kayakfari ( kayak .. far .. i )

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

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Enjoy!

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! BLESS

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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!

🙂

Miami Surfski paddling – Shapes of Things before my Eyes.

Posted by Kayakfari on July 13, 2023

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, bill baggs, biscayne bay, boating safety, cape florida, eye of miami, fisheye, fishing, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, ghost, grey ghost, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, landscape, lighthouse, mangrove, marine trash, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, posture, rasta, safety valve, sea kayaker, south florida, stellar ses, surf ski, surfski, surreal art, tropical, virginia key. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, all that trash, ass walking, Beach, bill baggs, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, biscayne safety valve, Bless UP, Blessings, boat channel, boating safety, butt walking, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, carbon greenland, Carl G. Fisher, Coral Reef, currents, dive, eye of miami, face protector, Fantasy Island, feel irie, fiesta privada, fisheye lens, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, florida keys paddling, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida surfski, fowey rocks lighthouse, ghost kayak, Greenland paddle, Greenland stick, grey ghost, gulf stream, gulfstream, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak biscayne bay, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, landscape photography, lighthouse, limestone coral rock, mangrove, mangrove tunnel, mangroves, marine trash, miami, miami history, Miami Kayak, miami paddle, miami surfski, national park, ocean, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, orka paddles, orka super flex, orka wing paddle, Paddle, paddle elliott key, paddle miami, paddling, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, Penguin, Penguin Miami, Penguin shaped loop, Penguin waddle, pentax, pentax q, Photography, pole aerial photography, rasta, reef, safety, safety flag, safety valve, sandbar, satellite, scuba, sea grass, Sea Kayaker, ses, Shapes of Things, skyway bridge, snorkeling, sombrero research institute, South Florida, South Florida boating, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, south florida surfski, speeding boaters, stellar elite small, stellar ses, stellar ses multisport, stellar surfski, STILTSVILLE, surfski, surfski paddling, surfski touring, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, turquoise water, urban paddling, waddle, water quality, weed deflector, weedless, weedless in miami, weedless rudder, wing paddle, wing paddle technique. 2 Comments

It takes a Penguin shaped loop to

circumnavigate Miami’s

Virginia Key, Key Biscayne

and Stiltsville.

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Flex Maslan kayakfari Miami Stiltsville kayak Biscayne Bay surfski fitness paddle loop leg drive Cape Florida photography

Miami Surfski paddling – Shapes of Things before my Eyes!

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To cover this 22 mile tour of Biscayne Bay it’s good to have a fast sea kayak or surfski.

I took out my Stellar SES aka the “Grey Ghost” to eat up those miles.

Today’s lightweight high-end boats present a new level of ergonomics and possibilities for personal freedom of movement. Distances of 20 to 30 miles in a day trip are totally doable with dialed-in equipment and proper paddling technique. The equipment means having the right fitting boat, not too tippy but not too big either (wide / volume). In that boat, finding the right position for the foot plate will allow for the best leg drive configuration. Then finding the wing paddle shape, size and length optimally fit for your setup would be the last step. However a Greenland stick, particularly one of the thin-edged carbon fiber ones, can also work very well. The “stick” and the “wing” can be thought of as complimentary, as they both work on the same principle. This is called “lift”, but unlike an aero foil, in this case the lift is generated horizontally to provide propulsion.

One can think of wing paddles and Greenland type paddles as a kind of propeller. With each particular wing paddle design, there is a set pitch, cant, twist and other parameters. The optimal motion is then wholly repetitive and should be as consistent as conditions allow. On flat water, where no other factors are at play, this motion can be achieved, practiced and maintained by elite paddlers. When you see these paddlers during the Olympics they often do look very machine like in motion! Surfski paddling on choppy or ocean waters calls for variations in the stroke as well as weight transfer to maintain balance and posture. With the Greenland stick however, there are many more variations available with each stroke. It’s completely possible to vary many of the parameters in mid-stroke such as the “pitch”, the depth (surface area) and angle as you paddle. Additionally, you can also throw in the sliding stroke – where you can generate some serious lift. This can be comparable to a wing paddle stroke in power, but still different. So the Greenland stick is actually an extremely versatile tool for paddling! (This is not even mentioning all the possibilities for “Greenland Kayaking” and rolling – a whole another ball game altogether.)

But why the waddle, you ask?

Similar to the way a Penguin waddles along on land, having your hips loose and able to move fore and aft in your seat is key. This is because your hips aren’t just for balance, they allow you to “drive” and direct your boat forward. This hip action is sometimes called “butt walking”. To get the full benefit, a kayak or surfski with a solid foot plate is needed. Then you can utilize foot and leg drive to push off this plate. Your knees will be close together as you move your hips and wind up your core to get the most out of each stroke. The ability of your hips to waddle in the seat allows the rest of your body to achieve more rotation and thus put more power into each stroke. Speed is built up incrementally and when you perfectly synch your leg drive with your stroke you will notice it!

So yes,

“it is OK to waddle inside your kayak”

if you want to go fast.

The right paddling technique relies on the dialed-in equipment mentioned above, but variations of even very basic gear can still provide some benefits. For instance you can certainly paddle most any kayak with a Greenland stick or wing paddle. Actually this can be a great way to learn the feel of the new paddle(s) with your current kayak. However, eventually one finds the right gear that works well together with their physiology and physical constraints. It’s at this phase that attention to proper technique can really come into play and provide real benefits. It does take continuous practice and is somewhat similar the martial arts in that it is a never ending process of improvement. This is especially important with skinny boats like the SES which need to be paddled at least once a week just to maintain a certain performance level. Then there comes the zen moment when everything falls together just right, and puts you into the zone. This is the moment all active paddlers strive for!

Shapes of things to come!

But I didn’t just set out to paddle a Penguin shaped loop, I also timed my trip to partially coincide with another one put on by the South Florida Paddlers group. The organizers of which scheduled a casual paddling trip to Stiltsville for novices or those who have never seen this famous Miami landmark (watermark). As this group started at the kayak launch inside Bills Baggs State Park, I was able to estimate a rendezvous time at the Stitlsville Village. Therefore I planned my launch next to the Miami Seaquarium to paddle the roughly six miles down there and meet up with the group. My timing was good, averaging about 6 mph and after maybe another 15 minutes of waiting, I saw the group of 30+ SUP and kayak paddlers appear on the horizon. The group provides a way for paddlers to experience the freedom and joy of being out on Biscayne Bay in a safe group setting. It takes several volunteers to manage a group of this size and they are well equipped to do it. Kudos to the group organizers for what a great job they do to bring out people fairly new to paddling, especially those to open water cruising. What an exciting introduction to a community of paddlers!

After touring Stiltsville and hanging out with the group for a while, I departed to finish the remainder of my own 22 mile trip. My wing paddle of choice on this trip was the Orka Super Flex blade which is a super smooth paddle that is really just a joy to paddle with. It’s a mid sized blade of 730 cm square and a variant of the “Gamma” shape. It is well built, if slightly heavier than more well known brands. It works well for sprinting or all day cruising without overtaxing me. In addition, I had my new carbon Greenland stick paddle to test out as well! This blade was a bit of an experiment in the purchase, but with free returns I figured I couldn’t loose. As it turns out it was a good gamble and I finished the last several of the 22 miles with it. Paddling a surfski with a Greenland stick is not often seen, but it can work – especially to learn the stability characteristics as I initially did six years ago with my SES. This new carbon stick has very thin edges which really make a difference and make for a nicer catch. This is now my favorite paddling combination with CANDY-O, my Stellar SILV sea kayak.

Look for more in depth exploration of wings, sticks and beautiful boats in the near future!

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! Bless UP

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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!

🙂

No Fowl Play – Thanksgiving portraits of innocence from the Everglades.

Posted by Kayakfari on November 23, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, camping, cape romano, cape sable, chickees, everglades, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, first national bank, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, glades, holidays, humor, island, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, Nest Key, Pa-hay-Okee, paddle, pahayokee, pentax, photography, river of grass, sea kayaker, south florida, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, art of the everglades, awakenthegrass, Beach, bird, bird sacrifice, birding, birds, Blessings, camping, canoe, canoe cooking, chickee, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cormorant, Curlew, DecoratedReality.com, Everglades, Everglades Art, Everglades birds, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades photographer, Everglades wildlife, Extreme Birdwatching, feel irie, first national bank, Fish Crow, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, Ft Lauderdale, give thanks, good food, happy thanksgiving from the birds, Ibis, innocence, irie, island, island time, kayafari, kayak, kayak everglades, kayak key largo, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key largo, landscape, landscape photography, Little Blue Heron, little rabbit key, Miami Kayak, national park, national sacrifice, no turkey, ocean, OSPREY, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddle thanksgiving, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, Pelicans, pentax, Photography, reality check, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, Roseate Spoonbill, Royal Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, Sea Kayaker, snowbird, South Florida, south florida kayak, Superheroes of the Everglades, SURREAL ART, t-day, ten thousand islands, thanksgiving, thanksgiving dinner, thanksgiving sacrifice, thanksgiving turkey, The Everglades are for the birds, Tricolored Heron, tropical, tropical adventure, turkey pardon, water quality, white heron, White Pelican, Wildlife, winter in florida, Wood Stork. Leave a comment

A Thanksgiving message

from the birds of the Everglades!

😮

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Flex Maslan Florida Bay Kayak Everglades birds kayakfari photography wildlife portraits habitat birding florida artist

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

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The President says

“I hereby pardon you ..”

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

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“Pardon us of what Sir?”

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

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“Of crimes?“

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

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“What of crimes?”

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

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“But we are innocent!”

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Flex Maslan Florida Bay Everglades white pelicans kayakfari photography Kayak wildlife artist winter birding

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

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“We live free”

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

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“We move freely”

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

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“Free like the wind!”

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

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“We fly the open sky”

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

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“We fish the shallow waters”

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Beautiful Osprey portrait at Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay.

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OK but wait, not so fast!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

🙂

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More at

The Everglades are for the birds!

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

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

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! Bless UP

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© 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 biggest show of all – Eclipses and Cosmic alignments!

Posted by Kayakfari on November 8, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, answer 42, camping, cosmos, everglades, flex maslan, florida, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, miami, moon, moonlight, nasa, night, paddle, pentax, pentax q, photography, south florida, space, stars, sun, sunspots, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 1000/11, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 1000mm mirror lens, 1000mm reflex lens, 42, 420, 5600mm, adventure, answer 42, APS-C, art of darkness, ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments, astrotracer, astrotracer o-gps1, awakenthegrass, baader filter, Blessings, blood moon, bloodmoon, Camping with the Stars, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Cosmic alignment, Cosmic alignments, darkness, day and night, digital029art, eclipse, Everglades, everglades camping, everglades national park, everglades winter, feel irie, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, full moon, great north american eclipse, irie, island, iss transit, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, lunar eclipse, Miami Kayak, monster lens, moon, moonlight, nasa, national park, nice dreams, night, o-gps1, occultation, Paddle, pentax, pentax 1000mm, pentax 1000mm lens, pentax astrotracer, pentax fisheye, pentax kp, pentax lens, pentax mirror lens, pentax o-gps1, pentax q, penumbra, perpetual dawn, Photography, reality check, safety glasses, satellite, Sea Kayaker, smc 1000mm, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, solar, solar eclipse, solar filter, solar photography, solar safety filter, South Florida, south florida kayak, stars, sunspots, super blood wolf moon, super moon, super-telephoto, supermoon, ten thousand islands, total eclipse, total lunar eclipse, total solar eclipse, transit, travel, tripod, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, umbra, winter sky. 1 Comment

The Cosmos is always moving,

sometimes creating interesting alignments.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayakfari eclipse lunar supermoon high tides chickee kayak johnson keys photography everglades Florida bay bloodmoon totality

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

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

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Umbra and Penumbra

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

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

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! 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!

🙂

Huge flocks of White Pelicans on final approach to the Everglades.

Posted by Kayakfari on November 7, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, birding, camping, cape sable, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, first national bank, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, paddle, pentax, pentax kp, pentax q, photography, south florida, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 1000/8, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, art of the everglades, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, bird, bird migration, birding, birds, Blessings, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cormorant, Curlew, DecoratedReality.com, Everglades, Everglades Art, Everglades birds, everglades national park, everglades photographer, Everglades wildlife, Extreme Birdwatching, extreme telephoto, fall migration, feel irie, first national bank, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, flying formation, Hubble Jr., irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, landscape photography, little rabbit key, mirror lens, national park, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panoramic, pelican migration, Pelicans, pelicans everglades, pelicans florida bay, pentax, pentax 1000mm, Photography, reflex lens, roller coaster formation, Sea Kayaker, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, snowbirds, South Florida, south florida kayak, super-telephoto, Superheroes of the Everglades, SURREAL ART, ten thousand islands, The Everglades are for the birds, tropical, tropical adventure, water quality, White Pelican, white pelicans arrival, Wildlife. Leave a comment

It’s that time of the year when these majestic

big birds

come down to over-winter in the Everglades.

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(tap or click pic to read)

White Pelicans are very social creatures and like to stay together whether in the air or on the ground.
Welcoming the fall arrival of White Pelicans in Florida Bay!

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White Pelicans love to fly close and low to the water like an undulating roller coaster over Florida Bay!

They are among the largest of all birds, with a wingspan upwards of 9 feet and also some of the heaviest. Each year they like to over-winter in the southern states but actually breed during the summer up north.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/wildlife/welcoming-the-fall-arrival-of-white-pelicans-in-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!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on September 9, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, alligator, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, boating safety, disco, dive, fishing, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, lighthouse, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reality check, rtm disco, sea kayaker, south florida, summer, sun, tropical, wreck. Tagged: 1982, 2012, 2015, 42, 420, a wake in the grass, adventure, aerial, aerial kayak, aerial photo, Alligator light, alligator lighthouse, alligator reef, alligator reef lighthouse, art, art of the bay, awake in the grass, awaken the grass, awakenthegrass, awakenthegrass.com, back country, Beach, beacon, birds, Biscayne Bay, canoe, cape sable, carl ross key, chickee, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Conservation, Coral Reef, cormorant, crystal clear water, decorated reality, DecoratedReality.com, digital art, digital029art, east cape, ecology, education, ektachrome, environment, Environmental Art, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades paddling, Everglades Photography, expedition, feel irie, film, first national bank, fitness, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay landscape, florida keys, florida landscape, fresnel, fresnel lens, gulfstream, heron, History, Indian Key, indian key fill, irie, Islamorad, islamorada, kayafari, kayak, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key largo, keys, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, kodak, landscape, Larry Herlth, lighthouse, lighthouse larry, little rabbit key, low tide, miami, miami art, Miami canoe, Miami Kayak, miami surreal, Miami-Dade, national park, ocean, open water, OSPREY, Paddle, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, panoramic, Photography, piracy, reality check, reversal film, River of Grass, salinity, Sandy Key, Sea Kayaker, seagull, shark point, Shark River slough, slide film, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, stars, STILTSVILLE, SURREAL, SURREAL ART, SURREAL EVERGLADES, Surreal photographer, swim, tavernier, teatable key, terns, the cape, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, Tropical Audubon Society, tropical paddling, upper keys, water, water quality, wrecker. Leave a comment

From the top: There are no alligators,

just a pretty reef and a tall light!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayakfari Alligator Light aerial lighthouse kayak keys panorama tropical florida coral reef photography paddle florida

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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Celebrating National Lighthouse Day in South Florida.

Posted by Kayakfari on August 7, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, Art, beach, biscayne bay, Boca Chita, cape florida, carysfort reef lighthouse, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, history, jupiter, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, landscape, lighthouse, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, reef, sea kayaker, soldier key, sombrero, south florida, stiltsville, surfski, tropical. Tagged: adventure paddling, Alligator light, alligator lighthouse, alligator reef lighthouse, American Shoal, American Shoal kayak, American Shoal lighthouse, American Shoal reef, art, attitude is everything, awakenthegrass, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, beacon, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, Blessings, Boca Chita, Boca Chita Key, boca chita lighthouse, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, carysfort, carysfort reef, carysfort reef lighthouse, Carysfort Sanctuary Preservation Area, carysfort snorkel, cast iron, Cayo Sombrero, circular fisheye, Coral Reef, disco kayak, distance paddling, feel irie, First-order fresnel lens, fisheye, fisheye lens, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, florida keys paddling, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida lighthouses, florida reefs, fowey rocks, fowey rocks kayak, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel lens, Garden Cove, George Meade, gulf stream, gulfstream, hillsboro inlet, hillsboro lighthouse, History, Indian Key, irie, iron foundation pilings, iron screw pile, islamorada, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Jupiter lighthouse, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak biscayne bay, kayak fitness, kayak florida keys, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, key largo, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, light, lighthouse, miami, miami history, mojito kayak, mooring buoys, nautical history, north key largo, offshore kayaking, offshore paddling, open water paddling, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, Pennekamp, pentax, pentax wg-3, Photography, reef, reef photography, rtm disco, safety valve, Sand Key, Sand Key kayak, Sand Key lighthouse, Sea Kayaker, shearwater surfski, shipwreck, shoal, snorkel, soldier key, sombrero, sombrero beach, sombrero light, sombrero lighthouse, sombrero reef lighthouse, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida lighthouses, surfski touring, Tequesta, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, upper keys, water quality, white mooring buoys, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

Today is National Lighthouse Day.

In South Florida we have several lighthouses,

celebrate by visiting one!

Some are on land and accessible to everyone, others are out at sea over the Florida Keys reef chain.

They are just a small subset of all the lighthouses in Florida!

These lighthouses were lifesaving beacons in their day and

today remain beacons of time in South Florida history!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Florida offshore kayaking portal to:
Fowey Rocks, Carysfort Reef, Alligator Reef, Sombrero Reef, American Shoal and Sand Key lighthouses!

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Please note:

I am describing open water trips miles offshore with NO possibility of getting out anywhere.

Plan accordingly and paddle within your limitations and the weather conditions!!

Offshore means you are subject to wind, waves, currents AND the South Florida general boating public!

Be absolutely sure you know what you are getting into before considering doing this kind of a trip!

Safety first means planning and research first!

Always have plenty of fresh water to stay hydrated!

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Kayaking the Biscayne Bay triangle: Cape Florida – Fowey Rocks – Soldier Key!

Boca Chita – kayaking to a Fantasy Island on Biscayne Bay!

Bill Baggs to Boca Chita across the “Safety Valve” on Biscayne Bay.

Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

Kayaking to Alligator Light Reef (lighthouse) .. of Fishes, Wreckers, Pirates and Keys History!

Sombrero Reef Lighthouse – visiting the tallest of the reef lights via kayak!

Lower Keys paddling to American Shoal Lighthouse on the edge of the Gulf Stream!

Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/offshore-paddling-the-six-historic-florida-keys-lighthouses/

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More lighthouse information:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-darkness-camping-with-the-stars-part-iii/

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Enjoy!

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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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – “We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers.”

Posted by Kayakfari on August 4, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, canepatch, cape sable, chickees, cosmos, everglades, everglades art, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, island, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, Milky Way, night, orbit, paddle, pahayokee, panorama, pentax, photography, psychedelic, rasta, river of grass, sea kayaker, south florida, space, stars, surreal art, ten thousand islands, tropical, winter. Tagged: 360 panorama, 42, 420, answer 42, art of darkness, awakenthegrass, back country, backbone of night, Beach, big dipper, Bless UP, camping, camping florida bay, camping platform in Florida Bay, Camping with the Stars, cape sable, chickee, chickee camping, chickee platform, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, circular fisheye, Clubhouse Beach, cosmos, darkness, decorated reality, digital art, east cape, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades artist, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades light pollution, everglades national park, everglades panorama, Everglades Photography, everglades skies, everglades stars, everglades winter, exploring everglades, feel irie, first national bank, fisheye, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, galaxy, gulf of mexico, Higher Consciousness, irie, island, it's full of stars, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak camping, kayak everglades, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys camping, landscape photography, light pollution, lights, little rabbit key, mars, miami light pollution, milky way, milky way galaxy, national park, nice dreams, night panorama, night photography, orion, outside the world of people, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, perpetual dawn, Photography, planets, platform, polaris, psychedelic, rabbit key bank, rastafari, reality check, satellite, Sea Kayaker, shark point, Shark Point Chickee, South Florida, south florida kayak, space, star trails, stars, starshine, still of the night, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, The sky is calling, tides, trinity, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, venus, whole sky, whole sky panorama, winter, winter sky. 2 Comments

A pertinent quote by the late Carl Sagan, astronomer and author of the Cosmos series.

The “Backbone of Night”.

It is said that the !Kung people of the Kalahari desert consider the Milky Way as the backbone that holds up the sky!

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(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan everglades kayakfari photography milky way stars galaxy night dark sky fisheye backbone florida bay camp

“The sky is calling!”
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part III

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An invitation from the darkness

outside the world of people.

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Our ancestors have lived in the darkness for many thousands of years. It is only in the last 100 years that people have lost sight of the Milky Way and the stars.

Remote camping under the Milky Way is a beautiful experience

not soon forgotten.

Enjoy the dark Everglades nights!

.

.

! 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 – Happy Birthday to Sand Key lighthouse, July 20, 1853!

Posted by Kayakfari on July 20, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, Audubon, awakenthegrass, beach, beer, dive, everglades, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, holidays, hurricane, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, keys, landscape, lighthouse, ONEWAY, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, rasta, reality check, reef, Sand Key, sea kayaker, south florida, summer, surf ski, surfski, tropical, wreck. Tagged: 169, 169 years, 42, 420, adventure paddling, aerial pole photography, Alexander Mitchell, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, atlantic., awakenthegrass, Beach, beacon, Blessings, blue water, cast iron, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, distance paddling, dive, feel irie, Findeisen Shearwater, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fishform surfski, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, florida keys paddling, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, florida surfski, fort zachary taylor, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, Ft Zachary Taylor, Ft Zachary Taylor state park, gulf of mexico, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, irie, iron pile, iron screw pile, July 20 1853, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak key west, kayak keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, key west lighthouse, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, landscape, light, lighthouse, lower Keys, Man-O-War Bird, nautical history, ocean, offshore, offshore kayaking, offshore paddling, ONEWAY, oneway surfski, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax, pentax q, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, pole aerial photography, pole photography, reality check, reef, reef photography, Sand Key, Sand Key kayak, Sand Key lighthouse, Sea Kayaker, shearwater, shearwater surfski, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida lighthouses, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, south florida surfski, spar buoy, spur and groove reef, straightpile, summer, summer heat, surf ski, surfski, surfski findeisen, surfski touring, surrender to the heat, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, vintage surfski, water, wing paddle, wreck, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

One hundred and

sixty-nine years young.

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(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan Kayakfari reef sand key west lighthouse kayak paddle dive history photography surfski fort zachary taylor

Mango and I at the Sand Key Lighthouse which was first lit on July 20, 1853.
Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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This is the only offshore Keys reef lighthouse that

I was able to stand under on dry ground.

Nothing quenches thirst quite like a home grown mango!

The Sand Key lighthouse was the second of the six Florida Keys offshore reef lights to be constructed during the second half of the 19th century. It was also the second lighthouse erected on Sand Key, replacing a previous brick structure which was completely swept away during a fierce hurricane in 1846. On July 20, 1853 the light was lit for the first time and projected with a first-order Fresnel lens manufactured by Henry-Lepaute of Paris, France. This was the first application of such a lens on a Florida lighthouse and it remained in place in the lantern room until 1967!

Click for:

The history of the two Sand Key lighthouses

( PDF reprinted from The Keeper’s Log — Summer 2003 www.uslhs.org )

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This skeletal iron tower once stood on a sizable island of actual dry sandy ground. However later hurricanes would wash away much of the sand above water as early as 1856. This resilient lighthouse still stands, but currently Sand Key is just a small sporadically roving sandy shoal which appears and disappears with the years and seasons.

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Key West.

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Happy Birthday Sand Key Lighthouse!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/sand-key-lighthouse-kayaking-to-the-southern-star-of-the-offshore-keys-reef-lights/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – July 16, 1899, a picnic at Sand Key lighthouse off Key West.

Posted by Kayakfari on July 16, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, Audubon, awakenthegrass, beach, beer, dive, everglades, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, holidays, hurricane, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, keys, landscape, lighthouse, ONEWAY, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, rasta, reality check, reef, Sand Key, sea kayaker, south florida, summer, surf ski, surfski, tropical, wreck. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure paddling, aerial pole photography, Alexander Mitchell, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, atlantic., awakenthegrass, Beach, beacon, Blessings, blue water, cast iron, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, distance paddling, dive, feel irie, Findeisen Shearwater, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fishform surfski, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, florida keys paddling, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, florida surfski, fort zachary taylor, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, Ft Zachary Taylor, Ft Zachary Taylor state park, gulf of mexico, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, irie, iron pile, iron screw pile, July 16 1899, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak key west, kayak keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, key west lighthouse, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, landscape, light, lighthouse, lower Keys, Man-O-War Bird, nautical history, ocean, offshore, offshore kayaking, offshore paddling, ONEWAY, oneway surfski, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax, pentax q, pentax wg-3, Photography, picnic Sand Key lighthouse, piracy, pole aerial photography, pole photography, reality check, reef, reef photography, Sand Key, Sand Key kayak, Sand Key lighthouse, Sea Kayaker, shearwater, shearwater surfski, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida lighthouses, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, south florida surfski, spar buoy, spur and groove reef, straightpile, summer, summer 2020, summer heat, surf ski, surfski, surfski findeisen, surfski touring, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, vintage surfski, water, wing paddle, wreck, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

That one time I brought my home grown mango

to a watermelon picnic on July 16,

but over 120 years late.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan Kayakfari reef sand key west lighthouse kayak paddle dive history photography surfski fort zachary taylor 1899

A watermelon picnic under the Sand Key Lighthouse on July 16, 1899.
Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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By coincidence, my mango fiesta privada at Sand Key

was on the same date, thus continuing the picnic.

