Air Force weather forecasters but that was not why we wanted to see them. Bill and Jenn had completed the 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail,  from Mexico to Canada this past summer and had been traipsing literally around the world since. (Here’s the link to their great blog:  https://billanders.wordpress.com/).  We wanted to hear their stories first hand! We shared a great dinner and talked for hours of both of our adventures and plans for the future. One of those plans was to share an adventure somewhere down the road when our paths intersected again.

Three retired military weather folks posing with a weather sensor!  Arleen and Bill worked briefly together in Afghanistan.

Shawn and I both worked for Mark in Alaska and his wife Bobbie, was one of my closest friends there. We had not seen each other in twelve years. We were thankful that they willingly met us at the campground.

As soon as they arrived, the four of us headed to the beach for a sunset walk. We had a wonderful surf and turf grilled dinner and shared stories from our mutual past and caught up on what we had been up to since Alaska. It was so good to see them again and we look forward to seeing them again someday soon.

Good friends from Alaska:  Bobbie and Mark

We were all stationed together in Germany and Shawn worked for Bryan at Fort Lewis before we retired. Bryan and Karen recently settled back in Florida. We met at Sonny’s BBQ and enjoyed a yummy dinner. We had a great time swapping stories to fill the gap since we parted ways five years ago. They had a lot of good suggestions for what we could do in the local area.

My boss from Ft Lewis WA:  Bryan

Next…

We spent a few days near Alabama Port AL and are now in Biloxi MS.  Our next stops are Grand Isle State Park LA and then Crystal Beach TX.  The migration back to the Colorado Rockies is in full swing!

Parting shots…

   

This pelican greeted us at the Crystal Isles’ canal  /  This cardinal was our camp host in Pensacola

Surf’s up around Pensacola…persistent 20-30mph winds kept us from kayaking and fishing

(98,700)

FL -- Chokoloskee, 3-28 February 2016

Nearly four weeks in Chokoloskee FL…

Why we came…

To explore Everglades National Park, the 10,000 Islands, and Big Cyprus National Preserve.

An evening paddle in the 10,000 Islands and Everglades National Park

The campground…

Outdoor Resorts of Chokoloskee was excellent.  The spacious camp sites are privately owned.  If the owners are not occupying their sites, they can rent them to transients, like us.  Everyone was very friendly and welcomed us with open arms.  They are also very social and eagerly attend many social functions.  The activity schedule is varied and quite busy.  These folks stay active!

            

Jeff and Sally, our neighbors  /  Linda and Lindall supplied us fresh trout and nearly adopted us!

The sites are all landscaped and meticulously maintained.  They are paved and level with a small shed.  There are three swimming pools, a decent workout room, a clubhouse, two boat launches, and two bath houses, each with nice laundry facilities.  And, unlike our last two RV parks, the laundry was very reasonably priced!  The Verizon cell phone signal was weak with sporadic 3G.  Wi-fi was fast and usually reliable.  Cable TV was available from all sites and satellite would work from most.

We liked the resort a bunch.  In fact, we even got information about buying a site!

RV sites with boat slips line “the lake”

   

Arleen hitting a tennis ball at me  /  Hot tub and pool across the street from our home

Chokoloskee, population 359, was quaint and quiet.  It’s mostly a vacation community and a good chunk of the island dwellers were not around during our stay.  Shortly after the sun went down each night, the roads emptied as the tourists and fishermen left.  There is one restaurant on the island, a small post office, the historic Smallwood’s Store, and not much else.

Aerial view of Chokoloskee and a few of the 10,000 Islands

Everglades City, population 400, is also mostly a vacation community.  It was a little busier but still quiet, especially compared to the Keys.  Compared to Chokoloskee, there are a few more restaurants, a small grocery store, a reasonably priced gas station, an Everglades National Park visitor center, a small museum, fishing charters, airboat tour guides, and a few other things. 

Naples, roughly 35 miles to the northwest, had a plethora of grocery stores, restaurants, and many other conveniences.  Though it’s very busy and quite congested, it’s a nice clean city.

Adventures…

On 5 February we went to the Big Cypress National Preserve visitor center…

We had to go to Naples for medical lab work. It was a great excuse to explore some of the area on the way.

