Happy Holidays – Kayaking is more than an ornament!

I’m just hanging around for the Holidays,

but kayaking is the gift that keeps on giving!

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Happy Paddling Holidays!
Kayaking is the gift – keep on paddling! 🙂

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Merry Christmas 2022!

Happy Holidays!

Feliz Navidad!

Veselé Vánoce!

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Blessings !!!

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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!

🙂

 

Paddling tales of Fishes, Wreckers, Pirates and upper Keys History.

From the top: There are no alligators,

just a pretty reef and a tall light!

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(tap or click pic to read)

The last functioning beacon atop Alligator Reef Lighthouse.
Kayaking to Alligator Light Reef (lighthouse) .. of Fishes, Wreckers, Pirates and Keys History!

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Alligator Reef Lighthouse

The shallow reef and light were named after the USS Alligator which shipwrecked there in November of 1822, although it would be another fifty years until the light was built in 1873! It is a beautiful and sturdy Victorian era tower, standing 136 feet tall, and has survived several major hurricanes and was an operational lighthouse/beacon until the summer of 2014!

For this trip I chose the “Mojito”, an RTM Disco sit on top kayak. This is probably the nicest handling inexpensive plastic kayak for paddlers under 175 lbs. Granted, it’s a very wet ride, but this is actually a plus in the tropical heat. With the addition of thigh straps, it responds much like a proper sea kayak and is great to learn and practice kayaking and rescue skills. It’s also easy to roll and an excellent surf/play boat for South Florida waters!

I hope you enjoy the fine views from the top!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/alligator-light-reef-lighthouse/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – Chief Chekika and the Indian Key massacre on August 7, 1840.

Chief Chekika’s Island hideout in the Everglades.

A nearly forgotten place,

yet an important piece of Florida history!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Chekika Island and Indian Key are forever linked by the infamous raid of 1840. Chekika and his men had to sail and paddle about 90 miles each way which took several days.

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The infamous Indian Key raid and massacre that occurred

on this day in 1840 fits into the much broader

context of the Second Seminole War.

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In the days leading up to this, Chekika’s band of warriors would have been traversing the Shark River Slough aka, the “River of Grass”. Once out of the slough, they would have navigated the maze of coastal mangroves and exited into Florida Bay probably in the vicinity of today’s Flamingo. The final stretch of about 30 miles across Florida Bay enabled them to reach the keys near Indian Key where they lay in wait to launch their surprise attack. There is plenty of information on the Indian Key attack itself, but not much on Chekika’s home base which was at the time hidden deep in the unknown Everglades.

Today thousands of daily motorists unknowingly drive right past it on their way to or from the west coast on the Tamiami Trail!

There is limited historical information about Chief Chekika, but he was said to be a man of great stature at over 6ft tall and 200lbs plus. He was a leader in his people’s struggle against the US Government’s genocidal policies, generally referred to as the Second Seminole War. This war was a direct result of a very dark chapter in American History called the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the ensuing Trail of Tears. It’s because of this that dislocated native peoples were driven deeper down into Florida and eventually the Everglades. The systematic destruction of native culture, removal and outright genocide was official government policy. Sadly this grave injustice has yet to addressed by our government nearly 200 years later!

Mother, should I trust the Government?

The earliest reference to Chekika is from July 23, 1839 when he led a successful raid on the Caloosahatchee Trading Post in which Lt col. Harney barely escaped with his life. It would appear that Harney then held a personal grudge against Chekika, and the events that unfolded next played right into this. Chekika’s plan was to raid the large stockpiles of salvage and other supplies stored in warehouses on Indian Key. These were owned and maintained by Captain Jacob Housman, who owned most the of island. On August 7, 1840 Chekika and his band of 60-130 warriors attacked and raided the Key in what is sometimes called the Indian Key Massacre. Upwards of 18 people were killed by the time mayhem was over including Dr. Perrine and the whole town was burned. Chekika’s band left Indian Key with 28 canoes and six of Houseman’s boats filled with all the loot. They sailed and paddled the 90 odd miles back to their base at Chekika Island hidden inside the endless Everglades.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/chief-chekikas-not-so-secret-island-hideaway-in-the-everglades/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – A Declaration of Independence from Land!

