The Daily Dose – South Florida’s annual Winterfest paddling tradition spreads Holiday cheer to all!

HAPPY PADDLING HOLIDAYS!

The

50th annual Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Holiday Boat Parade

happens on Saturday Dec 11th in Ft Lauderdale.

The non-motorized vessel pre-show starts at 6:00 p.m!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Priceless moments in South Florida paddling history! 🙂
Kayaking a Parade of Lights (Seminole Winterfest Boat Parade).

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If there’s one (and I mean THE one!) “local” Ft Lauderdale annual tradition it has to be the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade.  It is the largest single event not just in town, but in all of Florida, and one of the largest in the USA, drawing over a million estimated spectators along a 12 mile route!!  This really is the one time that folks get together with Holiday cheer and become a part of a bigger picture which bridges across  all the socioeconomic boundaries that are otherwise pervasive in South Florida life. Now in it’s 50th year, the event usually takes place on the second Saturday in December, and is later televised on local TV station WSVN-7.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/kayaking-a-parade-of-lights-seminole-winterfest-boat-parade/

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Happy Holidays! Feliz Navidad!

Veselé Vánoce!

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Sugar sand beachcombing, fishing and photography at Camp LuLu.

Fine beach camping and photography at

Camp LuLu in the Ten Thousand Islands.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Buenos días from Camp LuLu beach on the Gulf coast of the Everglades.
Camping at Camp LuLu in the Ten Thousand Islands.

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Camp LuLu is a great place to camp and is popular with paddlers and powerboaters alike. Since it is outside Everglades National Park, no permit is needed, but you still need to respect the private property on the island, such as the green cabin! Excellent place to relax, has weathered deadwood to setup your hammock on. Also great for shelling and just walking along the beautiful sandy beaches.

Like many Gulf campsites beware the Raccoons as they sometimes work in teams! Also if you arrive at low tide, you’ll have several hundred feet of mudflats to explore or fish from. You may consider to bring some pool noodles to use as logs to roll your kayak onto the beach with, lest you get stuck in those mudflats!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/camp-lulu/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – More aerial panoramas from Shark River slough of the Everglades.

Paddling adventures on the

“River of Grass”.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Sea Kayaking on the “River of Grass” at Shark Valley in the Everglades.
CLICK for interactive panoramas!

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“Harmlessly paddling the time in the grasslands away,

eyeing a certain viewpoint from the air*.

You’d better watch out, there may be Gators about!”

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https://roundme.com/@kayakfari

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(* – note that no drones were used. Things are not what they seem!)

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Tune in to the biggest show of all!

Our universe up in the night sky above.

The show is free and there are no commercials!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Winter skies in the Everglades are our local Portal to the biggest show of all.
Sweet dreams of Everglades winter skies and celestial alignments!

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Tune in anytime, however expect to see some reruns.

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To fully appreciate the Everglades winter sky experience, it is worthwhile to paddle out to one of the remote backcountry campsites inside the Park, the Ten Thousand Islands or Florida Bay.

The western coastline along the Gulf of Mexico is the best to get far away from city light pollution.

Get out there and enjoy the dark nights in Everglades!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/sweet-dreams-of-everglades-winter-skies-and-celestial-alignments/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Filming some eerie night paddling on the Miami River, a behind the scenes look.

“Miami River- Crocodiles and Cruise Ships”

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan Miami River night kayakfari canoe shipyard history
Spooky paddling and filming in eerie industrial darkness on the Miami River!

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Follow along behind the scenes as I paddle my 17 ft Coleman canoe on the industrial Miami River.  It took some decent effort on my part to paddle this large canoe solo. Going ‘upstream’ there was some current so I switched to a 230cm kayak paddle to make the best of it. Once past the Tamiami Canal connector the water was still and flat which added to the eeriness of the experience and made for great filming!

This film segment shot on the Miami River at night took myself and the film crew past some key historical sights and rarely seen parts of today’s Miami. Academy Award® nominated filmmaker Katja Esson saw some of my images from a previous night trip Kayak Miami – Full moon paddling on the historic Miami River and was interested in filming in the dark industrial shipyard section of the Miami River. Be sure to see the whole film too!