We stopped first at the Big Cypress National Preserve visitor center and I got a sticker and stamp for my passport book. Then we watched the movie that explained the establishment of Big Cypress in 1974. It is basically a 729,000 acre swamp.

Next, we took a short walk on a boardwalk behind the center to look for manatees and caught a quick glimpse of one. We talked to the rangers and they recommended Big Cypress Bend boardwalk as a place to look for orchids.

We drove up the road a few miles and thoroughly enjoyed the one and a quarter mile stroll into a corner of the Fakahatchee Strand. We did not spot any orchids but we learned about cypress knees and strangler figs.

               

Wrestling a gator  /  Posing near a strangler fig along the Big Cypress Bend boardwalk

On 10 February we did our first kayak adventure into the 10,000 Islands…

We had been in Chokoloskee for a week and had not been out kayaking yet because of a series of weather fronts and continual small boat advisories. It was time!

During one of my walks around town, I had noted a perfect launch point at the historic Smallwood store. They charged us $20 to launch our kayaks and park our truck but it saved us a mile of paddling.

We headed across the channel and entered the 10,000 Islands for the first time! It was a little tough entering as the incoming tide flooded through the narrow island channels like rivers.

We paddled hard to an eddy where we could hold and rest. It was easy to cast into the current where the fish should have been feeding on the advancing nutrients. We also explored a few small channels but did not have any luck. Though we did not catch any fish we did see numerous Brown and White Pelicans, Ibises, and Egrets.

As we weaved our way around the maze of islands, we were able to ride the tide. It was so much easier on the shoulders. We had made so many twists and turns back in the mangrove islands, I was surprised when we popped out and saw the store across the channel. I was very glad that Shawn was tracking us on his GPS app. Fishing back in the islands requires a good map and navigational skills or you could easily get lost.

   

Kayak from the Smallwood Store into the 10,000 Islands  /  Fishing around the mangrove islands

The historic Smallwood Store seen from the islands

On 11 February we kayaked south into the 10,000 Islands…

After our first day exploring the islands, we were anxious to get back out. We launched the very next morning.

This time we launched from the boat ramp right at the RV Resort. It would be the first time of many. We enjoyed the convenience of driving a few blocks and being able to park right at the boat area. If we could have left the kayaks at or near the ramp, it would have been perfect.

This time we headed southeast towards the Lopez River with a strong northerly tail wind. It was over a mile before we entered the islands.

We wound in and around several islands and channels. I kept very close to Shawn. I was afraid if I dawdled, I would not find my way out! Again, the tide was coming in and we fished the rising currents. Finally, Shawn hooked a sympathy sea trout.

When we popped out, the northerly winds had abated so we were able to head directly back rather than hugging the east coast and adding an additional mile per the original plan. We love it when a forecast that is wrong works in our favor.

   

Kayak route south from the RV park  /  Shawn Casting his lure

A small seatrout

Headed back to Chokoloskee and the RV park

On 12 February we kayaked west from the Everglades NP visitor center…

The forecast held promise of another glorious paddling day. For the third day in a row, we headed out with our kayaks.

This time we parked at the National Park visitor center in Everglades city. They offer free use of their concessioner launch site. We appreciated this warning:

“Ten Thousand Islands, have many oyster reefs and sandbars. Safely exploring this region, while protecting the sensitive underwater habitats, requires the ability to "read the water". Shallow areas are not always marked, especially in the area between Flamingo and Everglades City. Knowing the draft (depth) and limits of your boat is critical, as is the ability to read and utilize nautical charts.”

We headed out excited, because today we were looking for the oyster bars. Though we needed to use caution around them (the sharp edges could puncture our kayaks), they provide ample nutrients and fish often hang out near them to feed.

Once, across the channel, we were able to climb out of the kayaks, leash them to our belt loops, and walk around on the lovely sand bars. Though these sparse bars are only accessible during low tide, with proper timing it is a wonderful treat to be able to get out of our kayaks and stretch. Most of the area is mud and seagrass that you just sink into.

After no fishing success, we wound in and around several islands. We really enjoyed the peace and quiet while we toured this special place all by ourselves.

