Keep moving through the landscape ahead of the monsters!

That one Halloween we had on the

Taylor Slough of the Everglades.

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(tap or click pic to read)

The hungry ghost of a gator snaps at inquisitive paddlers.
Halloween on the Taylor Slough.

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Grass paddling is a local Everglades specialty!

While free ranging is always possible, it’s usually best to save the energy by mostly sticking to (relatively) well established canoe and NPS airboat trails as much as possible. Poling, pushing, and paddling – it’s all good on the slough. This Halloween trip followed down the Taylor Slough and then the Craighead Pond Canoe Trail, eventually exiting at the Nine Mile Pond Canoe Trail. The upper part of Taylor Slough is a beautiful area, paddling amongst Cypress trees with mixed vegetation. Then the further south we went, the more open and prairie-like the landscape became. We kept moving across this wide open watery landscape until again being corralled into channels by coastal mangroves.

Then we ran out of daylight and it got real dark ..

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/sloughs/halloween-on-the-taylor-slough/

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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 – Chief Chekika and the Indian Key massacre on August 7, 1840.

Chief Chekika’s Island hideout in the Everglades.

A nearly forgotten place,

yet an important piece of Florida history!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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The infamous Indian Key raid and massacre that occurred

on this day in 1840 fits into the much broader

context of the Second Seminole War.

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

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

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

Mother, should I trust the Government?

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

An invitation to paddling forgotten trails of

Gladesmen,

Gator hunters, Outlaws and Moonshiners

in the Everglades!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

Paradoxically this area is at once the most visited,

yet also the least explored!

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

That’s what the good natured airboat operator

quipped as he pulled into the hammock camp.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

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Full story at:

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

Revised and updated for your reading pleasure!

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! Bless UP

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© 2022 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – “FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS SALE OR REUSE OF THIS BOTTLE”

Take this bottle!

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(tap or click pic to read)

I spotted what at first looked like a junk plastic bottle from a distance.
Post Hurricane Irma high water paddling in the Everglades!

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I found this pint size flask bottle in the Everglades near Sweet Bay Pond, very close to where the old Ingraham Highway made a sharp 90 degree turn due south towards Flamingo.

The embossed text on it reads:

“FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS SALE OR REUSE OF THIS BOTTLE”

It pertains to a Federal law that went into effect in 1935 and was on the books until 1964.

The law was intended to prevent illegal distillers from refilling legitimate bottles with their moonshine!

This is a vintage bottle from the post-Prohibition era!

So it’s not quite a cultural artifact, and whether or not it was part of a clandestine moonshine operation or just somebody’s personal refuse we shall never know. But there were many moonshine operations in the Everglades for years even after the end of Prohibition!

High water paddling and poling

the interior Everglades prairies on the

“Pa-Hay-Okee”.

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/interior/post-hurricane-irma-high-water-paddling-in-the-everglades/

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Real liquor still site hidden deep in the Everglades’ 10000 Islands:

ART at Liquor Still Bay – hidden history in the Everglades

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Crossing paths of Gladesmen, Gator hunters, Outlaws & Moonshiners: An invitation to paddling forgotten trails of the Everglades!

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Grass Paddling in the East Everglades Expansion Area – History, Gladesmen & more Grass!

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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 – Something is missing in this picture!

What’s missing can be seen literally

from a mile away.

Hint: It’s should be in the middle of the chickee!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Birds hang out on the Johnson Key Chickee roof all the time. In fact most of the structure can be covered in guano at times. Always bring several tarps!
Hurricane Irma impacts on the Johnson Key Chickee in Florida Bay.

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OK, it’s simple – the Porta Potty is gone with the wind. The strong wind from Hurricane Irma, that is – never to be seen again! This picture was taken just after the hurricane and before the Johnson Key Chickee was reopened for camping. Note the birds, indicating that it is somewhat covered in bird guano. But sometimes all is not as it may seem!

See:

Is it ART or is it bird shit?