Interestingly I was both a guide and a subject for the film crew as we

cruised the eerie industrial darkness of the Miami River canal!

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Here’s the direct link to see this excellent film:

“Miami River- Crocodiles and Cruise Ships”

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/spooky-paddling-and-filming-in-eerie-industrial-darkness-on-the-miami-river/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Erasing the dividing line in the Everglades.

The first bridge over troubled waters.

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(tap or click pic to read)

The One-mile Tamiami Trail bridge has started a new chapter for the Everglades!
Paddling under the Everglades Skyway – the one-mile Tamiami Trail bridge over Shark River slough.

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The completion of this bridge as the first segment of an “Everglades Skyway” was a major milestone in Everglades Restoration efforts now underway. By 2024 a series of bridges will replace sections of the Tamiami Trail (Hwy 41) which has been the dividing line in the Everglades since 1928! This will help to restore historic water flow into the Shark River slough, otherwise known as “The River of Grass”. Realistically, the Everglades will never be as it was before the drastic human interventions of the last century. Too much irreversible and permanent damage has been done.

However with careful science-based research,

planning and management,

we should be able to get a functioning Everglades ecosystem again!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/sloughs/paddling-under-the-everglades-skyway-the-one-mile-tamiami-trail-bridge-over-shark-river-slough/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – “Harmlessly paddling the time away in the grasslands” on the Everglades Invitational 2021!

Everglades Invitational 2021 Paddling Event:

“Craighead Pond Canoe Trail”

accessed via Nine Mile Pond.

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The event’s special guest was Daniella Levine Cava, the Mayor of Miami-Dade County. She and her husband Dr Rob Cava are both avid canoeists!
Everglades Invitational 2021 on the Nine Mile – Craighead Pond route!

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This year’s event was held in the Nine Mile Pond and Craighead Pond areas east of the Park road and just north of the mangrove forests that border Florida Bay. The Everglades Invitational 2021 Paddling Event was a success and we have resurrected a yearly Everglades tradition of sorts.

We paddled all day long, right into a glorious sunset!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/events/everglades-invitational-2021-on-the-nine-mile-craighead-pond-route/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Fresh from the Johnson Key chickee on Florida Bay!

Is it ART or is it bird shit?

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(tap or click pic to read)

We may have even cracked the code!
Is it ART or is it bird shit?

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Just in time for

Art Basel and Miami Art Week.

Seabirds do a lot of “business” out on the Johnson Key chickee. The bird guano bears a striking resemblance to (fictional) Cirth script based on actual Runic alphabets of old Europe.

Are they sending us coded messages?

If you go for a visit, BYOT – Bring Your Own Tarps!

😮

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/is-it-art-or-is-it-bird-shit/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – She ain’t exactly pretty, She ain’t exactly small.

Wanna tell you a story

About a kayak I know

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(tap or click pic to read)

Rosie is not like Barbie, but they both like kayaking. 😮
A tribute to Rosie and all the plus sized kayaks out there – she’s a whole lotta Kayak!

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“Rosie”

She ain’t exactly pretty
Ain’t exactly small
Eleven’eleven, thirty’four, sixty’one lbs
You could say she handles it all

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Never had a kayak
Never had a kayak like you
Carryin’ all the things and
Doin’ all the things that you do!

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Whole lotta Rosie,

She’s a whole lotta kayak!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/a-tribute-to-rosie-and-all-the-plus-sized-kayaks-out-there-shes-a-whole-lotta-kayak/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Not to worry this chickee tells me ..

Up on Crooked Creek they sent me

to have a little chickee camping fun!

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(tap or click pic to read)

An outback plein air apartment on the creek.
Gone up Crooked Creek to have a little chickee camping fun!

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At about 9 miles out from the Park launch at Everglades City it sits between the Lopez River and Sunday Bay. The paddling distance is about the same whether you come up the Lopez River from the Gulf side or paddle inside via the Turner River.

The Crooked Creek chickee is well positioned as an easy

first night camp for many Ten Thousand Islands trips.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/gone-up-crooked-creek-to-have-a-little-chickee-camping-fun/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – A real close up look at what’s been itchin’ ya!

