Paddling to an outback
high rise camping condo on the horizon!
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The most direct route to Shark Point Chickee from Flamingo is the 8 miles across Snake Bight.
Note that this may not be possible on low tide!
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The Shark Point Chickee opened to the public in the winter/spring of 2010 on Florida Bay, inside Everglades National Park. It, along with the similar Johnson Key Chickee backcountry primitive campsite are currently the only two camping platforms on Florida Bay. These two platforms are a new concept that had never been done before, being situated in the large body of open water that is Florida Bay. The structures possibly point to the future of remote wilderness camping on Florida Bay. Just a couple more strategically placed additional platforms would open up more options for paddlers on Florida Bay!
For most paddlers the obvious launch point is at Flamingo, as this chickee is only about eight miles away due east as the Osprey flies. It makes for a great camping opportunity right on the water, it’s like having a private outback condominium!
As with any other Everglades National Park remote campsite, you will need to get your backcountry camping permit before heading out.
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Shark Point Chickee in the late afternoon sun.
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!
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This chickee is just under 300 meters from the tip of Shark Point and is perfectly oriented for maximum breeze flow-through. It is even higher than the Johnson Key chickee, but with the new accessibility improvements is very easy to get on and off for paddlers. The lower center access platform is the key here and even allows you to pull your boat on top of it, once emptied, of course.
The chickee is also a favorite resting place for sea birds like Cormorants, Pelicans, Gulls & Terns and as such it will most likely be covered in white bird guano.
Beware that the spacing in the floor boards is just big enough (1.5″) to easily loose smaller items like keys, wallets, etc .. and they will readily fall through!! So best bet is to bring several tarps to keep your stuff in check, use as a wind block and stay clean and scent-free!!
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Aerial bird’s-eye-view of Shark Point Chickee and sea grass beds scarred by boat propellers and hunting dolphins (the spiral ones).
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Getting there is very easy, you really won’t need any GPS or other fancy electronics, just paddle due east from Flamingo. Navigate by sight and dead reckoning if needed and remember that you can always see the Flamingo tower from the seat of your boat up to about 13 miles away. Of course you should always have a chart or decent map and a compass with you. You paddle directly across a feature called Snake Bight which can be very shallow, even for a kayak. So on very low tide, it’s best to follow the regular boat channel markers!
A strong easterly wind can completely blow out the water on Snake Bight, so it’s a good idea to make this crossing on a rising tide!
An alternate interior route starts at West Lake, on the main Park road, and follows a meandering path called the Alligator Creek canoe trail where you eventually exit into Garfield Bight. Then just head due south along the shoreline. sheltered from easterly winds. The chickee is only 2.5 miles due south, you can’t miss it.
Again, it’s best to always paddle with a rising tide on Florida Bay!
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Shark Point chickee on Florida Bay is 8 miles due east from Flamingo or 2.5 miles due south from Alligator Creek.
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Since it is so close to the tip of Shark Point (a National Mosquito Sanctuary!), you can expect some bugs if the winds drop or are coming from the NE! You should definitely set up your tent so you can wake up in comfort. It’s also real nice to string up a hammock during the day and chill in the nice sea breezes! At night, the winds can be brisk, so bring a windbreaker and some clothing or put up your tent’s rain fly.
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I am only showing you one, but there could be many skeeters coming from the mainland when the winds drop!
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The Shark Point chickee is in close proximity to its namesake – Shark Point on the mainland.
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First, the structure as originally built:
The tall Shark Point Chickee as originally built was difficult to access from paddlecraft.
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Contrast with the accessibility improvements!
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The new & improved Shark Point Chickee with lower central access platform!
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Many ladders permit several accessibility options, but the center platform is the key for paddlers.
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Easy to get on and off the center platform on Shark Point Chickee.
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Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!
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Nearby Shark Point is registered as a National Mosquito Sanctuary! 😉
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Shark Point Chickee is the tallest chickee in the Park and feels like an outback condominium!
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!
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Center platform kayak / canoe access.