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This 12 mile round trip also served as “sea trials” to see how my customized Trident 11, aka “Pa-Hay-Okee” would handle actual open water conditions. As it were, that particular day was a lil windy, with a brisk cold front bringing cool north winds of about 15 – 18 knots. I got to paddle my little boat six miles downwind and six miles back upwind! I have to say, that while no sea kayak, this boat handles and tracks reasonably well for a short 11.5 foot SOT kayak. She responds well to limited edging (by her width) and picks up swells to ride easily. I used a wing paddle exclusively and it was a good combination. I just had to watch out a little for the “catch”. I also gained good insight into what casual paddlers in sit on top kayaks (or other short boats) would face when paddling in open water conditions like this!

Full story at:

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

Exploring the Slough and Sawgrass Prairies

of Shark Valley.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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The lunatics are on the Grass,

Got to keep those loonies off the trail!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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“Shark Valley with a Twist!”

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

“I know that the airboat and the kayak

can coexist peacefully!”

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

The first bridge over troubled waters.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

However with careful science-based research,

planning and management,

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Everglades Invitational 2021 Paddling Event:

“Craighead Pond Canoe Trail”

accessed via Nine Mile Pond.

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

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Close encounters of the airboat kind,

but also some of the most beautiful

mangrove tunnels

that you’ll find anywhere!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – An inviting Everglades mangrove maze.

Mahogany Hammock – Lane Bay loop through

the Bill Ashley jungles.

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

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

This maze like area only allows single file paddling through

narrow creeks and water leads.

Some of these actually connect to form a path through!

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Shine on you crazy Outlaws!

Time portal into the old Ten Thousand Islands:

(Enter at own Risk)

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

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Hidden history in the Everglades at Liquor Still Bay.

((( cue soundtrack )))

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

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

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

live a full life in the original Everglades!

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Paddling under mangrove roots

on a sea of periphyton

with that big blue sky.

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

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It’s a beautiful thing!

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

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – That one Halloween on the Taylor Slough.

Poling, pushing, paddling is all good

as long as you keep moving through the

landscape ahead of the monsters!

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The hungry ghost of the gator snaps at paddlers, is it lunch time yet?
Halloween on the Taylor Slough.

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Paddling down the Taylor Slough and on the Craighead Pond Canoe Trail, exiting at the Nine Mile Pond Canoe Trail inside Everglades National Park. The upper part of Taylor Slough is a beautiful area, paddling among Cypress trees and mixed vegetation. The further south we go, the more open and prairie-like the landscape becomes. Grass paddling is one local Everglades specialty, and usually entails taking advantage of any existing airboat or other trails. Free ranging is possible, but it’s best to save the energy on longer trips such as this one by mostly sticking with the well established NPS airboat trail.

After we paddled off into the sunset, it got dark, real dark!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/sloughs/halloween-on-the-taylor-slough/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Thoughts on Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Chief Chekika.

His nearly forgotten place in the Everglades

is an important piece of

South Florida history!

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The western sun permeates the wet hammock land of Chekika Island.
Chief Chekika’s not so secret island hideaway in the Everglades!

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“If you arrive in time

In the thinly thatched camp

Beyond the notice of dreams

You find the warriors

Forging the weapons of sleep

So they do not scurry

Into the closing throat

Of the great freshwater swamp”

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Poem excerpt from “Hammock Land“ by Richard Irving Broughton.

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Chief Chekika was a leader in his people’s struggle against the US Government’s genocidal policies, generally referred to as the Second Seminole War. This war was a direct result of a very dark chapter in American History called the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the ensuing Trail of Tears. It’s because of this that dislocated native peoples were driven deeper down into Florida and eventually the Everglades. The systematic destruction of native culture, removal and outright genocide was official government policy. Sadly this grave injustice has yet to addressed by our government nearly 200 years later!

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More at:

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

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! Bless UP

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© 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 – ‘Pa-Hay-Okee’ is a modern plastic take on a ‘Glades Skiff’ type backcountry boat.

This one may seem like a basic plastic SOT kayak, but is actually a very versatile backcountry boat.

