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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Heaven and Hell ? Heaven or Hell.

Somewhere between

heaven and hell

lies

real Everglades paddling freedom!

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The Sweetwater chickee camping platform was next on our list. It lies tucked away inside a little ‘finger cove’ of Sweetwater Bay. It is also pretty close to the Everglades interior (i.e. the slough) so the tidal influence was minimal here. I tasted the water and it was pretty sweet, probably good enough to filter. However this may not always be the case at other times of the year!

(tap or click pic to read)

The Sweetwater chickee is aptly named for the water was indeed sweeter!
Heaven or Hell: Summer paddling and camping in the Ten Thousand Islands

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Paddling in the summer heat really feels like being in a steam bath. I tried dunking myself in the water to cool off, but it was not very effective since the water felt like a hot tub. Still, the evaporation of the water did help a tiny bit. I was glad that I used an old somewhat leaky nylon spray skirt rather than my neoprene nice fitting one. The porousness did keep me cooler!

Some people bring sports drinks for hydration. I rely mostly on plain water supplemented with rations of young cocoanut water to replenish the sweated out salts. If you go paddling in the summer, it bears repeating:

Bring twice the amount of drinking water you think you’ll need!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/heaven-or-hell-summer-paddling-and-camping-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!

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Surrender to the Heat, Resistance is Futile!

Time to surrender to the hot permeating

wetness of summer! 🙂

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(tap or click pic to read)

Nothing but praise and thankfulness, don’t fight it – surrender to it.
Surrender to the summer HEAT!

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Now that summer is here,

the forecast calls for a “steam bath” every day:

The

“90-90-90”

Over 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade,

over 90 percent humidity and the water also about 90.

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Stay cool and hydrated,

enjoy the tropical summer!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/reality-check/surrender-to-the-summer-heat/

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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 – An afternoon delight on Biscayne Bay.

Nestled between the Safety Valve and

the Gulf Stream,

a neat triangular route can be plotted out.

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(tap or click pic to read)

“Seventeen Cormorants” underneath the Fowey Rocks lighthouse.
Kayaking the Biscayne Bay triangle: Cape Florida – Fowey Rocks – Soldier Key!

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Cape Florida – Fowey Rocks – Soldier Key!

Once I cleared Cape Florida, it’s all open water with some deep channels. Big yachts cruise through here at top speed, which can be unnerving.

I can take comfort in three things:

1. Staying on course and paddling at a good pace thereby minimizing time spent in any one channel.
2. Flying my “Not-a-dive-flag” on a 6 foot mast for maximum visibility.
3. Convincing myself that the captains piloting these yachts are competent professionals, alert and sober!

.

The distances involved made for a nice workout and the triangle

points provided me with many photographic opportunities!

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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/kayaking-the-biscayne-bay-triangle-cape-florida-fowey-rocks-soldier-key/

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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 – 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!

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – The space within, the final frontier!

Exploring a sea kayak from the inside out!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Look at all that easily accessible space! 😮
Fun VR inside out kayak Panoramas.

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The trinity of the Sea Kayak:

The front hatch, the cockpit and the rear hatch.

Most modern sea kayaks have these three separate compartments. They are separated with watertight bulkheads thereby creating a key safety feature!

It’s fun to explore the space within a sea kayak, in this case my customized Seda Glider aka the ‘Banana Boat’ – with interactive panoramas.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/360-vr-panoramas/fun-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 – Paddling in the Rain!

I’m happy again…

Just Paddlin’ in the Rain!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Wet surfski workout session paddling through Port Everglades in Ft Lauderdale.
Paddling in the Rain, Just Paddlin’ and Campin’ in the Rain .. sing along!

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(** Cue music **)

Sing along to the music, ya’ll can paddle if you want to ..

Sing along .. Paddling in the Rain, Just Paddlin’ and Campin’ in the Rain!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/paddling-in-the-rain-just-paddlin-and-campin-in-the-rain-sing-along/

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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!

.

(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 – The Banana Boat : February 3rd, 1992.

February 3rd, 1992

There was a kayak on the roof rack

Tell me where were you?

You were sittin’ home watchin’ your TV

While I was participating in some kayaking.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Warranty card for my brand new Seda Glider sea kayak – February 3, 1992.
Winter birthday triad on Florida Bay with the ‘Banana Boat’!

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It was 30 years ago today, that I brought home my

Seda Glider sea kayak.

This Seda Glider sea kayak was my very first ‘real’ kayak. At the time I just wanted a fast boat to scoot around in. I had no concept at all of going camping out in the wilderness and was just learning about paddling in general. It was a good choice as it’s still my main distance camping and cruising boat thirty years later.

The Seda Glider kayak is still in production today!

I like to name my boats, so the Seda Glider quickly became the ‘Banana Boat‘. That simple name was the start of an ongoing customization campaign that actually continues going forward. For instance I will be upgrading her to tiller steering soon!

