Summer camping in the Everglades anyone?

Summer months for me are day paddles (on the water no later than 6:30 am and off the water no later than 12 pm), occasional repairing of camping or boat equipment, traveling north for vacations, making sure my hurricane supplies are updated and lots and lots of AC. It's also the time of year when northerners are awakening from their winter hibernation and feeling the restless urge to go out into the great outdoors and do a little camping.

I peruse and sometimes participate on various forums and inevitably, someone from the midwest, northeast or even farther north Canada will get on the forum with some questions that are prefaced with the following "I want to camp in the Everglades this July...". Unbeknownst to this person is that he or she will soon be hit with a barrage of diatribes from many Floridians who will preface their statements with "What are you, nuts!". The poor northerner only wants to take a vacation, probably the only one they get and they really want to see the Everglades because they hear so many wonderful things about it. After all, that's all we Floridians talk about for 6 months out of the year how great our camping trips are!

And so it is that the Everglades is an inhospitable constant steam bath covered in bugs that is only interrupted by daily afternoon storms and an occasional tropical system that sometimes matures into a name. I'll make this short and sweet - DO NOT camp in the Everglades during the summer unless you don't mind spending your nights in a sauna, which may not be so bad because your arms will be exhausted from swatting at the bugs.

Below are graphs showing the average temperatures and precipitation in the Everglades. Most people doing any amount of research on the everglades has seen these. To help you interpret these graphs, I'll share some local knowledge with you. June, July, August and September obviously have the highest avg temperatures. But what you might not glean from this graph is that those 4 months are consistently hot. I mean consistently! You get no break, no way around it. These are also the highest precipitation months, which doesn't necessarily mean you get rain everyday, although it probably rains 9 out of 10 days on any given square mile area in south Florida. What gives these months such high rain levels are the frequent storms that can flood Miami during one afternoon.

OK, so forget those 4 months, what about the fringe months? May and October are a bit more hospitable. There are the "Are you feeling lucky?" months when you could get a break in there somewhere, especially in May. October is still within hurricane season and remember, Wilma came through in late October in 2005, wreaking major havoc in the Everglades. This year, a constant wind machine seemed to run through the entire month of May punctuated with some nice storms.

What about April and November? I end my camping season in early April and begin in late November. These two months are similar, both can be very hot and both can be very cold. During one early April trip, we began our trip in 70+ temp only to experience temps in the low 40s that evening. On a weekend before Thanksgiving, temps reached high 40s. On the other hand, I've experienced moderate temps and have had the most enjoyable camping experiences in both months. It's 50/50.

Which leaves us with December, January, February and March, your basic Everglades camping season. Hurricane season is over, no more high precipitation and temps are moderate. But always keep in mind, anything can happen. I've experienced non-stop heat to where I never got inside the sleeping bag on a coastal trip from Flamingo to Everglades City in Dec and Jan. But, I've also had to wear 3 layers of clothing while cooking dinner on Watson River chickee in December. I've camped on Picnic Key in March when the winds were so strong we set up our tents inside the grapetree forest while watching other kayakers paddle onto the beach with 4-ft surf. I suppose the biggest complaint during these winter months are the winds. This past season was particularly rough.

Do people actually camp in the summer? Yes they do, and I know some very respectable kayakers and canoeists who do. They always have great stories to tell too, while playing down the misery of the heat and bugs. I envy them in some ways because they do experience some beautiful things out there (listening to a sea turtle build a nest and lay eggs right next to your tent, for instance).

While I personally would not camp in the Everglades in the summer, I say that only because I can camp there anytime I want throughout the year. For you northerners, come on down this summer and if you don't want to put up with the camping, explore during the day and stay on Chokoloskee Island or Everglades City in AC'd accomodations.

Here's a recommendation, Chokoloskee Island Park, where you can still camp in a tent, but you can also park an RV or rent a fully equipped efficiency. The park contains a fully equipped marina, where you can launch your boat and enjoy a day of paddling, fishing and exploring the Everglades. Later, come back to the marina, clean up, cool down and enjoy a cocktail in the evening on the covered pavilion overlooking the water at sunset. Now that's experiencing the Everglades in the summer!

Planning a 10-day canoe trip in the Everglades: Part 5

For this entry, I'll provide information on packing the food and related items for the trip. I had planned out a menu weeks prior and over the course of the last few weeks, purchased the food items and began packing the meals. With the exception of a few cans, all the food items are either pre-packaged in paper or plastic and/or I've packaged them in ziplock freezer bags (quart or gallon size depending on the food items). Many of these bags will become garbage bags over the course of the trip, but most are brought back home, washed and dried and reused for another trip.

For packing, food items are basically separated into three categories; breakfast, paddling food and evening camp food. I first pack the breakfast foods which consist of either instant hot cereals or Instant Carnation breakfast. For the cereals I chose oatmeal and grits, alternating between the 2. I add nuts, dried fruit, brown sugar and dry milk to 2 packages, making one serving. One serving goes into a quart ziplock bag (freezer version) and I eat out of that. For the Carnation Instant breakfast, I add 1/3 cup of dry milk and a heaping teaspoon of instant expresso and store it in a small baggy that is sealed with a Seal a Meal. Along with the instant breakfast I eat a granola bar. All told, these breakfasts are about 400-500 calories each.

Packing the paddling food is easier since it consists almost entirely of energy bars and Gatorade powder. But I also bring "lunch" foods that consist of tortillas, peanut butter and honey, and packaged pre-made tuna salad (the kind that comes in its own sealed package). One tortilla serves as sandwich bread for the peanut butter or the tuna. I like Clif bars for paddling; they are very dense with calories, easy to chew even when cold, they have sufficient carbohydrate with protein and alittle fat, they hold up quite well and they come in wide variety of flavors. I also packaged some trail mix, extra dried fruit including dates and some energy bars I found in the bulk section of Whole Foods. I also carry turkey jerky for that salty taste I crave while paddling. All the breakfast and paddling foods are placed into one of the food buckets.

For the dinners, I package the foods according to each evening's meal and label the gallon bags containing the meals accordingly. Some of the dinners will consist of foods that are frozen or chilled and contained in a cooler. One of the meals will be pasta with spaghetti sauce made with Boca Burger grounds. The pasta will be precooked and kept chilled and the sauce will be frozen. These will be stored in freezer bags. Precooking the pasta will minimize water useage. Also in the cooler will be two veggie burgers, tomato, onion, cheese slices and frozen lentil soup stored in a gallon freezer bag. All the cooler foods will be consumed by the fourth night. The cooler will also serve as a storage place for water which will be frozen at the beginning of the trip. To keep critters out, the cooler is sealed with a bungee cord.

All the other dinner food items are packaged as one meal. For instance, for the first night's meal, we will have veggie burgers with cheese, tomato, onion and condiments and macaroni and cheese. For dessert, we have homemade biscottis. I placed the biscottis in a bag and sealed it with the Seal a Meal. Then, I placed the packaged macaroni and cheese, a bag of dry milk, burger condiments (restaurant packages), and biscottis all into one freezer bag. All meals are packaged so that every item needed can be located in one place. Odds and ends such as garlic or olive oil are always onhand inside the food bucket.

There are a few other food and beverage items packaged as well. We have several instant soups and hot chocolate packages, coffee and tea packages, extra dry milk, Emergenc C packages and some homemade oatmeal cookies.

