March to the Everglades

This book is taking a little effort to wade through, but it is full of fascinating information about the history of the Glades. Early parts of the book are beautifully poetic. I can remember Marjory describes the Pileated Woodpecker as having a head like a battle ax. If you have ever seen a Pileated up close you know how apt her description is. The later half of the book is a bit drawn out. The poetry disappears as if she tires of writing. Still a very good read and she covers a lot of ground. Well researched history and geology.



 Sally and I are planning a trip to the Everglades in March. Plan is to sail Skorpa from Chokoloskee south  perhaps as far as Ponce de Leon Bay, and then return of course. Maybe five days on the water. We hope to explore around the islands and work our way up Lostmans River, and Rogers River. This is our first trip to this area so we will have to take it one step at a time and stay flexible. We have scheduled our trip to coincide with the Everglades Challenge. This is a 300 mile small boat adventure race that runs from Tampa to Key Largo. http://watertribe.org/ I have followed this race online for many years and have considered entering the race. Our boat Skorpa is an EC22.  A boat Graham designed with this race in mind. Graham sailed his EC 22 Southern Skimmer to first place in Class 4 in 2007, 2008, and 2009. In fact I think he won his division every time he entered.

I have often debated with myself  whether it is better to explore the area at my own pace taking the time to explore the byways and the wildlife or to enter the Challenge. Though many Watertribers cruise the course, you can take up to six days to finish the challenge, if you want to be competitive you have to be willing to sail day and night in all kinds of weather. Sailing some of the same water at the same time as the racers will give lots of opportunities for what ifs.

I have been exploring how to use my Garmin GPS together with Google Earth to view maps of the areas we will visit. I create waypoints and routes on the GPS and then view them in GE. Sometime a route that looks good on the GPS charts has trees growing or sand in GE. I have adjusted the routes in a few places. In about two weeks we should find out which was more  accurate NOAA charts or GE or maybe they will both be off. The dark green is mostly Mangrove I believe. The routes in purple are two versions of Rabbit Key pass. I have read there are strong currents and lots of sharp oyster bars.
We will launch at Chokoloskee and plan to follow Rabbit Key Pass out to the Gulf to begin our trip.

We  arrived around 1pm Thursday March 5, 2015. We stopped at the Ranger Station and filled out a permit technically this was not required since we were staying on our boat, but the permit served as a float plan and would expedite a search and rescue in the event of our not returning per schedule.

The weather was warm with a 15 kt breeze from the south west. We went to work stepping the masts and rigging the boat. High tide was at 2pm and ideally we would leave as close to that as possible.

I remove all the rigging from the boat when trailering more than a few miles so all the halyards, sheets, topping lifts, tiller tamer, down hauls, snotter lines have to be threaded. Plus all our gear and supplies for six days at sea. I am slower than most, it took a couple of hours to have the boat ready for the ramp.

It was after 4pm when Sally reports that Skorpa was ready to set sail on her first adventure to the Everglades.

The tide was visibly lower and the current ebbing as we worked our way around Chokoloskee to the entrance to Rabbit Key Pass.

I decided to reef both sails even though the wind was likely to ease off because I wanted to limit our speed through the Pass to give me time to read the GPS and the land and water features for clues as to the best way through the Pass. There are at least two other ways out of Chokoloskee Bay to the Gulf. Both Indian Key Pass and Chokoloskee Pass are deeper and better marked than Rabbit Key Pass, but they are a little out of the way if you are heading south and not as much of a challenge.

Almost right off the bat I started getting in trouble. I remember remarking to Sally, ' That is some funny looking water' It reminded me of the riffles you see when canoeing down a river. Then we could see rocks all around us and the current dragging us toward them. I could see from the GPS that we were off my long researched route and there was no way back against the current to rejoin it. Horrifying grinding noises were coming from the bottom of the boat as we scraped over rocks and oysters. Finally putting my rusty river reading skills to work I could make out a shoot through the rocks and a path to what looked like deeper water.

 The rest of Rabbit Key Pass was easier and we were getting better at reading the water to find a safe passage. The sun was getting low as we passed Turtle Key and rounded Rabbbit Key and headed into the Gulf. We decided to head for my  nearest planned anchorage at Joe Kemp Key. This was still a few miles away and would mean sailing in the dark. Sally was not crazy about sailing in the dark, but I did not want to anchor in the Pass.