The Sand Key lighthouse was the second of the six Florida Keys offshore reef lights to be constructed during the second half of the 19th century. It was also the second lighthouse erected on Sand Key, replacing a previous brick structure which was completely swept away during a fierce hurricane in 1846. This skeletal iron tower once stood on a sizable island of actual dry sandy ground. However later hurricanes would wash away much of the sand above water as early as 1856. This resilient lighthouse still stands, but currently Sand Key is just a small sporadically roving sandy shoal which appears and disappears with the years and seasons.

From time to time, sand can build back up around the lighthouse shoal large enough to support additional structures and buildings. While the sand lasted in would attract people to visit and also large number of animals, particularly birds. It’s been written that thousands of terns once congregated on the Sand Key shoal to nest. Due to the close proximity to Key West and the many visitors, the Tern eggs were gathered en masse for food. Even the lighthouse keepers would get in on it and gather bucket loads full to give away. By the turn of the 20th century, the takings were so great that out of over ten thousand birds nesting, only a few hundred were actually left to hatch. It was also during this time that many birds were being slaughtered in huge numbers in an orgy of greed, sometimes wiping out entire rookeries in an afternoon. This decimated water bird populations on the islands, particularly in Florida Bay and the Everglades.

This is the only offshore Keys reef lighthouse where

I was able to stand under it on (mostly) dry ground.

Outrage over wholesale slaughter of shorebirds by the millions prompted the earliest conservation efforts with the passage of laws to curtail the millinery trade. In fact, in 1905, Guy Bradley was hired to serve as the first Audubon game warden. In 1905 he was shot and killed by bird poachers in Florida Bay, just outside of Flamingo. The same year the National Audubon Society was founded. Today the Tropical Audubon Society continues locally to advocate for conservation, education and preservation of our wetlands and wildlife. On Sand Key itself, the keepers would eventually become wardens themselves and secure the Tern nests on the island. However hurricanes have always blown away everything else save for the lighthouse itself!

Kayaking through South Florida

nautical history from Key West!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/sand-key-lighthouse-kayaking-to-the-southern-star-of-the-offshore-keys-reef-lights/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Happy Birthday to American Shoal lighthouse in the Lower Keys.

Posted by Kayakfari on July 15, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, American Shoal, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, hurricane, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reality check, reef, rtm disco, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, sunburn, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure paddling, American Shoal, American Shoal kayak, American Shoal lighthouse, American Shoal reef, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, awakenthegrass, Beach, beacon, Blessings, blue water, cast iron, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, digital029art, disco, disco kayak, distance paddling, dive, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, feel irie, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, George Meade, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, hurricane irma, independence day, irie, irma storm, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, July 15 1880, july 4th, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys lights, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, landscape, lighthouse, lower Keys, Man-O-War Bird, mojito, mojito kayak, nautical history, ocean, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, reality check, reef, reef photography, RTM, rtm disco, sammy creek landing, scuba, Sea Kayaker, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida lighthouses, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spar buoy, spur and groove reef, straightpile, Sugarloaf Key, summer, summer 2020, summer heat, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, water, water quality, werner pegasus, werner wing paddle, wing paddle, wreck, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

The loneliest lighthouse in all the Keys!

The American Shoal lighthouse was first lit on July 15, 1880.

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(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan Kayakfari reef american shoal lighthouse kayak paddle sugarloaf key dive history photography sammy creek

The MOJITO at anchor next to American Shoal Lighthouse in the lower Keys.
Lower Keys paddling to American Shoal Lighthouse on the edge of the Gulf Stream!

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American Shoal lighthouse is the newest of the

offshore reef lights constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

However it is 142 years old now!

It was built to “fill in the gap” that existed between Sand Key light off Key West and Sombrero Reef light off Marathon and located in a very remote stretch of water in the Lower Keys. By the late 19th century, it was possible to always be within sight of at least one lighthouse whener navigating the tricky Keys waters!

American Shoal is an almost identical replica to

the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse off Miami.

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Despite being smack in the middle of Hurricane Irma’s path in 2017, this resilient lighthouse looks to be in very good condition for it’s years!

For this offshore adventure I paddled my favorite SOT kayak, the RTM Disco, aka ‘MOJITO’. The Disco is the kind of kayak that is easy to start with, but one that encourages and even asks to be paddled aggressively. Paired with a wing paddle she moves quickly at 4 knots or better, only limited by the short waterline and endurance. The addition of a footplate greatly increases ergonomics and also allows me to paddle the MOJITO like a surfski utilizing leg drive! 🙂

I anchored the MOJITO just north of American Shoal light in about six feet of water. Unlike all the other offshore reef lighthouses, American Shoal is the only one that does not have it’s own special underwater preserve. This because the shoal it sits on is pretty much a dead reef zone unfortunately!

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

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Happy Birthday American Shoal!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/lower-keys-paddling-to-american-shoal-lighthouse-on-the-edge-of-the-gulf-stream/

.

! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Happy Independence Day from American Shoal Lighthouse in the Lower Keys.

Posted by Kayakfari on July 4, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, American Shoal, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, disco, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, hurricane, july 4th, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, lighthouse, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reality check, reef, rtm disco, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, sunburn, surfski, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure paddling, American Shoal, American Shoal kayak, American Shoal lighthouse, American Shoal reef, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, awakenthegrass, Beach, beacon, Blessings, blue water, cast iron, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, declaration of independence, digital029art, disco, disco kayak, distance paddling, dive, feel irie, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, George Meade, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, hurricane irma, independence day, irie, irma storm, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, july 4, july 4th, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys lights, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, landscape, light, lighthouse, lower Keys, Man-O-War Bird, mojito, mojito kayak, nautical history, ocean, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, reality check, reef, reef photography, RTM, rtm disco, sammy creek landing, scuba, Sea Kayaker, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida lighthouses, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spar buoy, spur and groove reef, straightpile, Sugarloaf Key, summer, summer heat, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, water, water quality, werner pegasus, werner wing paddle, wing paddle, wreck, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

The Kayak as a personal

“Declaration of Independence”!

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(tap or click pic to read)

A Declaration of Independence from Land?
Lower Keys paddling to American Shoal Lighthouse on the edge of the Gulf Stream!

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American Shoal lighthouse is the newest of the

offshore reef lights constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

However it is over 140 years old now!

It was built to “fill in the gap” that existed between Sand Key light off Key West and Sombrero Reef light off Marathon and located in a very remote stretch of water in the Lower Keys. By the late 19th century, it was possible to always be within sight of at least one lighthouse whener navigating the tricky Keys waters!

American Shoal is an almost identical replica to

the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse off Miami.

For this offshore adventure I paddled my favorite SOT kayak, the RTM Disco, aka ‘MOJITO’. The Disco is the kind of kayak that is easy to start with, but one that encourages and even asks to be paddled aggressively. Paired with a wing paddle she moves quickly at 4 knots or better, only limited by the short waterline and endurance. The addition of a footplate greatly increases ergonomics and also allows me to paddle the MOJITO like a surfski utilizing leg drive! 🙂

I anchored the MOJITO just north of American Shoal light in about six feet of water. Unlike all the other offshore reef lighthouses, American Shoal is the only one that does not have it’s own special underwater preserve. This because the shoal it sits on is pretty much a dead reef zone unfortunately!

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

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Happy Birthday America!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/lower-keys-paddling-to-american-shoal-lighthouse-on-the-edge-of-the-gulf-stream/

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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 Declaration of Independence from Land!

Posted by Kayakfari on June 30, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, camping, cosmos, everglades, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, king tides, landscape, moonlight, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, psychedelic, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, seda glider, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, sunburn, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 360, 360 panorama, 360 photography, 42, 420, a higher ground, adventure, aerial, aerial 360, aerial kayak, aerial photo, aerial pole photography, art, banana boat, Barracuda Keys, Bay side, Beach, Big Pine Key, Biscayne Bay, blimp, burnt, Camp, camp cooking, colors, Coral Reef, crabs, Cudjoe Key, decorated reality, digital art, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, exploration, Extreme Birdwatching, faith in numbers, fat albert, feel irie, fisheye, fishing, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, full moon, Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Greenland stick, ground level view, gulf, gulf of mexico, high tide, higher, Higher Consciousness, higher ground, into the sun, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak camping, kayak cooking, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak key west, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, key west, keys, Keys backcountry, keys camping, keys colors, landscape, landscape photography, low tide, mangrove, mangrove creek, mangrove tunnel, Marvin Key, Marvin Key beach, mathematics, matrix, miami, Miami Kayak, night, ocean, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling, panorama, panoramic, pap, pastel, photo, Photography, pole aerial photography, reality check, ride, safety valve, sand bar, sandbar, sandbar camping, satellite, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, seeking higher ground, shells, shoal, skyline, Snipe Keys, Snipe mangroves, Snipe Point, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spatial distortion, stars, sugarloaf, Sugarloaf Key, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, sun, sunrise, surf ski, surfski, Sweet and delicious moonlight, temporary place, temporary space, tidal flats, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, water quality, wildlife refuge. Leave a comment

Seeking Higher ground and

Faith in Numbers in the Lower Keys!

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(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan kayakfari Barracuda Keys marvin shoal sandbar kayak paddle sugarloaf backcountry beach bay coral reef photography burnt

“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 – Preparation, Attitude and Lady Luck.

Posted by Kayakfari on June 23, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, camping, cape sable, chickees, Cloud9, cooking, cosmos, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, first national bank, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, island, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, mangrove, Nest Key, noseeum, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, Shark Point Chickee, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, carl ross key, chickee, chickee camping, Cloud9, coconut water, decorated reality, digital029art, dildo key bank, east cape, Everglades, everglades adventure, Everglades Art, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, feel irie, first national bank, fisheye lens, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, Greenland stick, gulf of mexico, irie, island, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak everglades, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayak touring, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, landscape photography, little rabbit key, Mangrove bloom, Mangrove blossom, mangrove seedling, mangroves, mexican sombrero, mud flats, national park, open water, open water paddling, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, pentax q, Photography, rasta, reality check, roots paddling, sand bar, Sandy Key, Sea Kayaker, shark point, Shark Point Chickee, shoal, snake bight, sombrero, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, summer camping, summer camping everglades, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, summer storms, sun protection, sun shade, sunset, sunshine state, surrender to the heat, sweet dreams, tent, thunder storm, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, water, water levels, water quality, wet season, widely scattered showers. Leave a comment

If you stay out long enough,

the odds will eventually catch up with you!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan kayakfari florida bay kayak summer paddle everglades chickee Camp flats tide turtle grass Keys heat adventure thunder storm

It was so bloody hot that we couldn’t even count straight anymore.
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!

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Florida Bay is a special kind of place to get away

from it all but come prepared to keep the party polite.

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Summer in South Florida is the wet and rainy season and tends to be very hot! For paddlers the extreme heat and humidity can be risk factors for those unprepared. On any summer trip, it is essential to have up to twice the amount of drinking water that you think you need! This means ideally you should have up to 2 gallons (8 liters) of water per day. Most of us living in South Florida are habituated to the comfort of air conditioning, and it’s very easy to underestimate how much water you can sweat out!

Also there is the ever present possibility of afternoon squalls and violent thunderstorms. This is really the main wildcard to deal with, although even in the summer the storms or lack there-of tend to come in batches. With keen observation, it is possible to find a window for camping and avoid storms. For one or two night trips, the odds can be good. However if you stay out long enough, the odds will eventually catch up, as we shall see!

You can read more about dealing with the summer heat in:

Surrender to the summer HEAT!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/everglades-hot-summer-camping-and-cruising-the-central-western-florida-bay-loop/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Surrender to the Heat, Resistance is Futile!

Posted by Kayakfari on June 6, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, cape florida, cape romano, cape sable, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, ft lauderdale, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, miami, paddle, pentax, photography, rain, reality check, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, summer, sunburn, tropical, west lake park, whiskey creek. Tagged: 10 thousand, 10000 islands, 10k islands, 42, 420, adventure, afternoon storms, awakenthegrass.com, banana boat, Beach, big hat, Biscayne Bay, Blessings, camping, camping ten thousand islands, chickee, chickee camping, coconut water, Cumulonimbus cloud, decorated reality, digital art, dildo key bank, Everglades, everglades adventure, Everglades Art, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, extreme chilling, face shield, feel irie, first national bank, fisheye lens, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida keys, florida rain, fort lauderdale kayak, freshwater, ft lauderdale kayak, fun photography, gloves, Greenland stick, gulf of mexico, heat, heaven and hell, hot and buggy, hot sun, humid, humor, ice cold, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak everglades, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayak touring, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, kayaking ten thousand islands, lightning, little rabbit key, Mangrove blossom, mangrove seedling, mangroves, mexican sombrero, Miami Kayak, ocean, open water, Paddle, paddling, paddling in the rain, panorama, pentax q, permeating wetness, Photography, rain, rain showers, raining, rasta, reality check, resistance is futile, River of Grass, roots paddling, santa sombrero, Sawgrass, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, shade, sky, Slough, sombrero, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, squall, steam bath, steambath, storm, summer, summer camping, summer camping everglades, summer heat, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, summer rain, summer storms, sun, sun protection, sun shade, sunshine state, surrender, surrender to the heat, sweetwater chickee, ten thousand, ten thousand islands, ten thousand islands kayak, thunder storm, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, water, water levels, water quality, wet season, wetness, widely scattered showers. Leave a comment

Time to surrender to the hot permeating

wetness of summer! 🙂

.

(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan kayakfari Barracuda Keys marvin shoal sandbar kayak paddle sugarloaf backcountry beach bay coral reef photography sombrero

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

.

© 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 – Your feet are the foundation for your paddling posture!

Posted by Kayakfari on May 19, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, everglades, feet, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, grey ghost, Gulftstream Elan Crosstrainer, kayak, kayak rudder, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kirton k1, miami, Mizell-Johnson, ONEWAY, paddle, pentax, photography, port everglades, posture, reality check, rtm disco, sea kayaker, south florida, stellar ses, surf ski, surfski, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, Big Cypress, Biscayne Bay, Blessings, booties, camel toe, cameltoe, camping florida bay, camping hell, camping islands, chickees, circular fisheye, digital029art, education, environment, Everglades, everglades national park, Everglades Photography, exploration, feel irie, feet, first national bank, fisheye lens, fitness, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay kayaking, florida keys, florida surfski, foot, foot brace, foot pegs, footwear, ft lauderdale kayak, green hulk, gulf of mexico, happy, head in the clouds, humor, i spy camel toe, ice paddling, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak biscayne bay, kayak everglades, kayak florida keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak posture, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking feet, kayaking shoes, key biscayne, key largo, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, leg drive, lower Keys, mangrove canopy, mangroves, miami, Miami Kayak, miami surfski, nice dreams, ocean, open water, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, paddling posture, Photography, posture, reality check, sand spurs, sandspurs, Sea Kayaker, shearwater surfski, shoes, sit on top, sliding pegs, sliding rudder, Slough, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida surfski, stand up, stellar surfski, summer, SuP, surfski feet, ten thousand islands, the Keys, toe, toes, trash, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, turtle grass, upper keys, vintage surfski, water quality. Leave a comment

This one is all about the feet and their

impact on paddling dynamics.

.

(tap or click to read)

Flex Maslan Kayakfari Fitness Surfski feet Miami kayak paddle leg drive surfski sot mojito custom

Do what you must to establish solid footing in your boat ..
Your feet are the key to proper paddling posture!

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Being mindful of your feet as the foundation for your paddling posture will yield many benefits over time!

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

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More at:

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

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Viewing the Total Lunar Eclipse transitions of May 15-16, 2022.

Posted by Kayakfari on May 16, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, answer 42, camping, cosmos, everglades, flex maslan, florida, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, miami, moon, moonlight, nasa, night, paddle, pentax, pentax q, photography, south florida, space, stars, sun, sunspots, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 1000/11, 10000 islands, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 1000mm mirror lens, 1000mm reflex lens, 2022, 360 panorama, 42, 420, 5600mm, adventure, answer 42, APS-C, art of darkness, ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments, awakenthegrass, Blessings, blood moon, bloodmoon, Camping with the Stars, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Cosmic alignment, Cosmic alignments, darkness, decorated reality, eclipse, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades camping, everglades national park, everglades photographer, exploring everglades, feel irie, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay photography, florida keys, full moon, great north american eclipse, gulf of mexico, higher ground, irie, island, iss transit, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, lunar eclipse, lunar ecplise, May 15-16, may 2022 lunar eclipse, miami, monster lens, moon, moonlight, moonrise, nasa, national park, nice dreams, night, occultation, ocean, open water, Paddling Florida Bay, pentax, pentax 1000mm, pentax 1000mm lens, pentax kp, pentax lens, pentax mirror lens, penumbra, perpetual dawn, Photography, rasta, reality check, satellite, Sea Kayaker, smc 1000mm, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, star trails, super blood wolf moon, super moon, super-telephoto, supermoon, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, total eclipse, total lunar eclipse, transit, travel, tripod, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, umbra, venus, whole sky. Leave a comment

The celestial show last night was a sight to behold,

only periodically obscured by clouds.

Total lunar eclipse – a supermoon eclipse – on May 15-16, 2022

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(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan kayakfari eclipse lunar blood full moon total photography kayak umbra penumbra 2022

Viewing the umbra and penumbra transitions of the total lunar eclipse of May 15-16, 2022.
ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments!

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Umbra and Penumbra

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

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

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More at:

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

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 total Lunar eclipse experience, if not obscured by clouds.

Posted by Kayakfari on May 15, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, answer 42, camping, cosmos, everglades, flex maslan, florida, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, miami, moon, moonlight, nasa, night, paddle, pentax, pentax q, photography, south florida, space, stars, sun, sunspots, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 1000/11, 10000 islands, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 1000mm mirror lens, 1000mm reflex lens, 360 panorama, 42, 420, 5600mm, adventure, answer 42, APS-C, art of darkness, ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments, astrotracer, astrotracer o-gps1, awakenthegrass, baader filter, back country, big dipper, Blessings, blood moon, bloodmoon, blue moon, Camping with the Stars, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, circular fisheye, coastal optics 4.88mm, Cosmic alignment, Cosmic alignments, darkness, day and night, decorated reality, digital029art, east cape, eclipse, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades camping, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades photographer, everglades winter, exploring everglades, feel irie, fisheye, fisheye lens, fitness, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, full moon, great north american eclipse, gulf of mexico, higher ground, irie, island, iss transit, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape photography, light pollution, little rabbit key, lunar eclipse, lunar ecplise, mars, meike 6.5mm fisheye, miami, milky way, milky way galaxy, monster lens, moon, moonlight, moonrise, nasa, national park, nice dreams, night, night panorama, o-gps1, occultation, ocean, open water, orion, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, pentax 1000mm, pentax 1000mm lens, pentax astrotracer, pentax fisheye, Pentax K-01, pentax kp, pentax lens, pentax mirror lens, pentax o-gps1, pentax q, penumbra, perpetual dawn, Photography, planetary alignment, planets, polaris, rasta, reality check, safety glasses, satellite, Sea Kayaker, smc 1000mm, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, solar eclipse, solar filter, solar photography, solar safety filter, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spherical panorama, star trails, sunspots, super blood wolf moon, super moon, super-telephoto, supermoon, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, total eclipse, total lunar eclipse, total solar eclipse, transit, travel, tripod, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, umbra, venus, whole sky, whole sky panorama. Leave a comment

Tune in to the biggest show of all tonight!

Celestial alignments reveal the clockwork our universe at large.

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

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayakfari eclipse solar everglades photography sun moon pentax florida everglades kayak miami lunar

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

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Tonight:

Total lunar eclipse – a supermoon eclipse – on May 15-16, 2022

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

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

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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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 – Cinco miles to the Sombrero Reef Lighthouse with the MOJITO.

Posted by Kayakfari on May 5, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, disco, dive, everglades, face protector, feet, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, holidays, humor, hurricane, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, lighthouse, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, posture, psychedelic, rasta, rtm disco, sargassum, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, surf ski, surfski, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 142 feet focal plane, 1858, 42, 420, adventure, adventure paddling, Alexander Mitchell, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, art, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, beacon, blue water, cast iron, Cayo Sombrero, Conservation, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, decorated reality, DecoratedReality.com, digital art, distance paddling, Сомбреро, east sister rock, ecology, education, environment, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, feel irie, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fisheye, fisheye lens, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, George Meade, ghost, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, irie, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key vaca, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, landscape, lighthouse, Man-O-War Bird, marathon, mexican sombrero, mojito, mojito kayak, mooring buoys, Mustard Hill Coral, nautical history, no fishing, ocean, ocean kayak, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, prop scars, reality check, reef photography, richard white, RTM, rtm disco, satellite, satellite view florida keys, Sea Kayaker, sea sickness, seasick, seven mile bridge, ship wreck, shipwreck, skeleton, snorkel, soft coral, sombrero, Sombrero adventure to Sombrero Reef Lighthouse, sombrero beach, sombrero key, Sombrero Key Sanctuary Preservation Area, sombrero light, sombrero lighthouse, Sombrero on Sombrero, sombrero reef, sombrero reef lighthouse, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spur and groove reef, state park, straightpile, summer, summer heat, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, Viva!, VRB-25, water, water quality, werner pegasus, werner wing paddle, west sister rock, white mooring buoys, willis parker, wing paddle, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

This story combines open water paddling,

coral reef snorkeling ~and~ interesting bits of

South Florida nautical history with a twist!

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(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan Kayakfari sombrero reef lighthouse kayak paddle dive coral keys adventure marathon photography history

Willis and the MOJITO ready to paddle out to Sombrero Reef Lighthouse.
Sombrero Reef Lighthouse – visiting the tallest of the reef lights via kayak!

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The Sombrero Reef Lighthouse is the tallest of all the Keys offshore reef lighthouses at 142 feet! Sombrero light was first lit in 1858 and stands in about 6 feet of water. Back then parts of the reef were exposed at low tide, and there was a small island there. Early Spanish explorers named it ‘Cayo Sombrero’, hence the reef’s name! It looks a lot like the Alligator Reef Light, only all rusty red instead of the white and black theme.

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Of course, for a paddling trip to Sombrero Lighthouse,

I had to wear a Sombrero myself.

Out of all the boaters that were there, only one made the obvious

Sombrero-Sombrero

connection! 😮

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/sombrero-reef-lighthouse-visiting-the-tallest-of-the-reef-lights-via-kayak/

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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 – Paddlers of the world Unite and seize the means of Propulsion!

Posted by Kayakfari on May 1, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, biscayne bay, Boca Chita, camping, canoe, cape florida, cape romano, chokoloskee, Christ of the Abyss, Cloud9, disco, dreadlocks, eclipse, everglades, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, full tilt, gladesmen, greenland, grey ghost, holidays, humor, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, kirton k1, little rabbit key, loxahatchee, mangrove, may day, mayday, miami, miami river canal, Mizell-Johnson, mojito, new river, ONEWAY, Pa-hay-Okee, paddle, pentax, photography, port everglades, quarantine, RGB, rtm disco, sea kayaker, seda glider, south florida, stellar ses, stiltsville, surfski, ten thousand islands, tropical, whiskey creek, winterfest. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, eclipse, Everglades, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades photographer, exploring everglades, fantasy, feel irie, first national bank, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, fort lauderdale kayak, funny, Get out of the office, holiday, humor, irie, island, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak florida, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, manifesto, may day, mayday, mental health plan, miami, ocean, office humor, open water, out of the office, Paddle, paddlers, paddlers manifesto, Paddlers of the world Unite, paddling, panorama, permanent vacation, Photography, rasta, rastafari, reality check, Sea Kayaker, Seize the means of propulsion, solar eclipse, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, Soviet Blasphemy of the Eclipse, stars, ten thousand islands, total eclipse, travel, tropical, tropical adventure, unite, water quality, work, workers. Leave a comment

Today is May Day, not Mayday

know the difference.

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(click to enter)

Flex Maslan kayakfari seize propulsion paddlers unite kayak funny mayday may day paddle photography humor

Out of the office .. Permanently!?

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Paddlers of the world,

**UNITE*!**

😉

Seize the means of Propulsion!

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The image above is part of a series on solar and lunar eclipses. See more at:

ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments!

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Happy May Day!

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

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

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(* If you are in fact overly sensitive, this is humor.)

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! BLESS

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© 2022 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com / decoratedreality.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!

This is a work of fiction. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. No skeleton, nor person, nor kayak was harmed in the making of this work. The author is sorely responsible for the contents of this work!

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I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – an ornithologist with a paintbrush and a gun sails into town!