We also have a few cans of veggies and a boxed soup coming along with us and I've wrapped them up in plastic bags inside a trash bag to avoid getting rusted and making a mess. For one meal, we will open up a can of black beans and a can of yuca to go with our cooked rice. For other meals, we add some mixed veggies and beets. Other than the cans and cooler foods, all food items are packaged in freezer bags and stored in two sealed buckets, as shown below. Each bucket is lined with a trash bag and I place a spare bag at the bottom. I seal the trash bag with a hair tie by twisting the top part of the bag several times, bending the twisted portion and then wrapping it with the hair tie until it is very tight. These buckets are not waterproof but they are air tight and light enough that they can float, even with the food items inside.

In addition to the cooler and two food buckets, we carry a collapsible cooler that we call the "food cube". It doesn't contain food or frozen water, but it contains all other matters related to eating and cooking and a few additional items as well. Below is a photo of the food cube and all the items that are stored inside it.

A long rope is attached to the collapsible bucket so that we can more easily gather up water from the chickee. The repair-tools container is a quart-size Nalgene bottle. It contains things such as patch kit, epoxy, super glue, various nuts and screws, pliers, duct tape (wrapped around the outside of the bottle) and a few other assorted items.

The camp stove is a Trangia alcohol stove. The fuel is denatured alcohol and for this trip we are carrying about 1 1/2 quarts of it. One of the containers we use for the fuel is a hydrogen peroxide bottle with a water bottle cap attached. The other container is an old Gatorade bottle. Below are photos showing the stove and all the pieces (including 2 pots and 2 bowls) that come with it and how it is put together for easy storage. The blue cup is a measuring cup.

After the food and clothes are packed, I get the water containers filled. In my boat, I will be carrying a 7-gal hard-sided container. Additional water will be in my 2 water bottles that I access during paddling. I'll have close to 8 gallons on board at the start of the trip. I'll talk more about water and will describe how the items are stored in the boat for the next entry.

Planning a 10-day canoe trip in the Everglades: Part 4

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

Planning a 10-day canoe trip in the Everglades: Part 3

It's about 6 weeks away from our start date, Dec 24th and the excitement is increasing as we continue to prepare. A 4-day trip over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend will be an excellent warm up for the main event. Much of the preparation we are doing now is for that trip as well.

Due to a very hectic schedule, I do not see myself having any real days off just before the 24th. Usually, I am out of the semester a good week prior to the trip, but this year we had a late start which means a late ending. And I will spend some time with my mother who lives about 4 hrs north of Miami. Typically I spend 2 full days during the few days before the trip preparing and packaging all the food. This year, I will have to do most of the preparing much sooner than that. So, for the next couple weekends, I am not going out of town and the time will be partly devoted to getting our food ready for both trips.

Before getting into the food part of the preparation, we had some other things to work on, namely the first aid kit. I use a 1250 pelican case for all the first aid supplies. Each year, I go through the leftover supplies from the previous year and replace anything that has expired. Medications typically have a 2-3 yr shelf life, so if none get used, I still replace expired drugs. Some things do get used more regularly, such as ibuprofen or even benadryl, for instance. I even take the benadryl on day trips because of the regular encounter with mosquitoes and no-see-ums. Other drugs are rarely used, but I take them with me anyway. If I am out there for 10 days, anything can happen; a bad case of the flu or diarrhea, allergic reaction, or an accident. So, like a girl scout, I am always prepared.

Here is a list of my first aid supplies:

• one small tube triple antibiotic cream
• one small tube hydrocortisone cream
• children's benadryl
• Cortaid poison ivy care cloths
• small bottle ibuprofen
• anti-diarrheal pills
• alka-seltzer tablets
• roll of tums
• daytime flu tablets
• nighttime flu powder for mixing
• coughdrops
• tooth filling
• eye drops
• Tiger balm
• gauze
• blister relief pads
• assorted bandaids
• ace bandage
• tape
• a couple latex gloves
• tweezers
• eye glass repair
• small scissors
• mirror
• notes with directions for use of medications

A quick trip to Walgreen's and I'm good to go. The next entry will be all about the food preparation.

Planning a 10-day canoe trip in the Everglades: Part 1

Each year over the holidays I take a very long paddle trip with friends into the Everglades. I am in my solo Wenonah Vagabond, while my friends are in various paddle boats including solo canoe and kayaks. Last year, 4 of us took 9 days and paddled from Chokoloskee Island to Camp Lonesome and back. This year, we'll be out there 10 days. It may only be me and Vivian (she in her solo canoe) or we may have one other person. Since most of our campsites for this trip are chickees, space for additional paddlers in our party is very limited.

I thought it would be interesting to blog my planning process as we prepare for our trip as early as August (4 months prior). Our camping season begins in November, thus some of the preparation includes preparing for the camping season in general, including a 3-day trip over the Thanksgiving holiday. Planning a 10-day trip through the Everglades takes time, even when you already have all the gear and previous experience paddling the Everglades. A person who has never been or may not have all the camping equipment for such a trip will have more to do before embarking, so I will try to think of that person as I write these blog entries over the next couple months and provide information that may be helpful for them.

Around the month of August, we begin to think of our trip route. Why so early? This is more out of anticipation for our camping season than necessity. But, knowing our route early will give us time to think about it and make the necessary preparations ahead of time (i.e., replacing certain gear and supplies). In August, I start to close the chapter on summer and begin thinking of the explorations we will take during the winter months. In actuality, we had been thinking of this trip for a couple years, but now it was time to think about the daily routes, campsites and mileage. Because we could afford 10 days, we factored in a 2-day stay at one of the campsites, right about half way through the trip. This is a nice way to segueway into the final portion of a long trip and gives us time to relax and explore a backcountry area that we would not otherwise have time to do.

At this point, you need a map that will show you the entire route you wish to take. I recommend without reservation a marine chart (waterproof charts are easy to find on line) along with your GPS map sources. Google Earth map is also very good, especially for the more remote backcountry areas of the Everglades. Some of the map source software allows you to create the route and then convert the map to Google Earth, which is what you see in the photos below.

If you use GPS for planning your route and devising way points, you should also relinquish to the fact that you must have a marine chart as well as a compass with you on your trip. In addition to the routes for the GPS, I write the compass bearings on my marine chart for several sections of the route. If you plan to do a trip along the entire Wilderness Waterway, you'll need 2 marine charts to cover the entire area. Do not think you can go without maps and/or GPS when on the marked Wilderness Waterway. This is for 2 important reasons; one is that the markers can be as much as a mile apart when crossing a very large bay (such as Sunday Bay) and unless you have binoculars and know the approximate location of the next marker, you may find yourself way off course, wasting precious time and energy; and two, campsites are not specifically located on the waterway and you must often take a detour to get to one.

If you are not familiar with the Everglades, purchasing Johnny Molloy's book, A Paddler's Guide to the Everglades is an excellent first step. During the early stages of planning, learning about the Everglades is an important component of preparation. Molloy's book gives detailed descriptions of routes and campsites and provides significant information requiring essential gear and equipment. Basically, his book provides all the information you need with the exception of maps to paddle the Everglades. He does include GPS waypoints for each campsite.