Seeking Higher ground and

Faith in Numbers in the Lower Keys!

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(tap or click pic to read)

“Higher ground.”
Exploring a Higher Ground in the Lower Keys! Part I.

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Part I : Camping on a sandbar shoal and paddling the Barracuda, Marvin  and the Snipe Keys.

What’s real nice about a sandbar is that since it is surrounded by water and there’s no vegetation, there are absolutely no bugs to deal with. On the flip side, it gets hot under the summer sun, so it helps to bring your own shade in the form of an umbrella or a Sombrero.

If you decide to work on your tan, don’t forget to flip over.

You wouldn’t want to go home half baked!

As luck would have it, this summer trip occurred near the full moon and the tidal ranges were at the extremes for the Keys! The little sandbar shoal was just about underwater during the daytime high tide, and conversely the daytime low left the seabed exposed almost as far as the eye could see. The “top” of this shoal was smaller than a typical living room. The shape of the high ground “living room” was an interesting contoured triangle type shape that is often found repeated in nature.

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/higher-ground-in-the-lower-keys-and-faith-in-numbers/exploring-a-higher-ground-in-the-lower-keys/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – On the slough, somewhere between hiking and paddling!

From Pahayokee Overlook to “Main Street”

on the

Shark River Slough .. aka the

“River of Grass”.

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(tap or click to read)

Here’s looking at Euclid! 😉
Pahayokee Overlook to Main Street – Probing into the middle of Shark River Slough.

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“Too deep for walking and too shallow for boating”.

 There is a well known airboat trail known as “Main Street” which runs the length of the largest slough inside of Everglades National Park. This path is not open to the general public for airboating, however it does enable paddlers to transit the length of the famed “River of Grass”. The Shark River Slough runs from the Tamiami Trail down to Bottle Creek at the south end, where navigable water leads eventually connect to the Canepatch backcountry campsite. The purpose of this trip was to to try and connect to Main Street from the Pahayokee Overlook, as a shorter alternate route to get to Canepatch!

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Full story at:

Pahayokee to Main Street – Probing into the middle of Shark River Slough.

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! BLESS

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – How much love does it take to not trash the Everglades with balloons?

It’s the trash that flies! 😦

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(tap or click pic to read)

There’s no love lost here, mylar balloons and the Everglades do not mix.
All that trash – the ugly side of kayaking in Miami!

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What goes up must come down.

Helium filled mylar balloons are typically used only once to celebrate birthdays or mark other occasions. Sadly it’s the kind of trash that can be found even in the most pristine and remote parts of the Everglades.

There’s a lot of beauty left, and nature always regenerates itself.

If we can only keep from choking it!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/reality-check/all-that-trash-the-ugly-side-of-kayaking-in-miami/

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! Bless UP – How much Love?

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – 1, 2, 3 – tripping into the wild Everglades!

We can also strive to escape

from our modern domesticated era,

if only for a brief and limited time!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Paddling just as easy as 1 – 2 – 3 ? Perhaps, or perhaps not!
Escape from Babylon into the Ten Thousand Islands.

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This trip added up to about 84 miles with a nice progression

of  11, 20, 25 and 28 mile days.

A memorable escape into the the Ten Thousand Islands of the Everglades!

The Ten Thousands Islands of southwest Florida have a rich human history that dates back thousands of years. For instance, the Calusa Native Americans prospered here, living off the bounty of the coastal marine zone. Rare in human history, they achieved an advanced level of civilization that was not centered on agriculture. They also left us plenty of evidence of just how much, and how well they ate in the form the “midden mounds”. These are basically garbage heaps, of mostly shells, some reaching very large proportions! The remoteness and isolation of the 10K attracted white settlers in the last 150 years to eek out a living, often on top of those old Calusa shell mounds. Some of the so called settlers were actually seeking a place to escape to, to evade the law, perhaps permanently.

In more recent times, access to the 10000 Islands has become codified with the creation of Everglades National Park and other wildlife sanctuaries. Conveniently spaced campsites which can be “reserved” months ahead of time serve to give a familiar structure to an otherwise wild place. A few people still make a living out there, mostly to get others in and out and help them get the most out of the area.

Still, there are a few hidden gems left where the original story continues!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/escape-from-babylon-into-the-ten-thousand-islands/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – Boca Chita Key and lighthouse on Biscayne Bay.