I bet most people have no idea what

no-see-ums actually look like,

so here you go!

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(tap or click pic to read)

“You keep on knocking, but you can’t come in!”
Of Bugs and Men, Chapter 1 – Noseeums.

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I termed this story “Of Bugs and Men”, though they will bite anyone with equal opportunity. They do not discriminate, and to them we are all gender neutral.

The only exception might be first time virgin campers of the Everglades which noseeums consider a delicacy! 😉

As with mosquitoes, only the females feed on the blood of vertebrates, which they need for their eggs to mature. They can also easily fly for a couple of miles and will be lured in by the CO₂ that we all exhale. So unless there’s a strong breeze or you are on an offshore sandbar island, chances are you will encounter them.

They will find you or your tent!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/humor/of-bugs-and-men-chapter-1-noseeums/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – It’s never too early to paddle off those extra Thanksgiving helpings!

Thanksgiving recovery paddle on the

Wilton Manors loop in Ft Lauderdale.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Aerial birds-eye view of paddlers on the Wilton Manors loop at Island City Park Preserve.
Paddling the Wilton Manors loop in Ft Lauderdale – Thanksgiving kayak edition!

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Paddling this loop is a nice way to take in some of Wilton Manors’ sub-urban sights along stretches of both the South and North forks of the Middle River. Like much of South Florida, this area of Ft Lauderdale was pure wilderness only a hundred years ago. A little bit of quality wetlands remain here along the shores of the North fork of the Middle River to enjoy and explore

The Wilton Manors loop is about 7 miles

of very relaxing paddling!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/urban-paddling-in-south-flaariduh-florida/paddling-the-wilton-manors-loop-in-ft-lauderdale-kayak-for-thanksgiving/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Thanksgiving portraits of innocence from the Everglades.

A Thanksgiving message

from the birds of the Everglades!

😮

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Turkey Vulture innocent portrait at Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay.

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The President says

“I hereby pardon you ..”

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A Heron at First National Bank in Florida Bay.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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“Pardon us of what Sir?”

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Herons like to perch on top of mangrove trees in the Everglades.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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“Of crimes?“

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“Dances with Doughnuts” – flying over Florida Bay.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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“What of crimes?”

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Coming in for a landing atop a black mangrove tree.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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“But we are innocent!”

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White Pelicans gathered along the shorelines of the Everglades.
Welcoming the fall arrival of White Pelicans in Florida Bay!

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“We live free”

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Sandpipers frolic along the Everglades shoreline.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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“We move freely”

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Roseate Spoonbills flying over First National Bank in Florida Bay.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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“Free like the wind!”

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Roseate Spoonbills flying over Florida Bay.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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“We fly the open sky”

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Looking for big birds up in the sky over the Everglades.
Welcoming the fall arrival of White Pelicans in Florida Bay!

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“We fish the shallow waters”

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Beautiful Osprey portrait at Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay.

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OK but wait, not so fast!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

🙂

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More at

The Everglades are for the birds!

Birding and bird portraits kayaking the Everglades, Florida Bay/Keys, Ten Thousand Islands & more!

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A White Heron catches an eel on the flats of Florida Bay near Little Rabbit Key.
CLICK gallery – The Everglades are for the birds!

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Roots, mud and airboats on the Barron Creek – Ferguson River loop.

Close encounters of the airboat kind,

but also some of the most beautiful

mangrove tunnels

that you’ll find anywhere!

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(tap or click pic to read)

This is some of the stickies, clingiest, and bottomless muck that there is!
Barron Creek to Ferguson River Loop – Mangroves, Airboats and Mud.

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That said, the area is beautiful, particularly the mangrove tunnels in the eastern section and the “prairie” zone just past that. The mangrove tunnels are possibly some of the most striking that you’ll find anywhere. This is why they run tourist airboat tours here. After this you’ll come into a cove with some of the stickiest, clingiest & bottomless quicksand / mud that there is!

If you capsize here for some reason .. well good luck! 😮

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/barron-creek-to-ferguson-river-loop-mangroves-airboats-and-mud/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Paddling down the River of Grass in the heart of the Everglades.