For our trip, we planned our routes accordingly (mileages are approximations):

• Day 1: Leave from Coot Bay Pond to South Joe River chickee, 9 miles
• Day 2: South Joe River to Oyster Bay chickee, 10 miles
• Day 3: Oyster Bay chickee to Graveyard Creek campsite, 8 miles
• Day 4: Graveyard Creek to Harney River chickee, 6.5 miles
• Day 5: Harney River chickee to Canepatch, 10 miles
• Day 6: Canepatch, explore the area
• Day 7: Canepatch to Watson River chickee (through the labryinth route), 15 miles
• Day 8: Watson River chickee to Roberts River chickee (through the cutoff route), 7.5 miles
• Day 9: Roberts River chickee to Hells Bay chickee, 7. 5 miles
• Day 10: Hells Bay chickee to Coot Bay Pond, 8 miles or Hells Bay Trail, 5 miles

Give or take a few miles and also depending on our mileage during day 6, the total is about 80 miles. For us, this is not a strenuous trip, in fact, only one day of paddling exceeds 10 miles. In comparison, our trip last year included 2 days with 18 miles and most days were between 10-15 miles.

We always consider contingency routes or campsites. Because this is the busiest time of year, I always purchase the camping permits one day prior to launching. I make a special trip to the rangers station to do this. There are some sites that are quite popular and it is always possible that some will be filled when trying to get permitted. Thus, another advantage to having some short paddle days planned is that you may have to change it up and paddle longer distances if a particular campsite is not available. For instance, if we cannot get South Joe River chickee, our contingency campsite is Joe River, another 5-6 miles. Another advantage of taking care of the permits the day before is that we can launch as early as possible. The ranger station does not open for permits until 8 am. In our world, we like to be on the water not much later than that.

If you are coming in from out of town and are renting kayaks or canoes from one of the outfitters, plan an extra day to get your bearings, maybe purchase supplies, etc. Unless you are planning a loop trip, shuttling must be figured into the equation and part of your early planning. For instance, if you plan to paddle the entire Wilderness Waterway, you have one day of driving either before or after your trip. In a car, the two ends are about 150 miles apart.

For this trip, we do not need to consider shuttling, with one exception. If we leave Hells Bay chickee on the last day and take the more protected Hells Bay Trail route, we will need to get back to our car located at the Coot Bay Pond launch site. With another car, we can park one car at Coot Bay and shuttle the other to Hells Bay Trail on our first day. But if we only have one car, we will have to hitchhike from Hells Bay Trail to get back to our car on the last day. This is the worse case scenario and would only happen if the weather is so bad that crossing Whitewater and Coot Bays is risky. Hells Bay Trail route is very protected and shorter. But, we'll worry about that when and if we get there.

Below are a few of our routes for this trip, created in Google Earth.

Paddling the Everglades Part 8: Food, water and critters

It only seems fitting to talk about critters in the same context as food and water. When you carry food and water with you, you are a potential food source for various animals living in the Everglades.

FOOD You can’t get around it, you will need calories and other nutrients while paddling through the Everglades. My knowledge of nutrition while paddling is partially from Everglades experience and partially from my profession, exercise physiology. If you are interested in the nutritional aspects of performance and want a deeper insight into the role of nutrition during exercise, please check out my website where you can find out how to calculate your calorie expenditure, learn about caloric intake requirements for paddling, meal planning with meal examples and information on diet supplements. Please go to: http://www.cmierphotoandfitness.net/fitness.html.

What I will discuss here concerns how to pack your food and some tips on preparing it. It should be no surprise to you that frozen items will not stay frozen long in the Everglades. For the first couple of nights, I can plan my evening meals with more flexibility because I can bring along a small cooler and keep whatever is inside it cold enough to last for a couple days. Beyond a couple days, there is no guarantee that meat and dairy products will remain safe to eat. Some may disagree and in fact, one of my paddling partners eats nothing but pre-made deli sandwiches for dinner on multi-day trips. I’ve seen him consume a turkey breast sandwich (without mayo) on the fifth night of a trip and he never got sick. To be safe, I use a cooler only for foods I will consume within a 2-3-day period. In those cases, I’ll bring homemade items like lentil soup or refried beans, or veggie burgers with condiments. The lentil soup (or any homemade soup) is great because it can be frozen in a plastic container or bag and will help keep other items cold. I also pack the cooler with plastic containers (like old Gatorade bottles) filled with water and freeze them at home. This is water that can be used for drinking and cooking after it thaws, so it doesn’t take up additional room in your boat. I’ve also found that frozen cans of Heineken beer taste quite good after a thaw. If you have a hankering for a cold beer, it will stay that way for a couple days for sure.

For the non-cooler foods, I like to pack foods for the kayak in an organized way so that I keep the breakfast items together and separate from the lunch and dinner items. That way, I don’t have to waste time searching around for food. I use nylon stuff bags for organizing meals and snacks. For instance, in one bag I may have 2 dinner meals that include pasta, crackers, bread, bag of dried veggies and nuts, tuna pouch and desserts. Another bag might include lunch items such as a plastic container with peanut butter, bagels, honey, jerky, and tuna lunch kits. And yet another bag might include several power bars and other snack items like jerky, dried fruit or trail mix. I plan my meals with one other person so we split up the camp items in such a way that one of us has all the food in one boat (with the exception of that day’s allotment of snacks). In the morning when I pack the boat, I place the snack and lunch items close to the hatch opening so I can more easily get to them when we stop for a lunch break. I also take out my daily snack allotment and put that in my deck bag.

In addition to using the nylon bags, I use zip lock bags for just about everything, with the exception of canned or pre-sealed items. In one gallon-size zip lock bag, I will put all the items needed for a dinner meal. Another gallon bag will house all the oatmeal, coffee and tea used for breakfast. So once again, items are bagged in an organized way. Another nice thing about the zip lock bags is that you can use the empty bags for trash. They also work quite well keeping your foods moist-free. For foods that come in cardboard boxes, I remove them from the boxes to get rid of bulk and debris. I place the loose food items into zip lock bags and if cooking instructions come with it, I cut them out of the box and place it inside the bag with the food.

Another convenient thing about the zip lock bags is you can pre-mix your meals and place everything in one container. For instance, I eat instant oatmeal for breakfast but I like to add dry milk, dry fruit and nuts to the oatmeal. I pre-mix all of it at home and place it in a zip lock bag. Another great breakfast meal is a package of Instant Carnation mixed with a 1/3 cup dry milk and a heaping teaspoon of instant expresso. Add hot water to that and eat a power bar with it, and you have yourself a 500-600 calorie meal bursting with caffeine, protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals. And yet another advantage of the zip lock bag (make sure you use the freezer bags) is you can eat out of them. They are sturdy enough to withstand hot water and will relieve you of dirty dishes.

WATER I bring about 1 gallon per day, but can get by with ¾ gallon. The weather may dictate the amount you actually use, and I found myself using extra water during an unseasonally hot trip we took over new year’s eve. One of my paddling companions uses very little water and before he dumped out his extra, he offered it to me and I willingly took it and used it. The point is, you need to carry in what you will need; there is no fresh water where you will be going. For the kayak, I have Stearns water bags that hold about 2 ½ gallons each and have a spout for pouring and can be hung from a tree. The bad news is they no longer make these water containers. There are other versions, like Dromedary bags, which I have no experience with. But, if you are in a kayak, water bags are easier to pack than hard plastic containers. In a canoe, you don’t have that issue and when I travel in my canoe, I use a large plastic container, either 4, 5 or 7 gallons or some combination of the 3.