It’s the boat to have in

the grass and on the slough! 🙂

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Pa-Hay-Okee is a customized Ocean Kayak Prowler 11T (Trident).
In the Everglades backcountry being able to stand in your boat is essential to know where you’re going.
Seen here on “Main Street” in the middle of the Shark River Slough, i.e. the “River of Grass”.

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The Trident 11 does great in the grass!
Pictured with a short and stout “storm paddle” Greenland style stick. I could go into battle with this one!

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Stretching out on my Pa-Hay-Okee in a sea of Periphyton
While it may look gross, it does not smell, isn’t slimy and is actually an indicator of a healthy ecosystem!
Periphyton rinses off easily when wet, but sticks like crazy once it dries!!

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The Trident 11 is the boat to have when the water runs out .. 😉
I find it pairs well with wooden paddles and the center hatch is excellent for ease of access.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/everglades-national-park/interior/post-hurricane-irma-high-water-paddling-in-the-everglades/

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Pa-Hay-Okee on wheels during a short portage.
This type of kayak lends itself well to short range backcountry off trail exploration and photography.
Post Hurricane Irma high water paddling in the Everglades!

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Now that fall season in South Florida is just around the corner, it’s time to dust off Pa-Hay-Okee – my Trident 11 kayak.

This is not a review or a product endorsement, just passing on some knowledge of using and customizing this craft. The boat is certainly no speedster, nor a high performance play boat, but a versatile little boat well suited for interior Everglades exploration. I consider this my plastic equivalent of a classic “Glades Skiff” boat (more or less). For someone about my size (6’2″ and 160 lbs) it’s pretty much an ideal boat. Stable enough to stand on and paddle standing up (SUP style), with plenty of room for lots of gear inside, very comfortable and short enough and nimble to turn on a dime. The center access hatch is a dream for photography and lightweight at 55 lbs to solo carry, car top and push/pull come what may. Mine happens to be in the camo colors theme and is also rigged up for some fishing should I ever decide to do that as well!

Prowler 11T dimensions:

11′ 5″ long x 30.5″ wide
Weight: 54 lbs
Capacity: 350-400 lbs

Note that this one is a slightly older generation model which is actually better than the newest models which are unfortunately 15-20 lbs heavier due the all the new fancy seating and other gizmos. If you find a clean example get it, then you can customize it to your liking without having to lug around a 70+ lb boat!

As previously stated, the Prowler 11T / Trident 11 is a great fishing and hunting boat – and this includes photography, which is like a form of hunting. Or at least the stalking part. 😉

I normally consider my photography to be a victimless crime and I usually get away with it!

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The Trident 11 can handle open water too and remains reasonably dry on the inside. It’s speed is nothing to write home about, but on par for a short 11 foot SOT.
Hurricane Irma impacts on the Johnson Key Chickee in Florida Bay.

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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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© 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!

🙂

Everglades Exploration Network 2017 Invitational paddle at Mahogany Hammock.

Paddling the 2017 EEN Invitational with the

“Pa-Hay-Okee“!

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(Click pic to enter)

Paddling in the transition zone between the open ‘Glades prairies and the mangrove coastline through a maze of creeks and water leads!
Mahogany Hammock – Lane Bay loop of the 2017 Invitational paddle!

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

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BLESS!

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© 2017 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!

With that said..
Blessings friends!

Visiting Chief Chekika’s not so secret island hideaway in the Everglades!

 Contemporary Everglades exploration series:

“Chekika Island”

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Click on any pic to enter inside!

Dude, where’s my kayak?

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The tallest trees on Chekika Island are the many fine Mahogany specimens.

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Sawgrass is sharp as a razor when it rubs you the wrong way! 😉

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A nearly forgotten place,

yet an important piece of Florida history!

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

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Enjoy!

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! Bless UP – Stronger

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© 2016 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!

With that said..
Blessings friends!

.

Panoramas from Chief Chekika’s Island aka ‘Hanging People’

Panoramic previews of a visit to

Chief Chekika’s Island hideout in the Everglades.

A nearly forgotten place,

yet an important piece of Florida history!