Adventures on the endless

“River of Grass”!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Paddling down “Main Street” in the middle of Shark River Slough in the Everglades.
Kayaking the River of Grass – a Shark River Slough Expedition.

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Out here, you hear EVERYTHING! There is silence here, but more often than not, we would hear distant rumbles and the sounds of machines.  Airboats  from the “Everglades Ecotours” tourist rides just east and north of the park, the buzz of many small and private planes flying and training overhead .. airliners on final approach to MIA. The Shark River Slough feels remote, but is not nearly as quiet as the Taylor Slough.

Paddling in this upper section of the Park is true grass paddling, a seemingly endless realm of water and grass punctuated only by tree hammocks of various sizes. Many of the larger ones were used in the past by native Indian tribes, and later by Gladesmen as hunting camps, etc.  On our route we came within just a few miles SE of the Shark Valley tower, and we could see it’s distinct shape in the distance.

On the critical section where we would come to intersect what is called “Main Street”, which is a well defined airboat trail that runs down the middle of the slough.

This trail would takes us all the way into Bottle Creek on the southern edge of the slough!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/kayaking-the-river-of-grass-a-shark-river-slough-expedition/

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/2017/03/16/paddling-and-exploring-south-floridas-wilderness-the-sloughs-of-the-everglades/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – “Lift me up and carry me down the river”

DIGITAL CONCEPTUAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART

from the seat of a Kayak on the Miami River!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Lift me UP!
ART of the Miami River – Perspectives of water and people on the move.

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The Miami River (Canal) stretches 80 miles from

Lake Okeechobee to Biscayne Bay,

and is one of the main waterways in South Florida.

Along the way it irrigates fields, provides wildlife habitat, flood protection and water to businesses and residences. It’s historic course has been straightened and dredged in the last century. Once the river carried canoes, now giant freighters wind their way through.

The two ends of the Miami River Canal connect

Lake Okeechobee to Biscayne Bay!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-the-miami-river-perspectives-of-water-and-people-on-the-move/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Leave your paddles behind, and take a journey into the color matrix of the very small kind!

What’s the RGB on my CRT ?

The three primary colors:

Red, Green and Blue.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Individual RGB sub-pixel phosphors on a traditional CRT TV!
ART of Primary Colors – the RGB on my CRT!

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Additive mixing of these three can simulate any color and hue that our eyes can detect,

and is the basis for all display devices such as the one you’re looking at right now.

Similarly, a Bayer filter array is commonly used in capture devices like smart phones

and most digital cameras.

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When the three primary colors average out to an

even intensity over a given unit of time,

it gives the illusion of white light from a normal viewing distance!

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For this reason I named my

Kirton K1 trainer fitness kayak – “RGB“

because it is painted all white and

I am a photographer! 🙂

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“Leave your paddles behind,

and take a journey into the color matrix

of the very small kind”

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-primary-colors-the-rgb-on-my-crt/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Across Florida Bay, Miami to Flamingo via Short Key.

Miami (Black Point) to Flamingo is approximately

a 70 mile one way trip via Short Key

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(tap or click pic to read)

Kayak group camping on Short Key in Barnes Sound.
Miami to Flamingo across Florida Bay via Short Key.

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Adventures across Biscayne Bay, Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound and Florida Bay.

A multi-day paddle trip so that we could really enjoy ourselves out there in the wide open expanses!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/miami-to-flamingo-across-florida-bay/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – A new way of fishing the Everglades, Ten Thousand Islands, Florida Bay and the Keys.

Fishy fisheye tales from the Everglades!

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(tap or click pic to read)

“Moonlight Serenade”
On the fine ART of living in a lens Bubble!

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Fisheye tales are 360 x 180 lens bubbles sustainably gathered in South Florida’s varied ecosystems. 😉

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/on-the-fine-art-of-living-in-a-lens-bubble/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Paddling has been my affordable health care plan for 30 years.

Taking care of mind, body & soul!

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Giving Thanks – 30 year Kayakversary of

“Fitness, Adventure and Art on the High Seas”.

(tap or click pic to read)

“What a long, strange Trip it’s been!”
Giving Thanks for 30 years of active paddling, adventure and photography!

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Every paddle is like a new beginning and always different –

the eternal freshness of a new beginning.