We dropped the hook in about a fathom of water just south of Joe Kemp Key. The mosquitoes were waiting for us so we retreated to the cabin and installed the screens on the hatch and doorway. We were both tired from the long day but we decided to cook Pasta e Fagioli for supper, rigatoni, pasta sauce and beans. It was a little effort at first but felt way better having a hot meal as Skorpa rocked gently in the moonlight our first night on the water.

 When the sun started to go down I had looked to change my sunglasses for regular glasses but I could not find them. Sally sailed us up to our anchorage as I could not see much that was more than twenty feet away. We could not find the glasses in any of our gear so we concluded that they must be in the truck back at Chokoloskee about 7 miles away. We discussed continuing without them as I only need them after dusk. We did not plan on sailing after dark but if the need should arrive I would be really handicapped. So.....

 Rabbit Key Pass take two.

 The tide was low but flooding instead of ebbing, big psychological plus.

These pilings mark the entrance to Rabbit Key Pass decorated with Royal Terns. We docked Skorpa at the Ted Smallwood Store and Museum. Sally enjoyed the coolness of the store while I walked across Chokoloskee to find my glasses and some ice cream. I found my glasses. The trading post dates back to the beginning of the last century.

It was a treat to approach the store by water much as the natives to the area did a century ago. We took our time hanging out at the store because we could not leave due to the still flooding tide and the southwest wind. We made our departure around 3pm. The tide was about 2 hours higher than our last trip out so we had no trouble. As we passed Turtle Key we were thrilled to see both dolphins and sea turtles. It was getting late and we had vowed not to come into anchorage again after sundown but I did not want to stay at the same anchorage twice so we headed for Duck Rock just east of Pavilion Key.

Off to the East the sky was dark with some potentially interesting cloud formations. We pushed on keeping a weather eye on them.

Happy to be at anchor.

My criteria for choosing an anchorage included a place deep enough so we would have a foot or two of water under us at low tide, sheltered from the predicted wind by land, easy to leave on our chosen route with likely wind direction, and clear of any likely fairways. Bonus points for scenery and freedom from the winged demons. Friday night the wind blew steadily and waves gently lapped at the boat we had few mosquitoes. In the morning winds were 10-15 kts from the NE. We left anchor under single reefed mizzen alone waiting to see what the wind would do later we raised the main with two reefs.

 We took the North entrance to Lostmans River. We had timed our arrival so the tide was near to high and flooding which was helpful as the channel is narrow. The wind was out of the east 10-15kts. Below is a view across First Bay looking to the east where the river narrows.

 

 

 

We sailed up the river for a mile or so and anchored for lunch. While we were in the cabin eating lunch and taking a break from the sun we heard some ominous creaking and groaning coming from the anchor line and deck cleats. This was followed by a loud sound of water rushing against the side of the boat and a strange feel to how the boat was laying to anchor. We rushed out on deck to find Skorpa turned sideways to the current of 5 to 6 knots. We could see the anchor line coming out from the center of the boat.  This was putting a tremendous strain on the anchor, anchor line and centerboard. After trying several approaches to freeing the anchor line. I noticed that the rudder was only partially raised and the current was pushing hard against it. Raising the rudder clear of the water disturbed the balance enough for us to be able to swing the boat off the center board. I promptly raised the board and made a note not to anchor in a tidal flow without having the rudder and center board fully raised.

 

 

 

Looking up the Lostmans River. Skorpa is laying at anchor with the current but against the wind.

Below is a view across First Bay to the mouth of Lostmans River.

 

 

I did not fancy anchoring near Lostmans River because of the shoals and currents so we headed north a little ways along the coast to Wood Key Cove. I was not careful about checking the water depth and state of the tide when we anchored and we were only left with about 6 inches of water under our keel at low tide.

 

 

 

Our cooked from scratch in our pressure cooker supper. Brown rice, onions, peppers, carrots, and veggie sausage.

