Just when you think you’re out, they pull you back in.

Tall tales of things that fret about and

go bump in the night.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

There are mangrove fingers that hold me tight ..
Tall tales from the Everglades – Act I

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

.

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

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.

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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:

This is a work of fiction. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely intentional. 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!

.

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!

Seeking Higher ground and

Faith in Numbers in the Lower Keys!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

You wouldn’t want to go home half baked!

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

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

.

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 – A celestial alignment of the Sun, the Earth and the Moon created an event that hadn’t happened since 1982!

I decided to paddle out to the

Johnson Key Chickee camping platform to

observe, enjoy and photograph this rare event.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

The totality of the eclipse hath descended upon my camp!
Harvest moon, Super moon, Blood moon and High Tides of an Eclipse Tetrad!

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The supermoon took it’s place in the sky as

unsuspecting creatures carried on!

The deep darkness brought on by the eclipse and the ever rising water levels reminded me of a powerful poem by the famous Czech author Karel Jaromír Erben. His book ‘Kytice z pověstí národních‘ – A Bouquet of Folk Legends (or just ‘Kytice‘ for short) is a collection of poems based on Slavic mythology and folk themes, long considered to be one of the greatest works of Czech literature.

.

These are the lines that ran through my head as the tide crept up in the darkness:

(in Czech, of course!)

„Ach nechoď, nechoď na jezero,
zůstaň dnes doma, moje dcero!
Já měla zlý té noci sen:
nechoď, dceruško, k vodě ven.“

(* My best English translation *)

“Don’t go, don’t go to the lake,
Stay at home today, my daughter!
I dreamt frightful dreams in the night:
Don’t go, my darling daughter, to the water.”

(* Read the rest of the poem: English translation by Susan Reynolds*)

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Updated full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/harvest-moon-super-moon-blood-moon-and-high-tides-of-the-final-tetrad-eclipse-of-2015/

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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 – Where the people aren’t, the ultimate luxury!

Take a break on Florida Bay,

it’s

“Where the People Aren’t”.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Pit stop on a tiny island day use area, Everglades National Park.
Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay – Kayaking, Camping and Nice Dreams!

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A tropical marine wilderness just

outside the world of people.

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.

However there is an irresistible allure to those keys hovering on the horizon as if mirages, but they are real places!

.

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 Time-release Dose – This story is true, only the facts have been changed.

Tall tales of things that fret about

and go bump in the night.

.

(tap or click to read)

Wait, I’m not ready to see all this light!
Tall tales from the Everglades – Act I

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Thousands of arachnids waiting for first light

to satisfy their appetite!

.

Full story at:

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

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.

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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.

Nestled between the Safety Valve and

the Gulf Stream,

a neat triangular route can be plotted out.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Cape Florida – Fowey Rocks – Soldier Key!

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

I can take comfort in three things:

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

.

The distances involved made for a nice workout and the triangle

points provided me with many photographic opportunities!

.

Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/urban-paddling-in-south-flaariduh-florida/kayaking-the-biscayne-bay-triangle-cape-florida-fowey-rocks-soldier-key/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

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

“Fantasy Island”.

Whereas in the past it was private playground for the

rich and famous, today anyone can visit this island.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Black Point to Boca Chita Key:

Twenty one miles of open water paddling on Biscayne Bay!

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

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

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

you are truly on island time!

.

Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – It’s been a long cold winter in the Everglades!

Presenting the case for alternative facts:

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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!

.

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 – 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!

.

(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!

.

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.

.

(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!

.

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

.

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – The key to a Higher Ground was my Faith in Numbers!

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

Part III

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

.

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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.

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

Part II

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

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

be improved upon, even after thousands of years.

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Summertime kayaking and exploration of the

lower Keys backcountry.

Part I

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

You wouldn’t want to go home half baked!

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Test paddling my new wing paddle with a 27 mile Florida Bay day trip.

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

my new blade for a thorough testing!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

but the trip was a real pain in the arse.

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

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

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

Fitness, Adventure and Art on Florida Bay!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – “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 – Paddling in the zone on Florida Bay!

The Florida Bay Mental Health Plan.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

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Taking care of mind, body & soul!

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – 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 – Presenting the case for alternative facts.

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.”

Black Point to Boca Chita Key:

Twenty one miles paddling on Biscayne Bay.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

you are truly on island time!

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(Title quotation from Ralph W. Sockman)

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – You can get there from here!

Connecting streams of the Everglades:

River – Slough – River!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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The term “Lost Portage” is used to describe an

inland connection between two streams originating

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

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

Before they become actual rivers of the Everglades:

connecting the Broad River and the Harney – Shark Rivers.

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

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

shortest amount of time with some long daily paddling miles!

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Full story:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Our universe up in the night sky above.

The show is free and there are no commercials!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Tune in anytime, however expect to see some reruns.

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

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

Get out there and enjoy the dark nights in Everglades!

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

I bet most people have no idea what

no-see-ums actually look like,

so here you go!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

They will find you or your tent!

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Adventures on the endless

“River of Grass”!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Fishy fisheye tales from the Everglades!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Taking care of mind, body & soul!

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Giving Thanks – 30 year Kayakversary of

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

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Every paddle is like a new beginning and always different –

the eternal freshness of a new beginning.

Paddling never gets old!

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

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! Bless UP & TESTIFY

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

A a large clearing with a small dock

deep in the Everglades.

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

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Canepatch is far away from everywhere,

but as they say – location is everything.

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – 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!

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

First National Bank on Florida Bay, that is!

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

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

The stick up job was my pole aerial photography!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Thousands of spiders waiting for first light

to satisfy their appetite.

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Mathematics is the language of the universe,

so it makes sense to have faith in numbers!

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

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

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