Posted by Kayakfari on April 28, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Art, Audubon, awakenthegrass, beach, birding, book, cape sable, decorated reality, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, first national bank, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, history, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, mangrove, mosquitoes, noseeum, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, south florida, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 1000/8, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 1832, 42, 420, across florida bay, adventure, answer 42, April 1832, art, art miami, art of the everglades, Audubon, Audubon Everglades, Audubon Sandy Key, Audubon's Island, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, bird, bird migration, bird rookery, birding, birds, Birds of America, Blessings, canoe, carl ross key, chickee, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cormorant, Curlew, DecoratedReality.com, digital029art, Everglades, Everglades Art, Everglades birds, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades photographer, Everglades wildlife, Extreme Birdwatching, extreme telephoto, fall migration, feel irie, first national bank, Fish Crow, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, flying formation, full moon, Guy Bradley, Hubble Jr., Ibis, Indian Key, irie, island, John James Audubon, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak florida, kayak miami, kayak miami flamingo, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, landscape photography, Little Blue Heron, little rabbit key, miami, millinery trade, mirror lens, moonlight, national park, night photography, ocean, OSPREY, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panoramic, Pelican, pelican migration, Pelicans, pelicans everglades, pelicans florida bay, pentax, pentax 1000mm, photo, Photography, reality check, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, reflex lens, roller coaster formation, Roseate Spoonbill, Royal Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, Samyang 8mm lens, Sandy Key, Sea Kayaker, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, snowbirds, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, super-telephoto, Superheroes of the Everglades, SURREAL ART, ten thousand islands, The Everglades are for the birds, Tricolored Heron, tropical, tropical adventure, Tropical Audubon Society, water quality, white heron, White Pelican, Wildlife, Wood Stork. 3 Comments

John James Audubon visited the Florida Keys

exactly 190 years ago this week.

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John James Audubon 1826 birds ornithologist everglades sandy key florida

John James Audubon in 1826.
Painting by John Syme, source: Wikimedia Commons.

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During his productive five week stay, he also traveled across

Florida Bay to a pristine island bird rookery called Sandy Key.

It was here that he collected many dozens upon dozens of bird specimens. In an era before photography the only way for him to study his birds up close in detail was to shoot them. He had to kill many so as to know the variations within a species, then collect them all and later create his paintings so as to accurately depict them in a proper setting. In his age at the dawn of the industrial revolution, the Everglades and the Earth were still largely untouched and pristine. It was thought the numbers were so large as to be inexhaustible. Well, that was until our own (human) numbers became too large! In any case, life in a frontier land like Florida meant living off the land and the sea. Not only were specimens collected for study, but of course all manner of game, eggs, waterfowl and fish would have been taken for sustenance.

Sandy Key has a long history due to it’s excellent location between Cape Sable and Keys. It has always been a favored refuge for birds of many species, albeit today in a different and greatly diminished form. As part of Everglades National Park since it’s inception, it’s been off limits to visitors, reserved as a bird sanctuary with no public access permitted. Despite these efforts, larger human induced systemic Everglades alterations over the last 200 years have reduced the bird population numbers to a tenth of what were estimated at perhaps two million water birds back then!

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Audubon described Sandy Key as a large wooded “L” shaped island two hundred years ago. It was full of birds, their nests and eggs, since he arrived in the springtime. Hurricanes also play a big role in shaping and altering South Florida’s environment and landscape. The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 stripped Sandy Key of it’s large trees, and then Hurricane Donna passed overhead in 1960 and splintered off the long northern tip of the island. The resulting much smaller island was named Carl Ross Key, and again most of the vegetation was stripped from Sandy Key itself. Carl Ross then became a back country campsite up until 2005, when Hurricane Wilma further split it into two more pieces. This ended camping on Carl Ross Key, and even more recently, Hurricane Irma inundated the area and you can see the impact on Carl Ross Key below. The large black mangrove trees that gave the key it’s profile outline were stressed and are now dying off. Sandy Key proper seems to have withstood that one better!

Carl Ross Key remains in an even more diminished state and is currently a seasonal day use only area!

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flex maslan kayakfari everglades loop kayak florida bay fitness k1 paddle carl ross east cape kirton tercel RGB flamingo satellite

My 27 mile fitness paddling triangle loop on a western Florida Bay day trip. High tide only!
K1 trainer and wing paddle test with a 27 mile day paddle on Florida Bay.

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First National Bank kayakfari Florida Bay kayak Everglades Flex Maslan mud flats low tide sandy key carl ross key

Sandy Key and Carl Ross Key several miles away across a large impassable expanse of exposed tidal flats.
The hold up at First National Bank in Florida Bay!

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So while the bird numbers have diminished, they are by no means absent! One of the joys of spending quality time outdoors in the Everglades backcountry is seeing wildlife carry on unfettered outside the busy world of people. The area is still very remote and it’s possible to visit this locale to spend a day paddling on western Florida Bay. It’s not a trip for novices or for those unprepared however. Starting from Flamingo at the end of the Park road, a day journey of a minimum of about 20 miles round trip is required! The shortest path is across a very large flats bank known as First National Bank, so planning for high tide is very necessary – lest you will get stuck for hours! An even longer trip (pictured) can also include Cape Sable. Alternately, splitting this route into two days with an overnight camp out at East Cape may make more sense for many paddlers.

To familiarize yourself with Florida Bay, I suggest reading through:

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

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Flex Maslan kayakfari Florida Bay Kayak Everglades mud flats photography Carl Ross Sandy Key paddle

Approaching the Sandy Key vicinity from the east on a high tide.
Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!

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Sandy Key bird sanctuary in western Florida Bay, occasionally sometimes called ‘Audubon’s Island’ on old maps. This is about as close as one is allowed to get.
Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!

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Sandy Key nearly 200 years after Audubon’s visit, aerial view.
Back then Carl Ross Key on the far right was connected to it in an “L” shape.

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Carl Ross Key shares the distinction of being the site

where at the end of April in 1832, John James Audubon

collected his bird specimens on then larger Sandy Key.

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flex maslan kayakfari everglades hurricane Irma impact damage erosion kayak carl ross key photography aerial paddle florida bay

Aerial of Carl Ross Key in October 2017, a month after being inundated by Hurricane Irma!
Hurricane Irma impacts on the Johnson Key Chickee in Florida Bay.

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flex maslan kayakfari everglades loop kayak florida bay fitness k1 paddle carl ross east cape kirton tercel RGB flamingo

Aerial view of what’s left of Carl Ross Key at high tide, fall 2021.
The island in the background is Sandy Key, which is a permanent bird sanctuary.
Carl Ross is now a seasonal day use only area!

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Back in 1832, there was no town of Flamingo on the mainland, so Audubon had a crew that rowed him about 25 miles across Florida Bay up from Indian Key to reach the bird colonies at Sandy Key!

So from the many specimens he harvested, Audubon’s world famous bird portraits known as the “Birds of America“ were created.

He was so excited about all the wildlife that he wrote:

“Seldom have I experienced greater pleasures than when on the Florida Keys,

under a burning sun, after pushing my bark for miles over a soapy flat,

I have striven all day long, tormented by myriads of insects,

to procure a heron new to me, and have at length succeeded in my efforts.”

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The Birds of America was compiled between 1827 to 1838, and included several portraits of the birds from Sandy Key. Audubon’s masterpiece was printed on the largest pages possible at the time, at 29 1/2 by 39 1/2 inches. The completed works of 435 watercolors sold in two volumes for $1,000.00 !

Enjoy the high resolution digitized paintings at:

John J. Audubon’s Birds of America

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flex maslan kayakfari florida bay kayak summer paddle everglades Camp mud flats tide sandy key john james audubon

Townsend’s Sandpiper portrait by John James Audubon in the 19th century.
CLICK for large version!

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flex maslan kayakfari florida bay kayak white heron everglades sandy key john audubon birds flats

Plate 281 of a Great White Heron, pictured at Key West. Painted on May 26, 1832.
CLICK for story at John J. Audubon’s Birds of America.

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By the later 19th century plume hunting was very big business in the Everglades and South Florida in general. Outrage over wholesale slaughter of shorebirds by the millions prompted the earliest conservation efforts with the passage of laws to curtail the millinery trade. In fact, in 1905, Guy Bradley was hired to serve as the first Audubon game warden. In 1905 he was shot and killed by poachers in Florida Bay, just outside of Flamingo. The same year the National Audubon Society was founded. Today the Tropical Audubon Society continues locally to advocate for conservation, education and preservation of our wetlands and wildlife.

Nearly 200 years later, the same species are still making a living

in the Everglades, the Keys and islands and mud flats of Florida Bay!

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A 21st century White Heron catches an eel on the flats of Florida Bay.

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21st century Sandpipers frolicking along the Everglades shoreline at Carl Ross Key.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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In 2008 on a visit to Carl Ross Key, I was inspired to create some artworks of my own. This one below “Extreme Birdwatching” is a favorite, and you can click through to see the rest of the series.

The uniquely twisted weathered mangrove wood was left for me courtesy of Hurricane Wilma!

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Flex Maslan kayakfari Everglades Art Roots paddling Photography mangroves florida keys bay estuary dreadlocks landscape kayak decoratedreality.com

“Extreme Birdwatching”
Kayakfari ART photography
CLICK to see the whole series!

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Ibis feeding and bathing at First National Bank in Florida Bay.
CLICK for full Gallery – The Everglades are for the birds!

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

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Roseate Spoonbills feeding among friends along the shoreline of Florida Bay, Everglades National Park.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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Outside the world of people,

life goes on like it should.

As it is, as it was, as it shall be!

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Full story links at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/wildlife/the-everglades-are-for-the-birds/

https://decoratedreality.wordpress.com/decorated-reality-2/extreme-birdwatching/

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/wildlife/welcoming-the-fall-arrival-of-white-pelicans-in-florida-bay/

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

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

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/everglades-hot-summer-camping-and-cruising-the-central-western-florida-bay-loop/

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

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/hurricane-irma-impacts-on-the-johnson-key-chickee-in-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 Time-release Dose – 45 miles of freestyle paddling and camping in a tropical marine wilderness.

Posted by Kayakfari on April 21, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, camping, cape sable, chickees, Cloud9, cooking, cosmos, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, first national bank, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, island, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, mangrove, Nest Key, noseeum, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, Shark Point Chickee, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, carl ross key, chickee, chickee camping, Cloud9, coconut water, decorated reality, digital029art, dildo key bank, east cape, Everglades, everglades adventure, Everglades Art, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, feel irie, first national bank, fisheye lens, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, Greenland stick, gulf of mexico, irie, island, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak everglades, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayak touring, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, landscape photography, little rabbit key, Mangrove bloom, Mangrove blossom, mangrove seedling, mangroves, mexican sombrero, mud flats, national park, open water, open water paddling, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, pentax q, Photography, rasta, reality check, roots paddling, sand bar, Sandy Key, Sea Kayaker, shark point, Shark Point Chickee, shoal, snake bight, sombrero, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, summer camping, summer camping everglades, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, summer storms, sun protection, sun shade, sunset, sunshine state, surrender to the heat, sweet dreams, tent, thunder storm, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, water, water levels, water quality, wet season, widely scattered showers. Leave a comment

Florida Bay is the kind of place to really

get away from it all.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

One of the two tall Florida Bay chickee platforms – at Johnson Key.
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!

.

Once out past the first line of keys outside Flamingo,

it’s sometimes possible to go for days without

hearing any background noises whatsoever!

🙂

When sounds do happen it’s usually a plane high overhead or a boater somewhere in the distance and fades away quickly. So even though Florida Bay is surrounded by a busy world of people, once inside it’s like a step back into time. It’s easy to imagine what the string of Florida Keys must have been like before all the islands were connected by bridges.

Florida Bay is a step back in time

and just outside the world of people!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/everglades-hot-summer-camping-and-cruising-the-central-western-florida-bay-loop/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Offshore paddling to find Jesus in the Florida Keys!

Posted by Kayakfari on April 16, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, alt jesus study, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, Christ of the Abyss, Christmas, disco, dive, everglades, fisheye, fishing, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, mangrove, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, psychedelic, rasta, reality check, reef, rtm disco, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 029, 1512, 1982, 25°07'24.2"N 80°17'49.5"W, 42, 420, adventure, alligator reef, alt jesus study, Atlantic Blue Tang, awakenthegrass, Bless UP, Blessings, Bluestripe grunts, bronze statue, buoy, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Christ of the Abyss, Christ of the Deep, Christmas, church of the double bladed paddle, Coral Reef, DecoratedReality.com, digital art, digital029art, disco kayak, dive, Dry Rocks Reef, Duilio Marcante, Egidio Cressi, Everglades, feel irie, find Jesus, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, Florida Keys’ dive country, Garden Cove, Garden Cove shipwreck, Goal Keeper, God, God lives underwater, Gran Poder, Guido Galletti, HalleluJah, humor, irie, island, island time, Jesus Christ, Jesus statue, Jesus underwater, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak Jesus, kayak key largo, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key largo, Key Largo Dry Rocks, keys, landscape photography, Michelangelo, mojito, mojito kayak, ocean, offshore, offshore kayaking, offshore paddling, open arms, open water, Paddle, paddling, Paddling for Jesus, panorama, Pennekamp, Pennekamp Park, pentax, Photography, Pilgrimage, pilgrims, Rattlesnake Key, reality check, RTM, rtm disco, sangre de cristo, satellite, satellite view florida keys, scuba, Sea Kayaker, shipwreck, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, spar buoy, statue underwater, Sunday, Sunday service, The Creation of Adam, tropical, tropical adventure, Underwater Society of America, Upper Sound Point. Leave a comment

Face to face with Christ of the deep

in an underwater kingdom.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayak Jesus Christ statue Reef kayakfari key largo dry rocks paddle keys dive snorkel abyss Pennekamp

Christ faces due east embracing all kayaks on the surface above with open arms!
Kayaking to Dry Rocks Reef – a Pilgrimage to find the “Christ of the Abyss” off Key Largo!

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There’s no question that Jesus has a powerful draw – spiritually, figuratively and literally. Six miles offshore from Key Largo lies the “Christ of the Abyss”, a submerged nine foot tall bronze statue of Jesus Christ. It’s a very popular draw for tourists, snorkelers, divers and boaters. It’s one of the most popular snorkel and dive destinations in the Keys and certainly inside John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The “Christ of the Deep” as it’s also called is also a part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and as such special regulations apply.

The statue is actually one of three worldwide that are underwater. It is in fact the third casting from the same mold and was commissioned for Italian dive equipment manufacturer Egidio Cressi, who then donated it to the Underwater Society of America. The Society, in turn presented the sculpture to the then newly formed John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo in the early 1960’s.

Be sure to check out this cool underwater

interactive panorama of the Christ of the Abyss!

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From Jesus to Christ to Art!

Alt Jesus Study is a non-religious but spiritual look at the meaning of sacrifice, rebirth, fertility and duality. Exploration of symbolism and culture as represented in the forms of Jesus and northern hemisphere Western Mythology.

Alt Jesus Study digital art series from DecoratedReality.com

.

Why paddle out there?

Well, one reason is that because it’s there and it is doable. Another is that a trip like this really does feel like a Pilgrimage of sorts to see something unique and special. I’m not particularly religious, but there was certainly a nice spiritual aspect to this endeavor.

Finally, as a photographer, I really wanted to capture all of this!

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NOTE:

This is a 13 mile round trip paddle out to sea in OPEN WATER

so plan accordingly and paddle within your limitations!

.

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/kayaking-to-dry-rocks-reef-a-pilgrimage-to-find-the-christ-of-the-abyss-off-key-largo/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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.

Posted by Kayakfari on April 14, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, Arratoon Apcar, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, bill baggs, biscayne bay, boating safety, Boca Chita, cape florida, dive, everglades, eye of miami, face protector, fitness, flex maslan, florida, fowey rocks, history, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, landscape, lighthouse, mangrove, marine trash, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, rasta, reality check, safety valve, sea kayaker, seda glider, soldier key, sombrero, south florida, stiltsville, surfski, tropical. Tagged: 1825, 1878, 42, 420, adventure, Aerial VR Panoramas, all that trash, American Shoal lighthouse, Arakanapka, Arakanapka wreck, archaeology miami, Arratoon Apcar, Arratoon Apcar dive, Arratoon Apcar wreck, awakenthegrass, banana boat, Beach, bill baggs, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, biscayne safety valve, Bless UP, Blessings, boat channel, Boca Chita, Boca Chita Key, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, Carl G. Fisher, Carondelet ship, Carondelet wrecked, cone hat, Coral Reef, currents, dive, dive fowey rocks, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, eye of miami, feel irie, fiesta privada, first order lens, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys Reef Lights, fowey rocks, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel lens, funny hat, Greenland stick, gulf stream, gulfstream, H.M.S. Fowey, high seas, high visibility, History, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak biscayne bay, kayak dolly, kayak florida, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking dangers, key biscayne, keys, landscape photography, lighthouse, lighthouse twins, limestone coral rock, mangrove, marine trash, Maritime Heritage Trail, miami history, Miami Kayak, miami paddle, ocean, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, paddle miami, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, pentax, Photography, portage, ralph munroe, reality check, reef, reporter Rose Mallory, safety, safety flag, safety orange, safety sombrero, safety valve, satellite, scuba, Sea Kayaker, Seda, seda glider, seda kayak, shipwreck, snorkel, snorkeling, soldier key, soldier key club, sombrero, sombrero research institute, South Florida, South Florida boating, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spar buoy, speeding boaters, summer heat, Tequesta, tropical, tropical adventure, turquoise, turquoise water, urban paddling, visual signal, water quality, wreck, wrecking. Leave a comment

Nestled between the Safety Valve and

the Gulf Stream,

a neat triangular route can be plotted out.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan Kayak Miami photography kayakfari fowey rocks lighthouse Soldier Key Cape Florida paddle biscayne sombrero

“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:

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

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The distances involved made for a nice workout and the triangle

points provided me with many photographic opportunities!

.

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

.

© 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.

Posted by Kayakfari on March 31, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, Black Point, boating safety, Boca Chita, elliott key, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, history, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, lighthouse, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, rasta, reality check, redrum, sea kayaker, silhouette kayak, sombrero, south florida, tropical. Tagged: "red rum", 42, 420, adventure, aerial, aerial pole photography, Aerial VR Panoramas, all that trash, art, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, bill baggs, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, biscayne safety valve, Black Point, Bless UP, Blessings, Boca Chita, Boca Chita beach, Boca Chita Key, camping Boca Chita, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, Carl G. Fisher, Coral Reef, currents, da PLANE!, digital art, dventure, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, Fantasy Island, Featherbed Bank, featherbed shoal, feel irie, fiesta privada, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys Reef Lights, fowey rocks, fowey rocks lighthouse, ghost kayak, Greenland stick, grey ghost, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, Honeywell, Honeywell Pentax, irie, island, island time, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak biscayne bay, kayak florida, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, key largo, keys, landscape, landscape photography, Lewis Cut, light, lighthouse, limestone coral rock, Look .. da Plane, mangrove, mangrove tunnel, marine trash, Mark C. Honeywell, miami, miami history, miami surfski, midden mound, nigel foster, nigel foster silhouette, ocean, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, panoramic, pentax, photo, Photography, pole aerial photography, pole photography, portage, private island, Ragged Key #3, Ragged Keys, ralph munroe, reality check, redrum, reef, safety flag, safety valve, Sands Key, satellite, Sea Kayaker, shipwreck, silhouette, silhouette kayak, snorkel, soldier key, soldier key club, sombrero, south dade landfill, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, South Florida Paddlers, south florida surfski, stellar elite small, stellar ses, stellar surfski, summer heat, surfski, Tequesta, the plane, tropical, tropical adventure, turquoise, turquoise water, water quality. Leave a comment

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.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan Kayak miami kayakfari boca chita biscayne bay black point lighthouse photography sombrero paddle open water

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!

.

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/

.

! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Miami urban offshore paddling and exploration at Fowey Rocks lighthouse.

Posted by Kayakfari on March 24, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Arratoon Apcar, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, cape florida, carysfort reef lighthouse, eye of miami, fitness, flex maslan, florida, fowey rocks, grey ghost, history, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, lighthouse, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, posture, rasta, reality check, reef, safety valve, sea kayaker, soldier key, sombrero, south florida, stellar ses, surf ski, surfski, tropical, wreck. Tagged: 1825, 1878, 2017, 42, 420, adventure, American Shoal lighthouse, Arakanapka, Arakanapka wreck, archaeology miami, Arratoon Apcar, Arratoon Apcar dive, Arratoon Apcar wreck, awakenthegrass, Beach, bill baggs, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Bill Bags Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, biscayne safety valve, Bless UP, Blessings, boat channel, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, Carondelet ship, Carondelet wrecked, cone hat, Coral Reef, currents, digital029art, dive, dive fowey rocks, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, eye of miami, feel irie, fiesta privada, first order lens, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys Reef Lights, fowey rocks, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel lens, funny hat, ghost kayak, grey ghost, gulf stream, gulfstream, H.M.S. Fowey, high seas, high visibility, History, idiot boater, irie, island, island time, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak biscayne bay, kayak dolly, kayak florida, kayak Jesus, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking dangers, key biscayne, key largo, keys, landscape, landscape photography, light, lighthouse, lighthouse twins, limestone coral rock, Maritime Heritage Trail, miami, miami history, Miami Kayak, miami paddle, miami surfski, midden mound, ocean, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, orange clothing, orange hat, orange safety hat, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, panoramic, pentax, Photography, reality check, reef, reporter Rose Mallory, safety, safety hat, safety orange, safety sombrero, safety valve, satellite, scuba, Sea Kayaker, shipwreck, snorkel, snorkeling, soldier key, soldier key club, sombrero, sombrero research institute, South Florida, South Florida boating, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, south florida surfski, spar buoy, speeding boaters, stellar elite small, stellar ses, stellar surfski, summer heat, surfski, Tequesta, traffic cone, traffic cone hat, tropical, tropical adventure, turquoise, ultimate urban safety hat, urban paddling, visual signal, water quality, wreck, wrecking. Leave a comment

The original first order Fresnel lens from

Fowey Rocks lighthouse stood about 12 feet tall!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan Kayakfari reef fowey rocks lighthouse kayak paddle dive wreck photography surfski miami history

The Grey Ghost at historic Fowey Rocks lighthouse and reef some seven miles due SE of Key Biscayne.
Fowey Rocks lighthouse – Paddling out to “The eye of Miami”.

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Fowey Rocks lighthouse was called

“The eye of Miami”

because it’s beacon would guide ships entering the Port of Miami.

Fowey Rocks lighthouse is the northernmost in a chain of six lighthouses positioned over Florida’s very shallow reefs. The other five lighthouses are: Carysfort Light, Alligator Reef Lighthouse, Sombrero Reef Lighthouse, American Shoal Lighthouse and the Sand Key Lighthouse off Key West! The Florida reef chain proved treacherous for mariners and has been responsible for untold numbers of ship wrecks over the centuries. In fact this lighthouse itself is named after the H.M.S. Fowey which ran aground onto the reef in June 1748.

Fowey Rocks is the last remaining operational lighthouse of the original six Florida Keys offshore reef lights erected in the second half of the 19th century. While the light was still under construction, the steam ship freighter Arratoon Apcar rammed into the reef only 200 yards from the lighthouse on February 20, 1878!

Today this spot is marked with white mooring buoys and is where I tied off my surfski on this fitness adventure dive trip.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/fowey-rocks-lighthouse-paddling-out-to-the-eye-of-miami/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – It’s been a long cold winter in the Everglades!

Posted by Kayakfari on March 21, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, alernative facts, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, everglades, everglades art, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, glades, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, mangrove, moonlight, night, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, psychedelic, reality check, science fiction, sea kayaker, south florida, Spring, surreal art, tropical, winter. Tagged: 029, 360, 360 panorama, 360 photography, 42, 420, a higher ground, across florida bay, adventure, all sky, allsky, alternative, alternative fact, alternative facts, answer 42, art, art of darkness, awakenthegrass, Beach, Blessings, Camp, camping, Camping with the Stars, canoe, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, circular fisheye, climate change, clouds, coastal optics 4.88mm, coastal optics fisheye, cold water, costal optics lens, darkness, digital029art, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades artist, everglades camping, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, everglades winter, exploration, fantasy art, feel irie, fisheye, fisheye 4.88mm, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, fishing, flamingo, flats, flex, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, frost, frozen, global cooling, global warming, ice, ice break, ice floe, ice floes, ice formations, icicle, irie, island, jenoptik, johnson key, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak ice, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, Known unknowns, landscape, landscape photography, little rabbit key, long cold winter, low tide, magic, mangrove, Miami Kayak, moon, moonlight, national park, nice dreams, night, ocean, open water, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddle miami, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, panoramic, pentax, photo, Photography, psychedelic art, rasta, reality check, sea foam, Sea Kayaker, seafoam, shoal, sky, snow, snow everglades, snow florida bay, snow in florida, snow little rabbit key, snowbirds, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spherical, spherical panorama, stars, sunshine state, ten thousand islands, tidal flats, tides, travel, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, unknown unknowns, water quality, white winter wonderland, whole sky, whole sky panorama, winter, winter paddling, winter sky, winter wonderland. Leave a comment

Presenting the case for alternative facts:

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(tap or click pic to read)

Snow Rabbit Key kayakfari Florida Bay kayak winter photography art illusion climate alternative news fisheye sea foam

Ice floes in the cold darkness of Florida Bay with the red lights of the tower at Flamingo, 12 miles away.
ART of alternative facts – the snows of winter on Florida Bay!

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Winter’s last snow on Florida Bay in the frozen Everglades.

As far as we know, there are known facts – the facts that we know we know.

We also know there are facts that we don’t know – the facts that we know we don’t know.

But there are also unknown unknowns – those facts we don’t know we don’t know.

And finally, these are alternative facts that everyone can know!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-alternative-facts-the-last-snows-of-winter-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 Time-release Dose – Free ranging to Carysfort Reef Lighthouse off Key Largo.

