We are exactly one week away from our trip. Our original itinerary has been slightly changed for a couple reasons. We have decided to begin and end at the head of the Hells Bay Trail because there will be only 2 of us (and one car). We reduced our trip from 10 days to 9 days to decrease the amount of water required. That one extra day seemed to take us over the top on weight. The planned trip is as follows:
Day 1 - Hells Bay Trail to Hells Bay chickee
Day 2 - Hells Bay chickee to South Joe chickee
Day 3 - South Joe chickee to Oyster bay chickee
Day 4 - Oyster Bay chickee to Canepatch
Day 5 - stay on Canepatch, explore the area (Rookery branch)
Day 6 - Canepatch to Watson River chickee
Day 7 - Watson River chickee to Roberts River chickee
Day 8 - Robert River chickee to Lane Bay chickee
Day 9 - return to head of Hells Bay Trail
We are now looking closely at the weather. As of right now, we are expecting warm temperatures during day 1 and 2. We expect this to precede a front that could bring cooler temperatures and high winds, and possibly rain. By that time, we will be out of the openness of Whitewater Bay and heading toward Canepatch. From there, we will remain in relatively protected waters for the remainder of our trip. But, as is always the case with Florida weather, you never really know for sure until its upon you.
I do have a feeling that our long streak of good luck will run out at some point and as this is predicted to be a wet and windy winter (ala El Nino), we are preparing for the worse. My feeling is that we will encounter rain and cooler temperatures on this adventure, compared to all our previous holiday trips, which have been relatively dry and mostly warmer than usual. Whichever way it goes, we are prepared for anything, but mostly for cold and wet.
For this entry, I have included a list of clothing that I plan to bring. I'm paddling for 9 days so I do prefer to have a change of pants and shirt after day 4 or 5. Constant exposure to salt water mixed with a healthy dose of sweat makes your clothes disgusting. I suppose I can live with it for 9 days, but why bother when a couple added ounces of clothes is all it takes. Besides, clothes can rip from a mangrove encounter, so be prepared at the very least.
My camp clothes do not get so dirty, so one pair of nylon pants for camp is sufficient. Since I am expecting cold weather, I don't want to take chances, so I will bring extra socks, some for paddling, some for camp. If my wool socks get wet, I'll have an extra dry pair handy. If I don't need the wool socks, I'll have the ligher nylon version. And if it gets cold enough, I have fleece socks for sleeping. I also wear socks with my paddling shoes; the polypro or Cool Max type that keep your feet feeling dry and serve as good insulators.
For shirts, I always wear long sleeve at camp, so I will have two and one can also serve as a layer for paddling in cold temps. I will also have a short sleeve that I can sleep in or wear as a layer. I bring a camp hat (baseball cap) that I can spray bug repellant on if needed (rather than spraying directly on my head) and a pair of knit gloves that also serve as bug defense. In case of cold weather, I have thermal gloves and hat which I can wear paddling or in camp. Also for cold weather, I will have polypro long underwear (for paddling and camp), silk long underwear (for sleeping) and a fleece vest. I always bring a few bandanas worn while paddling and at camp, mainly for sun and bug protection.
Here is my list of clothes which I will pack into 3 10-liter dry bags:
1 turtleneck polypro shirt
1 polypro long underwear
1 short sleeve t shirt
2 long sleeve t-shirts
1 pair shorts for sleeping
rain jacket
rain pants
Tilley hat for paddling
baseball hat for camp
thermal Hat
thermal gloves
3 bandanas or buffs
fleece vest (for pillow also, pack with sleeping bag)
3 paddling nylon pants (1 for camp)
2 nylon shirts for paddling
1 silk long underwear and shirt for camp
2 pair liner socks for paddling
paddling shoes
2 pair nylon socks for camp
1 pair fleece socks for camp
2 pair wool socks for camp
Croc sandals for camp
8 pair underwear
Day 1 - Hells Bay Trail to Hells Bay chickee
Day 2 - Hells Bay chickee to South Joe chickee
Day 3 - South Joe chickee to Oyster bay chickee
Day 4 - Oyster Bay chickee to Canepatch
Day 5 - stay on Canepatch, explore the area (Rookery branch)
Day 6 - Canepatch to Watson River chickee
Day 7 - Watson River chickee to Roberts River chickee
Day 8 - Robert River chickee to Lane Bay chickee
Day 9 - return to head of Hells Bay Trail
We are now looking closely at the weather. As of right now, we are expecting warm temperatures during day 1 and 2. We expect this to precede a front that could bring cooler temperatures and high winds, and possibly rain. By that time, we will be out of the openness of Whitewater Bay and heading toward Canepatch. From there, we will remain in relatively protected waters for the remainder of our trip. But, as is always the case with Florida weather, you never really know for sure until its upon you.
I do have a feeling that our long streak of good luck will run out at some point and as this is predicted to be a wet and windy winter (ala El Nino), we are preparing for the worse. My feeling is that we will encounter rain and cooler temperatures on this adventure, compared to all our previous holiday trips, which have been relatively dry and mostly warmer than usual. Whichever way it goes, we are prepared for anything, but mostly for cold and wet.
For this entry, I have included a list of clothing that I plan to bring. I'm paddling for 9 days so I do prefer to have a change of pants and shirt after day 4 or 5. Constant exposure to salt water mixed with a healthy dose of sweat makes your clothes disgusting. I suppose I can live with it for 9 days, but why bother when a couple added ounces of clothes is all it takes. Besides, clothes can rip from a mangrove encounter, so be prepared at the very least.
My camp clothes do not get so dirty, so one pair of nylon pants for camp is sufficient. Since I am expecting cold weather, I don't want to take chances, so I will bring extra socks, some for paddling, some for camp. If my wool socks get wet, I'll have an extra dry pair handy. If I don't need the wool socks, I'll have the ligher nylon version. And if it gets cold enough, I have fleece socks for sleeping. I also wear socks with my paddling shoes; the polypro or Cool Max type that keep your feet feeling dry and serve as good insulators.
For shirts, I always wear long sleeve at camp, so I will have two and one can also serve as a layer for paddling in cold temps. I will also have a short sleeve that I can sleep in or wear as a layer. I bring a camp hat (baseball cap) that I can spray bug repellant on if needed (rather than spraying directly on my head) and a pair of knit gloves that also serve as bug defense. In case of cold weather, I have thermal gloves and hat which I can wear paddling or in camp. Also for cold weather, I will have polypro long underwear (for paddling and camp), silk long underwear (for sleeping) and a fleece vest. I always bring a few bandanas worn while paddling and at camp, mainly for sun and bug protection.
Here is my list of clothes which I will pack into 3 10-liter dry bags:
1 turtleneck polypro shirt
1 polypro long underwear
1 short sleeve t shirt
2 long sleeve t-shirts
1 pair shorts for sleeping
rain jacket
rain pants
Tilley hat for paddling
baseball hat for camp
thermal Hat
thermal gloves
3 bandanas or buffs
fleece vest (for pillow also, pack with sleeping bag)
3 paddling nylon pants (1 for camp)
2 nylon shirts for paddling
1 silk long underwear and shirt for camp
2 pair liner socks for paddling
paddling shoes
2 pair nylon socks for camp
1 pair fleece socks for camp
2 pair wool socks for camp
Croc sandals for camp
8 pair underwear
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