In many ways Boca Chita Key remains to this day like a

“Fantasy Island”.

Whereas in the past it was private playground for the

rich and famous, today anyone can visit this island.

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(tap or click pic to read)

In front of Boca Chita lighthouse aboard “REDRUM”, my Nigel Foster Silhouette.
Boca Chita – kayaking to a Fantasy Island on Biscayne Bay!

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Black Point to Boca Chita Key:

Twenty one miles of open water paddling on Biscayne Bay!

Most visitors come by powerboat. a few by a tour boat and fewer still by kayak. This is because it’s a 10 mile open water paddle across Biscayne Bay to get there!

This is a kind of semi urban paddling, where you can get away from the city and yet always see the Miami area skyline on the horizon.

Once out there on the barrier islands of Biscayne National Park,

you are truly on island time!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/boca-chita-kayaking-to-a-fantasy-island-on-biscayne-bay/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – There are no alligators, just a pretty reef and a tall light!

Paddling tales of Fishes, Wreckers,

Pirates and Keys History!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Stay hydrated at Alligator Reef Light, and please don’t panic!
Kayaking to Alligator Light Reef (lighthouse) .. of Fishes, Wreckers, Pirates and Keys History!

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The reef and light were named after the USS Alligator which shipwrecked there in November of 1822, although it would be another fifty years until the light was built in 1873! It is a beautiful and sturdy Victorian era tower, standing 136 feet tall, and has survived several major hurricanes and was an operational lighthouse/beacon until the summer of 2014!

For this trip I chose the “Mojito”, an RTM Disco sit on top kayak. This is probably the nicest handling inexpensive plastic kayak for paddlers under 175 lbs. Granted, it’s a very wet ride, but this is actually a plus in the tropical heat. With the addition of thigh straps, it responds much like a proper sea kayak and is great to learn and practice kayaking and rescue skills. It’s also easy to roll and an excellent surf/play boat for South Florida waters!

I hope you’ve enjoy the fine views from the top!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/alligator-light-reef-lighthouse/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – Adventures in the Bill Ashley Jungles of the Everglades.

An invitation to paddling forgotten trails of

Gladesmen,

Gator hunters, Outlaws and Moonshiners

in the Everglades!

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(tap or click pic to read)

The “Widowmaker” meant pushing, pulling or throwing boats over mangroves as necessary!
Crossing paths of Gladesmen, Gator hunters, Outlaws and Moonshiners: An invitation to paddling forgotten trails of the Everglades!

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The Bill Ashley Jungles is an area west of the main Park road roughly between Paurotis Pond and Hell’s Bay, and we were right in the middle of it! Historically these were productive hunting grounds for both Native American tribes and later “Cracker” gator hunters and trappers. This landscape has also changed over the decades, with brackish water intruding northwards, resulting in the predominantly wet mangrove forest habitat that we saw. It certainly did not look like it to us, but back in the 1920′-30’s there was abundant game deer to be had here! Today this is a largely forgotten area, except for the Hell’s Bay Canoe Trail that runs through a part of it. This single trail probably the single most popular paddling route inside of Everglades National Park.

Paradoxically this area is at once the most visited,

yet also the least explored!

The Bill Ashley Jungles were named after a band of outlaws who hid out in the Glades in the 1910’s-20’s called the Ashley Gang, led by John Ashley and his “queen”, Laura Upthegrove. Back then almost everything in South Florida was still the “Everglades”, so whether you were in Homestead or Jupiter, you’d still be in the “Everglades”. It was more of a question of how hard it was to get in and out. By 1924 members of the close knit Ashley Gang family were either in custody or dead. Bill Ashley, one of John’s brothers was apprehended in January 1924, and was the only one who actually survived the family “business” and then lived out his years in Pompano Beach until his death in 1940.

Incidentally, on the east side of the Park road is the Noble Hammock Canoe Trail, a short but pretty three mile loop. It was named after Bill Nobles who ran a moonshine still operation on a hammock back there during Prohibition. The trail is just a small section of Still Creek which runs down into West Lake and is well worth seeing!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/crossing-paths-of-gladesmen-gator-hunters-outlaws-moonshiners-an-invitation-to-paddling-forgotten-trails-of-the-everglades/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – Goodbye Babylon, bye bye. Hello Everglades tripping!