   

Kayak route from the Everglades NP visitor center  /  An ibis flying out of the mangroves

Fishing from a sandbar

On 16 February we headed south into the 10,000 Islands…

Fishing had been slow for us, but based on conversations with others, no one was doing very well. Some folks caught a few sea trout, but “nothing like recent years”. This was due to the cooler waters and there was talk of too much fresh water spilling into the glades from Lake Okeechobee due to the unusual heavy winter rains. We hoped our luck would change!

We decided to mix it up and we launched at high tide from the resort. The water was a bit rough with 15-20mph winds, so it took us some effort to cross the channel. We could see the oyster bars a few feet beneath us instead of poking above the surface like islands. We were happy to enter the shallower and protected “no motor zone”.

We entered the islands and fought the exiting tide at every turn. We made our way to a welcome sand bar and wade fished about an hour without any luck. By the time we made our way back to exit the islands, the outgoing tide revealed a bunch of oyster bars spread across the open bay.

We had to carefully pick our way around the islands made of knife-edged oysters. Fortunately, we never heard the horrid crunching sound of running aground.

   

Kayak route south into the 10,000 Islands  /  Cormorants always keep a close eye on us

Wading on a sandbar in the 10,000 Islands

On 17 February we kayaked up the Turner River…

Bob was staying the winter in the RV across from us.  He recently bought a used kayak and had been taking short half mile excursions, never straying too far from the security of Chokoloskee. He jumped at the offer on a kayak adventure with us.

We launched together from resort and headed east to the Turner River. Bob was happy after we had crossed the half mile wide channel in fifteen minutes with minimal effort. And there in the mouth of the Turner River were a few dolphins that appeared to be celebrating his success!

We headed up the large, slow moving river carefully staying out of the main channel where the fishing and tour boats sped past and kicked up some big wakes. Thankfully, the incoming tide assisted us in the upstream paddle.

After about two miles we took a left and paddled up a small creek. The creek narrowed with mangroves which blocked the 15-20mph winds. The creek was also fairly shallow which prevented most motor boats from exploring it. The half mile paddle was very pleasant. We excited the little creek into our goal: a 20 acre lagoon (or brackish lake).

The three of us fished for a while and did not have any luck. However, as I was trolling back across the lake for the last time, my rod bent over. As I reeled, I could not feel the shake of a fish head, but it was not stuck like a snag. What was it? I was quite shocked when I saw a good sized blue crab clinging to my shrimp. I thought for a second about trying to get it into the kayak for a picture, but I was wearing sandals with ten exposed toes! Well, it took a good look at me, chomped off the end of the shrimp and fell back in the water.

Back at the mouth of Turner River, Shawn and I started fishing the oyster bars. Bob was worn out so he headed back across the channel by himself but with more confidence.

Shawn caught the first of several sea trout over a big oyster bar in the main channel. The 20 inch long trout aggressively smacked his top-water lure…he was very excited! (It ended up being the biggest trout that we caught.)

We then moved to just south of the main river channel. The area had more mangrove islands and a bunch of oyster bars. It was sheltered from the boat wakes, winds, and had less current. Here we caught blue runners, ladyfish, and a few small trout. It was so much fun after so many days of being skunked. To top it off, while we fished we could see and hear dolphins feeding in the main channel.

I headed back to the boat launch while Shawn went to try a few spots around “structure” on the main island. When he arrived, he excitedly showed me a picture of a small snook! He had hooked four of them!

He was top-water fishing when the first one exploded on his lure and nearly jumped into his kayak! The 30+ inch long snook looked him in the eye, dove deep and got off. Just a couple of casts later, a nearly identical fish did the same thing, but this time the line broke after a few exciting minutes. The next two snook were only about 15 inches long, but he was so excited to see them hammer his big top-water lure. It was our best fishing day by far! Shawn had finally caught one of his wish list fish: the mighty snook.

   

Kayak route up the Turner River  /  Dolphins swam within 30 feet of us!