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Once on top, the spin around panoramic views are well worth the paddle! You will see the Flamingo cell tower due west and the (comparatively) busy Florida Bay boat traffic in this section of the ‘Bay because the chickee is situated near the main ‘Tin Can’ boating channel. In this respect, the Johnson Key Chickee is actually in a much more tranquil setting. The location is also right next to a much older actual ground campsite that used to be at Shark Point itself. The shallow waters surrounding the chickee are carpeted with least a couple of different seagrass varieties, and you may note many intertwined (old) prop scars in them.
This is why we now have pole and troll zones in Florida Bay!
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Paddling across Snake Bight in a kayak en route to Shark Point chickee platform.
CLICK for interactive panorama!
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Panoramic view from Shark Point Chickee!
Florida Bay & Keys Aerial VR Panoramas.
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Florida Bay & Keys Aerial VR Panoramas
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Chair makes great wind block for cooking dinner!
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Don’t be afraid to bring out ye hot peppers & garlic!!
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Tasty & Quick Cooking!
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Example finished dinner of Calamares en su tinta with potato, carrots, pea pods, garlic & hot peppers.
Tasty & Quick Cooking!
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Classic Florida Bay sunset! 🙂
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Fiesta privada – sunset Superman on Shark Point Chickee.
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Big moon rising over unnamed key from Shark Point Chickee on Florida Bay.
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The rising moon over Florida Bay lights up the nearby keys due east/southeast!
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!
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NIGHT LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY and DIGITAL ART from the EVERGLADES, FLORIDA BAY, TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS, BIG CYPRESS & BEYOND!
(click pic to enter)
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part II
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Camp Kayakfari on the Shark Point Chickee in full living color.
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!
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When there is no moon out, it gets very dark indeed! A calm night on the Shark Point Chickee may possibly be the ultimate in camping tranquility. There is an absolute stillness and a total lack of any kind of background noise which is pretty special in today’s world and something not soon forgotten.
You can see the lights from the Florida Keys towns on the horizon to the south as they stretch out in a wide arc!
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When there is no moon out, the glow of the lights from the string of Florida Keys towns can be seen on the horizon from the chickee. The red light on right is the tower at Flamingo, due west.
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!
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I always tell people you don’t know chill,
until you Florida Bay chill – on a chickee!
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Sunrise from the tranquility of my tent.
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The Shark Point Chickee can be like a private outback condominium! 🙂
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The Shark Point Chickee platform with Umbrella Key behind it.
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Entry point of original (land) Shark Point ground backcountry camp site on the mainland.
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Sea grasses in the shallows of Garfield Bight.
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Looking back across Garfield Bight at Shark Point, Rankin & Umbrella keys and platform.
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Near the Shark Point Chickee there are other backcountry campsites. The closest is the Alligator Creek campsite on the mainland along Garfield Bight, only 2.5 miles due north. However this one is infamous as possibly the buggiest campsite in all the Everglades! It’s also kind of a muddy camp in the marl prairie and is a hang out for large crocodiles.
Another choice in central Florida Bay is the Johnson Key Chickee which is also located in open water and consequently has few bugs. A good island site a little further due south is called Little Rabbit Key in the middle of Florida Bay. Much further, due east is another small island called North Nest Key on the eastern end of Florida Bay. However this is about a 20 mile paddle with no stops in between. This is why additional chickees appropriately placed on Florida Bay would make a big difference to paddlers! So between all these, there are some route options depending on how much time and adventure one is willing to put in or endure.
As always on Florida Bay, paying attention to the tides is key to avoid being stranded on one of the flats banks!
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Shark Point Chickee can be the start of a multi-day Florida Bay camping adventure!
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop.
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More on Florida Bay paddling here:
Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!
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Dawns like this one can be found on Florida Bay – “Champagne Dawn”
Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!
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Enjoy!
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To learn more about Florida Bay I can recommend this informative and beautifully done book. There is a wealth of information inside along with incredible images by internationally recognized and top local Everglades photographers. If you like Florida Bay and the Keys, you will LOVE this book!
Full Disclosure: A few of my images are in it too.