Escape from Babylon into the

Ten Thousand Islands!

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(tap or click pic to read)

This simple laminated Google Earth printout sufficed for maybe 90% of my navigational needs.
(For the remaining 10% I thanked Ted’s GPS unit.)
Escape from Babylon into the Ten Thousand Islands.

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The Ten Thousands Islands of southwest Florida have a rich human history that dates back thousands of years. The Calusa Native Americans prospered here, living off the bounty of the coastal marine zone. Rare in human history, they achieved an advanced level of civilization that was not based on agriculture! They left plenty of evidence of just how much (and how well) they ate in the form the “midden mounds”. These are basically garbage heaps, of mostly shells, some quite large! The remoteness and isolation of the 10K attracted white settlers in the last 150 years to eek out a living, often on top of the old Calusa shell mounds. Some of the so called settlers were actually seeking a place to escape to, perhaps permanently.

In the modern era, we can also strive to escape,

if only for a limited time!

With my paddling partner Kayak Ted, we hatched yet another route plan to take us further south along the Ten Thousand Islands coastline and then visit a few interior campsites on the Wilderness Waterway. One of best things about tripping with Ted is that he’s down with (some of) my oddball suggestions, and sometimes he pulls out one of his own.

Such as, let’s start our 3 night trip at 5pm, day of!

In the end we paddled about 84 miles and had a nice progression of 11, 20, 25 and 28 mile days. The conditions were mostly favorable, the bugs weren’t that bad on this adventure, and it was a great trip in the Ten Thousand Islands.

A fun escape from Babylon into the Everglades outback!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/escape-from-babylon-into-the-ten-thousand-islands/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – Immersive panoramic views of our Kissimmee–Okeechobee–Everglades (KOE) ecosystem.

The Everglades with people in it!

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(tap or click pic to read)

High up in the canopy on a tree island in the Everglades interior, above the matrix.
Everglades and KOE Aerial VR Panoramas.

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Revised and updated for your viewing pleasure!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – “Watch out for them airboaters, they’re all drunks!”

That’s what the good natured airboat operator

quipped as he pulled into the hammock camp.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Miami adventurer Leah stands up in her sea kayak and surveys the sea of grass.
Grass Paddling in the East Everglades Expansion Area – History, Gladesmen & more Grass!

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The airboater was quite surprised to see a bunch of canoeists and kayakers already there at the dock, including (then) Everglades National Park Superintendent Dan Kimball!

Out on this sea of grass, it’s important to be able to stand up and see over all the tall grass! This is easy in a canoe, but much harder in a narrow sea kayak. Fortunately, the shallow depth and extensive vegetation cradle the hull and make this easier. Using the paddle as a support pole also helps.

The biggest challenge to paddling a long sea kayak in the grass is that you have to pick your line exactly and stick with it! The long kayak acts a lot like a knife blade – easy to push through the vegetation, but nearly impossible to turn sideways from a dead stop. It really helps to keep constantly moving, and you need to edge the boat because the rudder or rudder strokes are useless and unworkable in the grass. The few times I got off track I had to back up like a semi truck (beep beep .. beep beep) and start my line up again!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/grass-paddling-in-the-east-everglades-expansion-area/

Revised and updated for your reading pleasure!

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – A Greenland stick in the tropics.

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

Part II

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(tap or click pic to read)

My favorite Greenland stick to power the Banana Boat (Seda Glider).
A Lower Keys Roundabout: Marvin Key and Snipe Point!

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Sandbar shoal camping and exploring the Barracuda, Marvin and  Snipe Keys.

My cruising kayak, the “Banana Boat” is a long boat at almost 20 feet. I’ve been using the same Greenland stick to propel her for over 20 years. At 6’2″, my body happens to be the perfect interface between my 20 foot boat and the 97 inch Greenland stick. Is it a paddle or a blade? It is both at the same time! One of the best things about this particular stick is the nice “spring” or “kick” I can get out of it when paddling. It’s very comfortable to hold without gloves and is also very lightweight and self-buoyant.