CRITTERS There are two critters in particular that I will talk about. The first one is the raccoon. You will likely have a raccoon encounter and the chances of that happening largely depends on where you camp. Some sites are more notorious for raccoon raids than others; Pavilion Key once had the dubious distinction of being a raccoon-infested island. For good or bad, these little critters do not have a lot of fresh water available to them and will try their hardest to find it. To their credit, they are extremely clever and have left many paddlers distraught after waking up to find their boats empty of water containers, punctured water bags and food wrappers scattered about. So a big word of caution, protect your food and water as if your life depended on it, because it does.

If you are traveling in a kayak, all your food and water must be stored in your sealed hatches overnight or when you are not at the campsite. DO NOT leave food, water or food trash in your cockpit. If you think your nylon cockpit cover will keep the raccoons out, you are sadly mistaken. Do not leave your cooler out unless it is locked. If you are traveling in a canoe, all food and water must go inside hard containers (plastic or otherwise) that are sealed. For food, I use the large animal food containers that you can purchase at a pet store. The top screws on and is quite tight. Feel free to bring food items into your tent; you do not have bear issues down here. In fact, I bring my breakfast in with me at night and eat it inside my tent in the morning.

About those gators; the chances of you seeing an alligator on your trip is about as high as the chances of you not seeing an alligator on your trip. Whether or not you see one depends on where you paddle. On the coastline and the gulf islands, you will not encounter alligators, they are freshwater creatures. But, in the backcountry where the water is brackish, you will likely see alligators in a creek or possibly at a campsite. Some campsites have a resident alligator that lurks about in the water and sometimes comes up on land, blocking the boat entrance area. Sites that you are more likely to see an alligator include Willy Willy, Watsons Place, Camp Lonesome and Canepatch. Some of the chickees also have a resident gator that will circle the platform around dinner time.

So what do you do if you see an alligator? Not much, take a picture and maybe stare at it for awhile. On the creeks while paddling, give the animal some distance. What often happens is you come up on a sunning gator and it gets spooked by your boat. It will head back into the water quickly, making a splash and some noise which can give you the impression that it is on the attack. I assure you, it is not. It’s simply hiding and trying to stay away from you, so respect it and stay away from it as well. At the campsite, DO NOT feed the gator under any circumstance. If you can, clean your fish somewhere else, but if not, throw it as far away from the dock as possible. If you paddle up to a campsite and there sits a gator in your way, find another place to get out and stay clear of the animal. The gator is not going to go on the attack, rather it will lay there not moving for hours until its time to go back into the water. Simply let it be and it will not be a threat.

You may encounter other animals on your trip. Some lucky individuals have spotted bobcats in the mangroves. You may see wild pigs or deer on some sites, like Highland Beach or Tiger Key. If you don’t see them, you’ll find their hoof prints in the sand. I believe I have seen rabbits out there as well. And of course, you will see dolphin, probably lots of dolphin in the gulf, in the large tidal rivers and the back bays. You’ll spot a manatees as well and hopefully not by awakening it under your boat. Very large loggerhead turtles will show their large loggerheads above water on occasion. And of course, there are the fish and the birds. I’ve seen large tarpon fly out of the water, especially during sunsets off the cape. I have seen large sting rays shoot out of the water on several occasions as well. I’ll discuss the birds in another chapter when I talk about photography, but you will certainly see lots of them.

SOME TIPS ON FOOD PREPARATION
1. This really isn’t a food preparation item, but if you like wine, bring it. A 750 ml bottle fits perfectly in the stern or bow of a kayak. I’ve also found certain boxed wines to be very nice and they store well in the boat. You can also chill your bottled wine in the water before dinner.
2. Bring a thermos and heat water for breakfast and morning coffee the night before to avoid cooking in the morning. Bring it as well as your breakfast foods inside the tent with you at night. Wake up and have breakfast in the tent while the no-see-ums go on the attack outside. I use the Nissan thermos and the water stays unbelievably hot over a 12 hr period.
3. A nice hearty soup made at home makes a wonderful first or second night’s meal. I’m partial to lentils and will add barley or rice for a nice combination of carbohydrate and protein. It’s a good meal for those nights when you are very hungry and don’t feel like cooking. I freeze it in a gallon size (or quart size for single serving) zip-lock freezer bag.
4. I do all my cooking with a Trangia alcohol stove. It’s clean, it takes up little room and the stove is so low maintenance, nothing can go wrong (no clogs, no leak, etc). And unlike the popular Whisper Lite stove that sounds like a whispering jet taking off, it makes no noise. I use denatured alcohol and store it in old hydrogen peroxide bottles. I replace the bottle cap with a water bottle drinking spout for easy use. I carry a long lighter and waterproof matches as back ups.
5. Bring an extra meal for that small possibility you may be stuck an extra night. It’s always better to err on the side of bringing too much food than not enough. Of course, you can survive without the food, so adhere to this rule firmly when it comes to water.
6. Certain breads will get moldy fast. I find Lenders bagels and white flour tortillas to work well against that. Whole wheat breads, especially pita, do no last long and will turn green and fuzzy within a day.
7. You can use salt water for boiling pasta or rice, but know that you will likely get sand in there too. I do use the ocean water to wash my pots and pans after a meal. The shells and sand help remove the hardened food.
8. When I boil water for the next meal, I place my used eating utensils in the water for sterilization and will also pour the water into my eating bowls and then dump the water back into the pot for cooking. I don’t do this every night, but every couple of days.
9. Especially for beach camping where there are no picnic tables but lots of sand, I bring a large nylon tarp and spread it on the ground. Here, I set myself up with my Thermarest chair and all my cooking gear and food for a meal. This is our kitchen and dining area.
10. Use your food storage zip lock bags for garbage after you’ve eaten the contents of the bag.

Paddling the Everglades Part 7: Bug control, hygiene, & clothing

BUG CONTROL I’ve already given you an earful about the bugs. Now, some information about how you can make your stay in the Everglades as bug-free and painless as possible. About insect repellant; I don’t care what anyone says, 100% (give or take a couple points) DEET is the only thing worth bringing. It works on no-see-ums, biting flies and mosquitoes. Here’s the catch, DEET is a poison and despite what the deet.com website tells you, I will not put the stuff directly on my skin. I had an experience after spraying DEET directly on my legs and feet due to the fact that I was wearing shorts and getting bit all over by no-see-ums. I recklessly applied the DEET on my skin because I was itching like crazy and couldn’t stand it. I risked the poison exposure for the relief it would surely bring. Within a few minutes I began feeling very faint and somewhat nauseous. I could feel my blood pressure dropping rapidly. I got to the car and turned on the A.C and laid back (we were at the Outdoor Resorts marina in Chokoloskee). My partner brought me children’s benadryl and within 5 minutes or so, I was fine again. My blood pressure normalized and the itching stopped. I am not sure if this reaction was from the bugs or from the DEET, but nevertheless, one of the symptoms of DEET toxicity is hypotension. The moral of the story, do not apply the repellant directly to your skin if possible.

This brings us to the topic of clothing. At the campsite in the evening, I keep myself covered with long pants, socks, long sleeved shirt, bandana around my neck and a brimmed hat. I apply the DEET to my clothing rather than my skin. A good trick is to apply it on the underside of your hat brim, the bandana, and the socks. This seems to work 90% of the time. For the other 10%, I wear a mosquito net that covers my head and neck and cotton knit gloves. The clothing I wear at the campsite includes the following: polyster or wool socks, nylon pants, cotton or polyester shirt and cotton bandana. I dress to stay cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold.