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(each image opens into a new tab)

Chekika Island one mile away from the L-67 levee south of Tamiami Trail.
FWC chopper on patrol!
CLICK for interactive panorama!

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Dragonfly aerial view of Chekika Island hammock in the Everglades.
CLICK for interactive panorama!

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Final approach to Chekika Island!
CLICK for interactive panorama!

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Gorgeous lush and wet pond-trench along the perimeter of the higher interior of Chekika Island.
CLICK for interactive panorama!

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Dry interior “clearing” on Chekika Island with mostly Mahogany and some Gumbo-limbo trees.
Note the old scientific equipment!
CLICK for interactive panorama!

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Near the southern end of the dry interior of Chekika Island.
Is this where the camp once stood?
CLICK for interactive panorama!

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Visiting Chief Chekika’s island hideaway in the Everglades!

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Where in the world is Chekika Island? What’s the big deal?

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Why is it important?

Click for full story:

Chief Chekika’s not so secret island hideaway in the Everglades!

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

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More panoramas at:

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

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! Bless UP

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© 2016 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!

With that said..
Blessings friends!

.

A kayak journey under the Bridge – the One-mile Tamiami Trail bridge!

Water under the Bridge – a new chapter in the story of the Everglades!

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Paddling under the Everglades Skyway – the one-mile Tamiami Trail bridge over Shark River slough
CLICK for story!

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

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Enjoy!

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© 2016 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!

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Under the Bridge
! Bless

…

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!

With that said..
Blessings friends!

Shark Valley with a Twist! (On the Grass with wheels, bicycles and paddles)

Video account of a short adventure that took all day.

Kayaking to Seagrape Hammock, aka Willoughby Key in the Everglades!

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“Shark Valley with a Twist!”

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Read full story here:

Kayaking at Shark Valley – A visit to Seagrape Hammock, aka Willoughby Key!

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

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Special thanks to David Warfel for collaborating and creating this entertaining video!

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Enjoy!

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© 2016 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!

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! BLESS – Breathe in the Air

Taylor Slough 2015 Invitational paddle – Halloween edition!

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Just when you thought it was safe for Thanksgiving ..

it’s time for

Halloween on the Taylor Slough!

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(click any pic to enter)

Charlie and Frank paddling it out in the grass on the 2015 EEN Taylor Slough Halloween Invitational run!

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Hey Charlie, stay out of the passing lane, will ya!

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Jim grass paddling at the 2015 EEN Taylor Slough Halloween Invitational!

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T”was Halloween on the slough!

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Lighting up the darkness on Craighead Pond.

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Finish before dark on Halloween ? A ha ha ha ha .. ha!

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Halloween on the Taylor Slough!

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! BLESS

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© 2015 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!

With that said..
Blessings friends!

.

Poling and Paddling: Everglades Conservation Areas – the case for Grass Paddling!

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Modes of travel in the Everglades:

Yesterday, today & tomorrow!

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(click pic)

Grass paddling and poling in the Everglades Water Conservation Areas.
CLICK for story!

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Enjoy!

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! BLESS

Pedal and Paddle in Shark Valley: The kayak and the wheel, a symbiotic relationship.

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A short adventure that took all day..

kayaking to Seagrape Hammock, aka Willoughby Key in the Everglades!

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(click pic)

Aerial dragon fly view of Seagrape Hammock aka Willoughby Key in the Shark River slough.
CLICK for story!

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

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Enjoy!

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Green Grass & High Tides
BLESS!

 

Grass paddling in the Shark River Slough plus a sweet view from above the canopy of Seagrape Hammock!

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PREVIEW:

A panoramic preview to a visit to Seagrape Hammock, aka Willoughby Key in the Everglades.

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(click pics)

Hard going grass paddling on an old airboat trail enroute to Seagrape Hammock.
CLICK for 360 spin-around!

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This is the same view that Hugh L. Willoughby would have seen in 1898 when he climbed a tree on this island to ascertain his position in the Everglades.

He determined that he was roughly in the middle of the Shark River Slough – half way between Big Cypress to the west and the coastal Pine ridge in the east.