The simple beauty and smooth paddling style of the stick is really hard to beat. While it may look like a shaved down piece of 2×4, the simplicity is deceptive as the shape and motion embodies some advanced mathematical and fluid dynamics concepts. The Inuit natives who developed and refined it didn’t have to understand any of that. Out of necessity they used the sparse materials available to them to create this tool.

The Greenland stick is among those few inventions that can’t hardly

be improved upon, even after thousands of years.

The sandbar we beached on just south of the Barracuda Keys was an unexpected bonus because of it’s location near the edge of the Gulf. It made a great starting point for exploration of the nearby keys that are fairly closely clustered. For instance Marvin Key is only a mile, and Snipe Point just another couple of miles more! It made sense to check them both out in a big loop of about seven or eight miles.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/higher-ground-in-the-lower-keys-and-faith-in-numbers/a-lower-keys-roundabout-marvin-key-and-snipe-point/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – Voices of shellers shrouded in fog.

A blanket of fog covered the sandbar as I was

waking up hearing strange voices in the mist.

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(tap or click pic to read)

The fog would not deter the shellers from their mission.
Fogged out and hearing voices in the Ten Thousand Islands!

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At times the fog was so thick that we could only hear the voices in the mist! The place was suddenly full of people, wading and shelling the shoreline and tidal flats. The shellers were busy picking and seemed oblivious to our presence on the sandbar. So I set out to investigate and find their origin.

Fogged out and hearing voices in the Ten Thousand Islands!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/humor/fogged-out-and-hearing-voices-in-the-ten-thousand-islands/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – Seeking Higher ground and Faith in Numbers in the Lower Keys.

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

Part I

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(tap or click pic to read)

“Higher ground.”
Exploring a Higher Ground in the Lower Keys! Part I.

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Camping on a sandbar shoal and paddling the Barracuda, Marvin  and the Snipe Keys.

One great aspect of a sandbar is that since it is surrounded by water and there’s no vegetation, there are absolutely no bugs to deal with. On the flip side, it’s hot under the summer sun, so it helps to bring your own shade in the form of an umbrella or a Sombrero. If you decide to work on your tan, don’t forget to flip over.

You wouldn’t want to go home half baked!

As luck would have it, this summer trip occurred near the full moon and the tidal ranges were at the extremes for the Keys! The little sandbar shoal was just about underwater during the daytime high tide, and conversely the daytime low left the seabed exposed almost as far as the eye could see. The “top” of this shoal was smaller than a typical living room. The shape of the high ground “living room” was an interesting contoured triangle type shape that is often found repeated in nature.

The graceful curve reminded me somewhat of the pediment shapes commonly seen in Neoclassical architecture!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/higher-ground-in-the-lower-keys-and-faith-in-numbers/exploring-a-higher-ground-in-the-lower-keys/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 Time-release Dose – Fogged out in the Ten Thousand Islands.

Ten Thousand Islands kayaking series:

Second Chance sandbar off Cape Romano.

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Second Chance sandbar shrouded in fog, January 2022.

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Taking time to explore these sand shoals we were treated to a rare experience of complete fog out. At times it was so thick that we could only hear the voices in the mist!

The so called “Second Chance” sandbar is an ever changing and dynamic collection of shifting sands in Gullivan Bay. There can be one, two or more small splintered off sandbars just barely above the high tide line. The area lies about a mile southeast off the tip of Cape Romano. It is a part of the Rookery Bay Research Reserve and Second Chance is also a designated Critical Wildlife Area (CWA). As such, access is restricted with the entire area closed off from March 1st to August 31, or whenever nesting birds leave. This helps to insure that the many species of shorebirds have a place to nest free of mainland predators and people!

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Full story coming soon on this

open water adventure camping trip!

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! Bless UP

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.

© 2022 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 – Test paddling my new wing paddle with a 27 mile Florida Bay day trip.

On this trip, I wanted to paddle a good 27 miles with

my new blade for a thorough testing!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Paddling RGB with my new Orka Super Flex wing paddle in the late afternoon sun.
K1 trainer and wing paddle test with a 27 mile day paddle on Florida Bay.

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My new wing paddle proved to be a great paddling tool,

but the trip was a real pain in the arse.