The only other time bugs can be a problem is at the initial launch site (Flamingo, Chokoloskee Island or Everglades City). While loading the boats, I wear my paddling clothes, nylon long pants, nylon long-sleeved shirt, water shoes, a bandana or buff, and a Tilley hat (wide brimmed all around). Because of this, I always have the DEET handy by keeping a bottle in my deck bag so I have access to it at all times. I keep a second bottle in my cook kit for the campsite.

The bugs are always worse around dusk and dawn. The severity of the bug situation will depend primarily on temperature and wind velocity. I find that if the winds are a good 5-10 knots or more, the bugs are not much of a problem. 5 knots or less, the bugs will dominate the campsite. Some people are more tolerant to no-see-ums and mosquitoes than others. But I have seen the most tolerant person cry in despair while camping at Graveyard Creek. The moral of the story is, be prepared. Get into your no-see-um netted tent during the period when the bugs are worse and wait them out. I find that on beach campsites, if the bugs get bad at dusk, I can go hide in the tent for awhile, watch the sunset from there with a glass of wine and some cheese and crackers. By the time the sun disappears, so will the bugs. This is not always the case, however. I find certain campsites to be notoriously buggy even in the dark, like Graveyard Creek.

Do not leave your tent door open at any time after you’ve set up camp. This is a sure invitation for bugs and you will regret it when it comes time to hit the sack. Sometimes, you can’t help get no-see-ums in the tent, simply getting in and out will give them that opportunity. Here are three tips to relieve some of the problem. Tip #1: try to use the door that will get the most breeze, the bugs have less opportunity to get in that way. Tip #2: if they do get into your tent, you can get rid of the no-see-ums by wiping them off the tent walls with a wet bandana. Shine a light on the tent and they will congregate there. Tip#3: carry some children’s benadryl. I take 2 pills (one adult pill is equivalent to 2 children’s pills) when needed. This also works with ant bites that make me swell up and itch. The children’s benadryl does not make me too drowsy to paddle. Another quick remedy is rubbing alcohol (or hand sanitizer), which calms the itching.

One good thing about the no-see-ums and mosquitoes, once you are on the water, they are not a problem. I also find that the itching from the no-see-ums is temporary and once I am in my boat safely away, the itching has already stopped. A word of caution; if you want to get out of your boat or seek shelter while paddling, beware of the bugs swarming in the mangroves, especially during summer months.

One last thought on bugs, my camping experience in the Everglades begins in November and ends in early April. I spend time paddling during the day in the summer, but never camp during those dog day summer months. Thus, my bug experience does not include the insane bugfest that takes place in the heat of summer. Camper beware, I do not recommend camping in the glades anytime between May and October. Not only do you have the bugs, but you have daily summer storms, peak hurricane season, and the heat. If the bugs don’t get you, the heat will. I’m just saying…

MORE ON CLOTHING I’ve already described the importance of clothing for bug protection but there are other things to protect your body from, the sun being the first on that list. If you are from the north, I can certainly understand your desire to expose your skin to the sun, which you have not seen or felt in months. But please, use sun-screen. I really don’t pay too much attention to the brand of sunscreen I buy, but I do use spf 30 or higher. I also have lip balm with spf 15. The lip balm and sun screen are kept close by so I can apply as needed while paddling.

For paddling, I always wear long sleeve shirt and always wear nylon or polyester for quick drying. Forget cotton clothing for paddling, it will never dry. If it’s chilly, I’ll put on my Marmot rain jacket over the shirt and that is usually sufficient. Most of the time, I wear the nylon shirt that is popular with fishermen, it has pockets and vents. I always wear a bandana or a buff. The buff is hot in warmer temperatures, but is great for covering your face if you are getting too much sun exposure. I wear a Tilley hat, wide brimmed and it seems to not ever feel too hot or cumbersome. On my feet, I wear Teva water shoes with socks. Yes, your heard correctly, with socks. I use the Coolmax anklets and they feel wonderful even when wet. The socks give you the feeling of dryness despite being totally wet. Why wear shoes out here? Mostly to avoid stepping on a sharp oyster shell in the Ten Thousand Islands. Also, the Teva shoes do not get sucked off in knee-deep mud. They are comfortable when paddling, well ventilated, and they keep the sand and rocks out.

I already mentioned what I wear at the campsite, but for inside the tent, there are two types of sleep wear out here. One is for those 60+ temperatures, when cotton shorts and a short sleeve nylon or cotton shirt works well. Otherwise, I have long silk or polyester underwear for those cooler evenings. For those long trips, I prepare for cold weather and bring gloves, wool hat and nylon turtleneck.

HYGIENE And now for the topic that no one wants to talk about. But I will, because I’m a girl. And unlike boys, girls do not like to get dirty. I’m being a bit sarcastic, but in many ways, its true and we all know it. Guys do not put much thought into hygiene while camping; so if you are a guy, maybe this next section is of mild interest to you. But guys, if you are going out here with a female, you might want to read on. And of course, male or female, we all need to deal with human waste, so read on.

The one thing I will not compromise and will bring in quantities beyond necessity is toilet paper. I will not, under any circumstances, be without toilet paper. Remember, some of the beach sitess do not have port-o-lets (which is not necessarily a bad thing). If you are lucky, all your campsites port-o-lets will be clean, fully stocked with toilet paper and low on waste volume. But this will never happen, I guarantee it. You may have port-o-lets, but A), toilet paper is not guaranteed, and B), there is no guarantee the port-o-lets are fit for use. This past camping season was the worse I have ever seen in terms of port-o-let service. The park service has a few “honey barges” that go up and down the park to service the campsite pottys. During the busiest times of the year, a port-o-let can fill up quickly on the largest campsites, like Watsons Place. This past year, we camped at two different campsites each where the port-o-let was too full to use. And many times, the pottys have been without TP. The problem this year was that one of the honey barges was broken and the park service, which runs on a shoe string budget anyway, could not keep up with the demand. It also seemed to be one of the busiest seasons I’ve ever experienced. The moral of the story is, be prepared to go primitive.

Some of the beach campsites do not have port-o-lets, so there is no choice but to go primitive. If you find yourself at a backcountry ground site that has an out-of-service port-o-let, you’ll need to find an area in the woods to use and that is not easy to do, especially if you are sharing the site with several other people. This happened to me on Lopez River. Get as far away from the campsite as possible and dig a hole. Remember, the deeper you go into the brush, the more likely you’ll encounter bugs, so be prepared. There is a rule that you must dig at least 6 inches and that you must pack your toilet paper out. A large shell or rock works well enough for digging. To urinate only, you should go directly in the water when possible (especially easy to do on beach campsites).

For hygiene purposes, I carry small bottles of instant hand sanitizer, one in my cook kit so I can apply before handling food and another in a plastic zip lock bag with the toilet paper. I also carry a package of wet wipes in the plastic bag. To make the toilet paper more hygienic, at home I remove the cardboard roll from the middle. Then I take the end of the toilet paper from the middle and pull it out from the top a few inches. When I use the toilet paper, I pull the middle end, thus using only the untouched end of the toilet paper. I keep the toilet paper, hand sanitizer and wet wipes in a gallon-size zip-lock bag. I have another bag for paper waste. I keep all this handy when paddling.