Back in 1992 there was no internet to speak of and getting information or reviews required a bit of effort. Mostly it was about reading magazines, going to the library (remember those!) and talking to people and trying out boats if/when available locally. One thing I did pick up on at this early stage was to get the kayak, the paddle and a skirt plus a paddle float all together. I sure was glad to have the inflatable paddle float because I needed it the very first time I took the kayak out in the ocean. I successfully deployed it to re-enter my new boat after capsizing off Ft Lauderdale beach. Later I got a pump and life jacket to complete the setup. I had a lot of fun cruising around South Florida and enjoyed the freedom of being the captain of my own boat!

Fortunately that has not changed!

In our ‘modern’ disposable age, owning a product and getting good use from it for thirty years is a rarity. High quality kayaks have never been cheap, but can indeed deliver long lasting value. I’m pretty sure that I can expect this boat to last me a lifetime, or as long as I am able to paddle it!

🙂

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 On a previous birthday celebration, I laid out a three day triangular route across about half of Florida Bay for this story.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/winter-birthday-triad-on-florida-bay-with-the-banana-boat/

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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 – The key to a Higher Ground was my Faith in Numbers!

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

Part III

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(tap or click pic to read)

Between sunset and the moonrise, the low tide had bottomed out for the night on the sandbar.
Temporary tidal space and Faith in Numbers!

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Mathematics is the language of the universe,

so it makes sense to trust the numbers!

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Returning back to the little sandbar “base” described in Part One: Exploring a Higher Ground!, it was nice to kick back and enjoy the late afternoon. After hours of paddling and snorkeling, we came back as a matter of choice. Out on the sandbar with no vegetation and a steady breeze we were assured of bug-free living. Looking at my tide table notes, I realized that the night time high tide was predicted to be only about half of the daytime high. We could see where the daytime high had topped out, so I was 99% confident we’d stay dry at the very “top” of the sandbar throughout the night.

This is what I mean by Faith in Numbers!

A lot of us live out most of our busy modern lives indoors, so spending a 24 hour cycle in the middle of nowhere really helps to put everything into perspective. The psychological comfort crutches we reaffirm on a daily basis seem somewhat silly and naive as illusions of any kind of control fade away.

We all live fragilely exposed and fully vulnerable on our little planet spinning in the vast interstellar wilderness of the cosmos. For some this may seem disturbing, but I take comfort in the odds, the numbers as it were.

In the short term,

those odds are with us at least.

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

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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 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 – 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 Daily Dose – Exploring a hidden bit of the colorful old time Everglades history!

Moonshine in the Ten Thousand Islands

of the Everglades.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Represent! Flying the colors at the launch in Everglades City.
Moonshine in the 10 000 Islands of the Everglades.

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A simple “overnight” trip,

but with about 42 miles to cover.

On offer in this story is a photo journey of a quest to find a “lost” bit of old Everglades history. It’s the story of a Prohibition era liquor still hidden deep in the mangrove jungles of the Ten Thousand Islands.

It takes us back to the beginnings of the fascinating life story of Chokoloskee resident Loren “Totch” Brown who lived there. If you are not familiar, his book is a must read:

Totch: A Life in the Everglades by Loren G. Brown

With the Liquor Still Bay mission accomplished, we headed out into the Gulf on a slack tide. The paddling was easy and serene, and not at all what the Gulf waters would have waiting in store for us.

It forced us to re-examine our situation!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/moonshine-in-the-10-000-islands/

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 Daily Dose – Paddling in the zone on Florida Bay!

The Florida Bay Mental Health Plan.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Focus on the moment is important!
Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!

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Getting into the zone is important for enjoyable and efficient distance paddling by focusing on the moment.

The repetitive, rhythmic paddling motion really helps with that and by letting go of the past and the future allows one to be mindful of the present.

The present is kayaking in as beautiful a place as the wide open expanses of the marine wilderness of Florida Bay!

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Taking care of mind, body & soul!

Every paddle is like a new beginning and always somewhat different,

it’s the eternal freshness of a constant new beginning.

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Full story at:

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 – Fifty miles, three nights and ten thousand skeeters in the Everglades.

Adventure paddling and hellish camping

in the Ten Thousand Islands!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Emerging from the refuge of the micro-tent / cage after 12+ hours.
Camping Hell in the Ten Thousand Islands.

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 Revised and updated for your reading pleasure!

Starting with a late departure, this trip seemed all about pushing our luck. It was a 3 day and 3 night kinda trip, if that makes any sense? The idea was to revisit the liquor still in the Everglades we had found earlier, and also see a bunch of places en route. We explored the Gopher Key Calusa mound and then rode Charley Creek out into the Gulf of Mexico, followed by camping at Pavilion Key.