So I decided to do another extended day trip on Florida Bay. As with most of my own trips there is always an “experimental” factor involved, whether it be new paddling or camping gear, photographic lens, etc. On this trip the experiment as it were would be a brand new wing paddle I acquired – an Orka paddles “Super Flex” model. This is a tear drop wing paddle loosely grouped in the so called “Gamma” shape, after a famous paddle design from Jantex. It’s a nicely finished paddle, feels stout and slightly heavier than Jantex or Brača – but also half the price!

What attracted me to this blade is the versatility of the design. It generates it’s power peak in mid-stroke and has a very smooth entry and exit. The catch is strong, but not overwhelmingly technical. It almost doesn’t care how you handle it and seemingly auto-corrects any sloppiness. Of course good technique never hurts! Also the blade is speed sensitive, so that the faster your cadence, the more power (lift) it generates. There is almost no cavitation! Mine came as a adjustable 210-220cm, which I found too long for my anatomy and style of paddling. So I cut off the ferrule and shortened it down to a 204cm. With a heat gun I was then able to cleanly separate the metal locking ferrule and re-epoxy it back on to the shortened paddle shaft

This was a full day of paddling, taking about 6 hours of paddling to cover the 27 miles with two one hour breaks in the mix. The Super Flex is versatile enough to quickly catch swells and for sprinting, yet smooth enough for all day paddling without hurting me.

Fitness, Adventure and Art on Florida Bay!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/fitness/k1-trainer-and-wing-paddle-test-with-a-27-mile-day-paddle-on-florida-bay/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 – Once upon a time at “Flugtag” in Miami.

What the Flugtag are you doing down there?

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(tap or click pic to read)

Is it Red Bull that gives you wings??
Red Bull Flugtag Miami – Paddling to a downtown kayak, boat & plane party!

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The Red Bull Flugtag are a series of summer events held in cities around the world where teams compete to build and “fly” outrageous and often whimsical home made flying machines in front of large, live audiences.

The local edition was held for four years in Biscayne Bay, just off Bayfront Park in downtown Miami, Florida. It brought out upwards of 100 000 people, and the best way to see and enjoy it was from the water on your kayak, canoe or SUP!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/urban-paddling-in-south-flaariduh-florida/red-bull-flugtag-miami-paddling-downtown-kayak-boat-plane-party/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 – Priceless views outside the world of people!

Kayakfari ART photography brings you

the magic of Florida Bay.

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(tap or click pic to read)

“A view to a Chill” – good morning from Little Rabbit Key in Florida Bay!
ART of the Bay – Florida Bay Landscapes.

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There is  an irresistible allure  to the  keys hovering on the horizon

as if mirages, but they are real places!

Florida Bay is a large body of water bordered by Everglades National Park to the north, and Florida’s Keys along with the Gulf Stream ocean current to the south. Covering over 800 square miles, it forms a roughly triangular shape about 40 miles wide from east to west. From north to south, it tapes out from six miles in the east to 25 miles on it’s western edge with the Gulf of Mexico. Almost all of the ‘Bay, as it is called locally, is a part of Everglades National Park, and has been protected since the Park’s inception in 1947. Within it’s boundaries, there are about 100 small islands or keys. Very few of these have any actual dry land; most are just clumps of mangroves and mud barely standing above sea level. But they are all full of life.

EVERGLADES LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY and

DIGITAL ART from FLORIDA BAY

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Full story at:

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

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More on paddling and camping on Florida Bay:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/chickees-and-keys-in-florida-bay-kayaking-camping-and-nice-dreams/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.”

Black Point to Boca Chita Key:

Twenty one miles paddling on Biscayne Bay.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Sexy kayaks on Boca Chita beach surrounded by the clear waters of Biscayne National Park.
Boca Chita – kayaking to a Fantasy Island on Biscayne Bay!

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In many ways Boca Chita Key remains to this day like a “Fantasy Island”. Whereas in the past it was private playground for the rich and famous, today anyone can visit or even camp on the island. Most visitors come by powerboat. a few by a tour boat and fewer still by kayak. This is because it’s a 10 mile open water paddle across Biscayne Bay to get there!

This is a kind of semi urban paddling, where you can get away from the city and yet always see the Miami area skyline on the horizon.

Once out there on the barrier islands of Biscayne National Park,

you are truly on island time!