Paddling never gets old!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/reality-check/giving-thanks-for-25-years-of-active-paddling-and-photography/

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! Bless UP & TESTIFY

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – On Eclipses and Cosmic alignments!

The Cosmos is always moving,

sometimes creating interesting alignments.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Why do the Sun and the Moon appear to be the same size in the sky?
ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments!

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It’s only due to a fortuitous cosmic coincidence that our Sun and the Moon appear about the same size to us on Earth – that’s what makes total eclipses possible!

During the totality of the eclipse, only the light reflected from the edge of the Earth’s atmosphere illuminates the moon.

These are the longest wavelengths of visible light and thereby appear red!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-eclipses-and-other-cosmic-alignments/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – In 30 years of active paddling, I never forgot my first kayak love!

It was back in 1991 when I first became

a kayak beach bum with the

“Thrasher”.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Before I started wearing masks, I was bare like Tarzan! 😉
You never forget your first, well kayak – from 1991 !

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Take the time to remember your first!

I feel fortunate to have started paddling early in life in warm and sunny South Florida. A time when mistakes, accidents and misadventures tended not to leave permanent marks yet! In retrospect, those early paddling days were more formative than I could have ever imagined. Struggling through the stability and boat handling issues in those early days has paid off handsomely as I regularly paddle and surf 16 inch wide boats with ease decades later.

My first kayak started me on a lifelong journey of ..

“Fitness, Adventure and Art on the High Seas”!

🙂

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/reality-check/you-never-forget-your-first-well-kayak-from-1991/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Cheers to the hardworking tugs on the Miami River!

I never planned to escort a freighter out

the Miami River,

but it proved to be an interesting experience!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Metals recycling in action along the industrial Miami River. Some of this ends up as cargo on freighters bound for the Caribbean islands.
Escorting the Betty K VIII out the Miami River and into Biscayne Bay!

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The Betty K VIII is a 250 ft long freighter with a 43 ft beam, launched by the Betty K Line company in 2014 to make regular runs between Miami and the Bahamas.

Two powerful tugs thread her up and down the Miami River three times a week!

The front tug pulls the freighter at kayaking speed, while the rear tug does most of the steering and braking.

Two lines are used to rein in the ship with the rear tug constantly swinging from one side to the other to keep the ship in the middle of the channel.

It’s really impressive to see the action firsthand!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/reality-check/escorting-the-betty-k-viii-out-the-miami-river-and-into-biscayne-bay/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – This one is all about the feet and their impact on paddling dynamics.

Being mindful of your feet as the

foundation for your paddling posture

will yield many benefits over time!

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(tap or click to read)

Don’t let your feet get angry ..
Your feet are the key to proper paddling posture!

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Many paddlers don’t seem to think much about their feet unless they happen to step wrong on something. The focus always seems to be more on their arms, their hips and their paddles. But the foot is an important and integral part of kayaking and all paddling in general. Along with the hips and thighs, the feet position a paddler in or on top of their craft and provide an anchor point for optimum paddling motion.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/your-feet-are-the-key-to-proper-paddling-posture/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – When you want to get away ..

Permanently?

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Everglades humor kayakfari kayak funny office paddle
Out of the office ..

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Get out of the office!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/humor/out-of-the-office/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Kayakfari ART photography bringing you the magic of Florida Bay.

EVERGLADES LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY and

DIGITAL ART from FLORIDA BAY

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Kayakfari ART photography – “Mangrove Ghost at Sunset”
ART of the Bay – Florida Bay Landscapes.

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Kayakfari ART photography from outside the world of people!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-the-bay-florida-bay-landscapes/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – The Cane patch rest stop on the “superhighway” of the Everglades.

A a large clearing with a small dock

deep in the Everglades.

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Good morning sunshine, the air is sweet at the Cane Patch!
Canepatch camp site deep in the Everglades – a former Indian Mound (Avocado Mound).

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Canepatch is far away from everywhere,

but as they say – location is everything.