Thanks to skill, perseverance and some luck we were able to visit

all the spots as planned, however the camping was just plain ugly!!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/camping-hell-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 Daily Dose – You CAN take with you!

Correcting a genetic disorder in my sea kayak.

Read on at your own risk!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Large oval hatch rim positioned over the factory round hatch – moving things forward.
Open deck surgery on the front kayak hatch – the ultimate upgrade!

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Custom installation of a large front kayak hatch.

My main camping and cruising sea kayak, the ‘Banana Boat‘ is a 1992 model Seda Glider which originally came equipped with only a very small VCP style 8″ access hatch for the entire front compartment. This severely limited the kinds of items I could carry in the otherwise large space provided.

This one is not for the faint of heart!

Significant deck surgery, involving cutting

and fiberglass work required.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/tech/open-deck-surgery-on-the-front-kayak-hatch-the-ultimate-upgrade/

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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 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!

.

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – You can get there from here!

Connecting streams of the Everglades:

River – Slough – River!

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(tap or click pic to read)

My mud salvation in the Everglades.
The Lost Portage – connecting streams in the Everglades!

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The term “Lost Portage” is used to describe an

inland connection between two streams originating

from the the Shark River Slough aka the “River of Grass”.

The reason for going through this Lost Portage is to go directly between two of the most remote Everglades backcountry campsites – Canepatch and Camp Lonesome. Any paddler considering camping at these sites would think it obvious that there should be a direct inland connection between them, but officially there is not! So the typical Wilderness Waterway paddler is directed to either head out into the Gulf, or go through a mangrove creek called the “Nightmare”. Either option means a long paddle out and then back in, closer to the interior. A direct connection is much shorter though probably more challenging!

Before they become actual rivers of the Everglades:

connecting the Broad River and the Harney – Shark Rivers.

Due to the distances involved, logistics and time constraints during the winter Holiday break, I laid out a 4 day and 3 night weather balloon shaped route. It was the only realistic way to run this trip, as neither me nor my paddling partner were willing to take off a whole week.

This fairly ambitious schedule would have us close the gap in the

shortest amount of time with some long daily paddling miles!

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Full story:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/the-lost-portage-connecting-streams-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 – 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!

.

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!

.

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!

.

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 – 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!

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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!

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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 – 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!

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – A quick trip to North Nest Key with a Cuban cigar.

My sister went to Havana

and all I got was a Cuban cigar,

so I smoked it in the Everglades!

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North Nest Key is a quick getaway on the bay side of the upper Keys.
From Havana con mucho cariño – a quick trip to North Nest Key!

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Paddling out to the Nest Keys is straightforward and about nine miles when starting from FBO. You can paddle up through either “The Boggies” or Dusenbury Creek. Actually it’s common to make a loop and use both. There are a couple of things to keep in mind however. One is that on a good easterly or southeasterly wind, both Blackwater Sound and Florida Bay can carry a good fetch and bring 3 – 4′ up to 6 foot waves! Be sure to have a good sprayskirt as those quartering seas will break on deck frequently.

Nest Key is a part of Everglades National Park but in reality is just the opposite of remote due to it’s close proximity to Key Largo. Expect a boater’s sandbar party type atmosphere, complete with jetskis, loud stereos, folks drinking and barbecuing.

If this is not your style, avoid Nest Key on the weekends!!

To access the Nest Keys and eastern Florida Bay, one of the best spots to launch from is at Key Largo’s  Florida Bay Outfitters (FBO). Their location makes it a natural choice for paddling Blackwater Sound, Barnes Sound, Buttonwood Sound. But just like anywhere in the Keys, parking space is very limited so you should always call ahead to make arrangements with them!

Que Se Sepa, Yo Soy De La Habana!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/from-havana-con-mucho-carino/

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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 – Lower Keys sandbar camping and Faith in Numbers!

Mathematics is the language of the universe,

so it makes sense to have faith in numbers!

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Sweet and delicious moonlight over a sandbar camp in the lower Keys.
Temporary tidal space and Faith in Numbers!

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A lot of us live out most of our busy modern lives indoors, so spending a 24 hour cycle in the middle of nowhere really helps to put everything into perspective. The psychological comfort crutches we reaffirm on a daily basis seem somewhat silly and naive as illusions of any kind of control fade away.

We all live fragilely exposed and fully vulnerable on our little planet spinning in the vast interstellar wilderness of the cosmos. For some this may seem disturbing, but I take comfort in the odds, the numbers as it were.

In the short term, those odds are with us at least.

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

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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 – More Roots Paddling, Yeah!

Paddling in South Florida

is Roots Paddling!

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Black mangrove shoots – pneumatophores burnin’ the golden sunlight of Everglades National Park.
South Florida’s walking coastal Mangroves – Roots Paddling, Photography and Dreadlocks!

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“Anchoring to a Higher ground!”

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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!

🙂