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“Florida Bay Forever” – Everglades Foundation book edited by Dan Burkhardt (with some photography by Flex Maslan).
Cover photo by Rob O’Neal
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© 2012 – 2023 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com – All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.
All rights reserved!
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DISCLAIMER:
The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!
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I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!
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With that said..
Blessings friends!
🙂
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BLESS!
Kayakfari
kayakfari ( kayak .. far .. i ) 
This is GREAT information. We are planning on heading out there in a few weeks (late Feb. – early March) and I’m so glad I came across your site.
Questions: I was thinking about using a camping hammock instead of a tent. I noticed you mentioned that you had set up a hammock during your stay. Would you recommend using a hammock for sleeping or would you say a tent is the way to go? There will be four of us out there.
How was the fishing?
What time of the year were you out there? What year did you go?
Thanks for the pictures, information and answers.
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Thanks Tim! You’ll have a great time out on the chickee. Time your paddle on or near high tide to avoid getting stuck on Snake Bight or stick to the boating channels. Also pay attention to the marine forecast for strong winds and ‘Beware the tides of March” ..lol.
You can go any time of year, but as I pointed out skeeters will find you when the wind drops especially in the hot months so definitely have no-see-um netting! This chickee is just offshore along the buggiest part of the Everglades – and it’s been a bad year for bugs!! If you string up a hammock, you’ll find yourself parallel to each side of the structure, so don’t fall overboard! I brought a hammock for chillaxing and had it on the diagonal, but that won’t do for four people.
One last thing: bring several tarps to cover up the floor and for a wind break. Have fun!
-Flex
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I went there in June a couple of years ago, actually a week before hurricane Irma hit. I would make a suggestion as I used an enclosed camping hammock. Reserve a small tarp for the bottom of the hammock especially at the Shark Point Chickee. When the mosquitos came after sunset they had no problem biting through the bottom of the hammock and the tarp I used for the deck became necessary for the bottom of the hammock and allowed me a good nights sleep. I used the same tarp for my night at the Johnson chickee but didn’t need it as the mosquitoes were much less prolific than at Shark Point. I also camped a single night at the little island, I forget the name but used my tent there. I remember it was a long paddle from Shark Point to there. And I did pay attention to the tides and had checked them for each of the three nights I was there so I could plan my paddle each day. Going at high tide definitely shortens the distance and always fun to paddle in shallow water. I only fished two of the three days as the first day was Shark Point and there were always several small sharks hag=nging around the chickee so I didn’t bother. I had free fish dinner at both of the other two spots using only a couple of small shrimp I brought along and kept in a cooler. It was easy picking. I would have loved to fish more but because the regulations at the time only allowed a single night at each spot that didn’t leave a lot of time for a kayaker to paddle and fish and get to each chickee – maybe I’m just slow. I hope to go again now that I know better the conditions and whereabouts. I was also glad I brought my binoculars which made finding the chickees a little easier.
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Thanks Alexander, sounds like you had a great time on Florida Bay camping and fishing! The lil island you refer to is Little Rabbit Key with the deep channel that surrounds it. There you can camp for a few days, it’s considered a land site. See:
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Hmmm, I did not know that Little Rabbit Key was available for more than a single night. That would have been great especially considering the paddle from Shark Point was somewhat long. I did snorkel around the deep channel but the tide was moving a little too fast making the water too silty. But knowing that it’s available for more than a single night makes going back much higher on my list of places to return. My wife and I did 4 days on the Suwanee last year for her 67th birthday and we met with a lot of rain and would like to return there but Florida Bay was beautiful and I saw many places for fishing that I simply passed up because of my determination to get to Little Rabbit Key. Thanks for that info!