When camping on a beach site, you can make a campfire and this is great for getting rid of paper waste. In fact, I’ve sometimes started a campfire for the sole purpose of burning the waste. Ladies, this is a great thing when you are camping during that time of the month. If you cannot take care of waste through burning, DO NOT bury the items, take them out with you.

The last thing I want is to get sick while out here, so staying clean is important to me. Disinfecting my hands before I cook or eat and after using the toilet is essential. Some may scuff at this and think I am overzealous with germ phobia; but so be it. I have not been sick once in the past 5 years and have never been sick while camping. The hand sanitizer may not be the reason for that, but it at least makes my hands smell clean!

What about bathing? I have a great tip for you! Campmor sells a product called No Rinse body wash that comes in a bottle. I’ve also found No Rinse wipes on-line as well. No Rinse products also include shampoo, hair conditioner and body bath, but the body wash version works just fine for both skin and hair. No Rinse is a wonderful NASA invention that allows you to clean your body without having to rinse off the soap. It smells great, it feels refreshing and it does not leave a soapy feeling or make your skin itch. I carry a small bottle of the stuff and I have a collapsible bucket that I fill with about a ½ liter of water. I add a capful of No Rinse to the water. Inside the tent, I lay out a 3 X 3 ft plastic sheet on the floor and use that as my bathing area. I have a bandana for bathing and a small microfiber tower for drying. After a bath, I put on my clean camp clothes and it feels so delicious. Now, I am ready for dinner and wine! Every other night, I take some extra water with No Rinse and run it through my hair. The No Rinse works well on skin and hair, I swear it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. It feels incredible to wash off the salt and sweat from the skin, and you’ll sleep better. And more importantly, if you share a tent, you won’t offend your tent mate. There is no excuse for being dirty out here! I also have a net bag that I use to put all my hygiene items such as deoderant, toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, comb, soap and lotion. I also carry a small bottle of Dr. Bronners soap, for washing my hands. And last, I have a small spray bottle for cleaning my eye glasses. I use a lens brush to brush off sand before washing them to avoid scratching the lens.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE Getting out of your tent at night may not be easy because of bugs, lack of privacy, rain, or you simply don’t like the discomfort of leaving your refuge. So what do you do when you have the urge to urinate? Bring a quart-size, wide mouthed, screw-capped bottle and pee in it. A plastic quart-sized Nalgene bottle works perfectly. In the morning, dump it in the drink and wash out your bottle with salt water to rid it of smells and you are good to go. Be sure to immediately screw on the cap after urinating before setting it down in your tent. Being clumsy, I can imagine a knocked over open bottle in my tent.

Paddling the Everglades Part 6: What to bring

By now you have your route planned including the mileage and the logistics that go into getting to and from your starting and end points. Now you are ready to evaluate your current camping and kayak/canoe equipment and make decisions on purchases and organizing your gear. For our purposes here, I'll give you some information that is more specific to your Everglades trip, with the assumption that you are knowledgeable in kayaking or canoeing and are at least a little experienced in camping. If you are experienced with rivers or camping in the North Country, your experience in the Everglades will be remarkably different. That’s where a little information goes a long way.

When considering gear, I categorize it as 'camping' and 'boat'. I’m going to address food and water separately in an upcoming blog and will include a blog on hygiene, bug control and clothing, all of which concerns gear in one way or another.

BOAT GEAR I am assuming you are knowledgeable in the ways of paddling, at least for day trips. In which case, you already know about emergency equipment. Let me remind you again (especially you northerners), while the Everglades is located in a sub-tropical region of south Florida, the weather can turn very bad and it can happen within minutes. Never underestimate the wind potential on the gulf coast or the large bays. I’ve paddled in 30 knot winds which are strong enough to blow the paddles out of your hands. I’ve skirted across Chevelier Bay in the backcountry with a 20 knot side wind and could have filled a swimming pool with the amount of water that crashed over the kayak hull. It’s no fun to be dressed for 70 degree weather and find yourself in 45 degrees with a hard rain and 20-30 knot winds coming at you. You think you can make an emergency landing easily. Not so easy when all there is around you are mangrove shorelines seeped in 2 feet of mud. The bottom line is to first stay up on the weather forecast, before you leave home and during your entire trip. A weather radio should be at the top of your gear list if you intending to spend more than a couple days out here. And second, be prepared for what might happen. Here are some suggestions for boat gear. This is not a complete list; rather, I am pointing out a few items that can make your Everglades trip more comfortable. Of course, there are several other items quite necessary for your trip, like a compass and map (or GPS).

1. At the top of your boat gear list is a weather radio, preferably a VHF marine radio for emergencies as well. Know the weather forecast before you leave home and during the entire trip. Don’t forget to bring extra batteries. I also carry my VHF in a waterproof casing.

2. A tow line. You may have to drag your boat to get to a beach shoreline at low tide. But also, you may have an emergency when you may need to hitch your boat to a mangrove tree or to another boat. 'For chickee camping, a line on both bow and stern are essential when tying off your boat.

3. Stake-out pole. This is optional but highly recommended. I use it for several reasons; 1) if I am loading my boat during an out going tide, I will stake it out in about ½ to 1 foot water knowing that within minutes, it will be on solid ground as the water line recedes, 2) if I want to take a break in an area where oyster shells are abound, I will stake out in a foot of water to avoid the shallower water where the hull is likely to get scratched, 3) I simply need to anchor my boat, and 4) when landing on an island at low tide, I will stake out the boat a distance from shoreline in the water knowing that the water will get closer. This way, I don’t have to drag the boat; rather, I can let the water carry it for me. FYI, I use PVC piping to make the stake out pole that has a T-handle at the top (one of the photos above shows 2 boats with stake-out poles at the shoreline of Tiger Key). I attach it to the front hull with a carabiner and rope. At the bottom of the PVC pipe is an old hiking pole stake that I attached with epoxy.

4. A camelback (for the kayaker). This is also optional but I find that if I have access to the mouthpiece of a camelback, I tend to drink more water. I place the bag behind my seat and bring the hose through my spray skirt and out through the front where the mouthpiece is close to me. Having water readily accessible on hot, sunny days can be a lifesaver. Don’t underestimate the effects of dehydration, it can zap your energy and make you sick.

5. #41 and/or #39 marine charts with important compass bearings written in (see photo above). I place my map in a waterproof casing and place a pencil, tide charts and a small compass inside it. I attach the casing to my spray skirt when in the kayak or have it in front of me attached to the canoe. The point is, you should be able to look at it whenever you need to (at least if you are not using a GPS).

CAMPING GEAR Again, I will assume you have camping experience, so the information here is specific to camping in the Everglades. First topic, your tent. It must have no-see-um netting. I repeat, it must have no-see-um netting. Listen, you ask anyone who has camped in the Everglades if they had a bad experience and almost always the answer includes a description of bugs. Concerning the no-see-ums (call them what you want, sand fleas, midges, swamp angels), “You can swing a cup and catch a quart”. You get the point.

Not sure if your tent has no-see-um netting? Search your tent name on-line and do the research. In the specifications, it should say ‘no-see-um netting’ somewhere. If it doesn’t, call the company to be sure, but likely, you will be buying a new tent. Don’t take this lightly; the tent is your only refuge from bad weather and the bugs when camping.