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(Title quotation from Ralph W. Sockman)

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/boca-chita-kayaking-to-a-fantasy-island-on-biscayne-bay/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 – It takes a kayaker to photograph a Stiltsville village!

Kayak Miami:

Stiltsville Village upon Biscayne Bay.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Turn up the Night at Stiltsville!
ART of the Bay – Visions of Stiltsville and Biscayne Bay landscapes.

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“Stiltsville” is a village of sorts situated about a mile south of Cape Florida in Biscayne Bay, Florida. It’s an iconic Miami landmark,  but somewhat hard to get to since it’s surrounded by water. These homes were built in the shallows on stilts starting in the 1930’s and the number of structures peaked at 27 during the freewheeling Stiltsville heyday. After many decades and a few hurricanes, there are currently only six remaining wooden structures and all are now part of Biscayne National Park.

Enjoy this special day / night Stiltsville experience!

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Kayakfari ART photography – Miami’s Stiltsville village upon Biscayne Bay:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-the-bay-visions-of-stiltsville-and-biscayne-bay-landscapes/

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 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 – Just hanging around for the Holidays?

Kayaking is more than an ornament,

it’s the gift that keeps on giving year round!

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Happy Paddling Holidays!
Kayaking is the gift – keep on paddling! 🙂

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Merry Christmas 2021!

Happy Holidays!

Feliz Navidad!

Veselé Vánoce!

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Blessings !!!

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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 – Wheels, paddles, a boat and the lunatics on the Grass!

Exploring the Slough and Sawgrass Prairies

of Shark Valley.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Pedal and Paddle at Shark Valley: The kayak and the wheel, a symbiotic relationship.
Kayaking at Shark Valley – A visit to Seagrape Hammock, aka Willoughby Key!

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The lunatics are on the Grass,

Got to keep those loonies off the trail!

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Everglades exploration and photography in the style of the classic 1898 book “Across the Everglades“, by Hugh L. Willoughby.

This is a story of a “pedal and paddle” visit to a small tree island hammock in the Everglades “River of Grass”. We used bicycles, a trailer and a tandem SOT kayak to ride down the tram road and paddle through the grass to the island. The Shark Valley tower happens to be only a short distance from this tree island called  “Seagrape Hammock” in the middle of the Shark River Slough. Hugh L. Willoughby wrote about the island in his classic 1898 book – “Across the Everglades” and dubbed it “Willoughby Key”. He kept excellent records and published the accurate coordinates in his book, so we know for a fact that it is Seagrape Hammock.

He actually liked this island so much that he camped there twice!

Why go to Seagrape Hammock? Well there’s the historical connection already mentioned that gives us a window into the Everglades of old circa 1898. At that time, the Everglades were largely still untouched and pristine. The Seminole Native Americans were still able to live a largely traditional subsistence way of life. The Everglades were clean, bountiful and unfettered. However within a generation afterwards, the irreversible system wide alterations and damage to the Everglades ecosystem would begin. So Willoughby’s descriptions are among the last of the real Everglades as they had existed for millennia prior!

I had been fascinated with this tree island ever since sighting it during a trip down the Shark River slough in 2012. But on that trip we passed close within a mile, although couldn’t take the time for the detour. On this trip we succeeded and I had plenty of time to explore and photograph the Seagrape Hammock tree island!

Geographically, Seagrape Hammock is situated roughly halfway in between the Cypress strands of Big Cypress to the west and the higher (now developed) Pineland ridge to the east.

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“Shark Valley with a Twist!”

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/sloughs/kayaking-at-shark-valley-a-visit-to-seagrape-hammock-aka-willoughby-key/

https://awakenthegrass.wordpress.com/trips/land/everglades-hiking-with-an-altitude-exploring-the-slough-and-sawgrass-prairies-of-shark-valley/

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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 – The Hurricane and the Damage Done.

An overnight visit to Cape Romano

that was three months after

Hurricane Irma had passed directly overhead.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Last rays of sunshine over the Cape Romano dome home ruins!
Paddling the Goodland to Cape Romano loop and camping in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

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Hurricane Irma made landfall directly at Cape Romano at about 3pm EST on Sunday, September 10, 2017 as a Category 3 storm. The 120 mph winds and strong storm surge collapsed two of the six dome home structures and further eroded the coastline. What was once a very wide and large sandy beach at the tip of the cape has been reduced to a tiny strip of sand.