Posted by Kayakfari on March 17, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, carysfort reef lighthouse, dive, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, lighthouse, ONEWAY, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reality check, reef, sea kayaker, south florida, surf ski, surfski, tropical, wreck. Tagged: 1852, 22 miles, 31BH marker, 42, 420, adventure, adventure paddling, Alec Owen Maitaland, alligator lighthouse, art, attitude is everything, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, beacon, brain coral, Capt. John Whalton, carysfort, carysfort dive, carysfort photography, carysfort reef, carysfort replacement tower, Carysfort Sanctuary Preservation Area, carysfort snorkel, Christ of the Abyss, circular fisheye, Conservation, coral head, Coral Reef, crystal clear water, Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park, decorated reality, DecoratedReality.com, digital art, distance paddling, ecology, education, elkhorn coral, environment, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, feel irie, First-order fresnel lens, fish form, fisheye, fisheye lens, fishform surfski, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, fresnel, fresnel lens, Garden Cove, gulf stream, gulfstream, H.M.S. Carrysford, H.M.S. Winchester, History, history miami museum, Indian Key, irie, iron screw pile, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key largo, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, landscape, lighthouse, lightship, mooring buoys, Mustard Hill Coral, north key largo, ocean, one way, ONEWAY, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, panoramic, Pennekamp, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, Rattlesnake Key, reality check, reef photography, Sea Kayaker, shearwater, shearwater surfski, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, south florida surfski, staghorn coral, state park, surf ski, surfski, surfski touring, the Keys, Third-order fresnel lens, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, upper keys, VRB-25, water, water quality, Whalton's Cove, wreckers, wrecking. Leave a comment

Up close with the oldest standing screw pile lighthouse in the nation!

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(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan Kayakfari carysfort reef lighthouse kayak paddle key largo pennekamp dive coral history photography surfski park

Silently gliding towards Carysfort Reef Lighthouse in my vintage Shearwater surfski.
Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

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You can’t actually see Carysfort Light from the seat of the kayak when you first set out.

Carysfort Reef Lighthouse is the oldest of all the Keys offshore lighthouses constructed in the 19th century that is still standing. It became operational in 1852 and replaced the lightship “Florida” which was tending that duty with limited success. It was also the first to use the iron screw pile construction method that has proven to stand the test of time.

Carysfort Reef and lighthouse are named after the H.M.S. Carrysford (note change in spelling) which ran aground on the reef on October 23, 1770. However this reef also carries the distinction of being the site of the oldest recorded shipwreck in North America, that of the H.M.S. Winchester on September 24, 1695. The wreck was not discovered until 1938, and further salvage into the 1950s yielded many artifacts including several of her cannons and many valuable artifacts.

Carysfort Reef Light is the longest serving of all the Keys lighthouses, having been in continuous operation from 1852 to 2014.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/carysfort-reef-lighthouse-paddling-into-upper-keys-nautical-history/

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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!

Posted by Kayakfari on March 10, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, alligator, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, boating safety, disco, dive, fishing, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, lighthouse, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reality check, rtm disco, sea kayaker, south florida, summer, sun, tropical, wreck. Tagged: 1982, 2012, 2015, 42, 420, a wake in the grass, adventure, aerial, aerial kayak, aerial photo, Alligator light, alligator lighthouse, alligator reef, alligator reef lighthouse, art, art of the bay, awake in the grass, awaken the grass, awakenthegrass, awakenthegrass.com, back country, Beach, beacon, birds, Biscayne Bay, canoe, cape sable, carl ross key, chickee, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Conservation, Coral Reef, cormorant, crystal clear water, decorated reality, DecoratedReality.com, digital art, digital029art, east cape, ecology, education, ektachrome, environment, Environmental Art, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades paddling, Everglades Photography, expedition, feel irie, film, first national bank, fitness, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay landscape, florida keys, florida landscape, fresnel, fresnel lens, gulfstream, heron, History, Indian Key, indian key fill, irie, Islamorad, islamorada, kayafari, kayak, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key largo, keys, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, kodak, landscape, Larry Herlth, lighthouse, lighthouse larry, little rabbit key, low tide, miami, miami art, Miami canoe, Miami Kayak, miami surreal, Miami-Dade, national park, ocean, open water, OSPREY, Paddle, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, panoramic, Photography, piracy, reality check, reversal film, River of Grass, salinity, Sandy Key, Sea Kayaker, seagull, shark point, Shark River slough, slide film, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, stars, STILTSVILLE, SURREAL, SURREAL ART, SURREAL EVERGLADES, Surreal photographer, swim, tavernier, teatable key, terns, the cape, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, Tropical Audubon Society, tropical paddling, upper keys, water, water quality, wrecker. 1 Comment

Paddling tales of Fishes, Wreckers,

Pirates and Keys History!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan Everglades kayakfari ranger led pour beer kayak Alligator Reef Light dive keys paddle coral photography

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 – The Sombrero at the Sombrero Reef Lighthouse!

Posted by Kayakfari on March 3, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, disco, dive, everglades, face protector, feet, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, holidays, humor, hurricane, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, lighthouse, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, posture, psychedelic, rasta, rtm disco, sargassum, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, surf ski, surfski, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 142 feet focal plane, 1858, 42, 420, adventure, adventure paddling, Alexander Mitchell, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, art, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, beacon, blue water, cast iron, Cayo Sombrero, Conservation, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, decorated reality, DecoratedReality.com, digital art, distance paddling, Сомбреро, east sister rock, ecology, education, environment, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, feel irie, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fisheye, fisheye lens, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, George Meade, ghost, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, irie, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key vaca, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, landscape, lighthouse, Man-O-War Bird, marathon, mexican sombrero, mojito, mojito kayak, mooring buoys, Mustard Hill Coral, nautical history, no fishing, ocean, ocean kayak, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, prop scars, reality check, reef photography, richard white, RTM, rtm disco, satellite, satellite view florida keys, Sea Kayaker, sea sickness, seasick, seven mile bridge, ship wreck, shipwreck, skeleton, snorkel, soft coral, sombrero, Sombrero adventure to Sombrero Reef Lighthouse, sombrero beach, sombrero key, Sombrero Key Sanctuary Preservation Area, sombrero light, sombrero lighthouse, Sombrero on Sombrero, sombrero reef, sombrero reef lighthouse, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spur and groove reef, state park, straightpile, summer, summer heat, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, Viva!, VRB-25, water, water quality, werner pegasus, werner wing paddle, west sister rock, white mooring buoys, willis parker, wing paddle, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

Paddling around the lighthouse I was impressed with the level of engineering.

The quality of construction and overall robustness is still evident even today, over 160 years later!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Richard cooling off in the blue waters surrounding Sombrero Reef Lighthouse.
Sombrero Reef Lighthouse – visiting the tallest of the reef lights via kayak!

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I did have some company and swimming was optional!

At first glance Sombrero Reef Lighthouse looks a lot like the Alligator Reef Light, only all rusty red instead of the white and black theme. It is however the tallest of all the Keys offshore reef lighthouses at 142 feet! Sombrero light was first lit in 1858 and stands in about 6 feet of water. Back then parts of the reef were exposed at low tide, and there was a small island there. Early Spanish explorers named it ‘Cayo Sombrero’, hence the reef’s name!

I made sure to wear one of my Sombreros on this trip, though strangely out of all the boaters there was only one that actually seemed to make the obvious Sombrero-Sombrero connection! 😮

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I hope you enjoy the special imagery I have created for this story.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/sombrero-reef-lighthouse-visiting-the-tallest-of-the-reef-lights-via-kayak/

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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 – Explore the Everglades with a Ranger-led Pour.

Posted by Kayakfari on February 28, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, beer, cape romano, cape sable, chokoloskee, everglades, first national bank, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, Nest Key, paddle, pentax, photography, rasta, sea kayaker, Shark Point Chickee, sombrero, south florida, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, across florida bay, alligator lighthouse, alligator reef, altimeter, altitude adjustment, altitude is everything, answer 42, awakenthegrass, Bahia Honda, bahia honda key, Beach, beer, beer can, beer tour, Bill Bags Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, biscayne national park, Blessings, bottle, camping, camping florida bay, camping islands, camping platform in Florida Bay, Camping with the Stars, canoe, CAPE ROMANO, chickee, chickee camping, chickee life camping, chickee platform, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cooking, dildo key, dildo key bank, East Everglades, elliot key, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, exploring everglades, exploring florida bay, feel irie, first national bank, fishing florida bay, flamingo, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, florida man, flugtag, g13, grass beds, happy holidays, hoppy Holidays, hoppy note, humor, irie, island, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, jones lagoon, kayafari, kayak, kayak altimeter, kayak art, kayak bahia honda, kayak biscayne bay, kayak florida, kayak miami, kayak miami flamingo, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayak touring, Kayak While Intoxicated, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, KWI, landscape, liquor still, liquor still bay, little rabbit key, mental health, mental health plan, ocean, open water, outback, Paddle, paddle florida bay, Paddle Under the Influence, paddling, paddling biscayne bay, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, park ranger, pentax, Photography, platform, psychedelic art, PUI, rabbit key bank, ranger, ranger led tour, ranger tour everglades, ranger-led pour, rastafari, reality check, RedBull Flugtag kayakfari Miami, Sea Kayaker, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, STILTSVILLE, stiltsville village, travel, tropical, tropical adventure, unpredictable, water quality, Whiskey, whiskey creek. Leave a comment

The Everglades can be unpredictable.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan Everglades kayakfari ranger led pour beer kayak altimeter rasta paddle photography tour humor florida man

Florida Man and friends camping along the Everglades shoreline.
Let’s take a Ranger-led Pour of the Everglades!

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It’s always good to start and end

**on a hoppy note*!**

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/lets-take-a-ranger-led-pour-of-the-everglades/

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*Please drink responsibly! It’s OK to have a beer or two on the water, but it is against the law to be inebriated in your watercraft.

Please do not Paddle Under the Influence (PUI)

nor

Kayak While Intoxicated (KWI) !

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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 – Exploring American Shoal lighthouse in the Lower Keys.

Posted by Kayakfari on February 24, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, American Shoal, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, hurricane, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reality check, reef, rtm disco, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, sunburn, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure paddling, American Shoal, American Shoal kayak, American Shoal lighthouse, American Shoal reef, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, awakenthegrass, Beach, beacon, Blessings, blue water, cast iron, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, digital029art, disco, disco kayak, distance paddling, dive, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, feel irie, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, George Meade, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, hurricane irma, independence day, irie, irma storm, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, july 4th, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys lights, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, landscape, lighthouse, lower Keys, Man-O-War Bird, mojito, mojito kayak, nautical history, ocean, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, reality check, reef, reef photography, RTM, rtm disco, sammy creek landing, scuba, Sea Kayaker, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida lighthouses, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spar buoy, spur and groove reef, straightpile, Sugarloaf Key, summer, summer 2020, summer heat, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, water, water quality, werner pegasus, werner wing paddle, wing paddle, wreck, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

The loneliest lighthouse in all the Keys!

The American Shoal lighthouse was the last of the offshore

reef lights to be constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Bringing the Disco to American Shoal Lighthouse.
Lower Keys paddling to American Shoal Lighthouse on the edge of the Gulf Stream!

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This makes it the newest,

even if it is over 140 years old now!

It’s located in a very remote stretch of water in the Lower Keys and was built to “fill in the gap” so to speak, that existed between Sand Key light off Key West and Sombrero Reef light off Marathon. So by the late 19th century, it was possible to always be within sight of at least one lighthouse when navigating the tricky Keys waters!

I did not have to worry about any of this since I was in my favorite SOT kayak, the RTM Disco, aka MOJITO. The Disco is the kind of kayak that is easy to start with, but one that encourages and even asks to be paddled aggressively. Paired with a wing paddle she moves quickly at 4 knots or better, only limited by the short waterline and endurance. The addition of a footplate greatly increases seating ergonomics and also allows me to paddle the MOJITO like a surfski utilizing leg drive! 🙂

Upon arrival, I anchored the MOJITO just north of American Shoal light in about six feet of water. Unlike all the other offshore reef lighthouses, American Shoal is the only one that does not have it’s own special underwater preserve. This because the shoal it sits on is pretty much a dead reef unfortunately!

American Shoal is an almost identical replica to the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse off Miami.

Despite being smack in the middle of Hurricane Irma’s path in 2017, this resilient lighthouse looks to be in very good condition for it’s 140+ years.

.

Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/lower-keys-paddling-to-american-shoal-lighthouse-on-the-edge-of-the-gulf-stream/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 space within, the final frontier!

Posted by Kayakfari on February 23, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, everglades, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Fort Lauderdale, glades, humor, kayak, kayak hatch, kayak interior, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, psychedelic, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, seda glider, shelf, south florida, space, tropical. Tagged: 185° Fisheye 2/3" Video Lens, 2.16mm f/3.3, 42, 420, awakenthegrass, banana boat, Beach, Blessings, bulkhead, bulkhead access port, bungee cord, c mount fisheye, camping, Camping with the Stars, circular fisheye, coaming, coastal 2.16mm lens, coastal fisheye, coastal optics, cockpit, cockpit bag, cockpit organizer, cockpit shelf, creating underdeck storage space inside the kayak cockpit, Custom installation, custom kayak hatch, deck loops, deck surgery, diy, epoxy, Everglades, everglades camping, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Exploring a sea kayak from the inside out!, fantasy art, feel irie, fiberglass, fiberglass work, fisheye, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, fisheye Q, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, folding chair, fort lauderdale kayak, Front hatch bulkhead access port, front kayak hatch, funny, hatch cover, hatch lid, henderson hatch, I put up a shelf in my kayak, inchworms, Innerbound, inside kayak, inside out kayak, irie, island, jenoptik, JENOPTIK Optical Systems, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak bulkhead, kayak cockpit, kayak deck, kayak florida, kayak hatch, kayak hatch cover, kayak interior, kayak photography, kayak rack, kayak rudder, kayak shelf, kayak south florida, kayak storage, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, Large oval hatch, map tray, modification, moving things forward, ocean, oval hatch rim, pad eyes, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax, pentax 03, pentax fisheye, pentax q, Photography, plastic sheet, Putting up a shelf, reality check, rudder lines, sea kayak, Sea Kayaker, Sea-Lect hatch, SeaDog, Seda, seda glider, seda kayak, seda rudder, selfie, shelf, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, space within, spherical, spherical panorama, storage space, storage tray, tapered bulkhead, ten thousand islands, the trinity of the Sea Kayak, tray, tropical, tropical adventure, under deck, under deck bag, underdeck, underdeck bag, underdeck storage, underdeck tray, whole kayak panorama, You CAN take with you. Leave a comment

Exploring a sea kayak from the inside out!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayakfari Seda Glider kayak review adventure Everglades tour banana boat Florida camping photography tech 24 years ownership

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

.

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.

.

Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/360-vr-panoramas/fun-vr-panoramas/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Visiting the historic Sand Key lighthouse where the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico mingle.

Posted by Kayakfari on February 17, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, beer, dive, everglades, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, holidays, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, keys, landscape, lighthouse, ONEWAY, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, rasta, reality check, reef, Sand Key, sea kayaker, south florida, summer, surf ski, surfski, tropical, wreck. Tagged: 21 foot surf ski, 42, 420, adventure, adventure paddling, aerial pole photography, Alexander Mitchell, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, atlantic., awakenthegrass, Beach, beacon, Blessings, blue water, cast iron, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, digital029art, disco, disco kayak, distance paddling, dive, everglades kayak, feel irie, Findeisen Shearwater, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fishform surfski, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, florida keys paddling, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, florida surfski, fort zachary taylor, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, Ft Zachary Taylor, Ft Zachary Taylor state park, gulf of mexico, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, irie, irma storm, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, iron screw pile, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak fitness, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak key west, kayak keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, key west lighthouse, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, landscape, light, lighthouse, lower Keys, Man-O-War Bird, nautical history, ocean, offshore, offshore kayaking, offshore paddling, ONEWAY, oneway surfski, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax, pentax q, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, pole aerial photography, pole photography, reality check, reef, reef photography, resurrection, Sand Key, Sand Key kayak, Sand Key lighthouse, scuba, Sea Kayaker, shearwater, shearwater surfski, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida lighthouses, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, south florida surfski, spar buoy, spur and groove reef, straightpile, summer, summer 2020, summer heat, surf ski, surfski, surfski findeisen, surfski touring, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, vintage surfski, water, water quality, wing paddle, wreck, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. 2 Comments

This story combines offshore open water paddling,

snorkeling and lots of photography

with interesting bits of

South Florida nautical history.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Sand Key lighthouse marks a reef tract responsible for many wrecks over the centuries.
Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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Kayaking into lower Keys

nautical history from Key West!

The Sand Key lighthouse was the second of the six Florida Keys offshore reef lights to be constructed during the second half of the 19th century. It was also the second lighthouse erected on Sand Key, replacing a previous brick structure which was completely swept away during a fierce hurricane in 1846. This skeletal iron tower once stood on a sizable island of actual dry sandy ground. However later hurricanes would wash away much of the sand above water as early as 1856. This resilient lighthouse still stands, but Sand Key is now just a small sporadically roving sandy shoal which appears and disappears with the seasons.

This is the only one of the offshore Keys lighthouses where

I was able to stand underneath it on (mostly) dry ground.

.

My timing was fortunate that I had just enough land

to pull my surfski ‘ONEWAY’ onto!

ONEWAY is my resurrected Shearwater surfski.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/sand-key-lighthouse-kayaking-to-the-southern-star-of-the-offshore-keys-reef-lights/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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.

Posted by Kayakfari on February 3, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, beer, camping, cape sable, cosmos, decorated reality, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, first national bank, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, history, humor, island, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, mangrove, moonlight, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, seda glider, sombrero, south florida, stars, surreal art, tropical, winter. Tagged: 1000/8, 11200mm, 1992, 24, 30 year anniversary, 30 years, 30 years kayaking, 360 panorama, 42, 420, 5600mm, across florida bay, alien, answer 42, APS-C, art of darkness, awakenthegrass, banana boat, Beach, big dipper, birding, birds, birthday triangle, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, circular fisheye, clouds, darkness, digital art, dreaming, east cape, Everglades, Everglades Art, Everglades birds, everglades camping, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, feel irie, fisheye, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, flamingo, flamingo cell tower, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, fort lauderdale kayak, gentle giant, giant lens, happy birthday to my kayak, heron, Hubble, Hubble Jr., irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak birthday, kayak florida, kayak lights, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak rack, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, little rabbit key, mangrove coast sea kayaks, miami, monster lens, moonlight, nice dreams, nv200, ocean, Omne trium perfectum, orion, OSPREY, Paddle, paddling, panorama, Pelican, pentax 1000mm, pentax lens, pentax q, Photography, planetary alignment, planets, polaris, pole aerial photography, psychedelic art, reality check, sandbar, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, shoal, smc 1000mm, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, stars, Sublime, super-telephoto, ten thousand islands, three, threes, triad, trinity, triple, tripod, trippel, tripple, tropical, tropical adventure, vanlet, water quality, whole sky, whole sky panorama, winter, wispy clouds. Leave a comment

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.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayakfari Banana Boat kayak photography everglades adventure Seda Glider camp tour Florida Bay 1000mm lens 1992

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 – Tune in anytime, however expect to see some reruns!

Posted by Kayakfari on February 1, 2022

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, camping, canepatch, cape romano, cape sable, chickees, chokoloskee, cosmos, decorated reality, earth, eclipse, everglades, everglades art, first national bank, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, glades, island, johnson key, jupiter, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, king tides, landscape, little rabbit key, miami, Milky Way, moon, moonlight, nasa, orbit, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax kp, pentax q, photography, psychedelic, rasta, sea kayaker, Shark Point Chickee, south florida, space, stars, sunspots, surreal art, swamp, ten thousand islands, tropical, venus, winter. Tagged: 1000/11, 10000 islands, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 1000mm mirror lens, 1000mm reflex lens, 360 panorama, 42, 420, 5600mm, a higher ground, across florida bay, adventure, alien, answer 42, art of darkness, ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments, astrotracer, astrotracer o-gps1, awakenthegrass, baader filter, big dipper, Blessings, blood moon, blue moon, camping, Camping with the Stars, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, circular fisheye, coastal optics 4.88mm, Cosmic alignments, darkness, decorated reality, east cape, eclipse, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades camping, everglades national park, everglades winter, fantasy art, feel irie, fisheye, fisheye lens, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, full moon, great north american eclipse, gulf of mexico, higher ground, irie, island, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak camping, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys camping, landscape photography, light pollution, little rabbit key, low tide, lunar eclipse, lunar ecplise, mangrove tunnel, mars, meike 6.5mm fisheye, milky way, milky way galaxy, moon, moonlight, moonrise, nasa, national park, nice dreams, night panorama, o-gps1, occultation, orion, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, pentax 1000mm lens, pentax astrotracer, Pentax K-01, pentax kp, pentax lens, pentax mirror lens, pentax o-gps1, pentax q, penumbra, perpetual dawn, Photography, planetary alignment, planets, platform, polaris, psychedelic art, rasta, reality check, safety glasses, satellite, Sea Kayaker, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, solar, solar eclipse, solar filter, solar photography, solar safety filter, South Florida, south florida kayak, spherical panorama, star trails, stars, sunspots, super blood wolf moon, super moon, super-telephoto, supermoon, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, tidal flats, total eclipse, total lunar eclipse, total solar eclipse, transit, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, umbra, venus, whole sky, whole sky panorama, winter, winter sky. Leave a comment

The show is always free and there

are never any commercials.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayakfari photography kayak camping stars night Everglades landscape moon art Florida Bay slough shark sky dark fl jupiter darkness

The winter sky over the Everglades is the Portal to the biggest show of all.
Sweet dreams of Everglades winter skies and celestial alignments!

.

Celestial alignments reveal the clockwork our universe at large.

Tune in to the biggest show of all!

.

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

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

Get out there and enjoy the dark Everglades nights.

.

Full story at:

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

.

! Bless UP

.

© 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!

Posted by Kayakfari on January 29, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, camping, cosmos, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, keys, king tides, landscape, mangrove, moon, moonlight, night, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, sea kayaker, seda glider, south florida, stars, summer, tropical. Tagged: 360, 360 panorama, 360 photography, 42, 420, a higher ground, adventure, aerial pole photography, banana boat, Barracuda Keys, Bay side, Beach, Big Pine Key, blimp, burnt, Camp, camp cooking, colors, Coral Reef, crabs, Cudjoe Key, decorated reality, digital art, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, Extreme Birdwatching, faith in numbers, fat albert, feel irie, fisheye, fishing, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, full moon, Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Greenland paddle, Greenland stick, gulf of mexico, high tide, higher, Higher Consciousness, higher ground, horseshoe crab, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak camping, kayak cooking, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, Keys backcountry, keys camping, keys colors, landscape, landscape photography, low tide, mangrove, mangrove creek, mangrove tunnel, Marvin Key, Marvin Key beach, mathematics, matrix, miami, night, ocean, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pastel, Photography, pole aerial photography, reality check, safety valve, sand bar, sandbar, sandbar camping, satellite, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, seeking higher ground, shells, shoal, skyline, Snipe Keys, Snipe mangroves, Snipe Point, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spatial distortion, stars, sugarloaf, Sugarloaf Key, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, sun, sunrise, Sweet and delicious moonlight, temporary place, temporary space, tidal flats, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, underwater, water quality, wildlife refuge. Leave a comment

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

Part III

.

(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan kayakfari Barracuda Keys marvin shoal sandbar kayak paddle sugarloaf backcountry beach bay coral reef photography

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

.

Mathematics is the language of the universe,

so it makes sense to trust the numbers!

.

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

.

© 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.

Posted by Kayakfari on January 28, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, camping, cosmos, everglades, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, king tides, landscape, moonlight, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, psychedelic, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, seda glider, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, sunburn, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 360, 360 panorama, 360 photography, 42, 420, a higher ground, adventure, aerial, aerial pole photography, banana boat, Barracuda Keys, Bay side, Beach, Big Pine Key, blimp, burnt, Camp, camp cooking, colors, Coral Reef, crabs, Cudjoe Key, decorated reality, digital art, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, Extreme Birdwatching, faith in numbers, fat albert, feel irie, fisheye, fishing, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, full moon, Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Greenland, Greenland kayaking, Greenland paddle, Greenland paddling, Greenland stick, ground level view, gulf, gulf of mexico, high tide, higher, Higher Consciousness, higher ground, horseshoe crab, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak camping, kayak cooking, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, key west, Keys backcountry, keys camping, keys colors, landscape, landscape photography, low tide, mangrove, mangrove creek, mangrove tunnel, Marvin Key, Marvin Key beach, mathematics, matrix, night, ocean, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling, panorama, pastel, Photography, pole aerial photography, reality check, ride, safety valve, sand bar, sandbar, sandbar camping, satellite, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, seeking higher ground, shells, shoal, skyline, Snipe Keys, Snipe mangroves, Snipe Point, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, stars, stick, sugarloaf, Sugarloaf Key, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, sun, sunrise, Sweet and delicious moonlight, temporary place, temporary space, tidal flats, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, underwater, water quality, wildlife refuge. Leave a comment

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

Part II

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(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan kayakfari Barracuda Keys marvin shoal sandbar kayak paddle sugarloaf backcountry beach bay coral reef photography greenland stick Turquoise

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.