To go with your tent, carry four plastic grocery bags and extra guy rope. The bags can be filled with sand or rocks and can be used as anchors if you find yourself camping in very strong winds. On an exposed beach campsite (like Pavilion Key), this method of anchoring your tent may be the only thing keeping it secured. Simply fill the bags, bury them to securely guy out your tent. I’ve also taken a guy rope and wrapped it around a large heavy rock that I buried. Either way, you have a secured tent if a storm decides to blow your way.

Bring a tarp and long ropes to attach it to tree trunks, branches, etc. We use a 8 X 4 ft tarp and can easily shade 4 to 5 people sitting under it. The tarp is great for sun and rain protection and takes so little room in the boat. There are several lightweight tarps available through camping gear stores. I also have a smaller tarp that I use to lay out on the sand when piling my gear for loading the boats. This way, I can avoid getting sand on everything. It’s also good to sit on while cooking or relaxing on the beach.

And speaking of comfort, sometimes packing a kayak requires a minimalist way of thinking. I don’t want to compromise comfort and having a chair with back support is essential for my comfort. I use a Thermarest chair that when packed in the boat is less than the size of a folded umbrella. In the canoe, I’ll bring a foldable camp chair that takes up considerably more room. If I’m going to have a nice meal and glass of wine with friends while watching a sunset on Picnic Key, I want a comfortable chair to sit in (see photo above).

And last, your sleeping bag or otherwise. First of all, if you use a Hennessy Hammock, you may find it difficult on many campsites to set up. If you are camping on a beach, you will have to sleep in the mangrove thicket and good luck with the bugs. I love the Hennessy Hammock and use it when backpacking in the Big Cypress, but have never taken it out on a kayak or canoe trip. In the backcountry, the ground sites can be cramped and again, you will find yourself trekking through thick foliage to get to and from your Hammock. On the other hand, it may work on a chickee, but chickees are often exposed so be prepared for cool nights.

For the rest of you who will be sleeping in a tent, I find my 40-degree sleeping bag to be sufficient some of the time, but not always. On many occasions I felt it was not warm enough and on other occasions, it was too warm. For instance, we took a 7-day trip over New Years Eve 2007 and not once did I get inside my sleeping bag. On those nights when it does not get below 60 degrees, I like to have a cotton sheet, sleep sack or fleece blanket. Most of the time, you start in the cotton sheet and eventually have to climb into the sleeping bag. On the other side of it, a 40-degree sleeping bag is not warm enough. Having a 20-degree down bag is very comfortable and that’s the sleeping bag I use the most. As an example, we were camping on Rabbit Key in April 2007, well into the normally very warm spring months. We paddled in strong winds, but reasonable temperatures during the day. Later than evening, we got caught off guard by a very storm that was not in the weather predictions for some reason. The temperature quickly dropped into the 40s. My tent partner brought only her fleece blanket and spent the entire night in a very cold way. This was totally unexpected and from that day on, I never leave home without the sleeping bag. I can sleep comfortably in the down bag at temps below 60 degrees. So for sleeping, I bring the down bag and a cotton sheet for those warmer nights. You may think a down sleeping bag is too much for the Everglades, but I find it to work perfectly. Personally, I would rather err on the side of being too warm than too cold. Being prepared for both situations is best.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE When you know a storm is brewing and you are setting up camp, use the trees for protection. I find sea grape trees (large round leaves) to be the best, they are very strong and the branches do not break off easily. On Picnic Key, a very exposed beach site, there are some fairly large areas behind the trees that provide a perfect camp area for protection against high winds. Tiger Key and Rabbit Key are also quite good in this regard. I find Pavilion Key to be the most difficult to get away from high winds, but the good thing about Pavilion Key is that you have a choice on which side of the island you can camp.

On the other hand, having winds 0-5 knots can make a miserable camping experience because of the bugs. While camping, you want to have some wind, preferably 10 knots, give or take. Not too strong, but strong enough to keep the bugs at bay. When you are not expecting a storm or very high winds, select a camp site that will allow you to reap the benefits of those winds. This is especially important when it is going to be quite warm at night.

For the next blog, I’ll talk about clothing, hygiene and bug control.

Paddling the Everglades Part 4: Some information on the campsites

In the Everglades National Park, there are 3 different camping sites; beach, backcountry ground sites, and chickees. Chickees are free standing wooden platforms that span about 14 by 12 feet. Some are double platforms connected by a walkway where a port-a-let sits off from the center of the walkway. The Pearl Bay chickee is a bit larger (15 X 15 ft) than the others and is handicapped accessible, making this chickee a bit more comfortable in terms of space allotment. Most of the chickees are double and each platform is limited to one party and no more than 6 people. I’ve stayed on a chickee platform with 2 tents and four people. If you include chickee camping, make sure you are comfortable in confined quarters with other people. Chickee camping can be quite fun and allows you to stay in some beautiful backcountry bays and rivers. But a word of warning to kayakers, loading and unloading from a chickee can be difficult especially with low water levels. You can have a > 4-ft distance between the water line and the chickee platform and this makes getting in and out of the kayak challenging. No doubt, chickees are more canoe friendly.

Among my favorite chickee sites, primarily for the view, are:
Lane Bay: It's a single chickee overlooking Lane Bay and gives you the ultimate peaceful experience in the glades
Hells Bay: At sunset, the view can't be topped
Rodgers River: It's actually on a bay and offers one the best open views in the middle river area of the park

The backcountry ground sites can be the most interesting, the most remote and the most lively, all depending on the site and the time of year. Getting on and off the backcountry sites with your boat can be easier than a beach site that is highly influenced by the tides. Most of them have docks, so these sites are accessible to and quite popular with powerboaters. Some of the backcountry sites are quite small, like Lopez River or Willy Willy, and you may have to share it with several other people from 2 other parties. One last point, Camp Lonesome and Willy Willy can be very difficult to get on and off from a kayak or double canoe if the dock is being occupied by powerboats. Little ground space is left around the docks for a kayak or canoe to access the land directly from the water. We had to cut several low lying branches and clear some brush at Camp Lonesome where we were 2 kayaks and 2 canoes sharing the space with 2 powerboats.

Although the backcountry campsites can get cramped, they can also offer you the best camping experiences. If you are interested in the human history of the Everglades, there are several campsites that help tell the story. Most of these sites sit on a shell mound, built by Calusa Indians. Later, these sites were inhabited by European and American homesteaders 100 years ago or so. Perhaps the most famous site is The Watsons Place, previous home to Ed Watson, a notorious character in the Everglades a hundred years ago. Outlaw that he was, Watson was also a shrewd businessman, landowner and farmer who became quite successful. However, it is also believed that he killed several people, which led to his murder. What ever the story is, staying at the Watsons Place is interesting and it's located on the beautiful Chatham River. Several old pieces of farm equipment are still scattered about. This site as with a few others has a cement structure that once served as a cistern or foundation for a home.

Probably the biggest issue with the backcountry sites is the presence of mosquitoes and no-see-um bugs. Some sites are buggier than others, Broad River being the worst of them. Don’t let this deter you especially during the winter months when the bugs are as bad (between Dec and April) and with a nice breeze, you can generally have a bug-free evening.

Among my favorite backcountry ground sites are:
Lopez River: the river is magical; it’s not unusual to hear the tell-tale sound of the dolphins as they blow through their air holes while passing through with the tide in the evenings.
Watsons Place: for nostalgic reasons (I always have fun there), but also because the Chatham River is awesome.
Darwin’s Place: because it is near Gopher Creek, one of the most remote and beautiful areas in the Everglades.