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If you zoom in, you can just make out the Shark Valley tower on the horizon!

Aerial view from above the tree canopy of Seagrape Hammock, aka Willoughby Key.
CLICK for spin around 360 panorama from above the canopy!

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As per the 1898 classic book “Across the Everglades“, by Hugh L. Willoughby.

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Stay tuned for a follow up story ..

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Enjoy!

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Try more interactive panoramas here:

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

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Green Grass and High Tides.
BLESS!

 

The neon day-glo airboat Mothership of the Sawgrass Prairies!

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PREVIEW:

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I know that the airboat and the kayak can coexist peacefully !

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(click pics)

On the neon day-glo Mothership of the Sawgrass Prairies!
CLICK for interactive airboating panorama over the endless sawgrass expanses!

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The airboat – kayak Mothership of the Otter Clan!

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Siempre Loving the Everglades! 🙂

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Special thanks to Houston Cypress and Renée Manyari of

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 Love the Everglades Movement,

an organization  which promotes awareness of Everglades ecosystem restoration efforts and issues.

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Stay tuned for follow up story ..

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Try more interactive panoramas here:

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

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Different Colors – ONE People. BLESS!

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© 2015 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.

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

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Rising above the matrix – high up in the canopy of a tree hammock island!

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Presented in honor of π day.

Two plates, each with a π full of pixels!

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High up in the canopy, above the matrix on Seagrape Hammock in the Everglades.

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(click pic)

High up in the canopy on a tree hammock island in the Everglades interior!
CLICK for circular panorama!

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 A panoramic preview to a visit to Seagrape Hammock, aka Willoughby Key.

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As per the 1898 classic book “Across the Everglades“, by Hugh L. Willoughby.

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Today is 3-14-15 !

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Enjoy!

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Try more interactive panoramas here:

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

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Fire on High, BLESS!

Paddling, poling and camping on a Miccosukee tree island hammock in the Everglades!

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PREVIEW:

A visit to a special tree island hammock in the Everglades – with interactive panoramas!

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(click pics)

Paddling around a small tree island hammock on an airboat trail in the Everglades.
CLICK for aerial 360 spin around view over the sawgrass expanses!

Enjoy these interactive panoramas from a recent visit to a small tree island hammock paradise in the Everglades.

This special place is called “Antooch-chokole” in the native Hitchiti-Mikasuki language – translated as “Where the little Pot sits”. It has been sacred ground for generations of Miccosukee Native Americans.

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(from AwakentheGrass.com)

View of the island from the kayak on the trail.
CLICK for super-wide panorama of the tree island hammock in Water Conservation Area 3A.

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Chickee huts in the interior of the island hammock. On the horizon is the eastern boundary of Big Cypress National Preserve!
CLICK for aerial view of private hammock tree island interior in the Everglades.

In the above aerial panorama you can spot our host Houston Cypress – at home with his iPad! He is a member of the Miccosukee Otter Clan, who’s family owns this sacred land. Houston is also one of the founders of Love the Everglades Movement, an organization  which promotes awareness of Everglades ecosystem restoration efforts and issues.

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Incredible star gazing in the Everglades on a sacred Native American Miccosukee tree island hammock in Water Conservation Area 3A.
CLICK for starry night super-panorama!

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Special thanks to Houston and Renée Manyari for sharing this special place with me – and allowing me to present a slice of their world to you! 🙂

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Stay tuned for a story to follow real soon..

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Try more interactive panoramas here:

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

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BLESS – Respect!

 

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An invitation to paddling forgotten trails of Gladesmen, Gator hunters, Outlaws & Moonshiners in the Everglades!

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Everglades Exploration Network Invitational 2014 paddle

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An invitation to paddling forgotten trails of Gladesmen, Gator hunters, Outlaws & Moonshiners in the Everglades!

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(click pic)

What’s in your Lard Can?

 

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Adventures in the Bill Ashley Jungles: I’ve seen the Paurotis, but where is my Lard Can?

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“Roots Paddling”, yeah?

Enjoy!

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“Law Fe De Outlaw!“

 

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