Posted by Kayakfari on January 26, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, camping, cosmos, everglades, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, king tides, landscape, moonlight, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, psychedelic, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, seda glider, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, sunburn, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 360, 360 panorama, 360 photography, 42, 420, a higher ground, adventure, aerial, aerial 360, aerial kayak, aerial photo, aerial pole photography, art, banana boat, Barracuda Keys, Bay side, Beach, Big Pine Key, Biscayne Bay, blimp, burnt, Camp, camp cooking, colors, Coral Reef, crabs, Cudjoe Key, decorated reality, digital art, Everglades Art, everglades kayak, everglades paddling, exploration, Extreme Birdwatching, faith in numbers, fat albert, feel irie, fisheye, fishing, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, full moon, Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Greenland stick, ground level view, gulf, gulf of mexico, high tide, higher, Higher Consciousness, higher ground, into the sun, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak camping, kayak cooking, kayak florida, kayak florida keys, kayak key west, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, key west, keys, Keys backcountry, keys camping, keys colors, landscape, landscape photography, low tide, mangrove, mangrove creek, mangrove tunnel, Marvin Key, Marvin Key beach, mathematics, matrix, miami, Miami Kayak, night, ocean, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling, panorama, panoramic, pap, pastel, photo, Photography, pole aerial photography, reality check, ride, safety valve, sand bar, sandbar, sandbar camping, satellite, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, seeking higher ground, shells, shoal, skyline, Snipe Keys, Snipe mangroves, Snipe Point, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, spatial distortion, stars, sugarloaf, Sugarloaf Key, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, sun, sunrise, surf ski, surfski, Sweet and delicious moonlight, temporary place, temporary space, tidal flats, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, water quality, wildlife refuge. Leave a comment

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

Part I

.

(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 – Plan B – Take #2 !

Posted by Kayakfari on January 16, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, beach, fitness, flex maslan, florida, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, paddle, pentax, photography, south florida, tropical. Tagged: 360 panorama, 42, 420, aerial pole photography, awakenthegrass, Beach, blackwater sound, Blessings, bogart, camp kayakfari, camping, Camping with the Stars, caribbean club, circular fisheye, Cloud9, clouds, downpour, dusenbury creek, east florida bay, Everglades, everglades adventure, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, face buff, fbo, feel irie, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay outfitters, florida keys, florida rain, gordon storm, Greenland stick, hurricane irma, irie, irma, irma impact, island, joe bay, kayafari, kayak adventure, kayak everglades, kayak florida bay, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, Kayak Ted, kayak touring, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, key largo, key largo film, key largo tower, keys sunset, labor day, light pollution, lightning, mangrove seedling, mangroves, microwave tower key largo, milky way, milky way galaxy, Mr Spock, Nest Key, nest key camping, nest key kayak, nest keys, North Nest Key, Paddle, paddling, paddling in the rain, panorama, pentax fisheye, pentax q, Photography, plan b, Plan B – Take 2, rain, rain showers, raining, rasta, reality check, roots paddling, Sea Kayaker, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, Spiritwalker, squall, stars, storm, summer camping, summer camping everglades, summer heat, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, summer rain, summer storms, sunset, Take 2, Thaddeus Rice, the boggies, thunder storm, torrential rain, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, tropical storm, ts gordon. Leave a comment

The idea behind this trip was to check out the

Joe Bay area in northeastern Florida Bay.

Due to time constraints, it took place over the Labor Day weekend just ahead of approaching tropical storm Gordon. The plan me and Kayak Ted (aka Spiritwalker) made was to camp at North Nest Key and use it as a base camp for two nights. Joe Bay is intriguing because it has been re-opened to the public after being closed off for almost 40 years. It is also prime habitat for the American Crocodile, of which we had hoped to see many.

However as the saying goes

“The best laid plans of photographers and paddlers often go awry”

especially when a big storm rolls through early!

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(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan kayakfari nest key largo kayak camp storm everglades photography paddle florida bay beach stars joe bay rain

When a big storm blows through, Plan B happens!
North Nest Key, Joe Bay and tropical storm Gordon.

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North Nest Key is not the place to go if you seek solitude,

however it’s worth a visit and makes a great base camp location

for exploring eastern Florida Bay.

The evening and most of the night were pleasant camping, but by dawn it was clear that things had changed. Getting up with the sunrise, there was a lot of cloud cover and a heavy damp feeling in the air. Listening to the weather radio and checking radar on the phone we could see that tropical storm Gordon had arrived into our area earlier than anticipated. By 8:30, we were already seeing lightning strikes to the NE in the distance which was definitely not a good sign! We had to make a decision, and both agreed that in light of our situation we’d bag it and head back a day early. We packed up camp just in time before all the heavy rain hit. At times it rained so hard, that we couldn’t even see each other on the water.

It was tough to make the decision to abort,

but it proved to be the right course of action!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/north-nest-key-joe-bay-and-tropical-storm-gordon/

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!

Posted by Kayakfari on January 12, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, beer, camping, cape sable, chickees, everglades, first national bank, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, humor, island, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, mangrove, moonlight, Nest Key, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, psychedelic, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, seda glider, Shark Point Chickee, Short Key, snake bight, sombrero, south florida, surreal art, tropical, winter. Tagged: 42, 420, across florida bay, art of darkness, awakenthegrass, backcountry, banana boat, Beach, beer, Bless UP, blue sky, camping, camping florida bay, Camping with the Stars, cape sable, carl ross key, Cheers, chickee, chickee camping, chickee platform, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cluett key, east cape, elevated, Everglades, everglades adventure, everglades artist, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, exploring everglades, exploring florida bay, extra pale ale 420, fantasy art, feel irie, first national bank, fisheye lens, fitness, flamingo, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, focus, good beer, grass beds, Greenland stick, health, health plan, Higher Consciousness, Higher State of Consciousness, humor, in the zone, irie, island, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak everglades, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak south florida, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, mangrove, mental health, mental health plan, moonlight, mud flats, Na Zdravi, Nest Key, nice dreams, oyster keys, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, panorama, pentax, Photography, pilsner, rabbit key bank, rastafari, reality check, roots paddling, Salud, sandbar, Sandy Key, sanity, Sea Kayaker, Sea Kayaker magazine, seda glider, shark point, Short Key, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida kayaking, south florida paddle, south florida paddler, SURREAL ART, tidal flats, tropical, tropical adventure, turtle grass, water quality, wing paddle. Leave a comment

The Florida Bay Mental Health Plan.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan Everglades kayakfari ranger led pour beer kayak grass paddle photography tour humor florida bay

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 – Priceless views outside the world of people!

Posted by Kayakfari on January 9, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, beach, birding, camping, cape sable, chokoloskee, decorated reality, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, first national bank, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, island, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, mangrove, Milky Way, moonlight, Nest Key, Pa-hay-Okee, paddle, pahayokee, panorama, pentax, pentax kp, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, psychedelic, rasta, river of grass, sea kayaker, Shark Point Chickee, snake bight, sombrero, south florida, stars, surreal art, ten thousand islands, tropical, winter. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, art of the bay, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, birds, Blessings, Bradley Key, Calusa, camping, Camping with the Stars, cape sable, carl ross key, chickee, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, circular panorama, Clubhouse Beach, cormorant, decorated reality, DecoratedReality, digital art, digital029art, dildo key, dildo key bank, east cape, east clubhouse beach, Everglades, everglades artist, everglades camping, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, Extreme Birdwatching, fall in florida, feel irie, first national bank, flamingo, flats, flats fishing, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay kayaking, florida bay landscape, florida bay photography, florida keys, gulf of mexico, heron, humor, irie, island, johnson key, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak florida bay, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, mental health, mental health plan, milky way, moonlight, mud flats, mudflat, national park, Nest Key, night, North Nest Key, open water, open water paddling, orion, OSPREY, oyster keys, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, Pelicans, pelicans florida bay, pentax, pentax kp, pentax lens, Photography, Prairie, reality check, River, sand bar, Sandy Key, Sea Kayaker, seagrass beds, seagull, shark point, Shark Point Chickee, shoal, South Florida, south florida kayak, stars, Summer's Almost Gone, sunset, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, terns, the cape, tidal flats, tropical, tropical adventure, water quality. Leave a comment

Kayakfari ART photography brings you

the magic of Florida Bay.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan Kayak Florida Bay Everglades kayakfari little Rabbit Key panorama camp fisheye photography landscape chickees keys 180 view

“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 – Presenting the case for alternative facts.

Posted by Kayakfari on January 8, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, alernative facts, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, banana boat, camping, everglades, everglades art, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, mangrove, moonlight, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, psychedelic, rasta, reality check, science fiction, sea kayaker, seda glider, snow, south florida, tropical, winter. Tagged: 360, 360 panorama, 360 photography, 42, 420, across florida bay, adventure, all sky, allsky, alternative, alternative fact, alternative facts, answer 42, art of darkness, awakenthegrass, Beach, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, canoe, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, circular fisheye, climate change, clouds, coastal optics 4.88mm, coastal optics fisheye, cold water, costal optics lens, darkness, digital029art, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades artist, everglades camping, everglades winter, exploration, fantasy art, feel irie, fisheye, fisheye 4.88mm, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, fishing, flamingo, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, frost, frozen, global cooling, global warming, ice, ice break, ice floe, ice floes, ice formations, icicle, irie, island, jenoptik, johnson key, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak florida keys, kayak ice, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, Known unknowns, landscape, landscape photography, little rabbit key, long cold winter, low tide, magic, mangrove, moon, moonlight, national park, nice dreams, night, open water, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddle miami, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, Photography, psychedelic art, rasta, reality check, sea foam, Sea Kayaker, seafoam, sky, snow, snow everglades, snow florida bay, snow in florida, snow little rabbit key, snowbirds, South Florida, south florida kayak, spherical, spherical panorama, stars, sunshine state, ten thousand islands, tidal flats, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, unknown unknowns, water quality, white winter wonderland, whole sky, whole sky panorama, winter, winter paddling, winter sky, winter wonderland. Leave a comment

The Florida sun shall melt no snowflake

before it’s time.

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(tap or click pic to read)

The Banana Boat parked in some fine powdery snow at Little Rabbit Key.
ART of alternative facts – the snows of winter on Florida Bay!

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It’s been a long cold winter in

the Everglades!

As far as we know, there are known facts – the facts that we know we know.

We also know there are facts that we don’t know – the facts that we know we don’t know.

But there are also unknown unknowns – those facts we don’t know we don’t know.

And finally, these are alternative facts that everyone can know!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-alternative-facts-the-last-snows-of-winter-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 – “The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.”

Posted by Kayakfari on January 6, 2022

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, Black Point, boating safety, Boca Chita, cape florida, convoy point, elliott key, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, history, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, landscape, lighthouse, mangrove, marine trash, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, pole aerial photography, rasta, reality check, redrum, sea kayaker, silhouette kayak, soldier key, sombrero, south florida, tropical. Tagged: "red rum", 42, 420, adventure, aerial, aerial pole photography, Aerial VR Panoramas, all that trash, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, bill baggs, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, biscayne safety valve, Black Point, Bless UP, Blessings, Boca Chita, Boca Chita beach, Boca Chita Key, camping Boca Chita, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, Carl G. Fisher, Coral Reef, currents, da PLANE!, digital art, Fantasy Island, Featherbed Bank, featherbed shoal, feel irie, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys Reef Lights, fowey rocks, fowey rocks lighthouse, Greenland stick, gulf stream, History, Honeywell, Honeywell Pentax, irie, island, island time, kayafari, kayak, kayak biscayne bay, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, landscape photography, Lewis Cut, light, lighthouse, limestone coral rock, Look .. da Plane, mangrove, mangrove tunnel, marine trash, Mark C. Honeywell, miami, miami history, midden mound, nigel foster, nigel foster silhouette, ocean, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, pentax, Photography, pole aerial photography, pole photography, portage, private island, Ragged Key #3, Ragged Keys, ralph munroe, reality check, redrum, reef, safety flag, safety valve, Sands Key, satellite, Sea Kayaker, shipwreck, silhouette, silhouette kayak, snorkel, soldier key, soldier key club, sombrero, south dade landfill, South Florida, south florida kayak, South Florida Paddlers, summer heat, Tequesta, the plane, tropical, tropical adventure, turquoise, turquoise water, water quality. 1 Comment

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!

.

(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

.

© 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 sky is calling!

Posted by Kayakfari on December 30, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, canepatch, cape sable, chickees, cosmos, everglades, everglades art, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, island, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, Milky Way, night, orbit, paddle, pahayokee, panorama, pentax, photography, psychedelic, rasta, river of grass, sea kayaker, south florida, space, stars, surreal art, ten thousand islands, tropical, winter. Tagged: 360 panorama, 42, 420, answer 42, art of darkness, awakenthegrass, back country, backbone of night, Beach, big dipper, Bless UP, camping, camping florida bay, camping platform in Florida Bay, Camping with the Stars, cape sable, chickee, chickee camping, chickee platform, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, circular fisheye, Clubhouse Beach, cosmos, darkness, decorated reality, digital art, east cape, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades artist, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades light pollution, everglades national park, everglades panorama, Everglades Photography, everglades skies, everglades stars, everglades winter, exploring everglades, feel irie, first national bank, fisheye, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, galaxy, gulf of mexico, Higher Consciousness, irie, island, it's full of stars, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak camping, kayak everglades, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys camping, landscape photography, light pollution, lights, little rabbit key, mars, miami light pollution, milky way, milky way galaxy, national park, nice dreams, night panorama, night photography, orion, outside the world of people, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, perpetual dawn, Photography, planets, platform, polaris, psychedelic, rabbit key bank, rastafari, reality check, satellite, Sea Kayaker, shark point, Shark Point Chickee, South Florida, south florida kayak, space, star trails, stars, starshine, still of the night, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, The sky is calling, tides, trinity, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, venus, whole sky, whole sky panorama, winter, winter sky. Leave a comment

An invitation from the darkness

outside the world of people.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

“The sky is calling collect”, will you accept the charges?
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part III

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Our ancestors have lived in the darkness for many thousands of years. It is only in the last 100 years that people have lost sight of the Milky Way and the stars..

“We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers.”

― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

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Remote camping under the Milky Way is a beautiful experience

not soon forgotten.

Accept the call and enjoy the dark Everglades nights!

.

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-darkness-camping-with-the-stars-part-iii/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Face to face with Jesus in an underwater kingdom.

Posted by Kayakfari on December 24, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, alt jesus study, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, Christ of the Abyss, Christmas, disco, dive, everglades, fisheye, fishing, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, mangrove, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, psychedelic, rasta, reality check, reef, rtm disco, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 029, 1512, 1982, 25°07'24.2"N 80°17'49.5"W, 42, 420, adventure, alligator reef, alt jesus study, Atlantic Blue Tang, awakenthegrass, Bless UP, Blessings, Bluestripe grunts, bronze statue, buoy, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Christ of the Abyss, Christ of the Deep, Christmas, church of the double bladed paddle, Coral Reef, DecoratedReality.com, digital art, digital029art, disco kayak, dive, Dry Rocks Reef, Duilio Marcante, Egidio Cressi, Everglades, feel irie, find Jesus, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, Florida Keys’ dive country, Garden Cove, Garden Cove shipwreck, Goal Keeper, God, God lives underwater, Gran Poder, Guido Galletti, HalleluJah, humor, irie, island, island time, Jesus Christ, Jesus statue, Jesus underwater, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak Jesus, kayak key largo, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key largo, Key Largo Dry Rocks, keys, landscape photography, Michelangelo, mojito, mojito kayak, ocean, offshore, offshore kayaking, offshore paddling, open arms, open water, Paddle, paddling, Paddling for Jesus, panorama, Pennekamp, Pennekamp Park, pentax, Photography, Pilgrimage, pilgrims, Rattlesnake Key, reality check, RTM, rtm disco, sangre de cristo, satellite, satellite view florida keys, scuba, Sea Kayaker, shipwreck, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, spar buoy, statue underwater, Sunday, Sunday service, The Creation of Adam, tropical, tropical adventure, Underwater Society of America, Upper Sound Point. Leave a comment

Offshore paddling to find Jesus in

the Florida Keys dive country!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Christ faces due east embracing all kayaks on the surface above with open arms!
Kayaking to Dry Rocks Reef – a Pilgrimage to find the “Christ of the Abyss” off Key Largo!

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There’s no question that Jesus has a powerful draw – spiritually, figuratively and literally. Six miles offshore from Key Largo lies the “Christ of the Abyss”, a submerged nine foot tall bronze statue of Jesus Christ. It’s a very popular draw for tourists, snorkelers, divers and boaters. It’s one of the most popular snorkel and dive destinations in the Keys and certainly inside John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The “Christ of the Deep” as it’s also called is also a part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and as such special regulations apply.

Be sure to check out this cool underwater

interactive panorama of the Christ of the Abyss!

.

Why paddle out there?

Well, one reason is that because it’s there and it is doable. Another is that a trip like this really does feel like a Pilgrimage of sorts to see something unique and special. I’m not particularly religious, but there was a nice spiritual aspect to this endeavor! Finally, as a photographer, I really wanted to capture all of this.

This “Christ of the Abyss” statue is actually one of three worldwide that are underwater. It is fact the third casting from the same mold and was commissioned for Italian dive equipment manufacturer Egidio Cressi, who then donated it to the Underwater Society of America. The Society, in turn presented the sculpture to the then newly formed John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo in the early 1960’s.

Truth is I first found Jesus way back in 1982,

and Jesus was younger then too!

.

NOTE:

This is a 13 mile round trip paddle out to sea in OPEN WATER

so plan accordingly and paddle within your limitations!!

.

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/kayaking-to-dry-rocks-reef-a-pilgrimage-to-find-the-christ-of-the-abyss-off-key-largo/

.

! Bless UP

.

© 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 take with you!

Posted by Kayakfari on December 21, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, biscayne bay, camping, canepatch, everglades, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, glades, kayak, kayak hatch, kayak interior, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, lost portage, miami, paddle, pahayokee, panorama, pentax, photography, reality check, river of grass, sea kayaker, seda glider, Shark River slough, soldier key, south florida, ten thousand islands, tropical, winterfest. Tagged: 11x18, 1992, 2.16mm f/3.3, 42, 420, awakenthegrass, banana boat, Beach, Blessings, camping, camping chair, Camping with the Stars, circular fisheye, coaming, coastal 2.16mm lens, coastal fisheye, cockpit, Custom installation, custom kayak hatch, deck surgery, diy, epoxy, Everglades, everglades camping, everglades photographer, Exploring a sea kayak from the inside out!, feel irie, fiberglass, fiberglass work, fisheye, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, fisheye Q, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, folding chair, fort lauderdale kayak, front kayak hatch, funny, Gaspachi hatch, hatch cover, hatch lid, Innerbound, inside kayak, inside out kayak, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak bulkhead, kayak cockpit, kayak hatch, kayak hatch cover, kayak interior, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, Large oval hatch, long tripod, miami, moving things forward, ocean, oval hatch rim, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax, pentax 03, pentax fisheye, pentax q, Photography, reality check, sandbar, Sea Kayaker, Sea-Lect hatch, SeaDog, Seda, seda glider, seda kayak, selfie, South Florida, south florida kayak, space within, spherical panorama, tapered bulkhead, tech, ten thousand islands, the trinity of the Sea Kayak, tropical, tropical adventure, vcp, vcp hatch, water quality, whole kayak panorama, You CAN take with you. Leave a comment

Correcting a genetic disorder in my sea kayak.

Read on at your own risk!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayakfari Seda Glider kayak tech hatch enlarge storage lid upgrade bigger oval open access banana boat Miami camp

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

.

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.

.

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

.

! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Hoppy Holidays to you!

Posted by Kayakfari on December 18, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, beach, fitness, flex maslan, florida, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, paddle, pentax, photography, south florida, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, across florida bay, adventure, Alligator light, alligator lighthouse, alligator reef, altimeter, altitude adjustment, altitude is everything, answer 42, awakenthegrass, back country, Bahia Honda, bahia honda key, Beach, beer, beer can, beer tour, Bill Bags Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, biscayne national park, Blessings, camping, camping florida bay, camping islands, camping platform in Florida Bay, Camping with the Stars, CAPE ROMANO, chickee, chickee camping, chickee life, chickee life camping, chickee platform, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cooking, day and night, dildo key, dildo key bank, East Everglades, elliot key, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, exploration, exploring everglades, exploring florida bay, feel irie, first national bank, fishing florida bay, fitness, flamingo, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, florida man, flugtag, g13, g13 strain, Grass, grass beds, happy holidays, hoppy Holidays, hoppy note, humor, irie, island, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, jones lagoon, kayafari, kayak, kayak altimeter, kayak art, kayak bahia honda, kayak biscayne bay, kayak miami, kayak miami flamingo, kayak photography, kayak touring, Kayak While Intoxicated, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, KWI, landscape photography, liquor still, liquor still bay, little rabbit key, mental health, mental health plan, miami, national park, ocean, open water, outback, Paddle, paddle florida bay, Paddle Under the Influence, paddling, paddling biscayne bay, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, park ranger, pentax, Photography, platform, psychedelic art, PUI, rabbit key bank, ranger, ranger led tour, ranger tour everglades, ranger-led pour, rasta, rastafari, reality check, redbull, RedBull Flugtag kayakfari Miami, Sea Kayaker, season's greetings, South Florida, south florida kayak, stars, STILTSVILLE, stiltsville village, trash, travel, tropical, tropical adventure, unpredictable, water quality, Whiskey, whiskey creek. 2 Comments

The Everglades can be unpredictable.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Sometimes paddling the Everglades is as unpredictable as the mythical Florida Man.
Let’s take a Ranger-led Pour of the Everglades!

.

**It’s good to end up on a hoppy note*,**

so please be safe this Holiday season!

.

Raise a toast:

CHEERS!

Salud!

Na zdraví!

.

*Please drink responsibly! It’s OK to have a beer or two on the water, but it is against the law to be inebriated in your watercraft.

Please do not Paddle Under the Influence (PUI)

nor

Kayak While Intoxicated (KWI) !

.

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/lets-take-a-ranger-led-pour-of-the-everglades/

.

! Bless UP

.

© 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).

Posted by Kayakfari on December 15, 2021

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, camping, cooking, cosmos, everglades, everglades art, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, little rabbit key, Milky Way, moon, moonlight, noseeum, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, sea kayaker, seda glider, sombrero, south florida, stars, sun, tropical, winter. Tagged: 42, 420, across florida bay, adventure, aerial, arsnicker keys, art of darkness, art of the bay, awakenthegrass, back country, banana boat, Beach, Blessings, camping, camping florida bay, camping islands, Camping with the Stars, chickee, chickee life camping, chickee platform, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, darkness, digital029art, Everglades, everglades adventure, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, exploring florida bay, feel irie, fisheye lens, fishing, fitness, flamingo, flamingo cell tower, Flamingo Ranger Station, flamingo to long key, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay kayaking, florida bay landscape, florida bay photography, florida keys, grass beds, Greenland stick, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak everglades, kayak florida bay, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, little rabbit key, long key, long key bridge, long key camping, low tide, mangroves, milky way, mud flats, nice dreams, open water, orion, outback, overseas highway, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, Photography, rasta, reality check, Sea Kayaker, seagrass beds, seda glider, shoal, sombrero, South Florida, south florida kayak, stars, sunset, tidal flats, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, turtle grass, water quality. 2 Comments

‘Slow it down’ brothers and sisters!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Across Florida Bay Everglades camping Flex Maslan Little Rabbit Key Long Key Flamingo kayakfari canoe kayak adventure outback flats bank Keys primitive

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

.

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!

.

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

.

! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Tune in to the biggest show of all!

Posted by Kayakfari on December 4, 2021

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, camping, canepatch, cape romano, cape sable, chickees, chokoloskee, cosmos, decorated reality, earth, eclipse, everglades, everglades art, first national bank, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, glades, island, johnson key, jupiter, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, king tides, landscape, little rabbit key, miami, Milky Way, moon, moonlight, nasa, orbit, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax kp, pentax q, photography, psychedelic, rasta, sea kayaker, Shark Point Chickee, south florida, space, stars, sunspots, surreal art, swamp, ten thousand islands, tropical, venus, winter. Tagged: 1000/11, 10000 islands, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 1000mm mirror lens, 1000mm reflex lens, 360, 360 panorama, 360 photography, 42, 420, 5600mm, a higher ground, across florida bay, adventure, alien, all sky, allsky, answer 42, art of darkness, ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments, astrotracer, astrotracer o-gps1, awakenthegrass, baader filter, Beach, big dipper, Blessings, blood moon, blue moon, camping, Camping with the Stars, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, circular fisheye, coastal optics 4.88mm, coastal optics fisheye, Cosmic alignments, costal optics lens, darkness, decorated reality, digital029art, east cape, eclipse, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades camping, everglades national park, everglades winter, exploration, fantasy art, feel irie, fisheye, fisheye 4.88mm, fisheye lens, flamingo, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, full moon, great north american eclipse, gulf of mexico, Higher Consciousness, higher ground, irie, island, JENOPTIK Optical Systems, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak camping, kayak florida keys, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys camping, landscape photography, light pollution, little rabbit key, low tide, lunar eclipse, lunar ecplise, mangrove, mangrove creek, mangrove tunnel, mars, meike 6.5mm fisheye, Miami Kayak, milky way, milky way galaxy, moon, moonlight, moonrise, nasa, national park, nice dreams, night panorama, o-gps1, occultation, open water, orion, outback, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddle miami, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, pentax 1000mm, pentax 1000mm lens, pentax astrotracer, pentax fisheye, Pentax K-01, pentax kp, pentax lens, pentax mirror lens, pentax o-gps1, pentax q, penumbra, perpetual dawn, Photography, planetary alignment, planets, platform, polaris, psychedelic art, rasta, reality check, safety glasses, sand bar, satellite, Sea Kayaker, shoal, sky, smc 1000mm, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, solar, solar eclipse, solar filter, solar photography, solar safety filter, South Florida, south florida kayak, spherical panorama, star trails, stars, sunspots, super blood wolf moon, super moon, super-telephoto, supermoon, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, tidal flats, total eclipse, total lunar eclipse, total solar eclipse, transit, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, umbra, venus, whole sky, whole sky panorama, winter, winter sky. Leave a comment

Our universe up in the night sky above.

