{"id":5034,"date":"2015-01-27T21:16:28","date_gmt":"2015-01-28T02:16:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/?p=5034"},"modified":"2023-09-16T08:34:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-16T13:34:09","slug":"solo-everglades-kayak-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/2015\/solo-everglades-kayak-trip","title":{"rendered":"Solo Everglades Kayak Trip 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>My <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/everglades\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eighteenth trip<\/a><\/strong> and my first solo! I finally made my way around <strong>Cape Sable<\/strong>, and explored some new places along the way&#8230; [<a title=\"Full Photo Gallery\" href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/everglades\/2015\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gallery<\/a>]<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5036\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5036\" style=\"width: 545px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-route-2015.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5036 \" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-route-2015.jpg\" alt=\"everglades-route-2015\" width=\"545\" height=\"638\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-route-2015.jpg 908w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-route-2015-128x150.jpg 128w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-route-2015-213x250.jpg 213w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-route-2015-873x1024.jpg 873w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 545px) 85vw, 545px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5036\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: NPS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GZs1xTT1gVw\" width=\"600\" height=\"440\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I started out at <strong>Flamingo<\/strong>, where the marina is split in two by a dam. I put in on the north side and proceeded up the <strong>Buttonwood Canal<\/strong>&nbsp;to <strong>Coot Bay<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-20.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5044\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-20-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"everglades-2015-20\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-20-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-20-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-20-374x250.jpg 374w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-20.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>From there it was a fairly uneventful trip up to the&nbsp;<strong>North River Chickee<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-13.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5071\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-13-1024x395.jpg\" alt=\"North River Chickee\" width=\"614\" height=\"237\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-13-1024x395.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-13-150x57.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-13-400x154.jpg 400w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-13.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Saw this lone <strong>Osprey<\/strong> next to his nest right at the confluence of the two main channels. I think he was trying to attract a mate.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/everglades\/2015\/content\/images\/large\/p1020608_1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5056 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-12-791x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Osprey\" width=\"475\" height=\"614\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-12-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-12-115x150.jpg 115w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-12-193x250.jpg 193w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-12.jpg 989w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 85vw, 475px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The next morning I loaded up as shown here&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><em>[Note the two items behind the seat, foul weather gear in the <strong>orange bag<\/strong> and my big camera in a <strong>black waterproof box<\/strong>. This made both accessible without much turning.]<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-17.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5041 alignnone\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-17-1024x279.jpg\" alt=\"My Fully Loaded Kayak @ North River Chickee\" width=\"614\" height=\"167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-17-1024x279.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-17-150x40.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-17-400x109.jpg 400w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-17.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230;and headed northeast up one of the many channels of the <strong>North River<\/strong>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-29.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5046\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-29-1024x202.jpg\" alt=\"everglades-2015-29\" width=\"614\" height=\"121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-29-1024x202.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-29-150x29.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-29-400x79.jpg 400w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-29.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Bladderworts<\/strong> (carnivorous plants) were blooming.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-30-e1422387623836.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5048\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-30-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Purple Bladderwort\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I went as far as I could go and almost lost a shoe in the mud. <strong>Got a bit lost<\/strong> on the return trip. It was a real maze! I made it back to the chickee just in time to share dinner with my friend <strong>Larry Rooks<\/strong>&nbsp;and his cousin who were on a fishing trip with a powerboat. Serendipity!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-35.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5063\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-35-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Larry Rooks\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-35-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-35-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-35-374x250.jpg 374w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-35.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>After dinner I skedaddled and made it to the&nbsp;<strong>Watson River Chickee<\/strong> just as darkness fell. The bugs were out so I retreated to my extra large tent and sat in my <strong>backpacker&#8217;s chair<\/strong>. Like having my own private screen porch&#8230;.Sweet! There was no moon so the stars were brilliant, especially <strong>Orion<\/strong> and <strong>Sirius<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-37.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5065\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-37-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"everglades-2015-37\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-37-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-37-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-37-374x250.jpg 374w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-37.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>On the third day I headed up through <strong>The Labyrinth<\/strong> on my way to the <strong>Shark River<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-44.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5069\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-44-1024x282.jpg\" alt=\"Shark River\" width=\"614\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-44-1024x282.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-44-150x41.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-44-400x110.jpg 400w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-44.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Spotted my first <strong>White Pelicans<\/strong> soaring&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/everglades\/2015\/content\/p1020613_large.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5076\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/white-pelicans.jpg\" alt=\"white-pelicans\" width=\"600\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/white-pelicans.jpg 600w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/white-pelicans-150x97.