The Cane Patch  is a large clearing with a small dock maintained by the Park Service as an official campsite. Formerly known as “Avocado Mound”, it was cultivated and occupied by native peoples for hundreds of years at least, perhaps thousands. It’s location along the transition between the salty coastal mangrove forests and freshwater slough (The River of Grass) of the Everglades would be akin to a rest stop on a superhighway today. High, dry ground can be scarce to find in this region, and this site was cleared and built up as a mound by native people who also cultivated some crops. It was one of several in a network of mounds that natives built up, maintained and seasonally lived on. Certainly right up to the establishment of Everglades National Park itself there were people living and farming at Cane Patch, with the name itself giving away at least one of the crops commonly grown by cracker settlers in the Everglades!

Evidence of cultivation can still be readily seen in the vegetation which is like a small botanical garden!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/interior/canepatch-indian-mound-avocado-mound/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – The high rise outback condominium on Florida Bay.

I always tell people you don’t know chill,

until you Florida Bay chill – on a chickee!

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Shark Point Chickee is the tallest in Everglades National Park and feels like an outback condominium!
The Shark Point Chickee condominium on Florida Bay.

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Shark Point Chickee

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!

However the chickee is also a favorite resting place for sea birds and as such it will most likely be covered in bird guano, so bring several tarps to stay clean and scent-free!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/shark-point-chickee/

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Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – An inviting Everglades mangrove maze.

Mahogany Hammock – Lane Bay loop through

the Bill Ashley jungles.

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First of many mangrove traffic jams. 😮
Mahogany Hammock – Lane Bay loop of the 2017 Invitational paddle!

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This “Invitational” Everglades paddling event was held in a seemingly endless maze-like area southwest of the Mahogany Hammock Trail inside Everglades National Park. The trip was organized by contemporary Everglades explorer Terry Helmers of the Everglades Exploration Network. Terry likes to go well off the beaten path and plans these trips right near the end of the Everglades wet season, usually late October or in November.

This maze like area only allows single file paddling through

narrow creeks and water leads.

Some of these actually connect to form a path through!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/interior/mahogany-hammock-lane-bay-loop-of-the-2017-invitational-paddle/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Camping the colorful history of the Everglades – The Watson Place.

An interactive panorama from the

Ten Thousand Islands.

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Camping at the Watson’s Place wilderness backcountry site on the Chatham River in Everglades National Park.
Everglades & KOE Aerial VR Panoramas.

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Many places in the Everglades have a colorful history sometimes famous, sometimes infamous. This human history can also lend a layer of mystery and intrigue to an otherwise ordinary campsite. Such is the case with The Watson Place in the Ten Thousand Islands region. It is named for it’s principal resident Edgar J. Watson, who had a two story house there and ran an agricultural and “food processing” operation. There is much lore and speculation regarding the life and times of Mr Watson and so few facts that the actual truth of his exploits may never be fully known. Suffice to say that a fictionalized fleshing out of his persona in Peter Matthiessen‘s famous novel “Killing Mister Watson” may give us the best interpretation of life in the Ten Thousand Islands at the turn of the 20th century.

One thing that is certainly sure is that Mr. Watson was eventually gunned down by a posse of his neighbors!

Today this is a very popular wilderness backcountry campsite on the Chatham River inside Everglades National Park, though it still inspires ghost stories.

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More Everglades panoramas at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/360-vr-panoramas/everglades-koe-aerial-vr-panoramas/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

🙂

The Daily Dose – I was held hostage for hours at First National Bank.

First National Bank on Florida Bay, that is!

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The stick up job at the Bank.
The hold up at First National Bank in Florida Bay!

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The hold up was the tide, or lack there of.

The stick up job was my pole aerial photography!

First National Bank appears to have been named in jest by Flamingo residents of old (along with many other funny names). There are several other ‘banks’, but First National is very interesting due to it’s geographical position in Florida Bay and the thousands of birds that make a living out there.

The bank is located in Western Florida Bay which experiences extreme tidal swings and huge sections of flats can get exposed for several hours. They can easily be several miles across.

It’s very easy to get stuck out here accidentally, so it’s best to always be crossing with a rising tide! For planning, go with the East Cape tide models.

Don’t try walking across the bank – it’s really slick soft mud, almost like quicksand. It will tear the shoes off your feet .. best to wait it out!