Low tide was about 9am on Sunday morning so I decided to leave early before the water got any skinnier. I sailed off under mizzen only to a 10 kt breeze from the east. Later Sally came out to the cockpit and we hauled up the main with 2 reefs. The wind was now 15 kts with higher gusts. We made good progress along the coast staying just outside the shallow water. The wind continued to build until it was 20 kts or so with higher gusts. considering our remoteness and the possibility that the wind would continue to build we brought the main back down and sailed under single reefed mizzen only. The wind was veering to the south which would make our planned stop at Graveyard Creek a lee shore. So we stopped at Shark Point just north of Ponce De Leon Bay to have lunch and review our plans.



 The tide was high so we took the opportunity to swing the boat in towards land and give the crew a little shore leave.

The weather was looking uncertain with showers and shifting gusty winds. We discussed heading back towards the Harney River to gain some shelter from the south winds. In the end we decided to push on to Ponce De Leon Bay under reefed main and mizzen.

The Bay felt deserted and a little foreboding under the glowering skies, yet I felt a sense of elation venturing into remote unexplored territory. Sally told me this was primarily a guy thing.

We managed the showers and gusty winds with no problem and after awhile the sun peeked out.

We picked out a possible anchorage for the night then sailed up one of the dozen or so rivers that empty into Ponce De Leon Bay.

 Near Rabbit Key and Pavilion Key we saw kayakers, up Lostmans River we saw fisherman in small power boats, but here we saw no one. No sound but the wind, waves and tropical sounding bird calls coming from the mangroves. It felt like exploring up the Amazon. The river twisted and turned you could get lost in the maze of mangrove islands.

The winds were still gusting down the channel when we turned and headed back out to our anchorage in Ponce De Leon Bay.

You can see why some people remark of the Everglades " There is nothing to see." By standing on the cabin roof we were able to send text messages for the first time in a couple of days. When possible I would send a text to our son David so someone would have an idea of where we were and how we were doing. Beautiful sunrise Ponce De Leon Bay.

 Video of our Monday sail heading north back up the coast.

We heard from a couple of kayakers at Turkey Key that  the Waterrtibe Everglades Challenge had been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. The Coast Guard was called on to perform 12 rescues in Tampa Bay.  We passed a Hobie Adventure Island sailing near Pavilion Key. Probably a Watertribe member who had decided to continue on after the race was cancelled.

Passing Pavilion Key and on to Rabbit Key Pass Click for Video


We arrived at Rabbit Key pass around noon on Tuesday. We could have continued on to Chokoloskee we would have had a favorable wind and tide. However that would have put us at the boat ramp mid afternoon with a lot of work yet to do to get the boat ready to travel and a three hour drive up to Gary's house at Lake Wales or a night spent anchored at Chokoloskee. We elected to spend the afternoon at one of our favorite spots Turtle Key and then anchor for the night out of the channel at nearby Lumber Key.

 

 Skorpa anchored off Turtle Key behind a Black Mangrove.

I set up the Bimini I had made especially for this trip. We had not used it because usually when we got to our anchorage we were too tired to do anything but climb into the cabin and put the screens up over the doorway and hatch. While we were at Turtle Key we saw more dolphins, sea turtles and a sailor heading out into the Gulf in his Hobie Adventure Island. A favorite craft of the Watertribe.

Sally wading ashore.

We waded partly around the island. The open beach is small and trekking through the interior would likely awake the swamp angels.

We were very interested in the Mangrove trees. They are specially adapted to exist in a saltwater environment. The Red Mangrove has special prop roots that drop down from horizontal branches that helps to stabilize the shoreline.

Prop roots.

Around 4pm we decided to head across the channel to Lumber Key so we could be at anchor before the Swamp Angels came out. Dolphins swam around our anchored boat. We could hear their breathing above the soft whine of the mosquitoes.



 Two days later when we pulled into Gary's driveway pleased that I had arrived promptly at 6pm as I had promised he casually showed me his wrist watch which read 7pm and wondered if I may have forgotten to adjust my watch for Daylight Savings Time which had started the previous Sunday. This oversight lead us to be an hour later than we thought as we attempted to time our morning passage up Rabbit Key Pass with the tide and current.

Rowing back to Chokoloskee  Click for Video

 

Sally enjoying our " We made It!" celebration at the lovely Havana Café in Chokoloskee.