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Sure Alexander! Use the Wilderness Trip Planner to help you with your trip next time:
https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/wilderness-trip-planner.htm
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Thanks, actually I did but I was so focused on the chickees and single day use that I made an assumption without reading all the way through guess that the island was the same. Won’t make that mistake the next time. I also went based on tides knowing that during my paddle the tide would be rising so as to avoid any grounding. The only issue came on the paddle from Shark Point to Little Rabbit Key as the wind was against me and I didn’t keep enough water on the deck. With the wind making dehydration a serious event I actually rationed the water I had on deck until I found a suitable place to get out and get some water I had stored. Regardless, this is a spectacular trip that anyone who knows how to pack for a few days should do and the trip planner is definitely helpful if you read it all the way through as was this blog. The morning park ranger was helpful as well as I arrived as soon as they opened.
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Great write up, very informative! Thanks!
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You’re welcome Carlos, check back I’ll have some new updates from the chickee!
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Hello,
I love your article 🙂
But I didn’t find how to book a night there please.
Can you send me the link?
Thank you
All the Best
Alexx
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Thanks Alexx! The camping permit procedure is the same as with any other Everglades National Park backcountry campsite. It’s first come, first served, no reservations taken.
First read the Wilderness Trip Planner: http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/upload/Wilderness-Trip-Planner-2015corrected.pdf
Also see:
http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/backcamp.htm
Then visit with a Ranger in Flamingo and get your permit! 🙂
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Hi! Thanks for the informative article. Very helpful. I’m considering the Flamingo to chickee paddle trip for late September. When were you there? I’m trying to get some sense of the severity of the skeeters at that time.
Is it possible to time your paddles to let the tide assist? I’ve read about it for the paddles I’ll be doing coming down the east coast but haven’t seen anything about it for Florida Bay.
Thanks for any info you can provide 🙂
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Hi Dan! You can camp on the Shark Point Chickee any time of the year. There’s almost always at least a small breeze on top, it’s usually not too bad as far as bugs are concerned during the daytime. At dusk and during the night the skeeters will find you, but just basic long sleeve clothing and/or spray should take care of it.
As far as riding the tides, yes, of course you always want to take advantage as much as possible. One thing to know about crossing Snake Bight to get there is that you need to be near high tide so you won’t get stuck on the flats (a bit like quicksand). Sometimes on low tide combined with a good easterly wind, all the water can get blown out of the bight!!
If you want a more bug-free experience, look at the Johnson Key chickee which is situated much further away from the mainland. See:
Also you can read all about paddling and camping on Florida Bay at:
Enjoy!
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Curious question after reading this and some of your other excursions in Florida Bay. I am planning a 3 night 4 day solo trip there and my idea is Shark Bight Chickee, Little Rabbit Key ground camp and Johnson Key Chickee in no particular order other than Little Rabbit Key the 2nd day. Thoughts mainly about the distance of Rabbit Key from Shark Bight Chickee. Seems like going to all 3 would give me a good intro and experience to Florida Bay. Thanks
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Hello Alexander, this is a great loop and an excellent way to see Florida Bay. I’ve done this one myself a few times! Aside from the weather (afternoon storms), your main concern will be low tide on the banks. Depending on how you do your trip, you might have to go over Dildo Key bank, Rabbit Key bank(s) and Snake Bight. The last one you want to be sure you have enough water to float even in a kayak. Sometimes on low tide combined with higher winds, Snake Bight becomes impassable. The other banks you can go around if needed.
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hi Flex. great info!
i’m planning to check out johnson chickee and/or shark point chickee.
do you recommend doing both? or does johnson chickee offer everything shark point chickee has + better views?
thanks!
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Hello! If you have the time, check ’em both out. This time of year the Johnson Key Chickee will have fewer bugs due to being far away from the mainland. The Shark Point Chickee is nice in that it face due south so you get unimpeded views, esp. at night! Either chickee be sure to time your approach near high tide else you’ll get stuck on the flats. Also brings several tarps to cover the flooring and provide wind/rain block!
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thanks! doesn’t the Johnson Key Chickee also have open views to the south?
noted about the tides. any tips/waypoints for navigating between the 2 chickees? much appreciated
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Yes, of course it does – but the portapotty is in the way. For Shark stick to the main boating channel across Snake Bight. For Johnson you can goes westward around the Oyster Keys into another boating channel. You can read about it here:
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