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/white-pelicans-384x250.jpg 384w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>My plan was to stay as far north as possible and come down&nbsp;<strong>Graveyard Creek<\/strong>&nbsp;to the campsite at it&#8217;s outlet. This was a bit of extra work at low tide, but passible.&nbsp;The campsite was totally different from what <a title=\"Graveyard Creek Campsite 2010\" href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/everglades\/2010\/photos\/img_1327_5_6_tonemapped_large.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">I remember<\/a>. It was overgrown and very buggy. I headed to the tent early, sat in my chair and read a book.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-48.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5074\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-48-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Graveyard Creek\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-48-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-48-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-48-374x250.jpg 374w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-48.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>The next morning was something that had to be endured.<\/strong> There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of <strong>no-see-ums<\/strong> on the tent! When I finally got out, I was under attack the entire time I was packing up. The only relief came from walking about the site to keep ahead of the little bastards. Worst I&#8217;ve seen. I was so glad to get out on the water!<\/p>\n<p><strong>I began sailing almost immediately.<\/strong>&nbsp;and quickly crossed <strong>Ponce de Le\u00f3n&nbsp;Bay<\/strong> (the mouth of the Shark River). Met another solo kayaker named Steve on the way. The wind increased and the waves grew until I judged it to be too dangerous to sail (15-20 knot wind, 2-3 foot waves). The coastline was rather uninviting, with a fence of fallen trees and no beach showing. At&nbsp;<strong>Big Sable Creek<\/strong>&nbsp;I found one little spot that got me out of the wind and waves. After that I had an uneventful peddle to <strong>Northwest Cape<\/strong>. This gave me a bit of relief from the waves so I decided to sail again. <strong>I tacked downwind&nbsp;at about ten knots ever watchful for an involuntary gybe.<\/strong> This became a real possibility due to the growing waves that changed my heading 30\u00b0 or more in a few seconds. [<a title=\"Full Video on Youtube\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GZs1xTT1gVw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Video<\/a>] I put the sail down when I reached the&nbsp;<strong>Lake Ingraham Inlet<\/strong> (that&#8217;s <strong>Middle Cape<\/strong> in the distance below).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-51.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5079\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-51-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Middle Cape from Lake Ingraham Inlet\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-51-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-51-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-51-374x250.jpg 374w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-51.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Once I reached the Cape I found a nice little campsite out of the wind with a view of the sunset. This was the only night I was not alone. There were two kayak parties and several fishing boats.<\/p>\n<p>The next day I started out on a port tack and <strong>sailed almost&nbsp;all the way to Carl Ross Key<\/strong>&nbsp;without turning (something like 14 miles!). As I passed East Cape I looked up and saw the fluke of a <strong>Manatee<\/strong> as it dove. I planned to eat lunch there but then <strong>my rudder failed<\/strong>. So I peddled on and steered with my paddle. It wasn&#8217;t bad, I only had to put in a stroke every ten seconds or so. I ate lunch in the boat and cruised the eastern side of <strong>Carl Ross<\/strong> and the larger <strong>Sandy Key<\/strong>. The later is off limits to humans and as a consequence there were birds in abundance, including rare <a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/everglades\/2015\/content\/p1020637_large.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>White Herons<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/everglades\/2015\/content\/p1020626_large.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Bald Eagles<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-59.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5082\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-59-1024x465.jpg\" alt=\"White Pelicans\" width=\"614\" height=\"279\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-59-1024x465.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-59-150x68.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-59-400x181.jpg 400w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-59.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>From there I crossed an enormous shallow bank for another ten miles to get to the <strong>Johnson&#8217;s Key Chickee<\/strong>. This one is a bit different, built higher (for the waves?) with a dock at the waterline. The place was filthy with bird droppings due to its location. I swabbed the deck with my bucket and my foot, and got my abode for the night tolerably clean.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-68.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5084 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-68-684x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Johnson's Key Chickee\" width=\"547\" height=\"819\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-68-684x1024.jpg 684w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-68-100x150.jpg 100w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-68-166x250.jpg 166w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-68.jpg 855w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 547px) 85vw, 547px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The water was&nbsp;reasonably warm and very clear so I went for a swim before dinner. Afterward I just sat in my chair and took in the vistas. Beautiful place! While I was sitting there saw a <strong>Horned Grebe<\/strong> fishing for his dinner. In the near distance I could hear and see yet another <strong>Bald Eagle<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The next morning was spent mostly following a marked channel because everywhere else was too shallow. The floating seagrass kept fouling my drive. There were lots of <strong>White Pelicans<\/strong> feeding in small groups all the&nbsp;way across the bay. I arrived back at the marina but now on the <strong>low side of the dam<\/strong>. A easy finish to a great trip!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-80.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5093\" src=\"http:\/\/richard.rathe.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-80-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"everglades-2015-80\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-80-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-80-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-80-374x250.jpg 374w, https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/everglades-2015-80.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My eighteenth trip and my first solo! I finally made my way around Cape Sable, and explored some new places along the way&#8230; [Gallery] I started out at Flamingo, where the marina is split in two by a dam. I put in on the north side and proceeded up the Buttonwood Canal&nbsp;to Coot Bay. From &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/2015\/solo-everglades-kayak-trip\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Solo Everglades Kayak Trip 2015&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,4,16,14,10,30],"tags":[492,235,188,363,441],"class_list":["post-5034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-birds","category-everglades","category-flowers","category-photography","category-travel","category-video","tag-bladderworts","tag-kayak","tag-osprey","tag-panoramas","tag-white-pelican"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5034"}],"version-history":[{"count":47,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5034\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9922,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5034\/revisions\/9922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redmangrove.org\/rathe.org\/richard\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}