The show is free and there are no commercials!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan winter everglades sky kayakfari stars photography night kayak moon ecplise lunar camp dark florida bay trails

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

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Tune in anytime, however expect to see some reruns.

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

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

Get out there and enjoy the dark nights in Everglades!

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on November 30, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, camping, chickees, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, humor, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, sea kayaker, south florida, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, Alphabet, answer 42, art, art basel, art basel miami, art basel week, art miami, art of the everglades, ART or bird shit, art week, as it was written, awakenthegrass, back country, bird, bird guano, bird shit, birdshit, Blessings, camping, camping florida bay, camping platform in Florida Bay, chickee, chickee camping, chickee life, chickee life camping, chickee platform, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Cirth, condominium, digital029art, dildo key bank, droppings, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, exploring everglades, exploring florida bay, feel irie, flamingo, Flamingo Ranger Station, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, futhark, futhorc, Germanic languages, graffiti, guano, Guano graffiti, humor, irie, is it art, Is it ART or is it bird shit, island, J.R.R. Tolkien, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak miami, kayak miami flamingo, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, landscape photography, Man-o-war Key, manowar key, miami, national park, ocean, open water, outback, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panoramic, pentax, Photography, platform, psychedelic art, rasta, reality check, Runes, runic alphabet, runic inscriptions, Runology, script, Sea Kayaker, shit, South Florida, south florida kayak, SURREAL ART, text, that is the question, the view, travel, tropical, tropical adventure, turtle grass, water quality. 3 Comments

Is it ART or is it bird shit?

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(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayakfari art chickee birdshit kayak everglades photography Florida Bay guano bird graffiti text johnson key light black and white

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

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Just in time for

Art Basel and Miami Art Week.

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

Are they sending us coded messages?

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

😮

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

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – A real close up look at what’s been itchin’ ya!

Posted by Kayakfari on November 27, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, bugs, camping, cape florida, cape romano, cape sable, chokoloskee, east everglades, elliott key, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, glades, horror, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, macro, mosquitoes, noseeum, oleta river, paddle, pahayokee, pentax, photography, reality check, sea kayaker, south florida, swamp, ten thousand islands, tropical, whiskey creek. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, awakenthegrass, Beach, beach camping, Biscayne Bay, biting insects, biting midges, Bless UP, Blessings, blood, bug bites, bug shirt, bug suit, bugs, Camp, camp lonesome, camping, camping florida bay, camping hell, Camping with the Stars, canoe, cape sable, Ceratopogonidae, coastal paddling, coot bay pond, crazy heat, east cape, east clubhouse beach, elliott key camping, Everglades, everglades adventure, everglades bugs, everglades camping, everglades coastal paddling, everglades hell, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades photographer, exposed skin, feel irie, fine mesh netting, fine mesh screen, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay kayaking, florida keys, Gladesmen, graveyard creek, head net, irie, island, itch, itching, kayafari, kayak, kayak everglades, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, mangrove, Miami Kayak, middle cape, mosquito, mosquitoes, no-see-um, no-see-ums, noseeum, noseeums, ocean, Paddle, paddling, pentax, photo, Photography, psylent night, reality check, River of Grass, Sand Fleas, Sand Flies, Sea Kayaker, silent night, skeeters, South Florida, south florida kayak, swamp, swarms, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, waiting game, water quality, wilderness waterway. Leave a comment

I bet most people have no idea what

no-see-ums actually look like,

so here you go!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Flex Maslan kayakfari camp hell everglades cape kayak adventure heat paddle bugs noseeum screen mosquito flies sand fleas

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

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

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

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

They will find you or your tent!

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on November 25, 2021

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, camping, cape romano, cape sable, chickees, everglades, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, first national bank, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, glades, holidays, humor, island, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, Nest Key, Pa-hay-Okee, paddle, pahayokee, pentax, photography, river of grass, sea kayaker, south florida, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, art of the everglades, awakenthegrass, Beach, bird, bird sacrifice, birding, birds, Blessings, camping, canoe, canoe cooking, chickee, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cormorant, Curlew, DecoratedReality.com, Everglades, Everglades Art, Everglades birds, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades photographer, Everglades wildlife, Extreme Birdwatching, feel irie, first national bank, Fish Crow, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, Ft Lauderdale, give thanks, good food, happy thanksgiving from the birds, Ibis, innocence, irie, island, island time, kayafari, kayak, kayak everglades, kayak key largo, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key largo, landscape, landscape photography, Little Blue Heron, little rabbit key, Miami Kayak, national park, national sacrifice, no turkey, ocean, OSPREY, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddle thanksgiving, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, Pelicans, pentax, Photography, reality check, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, Roseate Spoonbill, Royal Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, Sea Kayaker, snowbird, South Florida, south florida kayak, Superheroes of the Everglades, SURREAL ART, t-day, ten thousand islands, thanksgiving, thanksgiving dinner, thanksgiving sacrifice, thanksgiving turkey, The Everglades are for the birds, Tricolored Heron, tropical, tropical adventure, turkey pardon, water quality, white heron, White Pelican, Wildlife, winter in florida, Wood Stork. 1 Comment

A Thanksgiving message

from the birds of the Everglades!

😮

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

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The President says

“I hereby pardon you ..”

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

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“Pardon us of what Sir?”

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

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“Of crimes?“

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

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“What of crimes?”

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

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“But we are innocent!”

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

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“We live free”

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

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“We move freely”

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

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“Free like the wind!”

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

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“We fly the open sky”

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

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“We fish the shallow waters”

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Beautiful Osprey portrait at Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay.

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OK but wait, not so fast!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

🙂

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More at

The Everglades are for the birds!

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

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on November 20, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, camping, convoy point, east everglades, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, mangrove, miami, Nest Key, night, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, sea kayaker, seda glider, Shark Point Chickee, Short Key, south florida, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, across florida bay, adventure, aerial, art of darkness, art of the bay, awakenthegrass, back country, banana boat, barnes sound, Beach, Biscayne Bay, blackwater sound, Blessings, camping, camping florida bay, camping islands, Camping with the Stars, chickee, chickee life camping, chickee platform, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, convoy point, darkness, digital029art, Everglades, everglades adventure, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, exploring florida bay, feel irie, fisheye lens, fishing, fitness, flamingo, flamingo cell tower, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay kayaking, florida bay landscape, florida bay photography, florida keys, grass beds, Greenland stick, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak everglades, kayak florida bay, kayak miami, kayak miami flamingo, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, key largo, low tide, mangroves, miami, milky way, mud flats, Nest Key, nice dreams, night, North Nest Key, open water, orion, outback, overseas highway, Paddle, paddle florida bay, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, Photography, platform, rasta, Sea Kayaker, seagrass beds, seda glider, shark point, Shark Point Chickee, shoal, Short Key, snake bight, sombrero, South Florida, south florida kayak, stars, sunset, tidal flats, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, turtle grass, water quality. 1 Comment

Miami (Black Point) to Flamingo is approximately

a 70 mile one way trip via Short Key

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Miami Flamingo kayakfari florida bay flex maslan 029 digital029art short key dragover turkey point key largo keys everglades kayak nest key black betty end key shark point chickee paddlle kayakfari.com digital029art.com

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

.

© 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.

Posted by Kayakfari on November 18, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, biscayne bay, boat parade, Boca Chita, camping, cape florida, cape romano, cape sable, carysfort reef lighthouse, chokoloskee, Christ of the Abyss, Cloud9, cochiti, cooking, Czech Republic, dania beach, decorated reality, dreadlocks, elliott key, everglades, everglades art, Findeisen Shearwater, first national bank, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, ft lauderdale, glades, gladesmen, greenland, grey ghost, Gulftstream Elan Crosstrainer, high desert, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, kirton k1, little rabbit key, lost portage, miami, miami river canal, Mizell-Johnson, new mexico, ONEWAY, Pa-hay-Okee, paddle, pahayokee, panorama, pentax, photography, pole aerial photography, rasta, reality check, redrum, RGB, river of grass, rtm disco, sawgrass, sea kayaker, seda glider, Shark Point Chickee, silhouette kayak, slough, sombrero, south florida, stellar ses, stiltsville, surfski, ten thousand islands, tropical, west lake park, whiskey creek, Willoughby. Tagged: 1991, 1992, 30 years, 42, 420, across florida bay, adventure, Adventure and Art on the high seas, alien, alligator lighthouse, art of darkness, awakenthegrass, backcountry, banana boat, Beach, birds, Biscayne Bay, Bless UP, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, canoe everglades, cape sable, chekika, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Christ of the Abyss, cochiti lake, dania beach, dania kayak, digital029art, Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park, dreadlocks, east cape, Everglades, everglades adventure, Everglades Art, everglades artist, Everglades birds, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, feel irie, fisheye lens, fitness, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida kayak, florida keys, fort lauderdale kayak, fowey rocks lighthouse, ft lauderdale beach, give thanks, grass paddling, Greenland stick, grey ghost, hollywood, hurricane irma, irie, island, John U. Lloyd State Park, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak everglades, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak Prague, kayak touring, kayak whiskey creek, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayakversary, key biscayne, lighthouse, little rabbit key, mahogany hammock, mangrove, mental health plan, miami, Miami Kayak, Mizell-Johnson State Park, moonlight, mud flats, new mexico, nice dreams, night, ocean, Pa-hay-Okee, Paddle, paddling, Pahayokee, panorama, Photography, pole aerial photography, port everglades, Prague, rasta, reality check, River of Grass, roots paddling, sandbar, Sawgrass, Sea Kayaker, Sea Kayaker magazine, seda glider, Shark River slough, Slough, soldier key, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida lighthouses, stiltsville village, surfski, swamp, ten thousand islands, thanksgiving, thrasher, tidal flats, tree hammock, tropical, tropical adventure, west lake park, whiskey creek, Willoughby Key, wing paddle, winterfest boat parade. Leave a comment

Taking care of mind, body & soul!

.

Giving Thanks – 30 year Kayakversary of

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

(tap or click pic to read)

flex maslan kayakfari k1 everglades kayak florida bay fitness paddle east cape kirton tercel 420 trainer RGB wing

“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

.

© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – On Eclipses and Cosmic alignments!

Posted by Kayakfari on November 17, 2021

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, answer 42, camping, cosmos, everglades, flex maslan, florida, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, miami, moon, moonlight, nasa, night, paddle, pentax, pentax q, photography, south florida, space, stars, sun, sunspots, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 1000/11, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 1000mm mirror lens, 1000mm reflex lens, 42, 420, 5600mm, adventure, answer 42, APS-C, art of darkness, ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments, astrotracer, astrotracer o-gps1, awakenthegrass, baader filter, Blessings, blood moon, bloodmoon, Camping with the Stars, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Cosmic alignment, Cosmic alignments, darkness, day and night, digital029art, eclipse, Everglades, everglades camping, everglades national park, everglades winter, feel irie, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, full moon, great north american eclipse, irie, island, iss transit, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, lunar eclipse, Miami Kayak, monster lens, moon, moonlight, nasa, national park, nice dreams, night, o-gps1, occultation, Paddle, pentax, pentax 1000mm, pentax 1000mm lens, pentax astrotracer, pentax fisheye, pentax kp, pentax lens, pentax mirror lens, pentax o-gps1, pentax q, penumbra, perpetual dawn, Photography, reality check, safety glasses, satellite, Sea Kayaker, smc 1000mm, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, solar, solar eclipse, solar filter, solar photography, solar safety filter, South Florida, south florida kayak, stars, sunspots, super blood wolf moon, super moon, super-telephoto, supermoon, ten thousand islands, total eclipse, total lunar eclipse, total solar eclipse, transit, travel, tripod, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, umbra, winter sky. Leave a comment

The Cosmos is always moving,

sometimes creating interesting alignments.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on November 14, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, everglades, feet, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, grey ghost, Gulftstream Elan Crosstrainer, kayak, kayak rudder, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kirton k1, miami, Mizell-Johnson, ONEWAY, paddle, pentax, photography, port everglades, posture, reality check, rtm disco, sea kayaker, south florida, stellar ses, surf ski, surfski, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, Big Cypress, Biscayne Bay, Blessings, booties, camel toe, cameltoe, camping florida bay, camping hell, camping islands, chickees, circular fisheye, digital029art, education, environment, Everglades, everglades national park, Everglades Photography, exploration, feel irie, feet, first national bank, fisheye lens, fitness, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay kayaking, florida keys, florida surfski, foot, foot brace, foot pegs, footwear, ft lauderdale kayak, green hulk, gulf of mexico, happy, head in the clouds, humor, i spy camel toe, ice paddling, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak biscayne bay, kayak everglades, kayak florida keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak posture, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking feet, kayaking shoes, key biscayne, key largo, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, leg drive, lower Keys, mangrove canopy, mangroves, miami, Miami Kayak, miami surfski, nice dreams, ocean, open water, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, paddling posture, Photography, posture, reality check, sand spurs, sandspurs, Sea Kayaker, shearwater surfski, shoes, sit on top, sliding pegs, sliding rudder, Slough, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida surfski, stand up, stellar surfski, summer, SuP, surfski feet, ten thousand islands, the Keys, toe, toes, trash, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, turtle grass, upper keys, vintage surfski, water quality. Leave a comment

Being mindful of your feet as the

foundation for your paddling posture

will yield many benefits over time!

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(tap or click to read)

Flex Maslan Kayakfari Fitness Surfski feet Miami kayak green hulk surf ski paddle biscayne bay Photography

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on November 13, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, camping, cape florida, cape romano, cape sable, chickees, chokoloskee, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, ft lauderdale, glades, humor, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, little rabbit key, miami, paddle, pahayokee, pentax, photography, river of grass, sea kayaker, Shark Point Chickee, south florida, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, across florida bay, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, Blessings, Camp, camping, camping florida bay, camping islands, camping platform in Florida Bay, Camping with the Stars, canoe, chickee, chickee camping, chickee platform, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cooking, day and night, digital029art, East Everglades, email, emails, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, exploration, exploring everglades, exploring florida bay, fantasy, feel irie, first national bank, fishing florida bay, fitness, flamingo, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, funny, Get out of the office, humor, irie, island, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak miami, kayak miami flamingo, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, little rabbit key, mental health, mental health plan, miami, national park, not returning, ocean, office, office etiquette, office humor, open water, out of the office, out of the office email, outback, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, panoramic, permanent vacation, Photography, platform, rasta, rastafari, reality check, South Florida, south florida kayak, stars, travel, tropical, tropical adventure, water quality. Leave a comment

Permanently?

.

Flex Maslan Everglades kayakfari humor kayak paddle photography florida motivation funny office adventure

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

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Get out of the office!

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on November 10, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, bugs, camping, chickees, cooking, everglades, everglades art, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, little rabbit key, moonlight, noseeum, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, sea kayaker, Shark Point Chickee, snake bight, sombrero, south florida, tropical. Tagged: 360, 42, 420, adventure, aerial, awakenthegrass.com, back country, Blessings, blue green, Camp, camping, chickee, chickee camping, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, decorated reality, digital art, dildo key bank, duppy conqueror, Everglades, everglades adventure, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, extreme chilling, feel irie, fisheye lens, fishing, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay kayaking, florida bay photography, florida keys, Greenland stick, irie, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak everglades, kayak florida bay, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, keys, landscape, little rabbit key, low tide, mangroves, mud flats, Paddle, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax q, photo, Photography, rasta, roots paddling, Sea Kayaker, shark point, Shark Point Chickee, snake bight, sombrero, South Florida, south florida kayak, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, turtle grass, water, water levels, water quality, waterfront living. 4 Comments

I always tell people you don’t know chill,

until you Florida Bay chill – on a chickee!

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

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Shark Point Chickee

When there is no moon out, it gets very dark indeed! A calm night on the Shark Point Chickee may possibly be the ultimate in camping tranquility. There is an absolute stillness and a total lack of any kind of background noise which is pretty special in today’s world and something not soon forgotten.

You can see the lights from the Florida Keys towns on the horizon to the south as they stretch out in a wide arc!

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on October 23, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, camping, cigar, everglades, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, mangrove, moon, moonlight, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, psychedelic, rasta, sea kayaker, seda glider, south florida, stars, tropical. Tagged: 360 panorama, 4.88mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, aerial, aerial pole photography, awakenthegrass, banana boat, Beach, blackwater sound, Blessings, bogart, camp coffee, camp kayakfari, camping, Camping with the Stars, caribbean club, cigar, cigar everglades, cigar smoke, circular fisheye, coastal opt fisheye, coastal optics 4.88mm, coffee, cuba, cuban cigar, death in the morning, dusenbury creek, east florida bay, Everglades, everglades adventure, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, face buff, face shield, fbo, feel irie, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay outfitters, florida keys, fun photography, habana, halo, havana, humor, insane in the membrane, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak everglades, kayak florida bay, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, key largo, keys sunset, mangroves, milky way, Nest Key, nest key camping, nest key kayak, nest keys, North Nest Key, ocean, Paddle, paddling, panorama, pentax 03, pentax fisheye, Pentax K-01, pentax q, Photography, Que Se Sepa, rasta, roots paddling, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, smoke everglades, smoke ring, solar halo, South Florida, south florida kayak, sunset, tent, the boggies, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, vapor, vapor trail, Yo Soy De La Habana. Leave a comment

My sister went to Havana

and all I got was a Cuban cigar,

so I smoked it in the Everglades!

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flex maslan kayakfari nest key largo kayak camp storm everglades photography paddle florida bay beach stars satellite

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 – El Gran Poder de la Sangre de Cristo off Key Largo.

Posted by Kayakfari on October 22, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, alt jesus study, answer 42, Art, Christ of the Abyss, disco, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, mojito, paddle, pentax, photography, rtm disco, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 029, 1512, 1982, 25°07'24.2"N 80°17'49.5"W, 42, 420, adventure, alt jesus study, art, Atlantic Blue Tang, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, Bless UP, Blessings, Bluestripe grunts, bronze statue, buoy, Christ of the Abyss, Christ of the Deep, Coral Reef, DecoratedReality.com, digital art, digital029art, dive, Dry Rocks Reef, Duilio Marcante, Egidio Cressi, Everglades, feel irie, find Jesus, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, Florida Keys’ dive country, Garden Cove, Garden Cove shipwreck, Goal Keeper, God, God lives underwater, Gran Poder, Guido Galletti, HalleluJah, humor, irie, island, island time, Jesus Christ, Jesus statue, Jesus underwater, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak Jesus, kayak key largo, kayak keys, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key largo, Key Largo Dry Rocks, keys, Michelangelo, ocean, offshore, offshore kayaking, offshore paddling, open arms, open water, Paddle, paddling, Paddling for Jesus, panorama, Pennekamp, Pennekamp Park, pentax, Photography, Pilgrimage, Rattlesnake Key, reality check, sangre de cristo, scuba, Sea Kayaker, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, spar buoy, statue underwater, Sunday, Sunday service, The Creation of Adam, tropical, tropical adventure, Underwater Society of America, Upper Sound Point. Leave a comment

Offshore paddling to find Jesus

in the Florida Keys dive country!

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Flex Maslan kayak Jesus Christ statue Reef kayakfari key largo dry rocks paddle keys dive snorkel abyss Pennekamp rtm disco

“Sangre de Cristo” – blood and sea are closely related.
Kayaking to Dry Rocks Reef – a Pilgrimage to find the “Christ of the Abyss” off Key Largo!

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There’s no question that Jesus has a powerful draw – spiritually, figuratively and literally. Six miles offshore from Key Largo lies the statue of “Christ of the Abyss” – one of the most popular snorkel and dive destinations in the Keys. This is a story of a pilgrimage of sorts to paddle out and find Jesus by kayak!

This particular “Christ of the Abyss” statue is actually one of three worldwide that are underwater. It is fact the third casting from the same mold and was commissioned for Italian dive equipment manufacturer Egidio Cressi, who then donated it to the Underwater Society of America. The Society, in turn presented the sculpture to the then newly formed John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo in the early 1960’s.

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From Jesus to Christ to Art!

Alt Jesus Study is a non-religious but spiritual look at the meaning of sacrifice, rebirth, fertility and duality. Exploration of symbolism and culture as represented in the forms of Jesus and northern hemisphere Western Mythology.

Alt Jesus Study digital art series from DecoratedReality.com

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/kayaking-to-dry-rocks-reef-a-pilgrimage-to-find-the-christ-of-the-abyss-off-key-largo/

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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 sounds of their wings in the darkness!

Posted by Kayakfari on October 19, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, birding, camping, cape sable, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, johnson key, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, moon, moonlight, night, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, sea kayaker, south florida, stars, tropical. Tagged: 1000/8, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 42, 420, answer 42, art of the everglades, awakenthegrass, Beach, bird, bird migration, birding, birds, Blessings, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cormorant, Curlew, DecoratedReality.com, Everglades, Everglades Art, Everglades birds, everglades national park, everglades photographer, Everglades wildlife, Extreme Birdwatching, extreme telephoto, fall migration, feel irie, first national bank, Fish Crow, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, flying formation, full moon, Hubble Jr., Ibis, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, landscape photography, Little Blue Heron, little rabbit key, mirror lens, moonlight, national park, night photography, ocean, OSPREY, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, Pelican, pelican migration, Pelicans, pelicans everglades, pelicans florida bay, pentax, pentax 1000mm, Photography, reality check, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, reflex lens, roller coaster formation, Roseate Spoonbill, Royal Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, Samyang 8mm lens, Sea Kayaker, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, snowbirds, South Florida, south florida kayak, super-telephoto, Superheroes of the Everglades, ten thousand islands, The Everglades are for the birds, Tricolored Heron, tropical, tropical adventure, water quality, white heron, White Pelican, Wildlife, Wood Stork. Leave a comment

A rare sight indeed!

Pelicans circling overhead under the full moon

at midnight on East Cape.

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White Pelicans circling directly overhead under the moonlight of Florida Bay.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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One of the joys of spending quality time outdoors in the Everglades backcountry is seeing wildlife carry on unfettered outside the busy world of people. I once saw a whole flock of these White Pelicans gliding in the breezes above me in the moonlight. They flew silently in formations and circled overhead, with only the swoosh of their wings giving them away. I quickly setup to get this image and captured it with a fisheye lens pointed straight up, using a manually discharged flash. I was able to get about five shots, this is a composite of the action. The flash naturally startled them, but only for a split second. They all landed a short distance away on the flats and rested until dawn.

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The Everglades are for the birds!

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More birding:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/wildlife/the-everglades-are-for-the-birds/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Lower Keys sandbar camping and Faith in Numbers!

Posted by Kayakfari on October 13, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, camping, cosmos, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, keys, king tides, landscape, mangrove, moon, moonlight, night, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, sea kayaker, seda glider, south florida, stars, summer, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, a higher ground, adventure, banana boat, Barracuda Keys, Beach, Big Pine Key, Camp, Cudjoe Key, decorated reality, digital art, Everglades Art, exploration, faith in numbers, feel irie, fisheye, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, full moon, Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Greenland stick, gulf of mexico, high tide, higher, Higher Consciousness, higher ground, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak camping, kayak cooking, kayak florida keys, kayak key west, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, key west, keys, Keys backcountry, keys camping, keys colors, landscape, landscape photography, low tide, mangrove, Marvin Key, Marvin Key beach, mathematics, matrix, miami, Miami Kayak, night, ocean, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling, panorama, Photography, reality check, sand bar, sandbar, sandbar camping, satellite, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, seeking higher ground, shoal, Snipe Keys, Snipe mangroves, Snipe Point, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, spatial distortion, stars, Sugarloaf Key, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, Sweet and delicious moonlight, temporary place, temporary space, tidal flats, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, water quality, wildlife refuge. 1 Comment

Mathematics is the language of the universe,

so it makes sense to have faith in numbers!

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flex maslan kayakfari Barracuda Keys marvin shoal sandbar kayak paddle sugarloaf backcountry beach bay coral reef photography moon camp higher ground

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 – Paddling to Boca Chita across the Safety Valve on Biscayne Bay.

Posted by Kayakfari on October 12, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, boating safety, Boca Chita, cape florida, elliott key, fisheye, fishing, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, ghost, grey ghost, hat, history, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, landscape, lighthouse, mangrove, marine trash, miami, noseeum, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, plastic pollution, rasta, reality check, rip current, safety valve, sea kayaker, soldier key, sombrero, south florida, stellar ses, summer, sun, surf ski, surfski, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, aerial pole photography, Aerial VR Panoramas, all that trash, awakenthegrass, Beach, bill baggs, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, biscayne safety valve, Bless UP, Blessings, Boca Chita, Boca Chita beach, Boca Chita Key, camping Boca Chita, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, currents, dventure, feel irie, fiesta privada, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys Reef Lights, fowey rocks, fowey rocks lighthouse, ghost kayak, Greenland stick, grey ghost, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, Honeywell, irie, island, island time, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak biscayne bay, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, landscape, landscape photography, lighthouse, limestone coral rock, mangrove, mangrove tunnel, marine trash, Mark C. Honeywell, miami, miami history, miami surfski, midden mound, ocean, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, pentax, photo, Photography, pole aerial photography, pole photography, portage, private island, Ragged Key #3, Ragged Keys, ralph munroe, reality check, reef, safety valve, Sands Key, satellite, Sea Kayaker, shipwreck, snorkel, soldier key, soldier key club, sombrero, South Florida, south florida kayak, South Florida Paddlers, south florida surfski, stellar elite small, stellar ses, stellar surfski, summer heat, surfski, Tequesta, tropical, tropical adventure, turquoise, water quality. Leave a comment

Bill Baggs to Boca Chita Key:

An alternate route across the “Safety Valve” on Biscayne Bay.