When the water fills back in – it’s time to GO!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/the-hold-up-at-first-national-bank-in-florida-bay/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – The shelf in my kayak!

Adding an under deck kayak cockpit

storage shelf / tray.

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Above and below the shelf in my sea kayak.
Putting up a shelf – creating underdeck storage space inside the kayak cockpit!

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 Basically, this lightweight shelf turns the unused space under the peak of a kayak deck into a very useful storage space for smaller items.

The utility of the shelf has proven to be excellent. I can usually store the day’s energy bars, PBJ’s and fruit there along with a chart, sunblock, compass, gloves and camera. Items under about two inches in thickness will fit in the space available. Because it is under the coaming, everything usually stays nice and dry and right in front of my fingertips. It’s also easy to organize and by “wedging in” with bulkier items last, nothing will fall out in case of a capsize or when draining the boat!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/tech/putting-up-a-shelf-creating-underdeck-storage-space-inside-the-kayak-cockpit/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Hot Manati Lips!

The Manati Tugs on the Miami River are

always ready for a Tug job!

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“Hello Hot Lips!”
ART of the River – Hot Lips that kissed Miami Ships!

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“You can put lipstick on a tug, but it’s still a tug!”

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-the-river-hot-lips-that-kissed-ships/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Shine on you crazy Outlaws!

Time portal into the old Ten Thousand Islands:

(Enter at own Risk)

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Totch Brown’s Liquor Still in the Ten Thousand Islands, Everglades.
ART at Liquor Still Bay – hidden history in the Everglades.

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Hidden history in the Everglades at Liquor Still Bay.

((( cue soundtrack )))

This site was cleared and built up by John J. Brown, who essentially created his own “shell mound” on this secret spot by hauling in fill to raise the elevation above the high tide line. John was the father of sometimes famous, sometimes infamous lifelong Chokoloskee resident and true Gladesman Loren G. “Totch” Brown. The Brown family lived in an 8 x 14 foot tar shack that stood just behind the still. As a young boy, Totch learned to hunt, trap, fish and survive in the Everglades any way he could. The moonshine produced was true ‘Everglades Whiskey’ and the fresh run liquor was aged stashed in the mangroves for about six months! This clandestine moonshine operation was probably only active for a few years and after which Totch’s father moved his family to live nearby at the former homestead of Ed Watson, which is now a backcountry Everglades campsite called The Watson Place.

Totch Brown himself went on to live a “free life” as he called it,

perhaps one of the very few and last people who got to

live a full life in the original Everglades!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-at-liquor-still-bay-hidden-history-in-the-everglades/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – I said Craighead, not Crackhead – Pond Canoe Trail.

Paddling under mangrove roots

on a sea of periphyton

with that big blue sky.

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“Paddling through hoops of mangroves!” – Kayakfari ART photography.
Craighead Pond Canoe Trail

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It’s a beautiful thing!

The Craighead Pond Canoe trail is about a 12 – 14 mile round trip if you start and end at Nine Mile Pond. You’ll paddle through some of the most pristine and picturesque freshwater interior Everglades territory! In the Craighead Pond area, you can paddle along and parallel to  the “reef” line and also intersect with the smaller of the two main Everglades sloughs – the Taylor Slough.

This trip should probably only be done during times of high water, otherwise you will find yourself slough-slogging at lot!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/interior/craighead-pond-canoe-trail/

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/south-floridas-walking-coastal-mangroves-roots-paddling-photography-and-dreadlocks/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – The Dead paddle the Everglades!

About that skeleton in my kayak ..

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“I left my soul in the Everglades”
Kayakfari ART Photography – Kayaking Dia de los Muertos in the Everglades!

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“Dia de los Muertos edition”

Feliz Dia de los Muertos!

Happy All Souls’ Day!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-dia-de-muertos-en-los-everglades-the-skeleton-in-my-kayak/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Tall tales of things that fret about and go bump in the night.

Thousands of spiders waiting for first light

to satisfy their appetite.

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I see things that go bump in the night ..
Tall tales from the Everglades – Act I

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But wait, I’m not ready to see all this light!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/humor/tall-tales-from-the-everglades-act-i/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.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!

…

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!

…

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