The beach campsites are the essence of camping experience in the Everglades. These are what people primarily come here for; to sit on a beach at sunset, get a campfire going, and listen to the waves coming on shore; a classic Florida scene.

Getting on and off the beach with your boat makes beachcamping more interesting. Unlike the backcountry sites, tidal influences are significant. Leaving or pproaching a campsite at low tide can mean dragging or carrying your boat for dozens of feet. On the other hand, coming into a gulf side beach, like Picnic Key, with 20-25 knot westerly winds can be precarious as the crashing waves push you violently toward the beach. But, this is not as nerve wrecking as getting into the water under the same conditions or having to do so in a canoe.

Once you are safely on shore, finding a camp site above the high tide line is necessary. You also want to make sure your boat is safely above that line as well. Choosing the best campsite location depends on several factors including wind direction, storm predictions, location of other campers, and shoal length. Wind direction should be considered when deciding on which side of an island to camp and also which island to camp on, when choices are available. Why is wind direction such an important consideration? One word: bugs. Winds above 5 knots are ideal for camping because they help keep the no-see-ums at bay and if you know your wind directions, you can choose a location that will provide you the best breeze action. The flip side of that is when you know there is a storm coming. In which case, wind protection should be considered. Carry a weather radio with you and check it at least daily; the weather can change dramatically in the Everglades and you want to be prepared for anything.

The shoals along the shoreline should also be considered. At low tide, try to avoid areas where you have the longest shoal in front of you, this means you will be carrying your boat quite a distance before you have enough water to paddle in.

In the Ten Thousand Islands, my favorite beach sites are:
Picnic Key – for the location, sunsets, and beauty
Tiger Key – for the location, sunsets, and beauty
Rabbit Key – for the full moon rise, sunsets with osprey nest, and ability to walk around the island
Turkey Key – especially on the south side which has a beautiful sunrise view

In the middle and southern regions, Highland Beach has been a popular site, but it has changed since the 2005 hurricanes. The ideal spots for pitching a tent have disappeared, but there is still enough coastline for lots of choices. Highland Beach is notorious for very large shoals at low tide. Graveyard Creek is another example of a beach site that has been dramatically altered as a result of the hurricanes. This site was once a beautiful beach site, seated along the creek as well as the gulf. The hurricanes pushed the beach up into the mangrove forest and now, the campsite is confined to the dense area of the mangroves. It still beautiful, but it is buggy and cramped.

About 10 miles south of Shark River is the cape, beginning with Northwest cape and continuing on to Middle and East Capes. Basically, it’s 10 miles of continuous beach. Northwest cape has got to be the most beautiful of all the sites. You’ll see so many tarpon, dolphin and pelican action from your campsite, the entertainment never stops.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: If you are planning a multi-day trip with 4 or more night stays, consider base camping at one of the sites. My favorite base camp is Darwins Place from which I can head into Gopher Creek. The creek begins about ½ mile from Darwins in Cannon Bay and leads you eventually to Rookery Bay, a great area for fishing but also for wildlife photography. This is a spectacular area to explore and you can easily spend more than one day here. Any campsite where you have several areas close by for exploring is an opportunity for base camping. Consider base camping at Middle Cape and exploring Lake Ingraham, or at Cape Lonesome and exploring the nearby creeks and bays. The choices are many, but remember, you cannot base camp on a chickee; there is a 1-night stay maximum rule for those sites.

Stayed tuned for part 5, I'll provide some recommended routes for multi-day trips.

Paddling the Everglades Part 1: Getting oriented with the park

Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. I suppose the attraction to the Everglades for many northerners is the climate and warm temperatures during the winter months. Whatever the attraction is, your paddling vacation in the Everglades can be an incredibly wonderful and pain-free or it can be completely miserable. The difference is how well you plan your trip, as well as your tolerance level for certain inconveniences and annoyances).

Planning your trip begins here: research the Everglades National Park’s website (http://www.nps.gov/ever). Starting with ‘Directions’, you’ll find that the park has 4 visitor centers. While all four are worth a visit, only two of these provide you camping permits, Flamingo and Gulf Coast visitor centers. Now, click on 'view map' and find those visitor centers. Flamingo (on the southern end of the park) is your gateway to Florida Bay, Whitewater Bay and Hells Bay, and the beginning or end point of the wilderness waterway. On the northern end is the Gulf Coast visitor center in Everglades City, your entrance to the Ten Thousand Islands and the beginning or end point of the wilderness waterway.

Your planned paddling route, rental needs, and shuttle needs will dictate which of these two visitor centers will be your camping permit venue. If you are planning a one-way trip, it may be useful to know that Flamingo has a campground near its visitor center. While there are hotels in Everglades City, there is no tent camping. However, there are nearby campgrounds, Seminole-Collier State Park and Chokoloskee Island Park.

To get to Flamingo, you must pay to come into the park, $10 per car and $3 per boat. There is no entrance fee to the Gulf Coast visitor center in Everglades City. I believe it is $16 to camp at the Flamingo campground. Your backcountry permits will cost $10 plus $2 per person ($1 for seniors) per night (14 days maximum). Permitting only takes place from mid-November to the end of April.

From the website, you can download maps and brochures (http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/maps.htm). Two of them are very important

• The Everglades National Park map is useful for planning the beginning and end of your trip and helping you decide on where you want to begin and end your trip.
• The Wilderness Trip Planner is also a useful brochure. The brochure contains a list of all the backcountry campsites and a map to orient you to the campsite locations and distances. DO NOT USE THIS MAP for navigating! You’ll need a marine map for that (more on that later). From this brochure, you can at least get an idea on distances so you can begin planning your route. But it isn’t until you study a marine chart that you will begin to get a full understanding of the trip you are about to take.

It would also be a good idea to begin learning more about the Everglades and the ecosystem that you will be visiting. Do some research on typical weather patterns (temperatures, wind velocities and directions) for the time of year you intend to visit. If you intend to fish, you will need to read up on fishing regulations and get your Florida saltwater fishing permit. The best money you can spend when planning your trip is Johnny Molloy’s book: A Paddler’s Guide to the Everglades National Park. He has a new edition includes areas north of the national park in the 10,000 Islands Wildlife Preserve. This book is essential to good planning and regardless, it’s a great read. He includes much information on the history of the area and invaluable insider information on campsites and paddling routes.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: at this stage in your planning, you are perusing the ENP website, but there are some things you cannot glean from the website where a little local knowledge may be beneficial.

Depending on when you are planning to come here, acquiring a backcountry camping permit can be very difficult. The busiest times are around the holidays, weekends and in March (spring break). You must purchase your permit in person at either Flamingo or Gulf Coast visitor centers and it is first-come-first-serve. The earliest you can purchase your permit is 24 hrs prior to your trip. Several parties can be vying for backcountry permits at the same time. At the busiest times, you will find people camped out on the doorsteps of the visitor center waiting for the doors to open at 8 am. So here is an important tip, have a contingency plan in case you do not get the campsite you want. Arrive at the visitor center well before 8 am and get in line. Welcome to sunny Florida!

Next blog; Part 2: acquiring a marine map, the tides and planning your route.

For more information, go to my website: http://www.cmierphotoandfitness.net