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flex maslan kayakfari safety valve boca chita biscayne bay kayak satellite miami paddle soldier key Cape Florida photography

Bill Baggs to Boca Chita Key loop across the “Safety Valve” on Biscayne Bay is about 22 miles of open water paddling.
Kayak Miami: Bill Baggs to Boca Chita across the “Safety Valve” on Biscayne Bay.

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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 undeveloped 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/kayak-miami-bill-baggs-to-boca-chita-across-the-safety-valve-on-biscayne-bay/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – More Roots Paddling, Yeah!

Posted by Kayakfari on October 10, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, camping, cape romano, cape sable, chokoloskee, dreadlocks, everglades, everglades art, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, glades, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, mangrove, miami, Mizell-Johnson, oleta river, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reality check, sea kayaker, south florida, ten thousand islands, tropical, whiskey creek, Willoughby. Tagged: 10000 islands, 360, 360 panorama, 42, 420, Anchoring to a Higher ground, awakenthegrass, banana boat, Barracuda Keys, barron creek, Beach, Biscayne Bay, black mangrove, Blessings, buttonwood, camp kayakfari, camp lulu, camping, charley creek, chickee, cigar, circular fisheye, coastal optics 4.88mm, cochiti lake, coot bay, coot bay pond, Craighead Pond, dread, dreadlocks, Everglades, everglades camping, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades tea, faith, feel irie, ferguson river, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay landscape, florida keys, forgotten trails of the Everglades, fort lauderdale kayak, graveyard creek, Greenland paddle, Greenland stick, higher ground, humor, irie, island, Jah, kayafari, kayak, kayak florida bay, kayak florida keys, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, keys sunset, landscape photography, liquor still, liquor still bay, living Roots, lower Keys, mangrove, mangrove art, mangrove islands, mangrove leaves, mangrove seedling, mangrove seedlings, mangrove tunnel, Messian Dread, miami, natural locks, new mexico, ocean, oyster bay, Paddle, paddling, pastafari, patience, pentax fisheye, Pentax K-01, pentax q, Photography, pneumatophores, rabbit key, rasta, rastafari, red mangrove, rio grande, roots, roots on my head, roots paddling, roots photography, sandbar, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, South Florida, south florida kayak, spherical, sunset, tannins, taylor slough, ten thousand islands, ten thousand islands kayak, tropical, tropical adventure, Turner River, water quality, white mangrove. Leave a comment

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

.

© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Camping with confidence, why size matters!

Posted by Kayakfari on October 6, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, camping, cape sable, everglades, fitness, flex maslan, florida, humor, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, paddle, pentax, photography, sea kayaker, south florida, tent spikes, tropical. Tagged: 10 inch spike, 10" peg, 10" spike, 42, 420, across florida bay, adventure, aluminum tent peg, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, Beach, Big 10 inch, Blessings, Camp, camping, Camping with the Stars, canoe, cape sable, clay mud, diy, east cape, Everglades, everglades camping, everglades marl mud, exploration, feel irie, fisheye, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida keys, higher ground, humor, irie, island, island camping, kayafari, kayak, kayak camping, kayak cooking, kayak florida keys, kayak miami, kayak miami flamingo, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, Keys backcountry, keys camping, little rabbit key, mangrove, miami, Miami Kayak, national park, Nest Key, nest key camping, North Nest Key, outback, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, Pelican, photo, Photography, rabbit key bank, reality check, remote, sand bar, sandbar, sandbar camping, Sea Kayaker, size does matter, size matters, South Florida, south florida kayak, ten thousand islands, tent peg, tent spike, tidal flats, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari, water quality. Leave a comment

Camp with confidence and

enjoy 67% more staying power!

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Flex Maslan kayakfari kayak canoe camp tent spike everglades florida bay big 10 inch humor aluminum size matters

10 inches of holding power on the beach.
Size matters – DIY big 10 inch tent spikes!

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Having trouble keeping your tent up?

Inadequate tent pegs letting you down?

Step up to the BIG 10 inch!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/tech/size-matters-diy-big-10-inch-tent-spikes/

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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 Pelicans are coming, the White Pelicans are coming!

Posted by Kayakfari on October 5, 2021

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, birding, camping, cape sable, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, first national bank, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, paddle, pentax, pentax kp, pentax q, photography, south florida, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 1000/8, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, art of the everglades, awakenthegrass, back country, Beach, bird, bird migration, birding, birds, Blessings, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cormorant, Curlew, DecoratedReality.com, Everglades, Everglades Art, Everglades birds, everglades national park, everglades photographer, Everglades wildlife, Extreme Birdwatching, extreme telephoto, fall migration, feel irie, first national bank, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, flying formation, Hubble Jr., irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, landscape photography, little rabbit key, mirror lens, national park, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panoramic, pelican migration, Pelicans, pelicans everglades, pelicans florida bay, pentax, pentax 1000mm, Photography, reflex lens, roller coaster formation, Sea Kayaker, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, snowbirds, South Florida, south florida kayak, super-telephoto, Superheroes of the Everglades, SURREAL ART, ten thousand islands, The Everglades are for the birds, tropical, tropical adventure, water quality, White Pelican, white pelicans arrival, Wildlife. Leave a comment

It’s that time of the year when these majestic “snowbirds” come down south.

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White Pelicans are very social creatures and they like to stay together whether in the air or on the ground.
Welcoming the fall arrival of White Pelicans in Florida Bay!

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White Pelicans are among the largest of all birds, with a wingspan upwards of 9 feet. They are also some of the heaviest. Each year they like to over-winter in the southern states but actually breed during the summer up north.

White Pelicans love to fly close and low to the water like an undulating roller coaster over Florida Bay!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/wildlife/welcoming-the-fall-arrival-of-white-pelicans-in-florida-bay/

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! Bless UP

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© 2021 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

The maps and images on this site are not intended for navigation, I am not a guide; use any and all information at your own risk! Your mileage may vary .. so use good judgement before venturing out!

…

I hereby disclaim any sponsorship, endorsement, nor association with any product or service described herein. The photographs, depictions, products, and ideas presented on this site are for informational purposes only. Your results may vary, and I do not imply nor guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, design or operation to adhere to any standard. I assume no legal responsibility for the implementation of anything herein presented! Use any and all information at your own risk! By using any and all information from this website, you accept the final liability for any use or possible associated misuse!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – The multi-universal Sombrero.

Posted by Kayakfari on October 2, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, beach, fitness, flex maslan, florida, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, paddle, pentax, photography, sombrero, south florida, sun, sunburn, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, aid to navigation, awakenthegrass.com, beacon, Biscayne Bay, canoe, Cayo Sombrero, Cinco de Mayo, Сомбреро, feel irie, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay kayaking, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, Ft Lauderdale, hat, Holidays, irie, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak biscayne bay, kayak fitness, kayak florida keys, kayak Loxahatchee River, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking alien, keys paddling, LA CUCARACHA, lighthouse, lighthouse point, Loxahatchee River, mangroves, may 5th, merry christmas, mexican sombrero, miami, mojito kayak, ocean kayak, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddling, panorama, Photography, pilsner urquell, REVOLUCIÓN MEXICANA, rtm disco, safety sombrero, santa sombrero, Sea Kayaker, Seminole Winterfest Boat Parade, sombrero, Sombrero adventure to Sombrero Reef Lighthouse, sombrero beach, sombrero key, Sombrero Key Sanctuary Preservation Area, sombrero light, sombrero lighthouse, Sombrero on Sombrero, sombrero reef, sombrero reef lighthouse, sombrero research institute, South Florida, south florida kayak, summer heat, sun, tropical, tropical adventure, visual aid, Viva la Mexico!, Viva las Fiestas, viva revolucion!. Leave a comment

A kayaker’s tribute to the humble and versatile Sombrero ..

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Flex Maslan Kayakfari photography kayak everglades art adventure fitness florida bay ocean sombrero

I’m a quick draw with the cam! 😮
A kayaker’s tribute to the humble and versatile Sombrero!

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Part hat, part umbrella, part wind block,

part sail, part visual aid, part aid to navigation,

part camp organizer .. it’s a part of paddling.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/a-kayakers-tribute-to-the-humble-and-versatile-sombrero/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Roseate Spoonbills in the Everglades.

Posted by Kayakfari on October 1, 2021

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, birding, cape sable, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, first national bank, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, mangrove, paddle, pentax, photography, sea kayaker, south florida, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 1000/8, 1000mm, 1000mm lens, 42, 420, answer 42, art, art of the everglades, awakenthegrass, Beach, bird, bird migration, birding, birds, Blessings, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cormorant, Curlew, DecoratedReality.com, Everglades, Everglades Art, Everglades birds, everglades national park, everglades photographer, Everglades wildlife, Extreme Birdwatching, extreme telephoto, fall migration, feel irie, first national bank, Fish Crow, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, flying formation, Hubble Jr., Ibis, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, landscape photography, Little Blue Heron, little rabbit key, mirror lens, national park, ocean, OSPREY, Paddle, paddle florida bay, Paddling Florida Bay, pelican migration, Pelicans, pelicans everglades, pelicans florida bay, pentax, pentax 1000mm, Photography, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, reflex lens, roller coaster formation, Roseate Spoonbill, Royal Tern, Ruddy Turnstone, Sea Kayaker, SMC Pentax 1000/11 reflex, snowbirds, South Florida, south florida kayak, super-telephoto, Superheroes of the Everglades, ten thousand islands, The Everglades are for the birds, Tricolored Heron, tropical, white heron, White Pelican, Wildlife, Wood Stork. Leave a comment

Outside the myopic world of people,

life goes on like it should.

As it is, as it was, as it shall be! 🙂

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Roseate Spoonbills feeding among friends along the shoreline of Florida Bay, Everglades National Park.
The Everglades are for the birds!

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One of the joys of spending quality time outdoors in the Everglades backcountry is seeing wildlife carry on unfettered outside the busy world of people. The Roseate Spoonbill for instance, is a very distinctive native bird with it’s flattened beak and pink plumage. Because of the pink coloration, they are sometimes mistaken at first glance for the American (Pink) Flamingo – a less common sighting in South Florida.

The Everglades are for the birds!

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

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More bird action:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/wildlife/the-everglades-are-for-the-birds/

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! Bless UP

.

© 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 – Starshine and light pollution from the South Florida Megalopolis.

Posted by Kayakfari on September 30, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, camping, cape sable, cosmos, everglades, everglades art, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, little rabbit key, Milky Way, night, paddle, pentax, photography, sea kayaker, south florida, space, stars, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, art of darkness, awakenthegrass, back country, Bless UP, camping florida bay, camping platform in Florida Bay, Camping with the Stars, cape sable, chickee, chickee camping, chickee platform, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, Clubhouse Beach, darkness, decorated reality, digital art, east cape, Everglades, everglades adventure, Everglades Art, everglades artist, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades light pollution, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, everglades skies, everglades stars, exploring everglades, exploring florida bay, fantasy art, feel irie, first national bank, fisheye, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, galaxy, irie, island, it's full of stars, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak everglades, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, landscape photography, light pollution, lights, little rabbit key, mangrove, miami, miami light pollution, milky way, milky way galaxy, mud flats, national park, nice dreams, night, night panorama, night photography, open water, orion, outback, outside the world of people, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, perpetual dawn, Photography, platform, psychedelic, psychedelic art, rabbit key bank, rasta, rastafari, Sea Kayaker, shark point, Shark Point Chickee, sky, South Florida, south florida kayak, space, stars, starshine, still of the night, ten thousand islands, tidal flats, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical kayakfari. Leave a comment

Scenes from

Outside the world of people.

Low clouds over Florida Bay delineate the stars and light pollution emanating from the Miami metropolitan area.

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flex maslan kayakfari stars everglades photography night darkness sky pollution light kayak milky way florida bay

Eerie beauty reflecting the darkness of Everglades National Park.
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part II

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This is the light pollution arising from the lighting needs of millions people living in urban South Florida. The core density of these lights is about 75 to 100 miles away in this photograph. It’s a kind of “permanent dawn” on the horizon that also serves as a navigational aid out in Everglades National Park. Most of the time this is a kind of unavoidable annoyance that destroys the full darkness and wipes out stars.

Sometimes though the glow can be beautiful,

and then becomes it’s own subject! 😮

.

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 – Saying goodbye to summer, but is it ever really gone?

Posted by Kayakfari on September 27, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, beach, birding, camping, cape sable, Cloud9, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, first national bank, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, mangrove, Mizell-Johnson, paddle, pentax, photography, south florida, summer, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, awakenthegrass, Beach, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, decorated reality, early fall, east cape, Everglades, everglades artist, everglades camping, exploration, fall in florida, feel irie, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, gulf of mexico, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, little rabbit key, mudflat, national park, ocean, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, photo, Photography, River, sand bar, Sea Kayaker, shoal, South Florida, south florida kayak, Summer's Almost Gone, sunset, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, tropical, tropical adventure. Leave a comment

No, it’s never really gone.

But our first fall cold front is right on time!

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flex maslan kayakfari florida bay kayak summer paddle everglade chickee Camp flats tide turtle grass Keys heat adventure

Sunset over a mudflat on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico.
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!

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It’s not so much the very small drop in temperatures that matters. After months of daily steam baths, it’s the lower humidity that makes the difference. There’s that slight chill in the air when you get out of the water, something not available during the hot summer.

Enjoy!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/everglades-hot-summer-camping-and-cruising-the-central-western-florida-bay-loop/

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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!

🙂

Paddling South Florida’s Offshore Reef Lighthouses!

Posted by Kayakfari on May 26, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, Art, beach, biscayne bay, Boca Chita, cape florida, carysfort reef lighthouse, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, history, jupiter, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, landscape, lighthouse, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, reef, sea kayaker, soldier key, sombrero, south florida, stiltsville, surfski, tropical. Tagged: adventure paddling, Alligator light, alligator lighthouse, alligator reef lighthouse, American Shoal, American Shoal kayak, American Shoal lighthouse, American Shoal reef, art, attitude is everything, awakenthegrass, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, beacon, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, Blessings, Boca Chita, Boca Chita Key, boca chita lighthouse, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, carysfort, carysfort reef, carysfort reef lighthouse, Carysfort Sanctuary Preservation Area, carysfort snorkel, cast iron, Cayo Sombrero, circular fisheye, Coral Reef, disco kayak, distance paddling, feel irie, First-order fresnel lens, fisheye, fisheye lens, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, florida keys paddling, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida lighthouses, florida reefs, fowey rocks, fowey rocks kayak, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel lens, Garden Cove, George Meade, gulf stream, gulfstream, hillsboro inlet, hillsboro lighthouse, History, Indian Key, irie, iron foundation pilings, iron screw pile, islamorada, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Jupiter lighthouse, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak biscayne bay, kayak fitness, kayak florida keys, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, key largo, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, light, lighthouse, miami, miami history, mojito kayak, mooring buoys, nautical history, north key largo, offshore kayaking, offshore paddling, open water paddling, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, Pennekamp, pentax, pentax wg-3, Photography, reef, reef photography, rtm disco, safety valve, Sand Key, Sand Key kayak, Sand Key lighthouse, Sea Kayaker, shearwater surfski, shipwreck, shoal, snorkel, soldier key, sombrero, sombrero beach, sombrero light, sombrero lighthouse, sombrero reef lighthouse, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida lighthouses, surfski touring, Tequesta, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, upper keys, water quality, white mooring buoys, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

These lighthouses were lifesaving beacons in their day and remain beacons of time integral to South Florida history!

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The six offshore lighthouses presented:

Kayaking the Biscayne Bay triangle: Cape Florida – Fowey Rocks – Soldier Key!

Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

Kayaking to Alligator Light Reef (lighthouse) .. of Fishes, Wreckers, Pirates and Keys History!

Sombrero Reef Lighthouse – visiting the tallest of the reef lights via kayak!

Lower Keys paddling to American Shoal Lighthouse on the edge of the Gulf Stream!

Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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(click on pic to enter portal!)

Florida offshore kayaking portal to:
Fowey Rocks, Carysfort Reef, Alligator Reef, Sombrero Reef, American Shoal and Sand Key lighthouses!

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Please note:

I am describing open water trips miles offshore with NO possibility of getting out anywhere.

Plan accordingly and paddle within your limitations and the weather conditions!!

Offshore means you are subject to wind, waves, currents AND the South Florida general boating public!

Be absolutely sure you know what you are getting into before considering doing this kind of a trip!

Safety first means planning and research first!!

Always have plenty of fresh water to stay hydrated!

.

! BLESS

.

© 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!

🙂

Sand Key Lighthouse – sixteen miles of open water surfski paddling off Key West!

Posted by Kayakfari on May 5, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, disco, dive, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, holidays, hurricane, island, Julyer, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, keys, landscape, lighthouse, ONEWAY, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, rasta, reality check, reef, Sand Key, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, surf ski, surfski, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, adventure paddling, Alexander Mitchell, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, awakenthegrass, awakenthegrass.com, beacon, Blessings, blue water, cast iron, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, digital art, digital029art, disco, disco kayak, distance paddling, dive, feel irie, Findeisen Shearwater, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fishform surfski, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, florida surfski, fort zachary taylor, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, Ft Zachary Taylor, Ft Zachary Taylor state park, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, irie, irma storm, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, iron screw pile, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak fitness, kayak florida keys, kayak key west, kayak keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, key west lighthouse, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, landscape, light, lighthouse, lower Keys, Man-O-War Bird, nautical history, offshore paddling, ONEWAY, oneway surfski, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, reef, reef photography, Sand Key, Sand Key kayak, Sand Key lighthouse, Sea Kayaker, shearwater, shearwater surfski, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida lighthouses, south florida surfski, spar buoy, spur and groove reef, straightpile, summer, summer 2020, summer heat, surfski, surfski touring, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, vintage surfski, water, wing paddle, wreck, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. 1 Comment

Offshore Keys paddling to the southernmost

offshore Keys lighthouse

along the edge of the Gulf Stream!

.

(click pic to enter)

Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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Kayaking into lower Keys nautical history

from Key West.

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Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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Bless UP!

.

© 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!

🙂

Seize the means of Propulsion – It’s May Day, not Mayday!

Posted by Kayakfari on May 1, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, biscayne bay, Boca Chita, camping, canoe, cape florida, cape romano, chokoloskee, Christ of the Abyss, Cloud9, disco, dreadlocks, eclipse, everglades, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, full tilt, gladesmen, greenland, grey ghost, holidays, humor, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, kirton k1, little rabbit key, loxahatchee, mangrove, may day, mayday, miami, miami river canal, Mizell-Johnson, mojito, new river, ONEWAY, Pa-hay-Okee, paddle, pentax, photography, port everglades, quarantine, RGB, rtm disco, sea kayaker, seda glider, south florida, stellar ses, stiltsville, surfski, ten thousand islands, tropical, whiskey creek, winterfest. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments, awakenthegrass, back country, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, eclipse, Everglades, everglades national park, everglades photographer, exploring everglades, fantasy, feel irie, first national bank, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, fort lauderdale kayak, funny, Get out of the office, holiday, humor, irie, island, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, manifesto, may day, mayday, mental health plan, miami, office humor, open water, out of the office, Paddle, paddlers, paddlers manifesto, Paddlers of the world Unite, paddling, panorama, permanent vacation, Photography, rasta, rastafari, Sea Kayaker, Seize the means of propulsion, solar eclipse, South Florida, south florida kayak, Soviet Blasphemy of the Eclipse, stars, ten thousand islands, total eclipse, travel, tropical, unite, work, workers. Leave a comment

Paddlers of the world,

**UNITE*!**

😉

Seize the means of Propulsion!!

May Day vs Mayday

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(click to enter)

Out of the office .. Permanently!?

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This image is part of a series on solar and lunar eclipses. See more at:

ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments!

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Happy May Day!

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

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

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(* If you are overly sensitive, this is in fact humor.)

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! BLESS

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

This is a work of fiction. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. No skeleton, nor person, nor kayak was harmed in the making of this work. The author is sorely responsible for the contents of this work!

…

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!

🙂

Altitude adjustment – quality time on Biscayne Bay!

Posted by Kayakfari on February 15, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, answer 42, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, beer, biscayne bay, camping, canoe, cape florida, cape romano, chickees, convoy point, cooking, elliott key, everglades, everglades art, first national bank, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, landscape, little rabbit key, mangrove, miami, paddle, pentax, photography, rasta, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, stiltsville, swamp, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, across florida bay, adventure, airboat, Alligator light, alligator lighthouse, alligator reef, altimeter, altitude adjustment, altitude is everything, answer 42, art, awakenthegrass, back country, Bahia Honda, bahia honda key, banks, beer, beer can, beer tour, Bill Bags Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, biscayne national park, Blessings, bottle, Camp, camping, camping florida bay, camping islands, camping platform in Florida Bay, Camping with the Stars, canoe, CAPE ROMANO, chickee, chickee camping, chickee life, chickee life camping, chickee platform, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, cooking, day and night, digital029art, dildo key, dildo key bank, East Everglades, elliot key, Everglades, Everglades Art, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, exploration, exploring everglades, exploring florida bay, feel irie, first national bank, fishing florida bay, fitness, flamingo, flats, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay forever, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, flugtag, g13, g13 strain, Grass, grass beds, happy holidays, holidaze, hoppy Holidays, humor, irie, island, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, jones lagoon, kayafari, kayak, kayak altimeter, kayak art, kayak bahia honda, kayak biscayne bay, kayak miami, kayak miami flamingo, kayak photography, kayak touring, Kayak While Intoxicated, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, keys, KWI, landscape, landscape photography, liquor, liquor still, liquor still bay, little rabbit key, mental health, mental health plan, miami, national park, open water, outback, Paddle, paddle florida bay, Paddle Under the Influence, paddling, paddling biscayne bay, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, panoramic, park ranger, pentax, photo, Photography, platform, psychedelic art, PUI, rabbit key bank, ranger, ranger led tour, ranger tour everglades, ranger-led pour, rasta, rastafari, redbull, RedBull Flugtag kayakfari Miami, Sea Kayaker, season's greetings, SK, South Florida, south florida kayak, stars, STILTSVILLE, stiltsville village, trash, travel, tropical, Whiskey, whiskey creek. Leave a comment

I always do a safety check before

taking off on a journey.

.

(click pic for story)

Flex Maslan Everglades kayakfari ranger led pour beer kayak altimeter rasta paddle photography tour humor florida 420

That one time I installed an altimeter on my kayak, just to be sure .. 🙂
Let’s take a Ranger-led Pour of the Everglades!

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**Because I like to end up on a hoppy note*!**

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Raise a toast:

CHEERS!

Salud!

Na zdraví!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/lets-take-a-ranger-led-pour-of-the-everglades/

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Bless!

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*Please drink responsibly! It’s OK to have a beer or two on the water, but it is against the law to be inebriated in your watercraft.

Please do not Paddle Under the Influence (PUI)

nor

Kayak While Intoxicated (KWI) !

.

© 2017 – 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!

.

American Shoal Lighthouse – the Kayak as a personal Declaration of Independence!

Posted by Kayakfari on February 10, 2021

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, American Shoal, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, disco, dive, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, history, holidays, hurricane, july 4th, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, lighthouse, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reef, rtm disco, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, summer, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, adventure paddling, American Shoal, American Shoal kayak, American Shoal lighthouse, American Shoal reef, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, awakenthegrass, awakenthegrass.com, beacon, Blessings, blue water, cast iron, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, declaration of independence, digital art, digital029art, disco, disco kayak, distance paddling, dive, feel irie, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, George Meade, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, hurricane irma, independence day, irie, irma storm, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, july 4th, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak fitness, kayak florida keys, kayak keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, Lake Okeechobee, landscape, light, lighthouse, lower Keys, Man-O-War Bird, mojito, mojito kayak, nautical history, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax wg-3, photo, Photography, piracy, reef, reef photography, RTM, rtm disco, sammy creek landing, scuba, Sea Kayaker, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida lighthouses, spar buoy, spur and groove reef, straightpile, Sugarloaf Key, summer, summer 2020, summer heat, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, water, werner pegasus, werner wing paddle, wing paddle, wreck, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

Offshore Keys paddling:

A journey to the loneliest Keys lighthouse

on edge of the Gulf Stream!

.

(click pic to enter)

flex maslan Kayakfari American Shoal lighthouse kayak paddle dive reef sugarloaf coral history photography shipwreck

Declaration: The MOJITO at American Shoal Lighthouse in the lower Keys.

.

Kayaking into lower Keys nautical history

from a dead-end road off Sugarloaf Key.

.

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/lower-keys-paddling-to-american-shoal-lighthouse-on-the-edge-of-the-gulf-stream/

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Bless UP!

.

© 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!

🙂

“Of Bugs and Men” – Everglades camping and Noseeums!

Posted by Kayakfari on October 20, 2020

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, awakenthegrass, beach, bugs, camping, cape sable, chickees, elliott key, everglades, everglades art, face protector, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, gladesmen, humor, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, macro, mangrove, mosquitoes, noseeum, paddle, pahayokee, pentax, photography, reality check, sea kayaker, south florida, swamp, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: adventure, awakenthegrass, Beach, beach camping, Biscayne Bay, biting insects, biting midges, Bless UP, Blessings, blood, bug bites, bug shirt, bug suit, bugs, Camp, camp lonesome, camping, camping florida bay, camping hell, Camping with the Stars, canoe, cape sable, Ceratopogonidae, coastal paddling, coot bay pond, crazy heat, east cape, east clubhouse beach, elliott key camping, Everglades, everglades adventure, everglades bugs, everglades camping, everglades coastal paddling, everglades hell, everglades kayak, everglades national park, everglades paddling, everglades photographer, exposed skin, feel irie, fine mesh netting, fine mesh screen, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay kayaking, florida keys, Gladesmen, graveyard creek, head net, irie, island, itch, kayak, kayak everglades, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, mangrove, Miami Kayak, middle cape, mosquito, mosquitoes, no-see-um, no-see-ums, noseeum, noseeums, Paddle, pentax, Photography, psylent night, River of Grass, Sand Fleas, Sand Flies, Sea Kayaker, silent night, skeeters, South Florida, south florida kayak, swamp, swarms, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, waiting game, wilderness waterway. 1 Comment

A real close up look at

what’s been itchin’ ya!