Since the hurricane, there is even less beach left now, and the best camping is a little further north along the western shoreline.

The Goodland to Cape Romano paddling loop amounts to at least 14 miles, with much of it in open water on Gullivan Bay in the Ten Thousand Islands. However this can be a relatively easy paddle for intermediate level paddlers with several semi-sheltered route options depending on weather conditions. You can also hug the shoreline the whole way if you don’t like open water paddling, but it will make for a longer paddle. Evidence of the powerful hurricane can still be seen all along the coastline and the Morgan River.

A reminder of the impermanence of shorelines

and the shifting sands of time!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/paddling-the-goodland-to-cape-romano-loop-and-camping-in-the-aftermath-of-hurricane-irma/

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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 – Sixty miles across Florida Bay, paddling Flamingo to Long Key (r/t).

‘Slow it down’ brothers and sisters!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Watching my kayak slowly drift away from me on the flats of central Florida Bay.
Across Florida Bay: Flamingo to Long Key Roundtrip Adventure!

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Know where?

Nowhere and now here!

Across Florida Bay is about 25 – 30 miles each way, so it’s possible to do this roundtrip in two days. However, chances are you might get stranded on one of the flats banks because the tide models inverse about half way through to the Keys. Also, you might just miss out on all those little things along the way, so my advice is to ‘slow it down’ brothers and sisters!

You are truly in ‘the middle of nowhere’ out on Florida Bay!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/across-florida-bay-flamingo-to-long-key-roundtrip-adventure/

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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 – Modes of travel in the Everglades: Yesterday, today and tomorrow!

“I know that the airboat and the kayak

can coexist peacefully!”

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(tap or click pic to read)

The neon day-glo airboat Mothership of the Everglades with kayaks!
Grass paddling and poling in the Everglades Water Conservation Areas.

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In the permanently flooded Water Conservation Areas of the Glades, the airboat is the best way to get around and reach fishing and hunting grounds and private camps. Still there is something very pure and beautiful being out on the water where it’s just you, the boat and your pole or paddle.

Moving through the landscape at a human pace can be hard work,

but can also be immensely satisfying for body, mind and soul!

Times are changing again for the Everglades, this time for the better. Let’s face it, people care most about the things they know and love. Additional human powered access whether on foot, boat or even bicycle can raise awareness and help drive Everglades Restoration efforts for generations forward!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/interior/grass-paddling-and-poling-in-the-everglades-water-conservation-areas/

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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 – Out of sight, out of mind?

The Holidays are a time of joyful gift giving.

It’s also a time when copious amounts of

packaging waste are generated!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Some trash is biodegradable, but it still doesn’t belong on our beaches.
All that trash – the ugly side of kayaking in Miami!

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Underneath the fancy Miami gloss surface treatment are pimples and blemishes made of trash and debris. But a lot of times the trash also lies out in the open for all to see. That’s why it’s important to remember to always dispose of your trash properly!

There’s still a lot of beauty left, and nature always regenerates itself.

If we can only keep from choking it!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/reality-check/all-that-trash-the-ugly-side-of-kayaking-in-miami/

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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 – They’re home for the Holidays.

They’re .. here!

Home for the Holidays ..

See them live tonight at

the

50th annual Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Holiday Boat Parade.

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

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Home, home again. They like to be here when they can.
Resistance is futile!

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The journey was long, but they made it safe and sound for the Holidays!

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Season’s Greetings Earthlings – Resistance is futile!

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Ride Captain, ride!

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Warp field established, ready to go!

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Season’s Greetings Earthlings – Resistance is futile!

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Alien Nativity on the Winterfest Boat Parade.

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They whipped it good too!

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Prone rider on the Winterfest Parade.

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“Pit stop”.

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Season’s Greetings Earthlings – no Grinch!

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Season’s Greetings Earthlings – Resistance is futile!

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Alien bonanza for the Holidays!!

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Wishing you safe Holidays!

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Season’s Greetings Earthlings – Resistance is futile!

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At the end of the 2021 Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Holiday Boat Parade.

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They’re home for the Holidays!

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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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! Always

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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:

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!