Arleen and Bob paddling across the bay to the Turner River (RV park is in the background)

Fishing an oyster bar at the mouth of the Turner River as the tide goes out

   

A 20 inch long seatrout  /  A small snook…the first one!  Shawn hooked 2 big ones before he landed this one

On 19 February we kayaked down the Turner River…

This day did not proceed as plotted at all. The plan had been for about a three mile paddle and some bass fishing way up the Turner River. Plans change frequently when you hang out with Shawn…It’s good to remain flexible and spontaneous! However, in this case it was Bob and I that convinced Shawn to change course.

Shawn and I drove to the Big Cypress Turner River put-in site and Bob followed us. We launched around noon and within 50 yards, we had to lay way back in our kayaks to get under the highway bridge. We had heard that for a while this winter, kayaks and canoes could not get under the bridge at all because the water was too high!

Right away, we spied a gator snout to the right but the current carried us by too quickly to get anything other than a glance. Soon afterwards we were pulling ourselves through tight mangrove tunnels. We broke down our paddles to maneuver a little easier. We frequently had to pause to find areas to back into as we met other kayaks and canoes. It is a popular area!

It was slow going. During one of our pauses, we figured it had taken us an hour to go a half mile! At this rate it would take us six hours to do the plan and that did not include fishing. With the late start and the slow going, we were flirting with fishing in the dark.

Bob and I voted to just do the whole river all the way to the resort rather than fighting the current and tunnels back. We could get our bikes and ride back to get the vehicles. Shawn hesitated but eventually agreed.

For the next mile or two, we alternated between narrow mangrove tunnels and open saw-grass meadows before the river widened and a deeper tributary whisked us along. Suddenly, Shawn spied 20 small snook!

He immediately slipped into fishing mode. Now we were on our third amendment to the plan: Shawn would fish and take his time while we paddled straight to the RV park, still 3-4 miles away, get a ride back to the vehicles, and meet Shawn at the RV park boat ramp.

It was very interesting to see how the river opened up as each creek joined the waters. We had been paddling almost nonstop for four hours when we saw the resort across the channel with the sun setting behind it. The resort was a welcome site!

As we paddled up to the boat channel, our fish supplier, Lindell was hanging out at his fish cleaning station with a friend. I quickly told him the story. His friend, Jeff, was one of Bob’s tennis buddies and he rushed to get his truck. Jeff saved Bob and me a 17 mile bike ride! Plus he shared the story of his 100lb+ tarpon he had caught on a fly rod. The folks at the resort are great and generously offer help when needed!

Just as I got back with the truck, Shawn was nearing the boat ramp… Our timing was perfect. He shared a story with Bob and I of spooking a four foot long gator that nearly made him pee his pants. The small snook he spotted upstream disappeared and never gave him a shot. He missed one good fish at the mouth of the Turner River, but didn’t spot any other fish. It was a long but very memorable day.

   

Kayak route down the Turner River  /  Narrow passage through the mangroves

We barely squeezed under the highway bridge

We enjoy kayaking through the mangroves!

On 22 February we kayaked west into the 10,000 Islands…

This time we launched from the north end of Chokoloskee, across from the other boat ramp.  It’s a tricky launch.  The water is shallow for a quite a distance.  If you don’t launch within an hour or two of high tide, you will be struggling through deep mud.  Otherwise, it’s a good place to launch with an easy paddle across the channel into the 10,000 Islands.

The water was choppy, but not bad.  However, the incoming tide was kicking up a fairly strong current, especially in the narrow channels between the numerous islands.  We briefly paddled in one of the main passes between the shallow bay and open ocean.  We stroked hard against the funneled current and made very slow progress.  I fell slowly behind Shawn and was glad when he waited for me in a large eddy. 

We fished the channels, oyster bars, and islands pretty hard and got no hits.  Various birds entertained us with their antics, but dolphins put on the best show.  A pod of five aggressively fed in a shallow lagoon.  The big dolphins ripped through the shallow water and made quite a commotion.  The loud splashing ruckus was impressive.  Unfortunately and surprisingly, an obnoxious power boat blew through and the dolphins disappeared.

Shawn had a rough time with his fishing tackle.  Uncharacteristically, I heard him cuss quite a bit as he made poor casts high into the mangroves, had problems with his knots, untangled his line, dropped his reel in the saltwater, and dealt with problems that hit all fishermen at some point.  As he paddled over an oyster bar to free his snagged lure (again), his favorite rod snapped in two!  He was done… We paddled back.

   

Kayak route from north side of Chokoloskee  /  Pouty face because his rod broke

The dolphins were aggressively feeding

Another close encounter!

On 26 February we paddled up the Turner River again…

We expected clear skies, gusty winds decreasing through the afternoon, and tides with us both ways as we paddled up the Turner River.  We only got one out of three of those things right!

We launched at the RV park an hour and a half after low tide with a cross wind around 15mph.  The bay was a little rough, but we crossed with our usual pace and effort.  As we entered the Turner River, the normal slow downstream current was just starting to stall while the incoming tide fought against it.  We rounded the first bend and got smacked with a headwind.  Unfortunately, the downstream current also increased as we paddled ahead of the tidal push.  Now we worked hard and made slow progress.

The meanders in the large river provided brief respites from the physical exertion.  We were thankful to have minimal boat traffic and enjoyed watching the various waterfowl and raptors that the Everglades are known for. 

We finally made the turn out of the big river and up the small side creek.  We still paddled against a slow current, but the gusty winds were blocked by walls of mangroves and cypress…it was very pleasant. 

Then I spotted a small 3-4 foot long alligator!  It was just floating under the mangroves and didn’t seem to mind our nearby presence.  It watched us closely, but showed no signs of alarm.  It was just us, the alligator, colorful birds perched in mangroves, a slow moving tannin stained creek, sunny blue skies, comfortable temperature, and no bugs…the perfect Everglades experience!

We arrived at the small 20 acre lake and set up to fish.  Unfortunately, the gusty winds made fishing difficult.  The winds didn’t effect two brown pelicans though.  They flew low over us and dove for fish nearby, putting on quite a show.  They stuck with us for an hour and caught a bunch of bait fish while we caught nothing.  The were tons of bait fish in the shallow lake, but we didn’t see the snook or redfish that usually feast on them.  I’m certain that the narrow creek and small lake harbor good fish at times, but they eluded us.

We had planned to fish longer, but the annoying winds and poor fishing forced us to give up and head back.  High tide was less than 6o minutes away and the incoming current had overcome the downstream flow.  Poop…now we had to paddle against the current and the gusty winds to get home!  In fact, contradictory to the forecast, the winds had increased to 25mph…yuck!

We kicked into “slow and steady” mode and crawled back with considerable effort.  We took a few short breaks out of the current and winds, ate snacks, and “recharged our batteries”.   At the final break, we could hear the winds and see white-capped waves whipping across the half mile wide bay.  It did not look fun! 

We rounded the protected point and got smacked with 25-30mph winds and 2-3 foot waves.  We were already tired from the previous five and a half miles of tough paddling, but hit the final half mile with vigor.  Slow, steady, strong, deliberate strokes kept us moving forward…barely.  Waves continually crashed over the bow soaking us shortly into the battle.  And that’s as bad as it got!  Two thirds of the way across, the shore started providing a little protection, and it wasn’t long until our strong strokes propelled us quickly forward.  It only took us 20 minutes to paddle the final half mile…half as long as we expected.  It certainly wore us out and our shoulders and backs were sore for a couple of days, but it was a good adventure.  Most importantly, we never had any close calls or felt like we were in trouble.  This was a good test of our skills and boosted our confidence!

   

Kayak route up the Turner River  /  Tricolored heron

Small alligator watched us closely as we slowly paddled by

We had “kayaking” weather for about half of our visit.  More importantly, Shawn felt decent for two weeks!  We did some good kayak adventures in Everglades National Park, 10,000 Islands, and Big Cypress National Preserve.  Unfortunately, fishing was tough for us and tough for others that we spoke to.

Eight kayak routes totaling over 45 miles!

Next…

We have spent a few days near Crystal River FL, and are now in Pensacola FL.  Our next stops are Coden AL, Biloxi MS, and then Grand Isle State Park LA.

Parting shots…

   

Heron  /  Ibis on an oyster bar

   

An osprey hunting for fish  /  A great-horned owl

       

Critters at the Oasis Visitor Center:  turtle, anhinga, 3 alligators…better than a zoo!

Fishing after sunset…got eaten alive by mosquitoes!

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