Skin on the inside, bugs on the outside – the way it shoud be.

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(click pic to enter)

It’s only fine mesh screening that separates the skin from no-see-ums!!
Of Bugs and Men, Chapter 1 – Noseeums.

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“You keep on knocking, but you can’t come in!”

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

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Bless UP – Can’t come in!

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© 2020 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!

🙂

Fitness paddling visit to Elliott Key on Biscayne Bay.

Posted by Kayakfari on October 15, 2020

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, biscayne bay, camping, convoy point, elliott key, everglades, face protector, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, grey ghost, history, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, mangrove, marine trash, miami, mosquitoes, paddle, panorama, pentax q, photography, plastic pollution, rasta, sea kayaker, soldier key, sombrero, south florida, stellar ses, surf ski, surfski, tropical. Tagged: adventure, aerial, aerial pole photography, Aerial VR Panoramas, awakenthegrass, Beach, Biscayne Bay, biscayne national park, Bless UP, Blessings, convoy point, currents, elliott key, elliott key camping, feel irie, fitness, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, florida surfski, fowey rocks lighthouse, grey ghost, History, irie, island, island time, kayafari, kayak, kayak biscayne bay, kayak convoy point, kayak elliott key, kayak fitness, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, landscape, landscape photography, limestone coral rock, mangrove, mangrove tunnel, miami, miami history, miami surfski, open water, Paddle, paddle elliott key, paddle miami, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, panoramic, pentax, Photography, pole aerial photography, pole photography, reef, satellite, Sea Kayaker, ses, soldier key, sombrero, south dade landfill, South Florida, south florida kayak, south florida surfski, stellar ses, stellar ses multisport, stellar surfski, surfski, surfski touring, Tequesta, tropical, turquoise water. Leave a comment

Biscayne Bay kayaking series:

A quick afternoon visit to Elliott Key,

the largest island in

Biscayne National Park.

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flex maslan Kayak miami kayakfari elliott key biscayne bay park convoy point photography paddle open water

The GREY GHOST on the rocks at Elliott Key on Biscayne Bay!

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One of the joys of paddling a lightweight performance surfski is the ability to cruise at sustained 5.5 – 6 mph speeds with relatively limited effort.

This opens up new possibilities for day trips and offshore destinations such as the Keys reef lighthouses and this island for instance.

Sixty years ago this island was slated for urban development, lucky for us this never came to pass. Elliott Key bears a scar down it’s full length, the infamous “Spite Highway“. Today it is just a hiking path for those who dare to explore it. The island has a deservedly earned reputation for bugs – bring a bug shirt!

As chance would have it, I arrived just as a lawn mowing team was finishing up. The group camping area on the ocean side is rather nice. With prevailing easterly breezes it could be a great spot on a cool South Florida winter’s night! 🙂

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Freshly mowed group camping site on the ocean side of Elliott Key.
Note the campfire pit and ring! 🙂

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Full story coming soon on this

open water fitness – adventure paddling trip!

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Bless UP!

.

© 2020 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!

🙂

Paddling ONEWAY to Sand Key lighthouse off Key West!

Posted by Kayakfari on September 19, 2020

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, dive, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, holidays, hurricane, island, Julyer, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, keys, landscape, lighthouse, ONEWAY, paddle, panorama, pentax, pentax q, photography, rasta, reef, Sand Key, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, summer, surf ski, surfski, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 21 foot surf ski, adventure, awakenthegrass, Blessings, Coral Reef, digital art, digital029art, dive, feel irie, Findeisen Shearwater, fishform surfski, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, florida keys paddling, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida surfski, fort zachary taylor, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, irie, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak florida keys, kayak key west, kayak keys, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key west, key west lighthouse, keys, light, lighthouse, lower Keys, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, panorama, pentax, photo, Photography, reef, resurrection, Sand Key, Sand Key kayak, Sand Key lighthouse, scuba, Sea Kayaker, shearwater, shearwater surfski, snorkel, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida lighthouses, south florida surfski, spar buoy, summer 2020, surf ski, surfski, surfski findeisen, surfski touring, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, vintage surfski, wreck, wrecking. Leave a comment

Offshore Keys paddling:

ONEWAY parked under the Sand Key lighthouse.

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Surfski visit to a historic Florida Keys lighthouse where

the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico meet.

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(click pic for story)

ONEWAY at what is left of Sand Key eight miles SW of Key West, summer 2020.

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ONEWAY is my resurrected Shearwater surfski.

Sand Key lighthouse was the second of the six Florida Keys offshore reef lights built during the second half of the 19th century. This skeletal iron tower was erected on what was once a sizable island on actual dry ground. It replaced a previous brick structure which was entirely swept away during a fierce hurricane in 1846. Later hurricanes would completely wash away all of the island above water as early as 1856!

The resilient replacement lighthouse still stands, but Sand Key is now just a small sporadically roving sandy shoal which appears and disappears with the seasons.

Lower Keys photography, adventure

and fitness paddling!

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This is the only one of the offshore Keys lighthouses where I was able to stand underneath on dry ground. My timing was fortunate that I had just enough land to pull my surfski onto.

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Full story:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/sand-key-lighthouse-kayaking-to-the-southern-star-of-the-offshore-keys-reef-lights/

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Bless UP!

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© 2020 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!

🙂

Open water paddling to American Shoal lighthouse in the lower Keys!

Posted by Kayakfari on September 17, 2020

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, American Shoal, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, disco, dive, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, history, holidays, hurricane, july 4th, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, lighthouse, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reef, rtm disco, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, summer, tropical. Tagged: adventure, American Shoal, American Shoal kayak, American Shoal lighthouse, American Shoal reef, awakenthegrass, Blessings, Coral Reef, digital art, digital029art, disco, disco kayak, dive, feel irie, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys Reef Lights, fowey rocks lighthouse, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, hurricane irma, irie, irma storm, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak keys, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, light, lighthouse, lower Keys, mojito, mojito kayak, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, panorama, pentax, photo, Photography, reef, rtm disco, sammy creek landing, scuba, Sea Kayaker, snorkel, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida lighthouses, spar buoy, summer 2020, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, wreck, wrecking. Leave a comment

Offshore Keys kayaking:

The MOJITO at American Shoal lighthouse.

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Bringing the Disco to the loneliest Keys lighthouse

on edge of the Gulf Stream!

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(click pic for story)

The MOJITO at anchor next to American Shoal Lighthouse in the lower Keys, summer 2020.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/lower-keys-paddling-to-american-shoal-lighthouse-on-the-edge-of-the-gulf-stream/

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Lower Keys paddling to American Shoal Lighthouse on the edge of the Gulf Stream!

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The MOJITO is a customized RTM Disco kayak.

American Shoal lighthouse was the last of the six Florida Keys offshore reef lights to be erected in the second half of the 19th century. It is virtually an identical twin to the Fowey Rocks lighthouse which was built just a couple of years earlier.

Despite being smack in the middle of Hurricane Irma’s path in 2017, this resilient lighthouse looks to be in very good condition for it’s 140+ years.

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Full story coming soon on this photography adventure dive trip!

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Bless UP & ring da Bell!

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© 2020 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!

🙂

End of summer offshore surfski paddling to Fowey Rocks on Biscayne Bay!

Posted by Kayakfari on September 16, 2020

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, biscayne bay, cape florida, dive, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, ghost, grey ghost, history, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, landscape, lighthouse, miami, paddle, pentax, photography, rasta, reef, sea kayaker, south florida, stellar ses, stiltsville, summer, surf ski, surfski, tropical, wreck. Tagged: adventure, Arakanapka, Arakanapka wreck, archaeology miami, Arratoon Apcar, Arratoon Apcar wreck, awakenthegrass, bill baggs, Bill Bags Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, biscayne national park, Blessings, cape florida, Coral Reef, digital art, digital029art, dive, feel irie, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys Reef Lights, fowey rocks, fowey rocks lighthouse, ghost kayak, grey ghost, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, irie, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak biscayne bay, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, light, lighthouse, miami, miami history, offshore paddling, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, pentax, photo, Photography, reef, safety valve, scuba, Sea Kayaker, shipwreck, snorkel, South Florida, south florida kayak, spar buoy, stellar elite small, stellar ses, stellar surfski, surfski, tropical, wreck. Leave a comment

Kayaking Biscayne Bay:

Fowey Rocks lighthouse & Arratoon Apcar.

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Offshore paddling beyond the

Safety Valve along

the edge of the Gulf Stream!

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flex maslan Kayakfari fowey rocks reef lighthouse kayak paddle Arratoon Apcar Arakanapka wreck photography dive history

Above and below, September 2020:
Fowey Rocks lighthouse and the remains of the wreck of the Arratoon Apcar (Arakanapka).

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Fowey Rocks lighthouse is the last remaining in operation of the original six Florida Keys offshore reef lights erected in the second half of the 19th century. While the light was still under construction, the steam ship freighter Arratoon Apcar rammed into the reef only 200 yards from the lighthouse on February 20, 1878!

Today this spot is marked with white mooring buoys and is where I tied off my surfski on this fitness adventure dive trip.

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Full story coming soon!

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Bless it UP!

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© 2020 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 Milky Way – where are you now? Summer’s almost Gone!

Posted by Kayakfari on August 29, 2020

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, beach, big cypress, camping, cosmos, earth, everglades, everglades art, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, jupiter, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, landscape, Milky Way, nasa, night, orbit, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, psychedelic, rasta, south florida, space, stars, summer, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 360, 360 panorama, 360 sky, 42, 420, all sky, answer 42, art of darkness, astrotracer, astrotracer o-gps1, August 2020, awakenthegrass, backbone of night, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, carl sagan, circular fisheye, cosmos, cosmos series, dark skie, dark sky, darkness, decorated reality, digital art, east cape, Everglades, everglades artist, everglades camping, exploration, fantasy art, feel irie, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, galaxy, gulf of mexico, Higher Consciousness, irie, island, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, king tides, light pollution, little rabbit key, milky way, national park, nice dreams, night, night panorama, outback, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, pentax astrotracer, photo, Photography, psychedelic art, rasta, rastafari, sand bar, satellite, Sea Kayaker, shoal, sky, South Florida, south florida kayak, Summer's Almost Gone, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, travel, tropical, tropical adventure, whole sky panorama. Leave a comment

The “Backbone of Night”.

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It is said that the !Kung people of the Kalahari desert consider the Milky Way as the “Backbone of Night” that holds up the sky!

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Summer’s almost gone ..
Milky Way whole sky with Jupiter and Saturn on August 15, 2020 10:30pm.
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part III

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Experience some of the darkest skies in the Everglades!

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Bright Jupiter and Saturn riding side by side across the sky next to the Milky Way.
Single 5 min exposure ISO 800 testing the Astrotracer (sensor shift) feature of my Pentax camera with a 14mm lens. August 15, 2020 @ 11pm.
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part III

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“We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers.”

― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

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More at:

ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part III

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-darkness-camping-with-the-stars-part-iii/

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Summer’s Almost Gone .. BLESS!

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© 2020 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!

🙂

Visiting South Florida’s lighthouses to Celebrate National Lighthouse Day!

Posted by Kayakfari on August 7, 2020

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, Art, beach, biscayne bay, Boca Chita, cape florida, carysfort reef lighthouse, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, history, jupiter, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, landscape, lighthouse, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, reef, sea kayaker, soldier key, sombrero, south florida, stiltsville, surfski, tropical. Tagged: 2020, adventure paddling, aerial, Alligator light, alligator lighthouse, alligator reef lighthouse, American Shoal, American Shoal kayak, American Shoal lighthouse, art, attitude is everything, awakenthegrass, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, beacon, Bill Bags Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, Blessings, Boca Chita, boca chita lighthouse, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, carysfort, carysfort reef lighthouse, Carysfort Sanctuary Preservation Area, carysfort snorkel, cast iron, Cayo Sombrero, circular fisheye, Coral Reef, digital art, digital029art, distance paddling, feel irie, First-order fresnel lens, fisheye, fisheye lens, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida lighthouses, florida reefs, fowey rocks, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel lens, Garden Cove, George Meade, gulf stream, gulfstream, hillsboro inlet, hillsboro lighthouse, History, Indian Key, irie, iron foundation pilings, iron screw pile, islamorada, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Jupiter lighthouse, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak biscayne bay, kayak fitness, kayak florida keys, kayak key west, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, key largo, key west, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, light, lighthouse, miami, miami history, mojito kayak, mooring buoys, national lighthouse day, nautical history, north key largo, open water paddling, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, Pennekamp, pentax, pentax wg-3, Photography, reef, reef photography, safety valve, Sand Key, Sand Key kayak, Sand Key lighthouse, Sea Kayaker, shearwater surfski, shipwreck, snorkel, soldier key, sombrero, sombrero beach, sombrero light, sombrero lighthouse, sombrero reef lighthouse, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida lighthouses, surfski touring, Tequesta, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, upper keys, water quality, white mooring buoys, wrecking, wrought iron. 1 Comment

Today is National Lighthouse Day!

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In South Florida we have several lighthouses – celebrate by visiting one.

Some are on land and accessible to everyone, others are out at sea over the Florida Keys reef chain.

They are just a small subset of all the lighthouses in Florida!

You can take a virtual peek or an extended tour of the lighthouses and reefs that I have paddled out to.

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First, the offshore reef lights

along the Florida Keys chain:

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flex maslan Kayakfari reef lighthouse kayak paddle dive history photography surfski offshore gulfstream

Florida Keys offshore reef lighthouses.
Photograph courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

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(click on any pic for story!)

Kayaking the Biscayne Bay triangle: Cape Florida – Fowey Rocks – Soldier Key!

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flex maslan Kayakfari carysfort reef lighthouse kayak paddle key largo pennekamp dive coral history photography surfski park fisheye

Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

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Flex Maslan Alligator Reef Light kayakfari kayak lighthouse 1982 keys photography paddle coral panorama snorkel

Kayaking to Alligator Light Reef (lighthouse) .. of Fishes, Wreckers, Pirates and Keys History!

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flex maslan Kayakfari sombrero reef lighthouse kayak paddle dive coral keys adventure marathon photography history hat

Sombrero Reef Lighthouse – visiting the tallest of the reef lights via kayak!

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Independence Day at American Shoal Lighthouse!
Lower Keys paddling to American Shoal Lighthouse on the edge of the Gulf Stream!

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ONEWAY at what is left of Sand Key eight miles SW of Key West.
Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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Boca Chita – kayaking to a Fantasy Island on Biscayne Bay!
(This is a decorative lighthouse, but worth seeing nonetheless.)

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Land based South Florida lighthouses:

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kayak jupiter inlet red lighthouse paddle allamericankayak kayakfari florida Flex Maslan

Jupiter Inlet – the Red Lighthouse kayak paddle.

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Pompano Hillsboro Light aerial inlet kayakfari kayak lighthouse flex maslan beach low tide dredge point

Kayaks at Hillsboro Lighthouse at the inlet.
Note the difference in water quality and spot the Blimp! 😮
Click for interactive 360 aerial panorama.

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Flex Maslan key biscayne kayakfari cape florida kayak lighthouse miami stiltsville aerial ocean bay beach

Cape Florida lighthouse on Key Biscayne at Bill Baggs State Park, aerial seagull’s eye view.
Click for interactive panorama!

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There’s also the historic Key West lighthouse ,

and two more in the Dry Tortugas that I also hope to visit soon! 🙂

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These lighthouses were lifesaving beacons in their day and

today remain beacons of time in South Florida history!

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More lighthouse information:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/2013/10/06/jupiter-inlet-red-lighthouse-kayak-paddle/

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Enjoy!

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http://www.dermandar.com/p/amqLbO/pompano-hillsboro-light-kayakfari-aerial

http://www.dermandar.com/p/cOFcJC

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/

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/

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/carysfort-reef-lighthouse-paddling-into-upper-keys-nautical-history/

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

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/sombrero-reef-lighthouse-visiting-the-tallest-of-the-reef-lights-via-kayak/

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! BLESS

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© 2020 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!

🙂

Happy July 4th from American Shoal Lighthouse!

Posted by Kayakfari on July 3, 2020

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, American Shoal, answer 42, disco, face protector, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, holidays, humor, Julyer, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, lighthouse, mojito, paddle, pentax, photography, reef, rtm disco, sawgrass, sea kayaker, south florida, summer, sun, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, adventure paddling, American Shoal, American Shoal kayak, American Shoal lighthouse, American Shoal reef, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, awakenthegrass.com, beacon, blue water, cast iron, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, distance paddling, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fitness, fitness paddling, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, George Meade, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, independence day, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, july 4, july 4th, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak fitness, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys snorkeling, Lake Okeechobee, landscape, lighthouse, Man-O-War Bird, mojito, mojito kayak, nautical history, open water, open water paddling, Paddle, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, reef photography, RTM, rtm disco, Sea Kayaker, ship wreck, shipwreck, snorkel, soft coral, south florida kayak, spur and groove reef, straightpile, Sugarloaf Key, summer, summer heat, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, water, werner pegasus, werner wing paddle, wing paddle, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

Happy Independence Day

from American Shoal Lighthouse!

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(click pic for story)

Independence Day on the MOJITO (RTM Disco) – anchored off American Shoal lighthouse.

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Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

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Happy Birthday America!

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More of South Florida’s local lighthouses:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/2019/08/07/celebrating-national-lighthouse-day-with-south-floridas-local-lighthouses/

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! BLESS

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© 2020 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!

🙂

Mayday, Mayday ? No, it’s May Day – Seize the means of Propulsion!

Posted by Kayakfari on May 1, 2020

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, biscayne bay, Boca Chita, camping, canoe, cape florida, cape romano, chokoloskee, Christ of the Abyss, Cloud9, disco, dreadlocks, eclipse, everglades, Findeisen Shearwater, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, Fort Lauderdale, ft lauderdale, full tilt, gladesmen, greenland, grey ghost, holidays, humor, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, kirton k1, little rabbit key, loxahatchee, mangrove, may day, mayday, miami, miami river canal, Mizell-Johnson, mojito, new river, ONEWAY, Pa-hay-Okee, paddle, pentax, photography, port everglades, quarantine, RGB, rtm disco, sea kayaker, seda glider, south florida, stellar ses, stiltsville, surfski, ten thousand islands, tropical, whiskey creek, winterfest. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments, awakenthegrass, back country, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, chickees, Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay, eclipse, Everglades, everglades national park, everglades photographer, exploring everglades, fantasy, feel irie, first national bank, fitness, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, fort lauderdale kayak, funny, Get out of the office, holiday, humor, irie, island, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak miami, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, little rabbit key, manifesto, may day, mayday, mental health plan, miami, office humor, open water, out of the office, Paddle, paddlers, paddlers manifesto, Paddlers of the world Unite, paddling, panorama, permanent vacation, Photography, rasta, rastafari, Sea Kayaker, Seize the means of propulsion, solar eclipse, South Florida, south florida kayak, Soviet Blasphemy of the Eclipse, stars, ten thousand islands, total eclipse, travel, tropical, unite, work, workers. Leave a comment

Paddlers of the world,

**UNITE*!**

😉

Mayday vs May Day – know the difference and

Seize the means of Propulsion!!

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(click to enter)

Out of the office .. Permanently!?

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This image is part of a series on solar and lunar eclipses. See more at:

ART of Eclipses and other Cosmic alignments!

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Happy May Day!

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

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

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(* If you are overly sensitive, this is in fact humor.)

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! BLESS

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© 2020 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com / decoratedreality.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!

This is a work of fiction. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. No skeleton, nor person, nor kayak was harmed in the making of this work. The author is sorely responsible for the contents of this work!

…

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!

🙂

“All Hail the King Tides of the Fall”, but don’t forget to look UP!

Posted by Kayakfari on October 1, 2019

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, awakenthegrass, camping, cosmos, everglades, everglades art, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, king tides, landscape, Milky Way, night, orbit, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, sea kayaker, south florida, space, stars, tropical. Tagged: 360, 360 panorama, 360 sky, 42, 420, all sky, answer 42, art, art of darkness, awakenthegrass, backbone of night, Blessings, camping, Camping with the Stars, carl sagan, circular fisheye, cosmos, cosmos series, dark skie, dark sky, darkness, decorated reality, digital art, east cape, Everglades, everglades artist, everglades camping, exploration, extreme high tide, fall, fantasy art, feel irie, fisheye lens, fisheye panorama, flamingo, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay photography, florida keys, galaxy, gulf of mexico, high tide, Higher Consciousness, higher ground, irie, island, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak art, kayak camping, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, king tides, light pollution, little rabbit key, milky way, national park, nice dreams, night, night panorama, outback, Paddle, paddle florida bay, paddling, Paddling Florida Bay, panorama, pentax, photo, Photography, psychedelic art, rasta, rastafari, sand bar, satellite, Sea Kayaker, shoal, sky, South Florida, south florida kayak, sweet dreams, ten thousand islands, tides, travel, tropical, tropical adventure, whole sky panorama. Leave a comment

“Who are we?

We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.”

― Carl Sagan, Cosmos.

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The Milky Way arching across the whole sky!

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(click image for more)

“All Hail the King Tides of the Fall!”
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part III.

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Experience some of the darkest skies in the Everglades.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-darkness-camping-with-the-stars-part-iii/

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Enjoy!

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! BLESS

.

© 2019 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!

🙂

Celebrating National Lighthouse Day with South Florida’s local lighthouses!

Posted by Kayakfari on August 7, 2019

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, aerial, answer 42, Art, beach, biscayne bay, Boca Chita, cape florida, carysfort reef lighthouse, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, history, jupiter, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, keys, landscape, lighthouse, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, reef, sea kayaker, soldier key, sombrero, south florida, stiltsville, surfski, tropical. Tagged: 2019, adventure paddling, aerial, Alligator light, alligator lighthouse, alligator reef lighthouse, art, attitude is everything, awakenthegrass, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, beacon, Bill Bags Cape Florida State Park, Biscayne Bay, Biscayne Bay triangle, biscayne national park, Blessings, Boca Chita, boca chita lighthouse, cape florida, cape florida lighthouse, carysfort, carysfort reef lighthouse, Carysfort Sanctuary Preservation Area, carysfort snorkel, cast iron, Cayo Sombrero, circular fisheye, Coral Reef, digital art, digital029art, distance paddling, feel irie, First-order fresnel lens, fisheye, fisheye lens, fitness paddling, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida lighthouses, florida reefs, fowey rocks, fowey rocks lighthouse, fresnel lens, Garden Cove, George Meade, gulf stream, gulfstream, hillsboro inlet, hillsboro lighthouse, History, Indian Key, irie, iron foundation pilings, iron screw pile, islamorada, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Jupiter lighthouse, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak biscayne bay, kayak fitness, kayak florida keys, kayak keys, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, key largo, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, light, lighthouse, miami, miami history, mojito kayak, mooring buoys, national lighthouse day, nautical history, north key largo, open water paddling, Paddle, paddle miami, paddling biscayne bay, panorama, Pennekamp, pentax, pentax wg-3, Photography, reef, reef photography, safety valve, Sea Kayaker, shearwater surfski, shipwreck, snorkel, soldier key, sombrero, sombrero beach, sombrero light, sombrero lighthouse, sombrero reef lighthouse, South Florida, south florida history, south florida kayak, south florida lighthouses, surfski touring, Tequesta, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, upper keys, water quality, white mooring buoys, wrecking, wrought iron. 1 Comment

Today is National Lighthouse Day!

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In South Florida we have several lighthouses – celebrate by visiting one. Some are on land and accessible to everyone, others are out at sea over the Florida Keys reef chain. They are just a small subset of all the lighthouses in Florida!

Presented here in order from north to south, starting with Jupiter Lighthouse and ending with Sand Key Lighthouse. You can take a virtual peek or an extended tour of the one’s that I have paddled out to.

These lighthouses were beacons in their day and

today remain beacons in time as integral parts of South Florida history!

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(click on any pic for more!)

Jupiter Inlet – the Red Lighthouse kayak paddle.

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Kayaks at Hillsboro Lighthouse at the inlet.
Note the difference in water quality and spot the Blimp! 😮
Click for interactive 360 aerial panorama.

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Cape Florida lighthouse on Key Biscayne at Bill Baggs State Park, aerial seagull’s eye view.
Click for interactive panorama!

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Kayaking the Biscayne Bay triangle: Cape Florida – Fowey Rocks – Soldier Key!

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Boca Chita – kayaking to a Fantasy Island on Biscayne Bay!
(This is a decorative lighthouse, but worth seeing nonetheless.)

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Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

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Kayaking to Alligator Light Reef (lighthouse) .. of Fishes, Wreckers, Pirates and Keys History!

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Sombrero Reef Lighthouse – visiting the tallest of the reef lights via kayak!

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Lower Keys paddling to American Shoal Lighthouse on the edge of the Gulf Stream!

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Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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Then there are also a few more historic lighthouses like the Key West lighthouse , and two more in the Dry Tortugas that I hope to visit soon! 🙂

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More lighthouse information: