Just in time for Spring Break, it’s submarine season in Ft Lauderdale.

That US NAVY submarine is back again!

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(tap or click pic to read)

US Navy Virginia class submarine off the coast of Ft Lauderdale, Florida.
About that US NAVY submarine off Dania Beach.

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I’ve been seeing this sub on and off for years, right offshore from Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Dania Beach.

It’s always in the same area, just south of Port Everglades inlet, about a couple miles offshore. Seems to run a short north – south course paralleling the coast.

Since the 1990s, US NAVY subs have been conducting undersea mapping, listening and other exercises right in this area. The submarines use special detection devices to determine the acoustical and electromagnetic signatures of nearby ships. It’s a part of the South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility, i.e. the Naval Surface Warfare Center located inside Port Everglades. It uses special detection devices to determine the acoustical and electromagnetic signatures of nearby ships. It’s a part of the South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility, i.e. the Naval Surface Warfare Center. The ship itself is a large nuclear powered Virginia-class attack submarine, and here’s a video of a similar one heading out of Port Everglades back in 2015!

The MJ Park, formerly known as John U. Lloyd Beach State Park is the last remaining undeveloped beach and quite possibly the nicest natural place in all of Broward County!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/2022/05/12/the-time-release-dose-about-that-us-navy-submarine-off-dania-beach/

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! Bless UP

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© 2023 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.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 – Celebrating National Lighthouse Day in South Florida.

Today is National Lighthouse Day.

In South Florida we have several lighthouses,

celebrate by visiting one!

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

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

These lighthouses were lifesaving beacons in their day and

today remain beacons of time in South Florida history!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Please note:

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

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

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

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

Safety first means planning and research first!

Always have plenty of fresh water to stay hydrated!

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

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

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

Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

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

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

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

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

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

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More lighthouse information:

List of lighthouses in Florida

Florida Lighthouse Association

Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation

American Lighthouse Foundation

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Enjoy!

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! BLESS

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Happy Birthday to Sand Key lighthouse, July 20, 1853!

One hundred and

sixty-nine years young.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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This is the only offshore Keys reef lighthouse that

I was able to stand under on dry ground.

Nothing quenches thirst quite like a home grown mango!

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

Click for:

The history of the two Sand Key lighthouses

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

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

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Key West.

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Happy Birthday Sand Key Lighthouse!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

That one time I brought my home grown mango

to a watermelon picnic on July 16,

but over 120 years late.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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By coincidence, my mango fiesta privada at Sand Key

was on the same date, thus continuing the picnic.

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

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

This is the only offshore Keys reef lighthouse where

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

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

Kayaking through South Florida

nautical history from Key West!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Happy Birthday to American Shoal lighthouse in the Lower Keys.

The loneliest lighthouse in all the Keys!

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

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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American Shoal lighthouse is the newest of the

offshore reef lights constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

However it is 142 years old now!

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

American Shoal is an almost identical replica to

the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse off Miami.

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

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

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

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

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Happy Birthday American Shoal!

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Full story at:

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

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

The Kayak as a personal

“Declaration of Independence”!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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American Shoal lighthouse is the newest of the

offshore reef lights constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

However it is over 140 years old now!

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

American Shoal is an almost identical replica to

the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse off Miami.

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

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

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

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Happy Birthday America!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Preparation, Attitude and Lady Luck.

If you stay out long enough,

the odds will eventually catch up with you!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Florida Bay is a special kind of place to get away

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

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

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

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

Surrender to the summer HEAT!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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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 – About that US NAVY submarine off Dania Beach.

By now thousands of people have probably noticed

the submarine that’s been appearing just offshore

from Ft Lauderdale – Dania Beach.

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The US NAVY submarine can sometimes even be seen remotely on a web cam! (composite photo)
Dania Beach Pier and Beach WebCam

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The sub is usually seen in the same area, which is just south of Port Everglades inlet, and about a couple miles offshore. It seems to run on a short north – south course, paralleling the coast and always with a police escort.

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US Navy Virginia class submarine off the coast of Ft Lauderdale, Florida.

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The sub itself is a large nuclear powered

Virginia-class fast-attack submarine.

It was designed for anti-submarine warfare and intelligence gathering operations, among other things. Each sub costs $2.8 billion and is being built by General Dynamics Electric Boat in Newport News, Virginia.

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The submarine seems to run on a north-south course, reversing direction repeatedly.

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Sometimes the submarine gets really close to shore, maybe only a mile or so. I’ve tried paddling out towards it previously, but then changed my mind after seeing the police escort boat. 😉

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When the submarine is operating, there is actually an exclusion zone for boaters!

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Rip current hydraulic – a cruise ship so big that it actually drains the water out of Port Everglades inlet!

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Busy Port Everglades activity also includes freighters, private vessels, charter fishing boats, etc.

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Please remember that Port Everglades inlet is a busy SHIPPING LANE and a FULL SPEED boating zone!

DON’T venture inside or cross the inlet unless you know EXACTLY what you’re doing and have a good reason for doing so!

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A large private yacht enters Port Everglades inlet at high speed, framed by the semi-dilapidated inlet jetty.

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 After some research, I found out that since the 1990s, US NAVY subs have been conducting undersea mapping, listening and other exercises right in this area. The submarines use special detection devices to determine the acoustical and electromagnetic signatures of nearby ships. It’s a part of the South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility, i.e. the Naval Surface Warfare Center located inside Port Everglades.

Of course, with the currently tense political climate and the Russian-Ukraine war going on, it’s hard not to link this submarine to it. This wouldn’t be the first time that enemy submarines have been sighted off Florida’s coast. Nazi Germany WWII U-boats and Soviet subs during the cold war, for instance. The whole idea of spying with a submarine is to remain undetected, and very recently the Russians did just that – at least for some time! 😮

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Here’s a video of perhaps the same or a similar one heading out of Port Everglades back in 2015!

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I have paddled right up to a couple of US Navy subs back in the 1990s. This was before 9/11 inside Port Everglades.
I mean right next to it because I recall touching the rubber outer cladding!

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US Navy submarine about two miles offshore Dania Beach, Florida.

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Cinco miles to the Sombrero Reef Lighthouse with the MOJITO.

This story combines open water paddling,

coral reef snorkeling ~and~ interesting bits of

South Florida nautical history with a twist!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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Of course, for a paddling trip to Sombrero Lighthouse,

I had to wear a Sombrero myself.

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

Sombrero-Sombrero

connection! 😮

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – 45 miles of freestyle paddling and camping in a tropical marine wilderness.

Florida Bay is the kind of place to really

get away from it all.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Once out past the first line of keys outside Flamingo,

it’s sometimes possible to go for days without

hearing any background noises whatsoever!

🙂

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

Florida Bay is a step back in time

and just outside the world of people!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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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 – An afternoon delight on Biscayne Bay.

Nestled between the Safety Valve and

the Gulf Stream,

a neat triangular route can be plotted out.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Cape Florida – Fowey Rocks – Soldier Key!

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

I can take comfort in three things:

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

.

The distances involved made for a nice workout and the triangle

points provided me with many photographic opportunities!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Open water paddling to Boca Chita across the Safety Valve on Biscayne Bay.

“Weedless in Miami” – as in using a weedless rudder was key on this trip!

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(tap or click pic to read)

Cape Florida to Boca Chita Key route across the “Safety Valve” of Biscayne Bay is all open water paddling.
Kayak Miami: Bill Baggs to Boca Chita across the “Safety Valve” on Biscayne Bay.

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Bill Baggs to Boca Chita Key:

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

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The “Safety Valve” is about 10 miles of shallow tidal flats with dozens of small channels running across it, east – west with the tide flow. A LOT of water moves through here with the tide flow, exchanging waters from Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Paddling over the Safety Valve presents many advantages over the “cross the bay” southern route in my opinion. Firstly, once over the shallows, you won’t encounter many power boaters and certainly no speeding super yachts! Most you’ll see smaller flats type boats because this is prime area for fishing! Second, if you have time, there are plenty of places to snorkel or swim. Also, it just feels really neat to be out there surrounded by the flats, shoals and small channels. It’s still open water paddling, but it feels more cozy and personal.

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

Once out there on the undeveloped barrier islands of

Biscayne National Park, you are on island time!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/kayak-miami-bill-baggs-to-boca-chita-across-the-safety-valve-on-biscayne-bay/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

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

“Fantasy Island”.

Whereas in the past it was private playground for the

rich and famous, today anyone can visit this island.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Black Point to Boca Chita Key:

Twenty one miles of open water paddling on Biscayne Bay!

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

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

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

you are truly on island time!

.

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

The original first order Fresnel lens from

Fowey Rocks lighthouse stood about 12 feet tall!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Fowey Rocks lighthouse was called

“The eye of Miami”

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

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

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Free ranging to Carysfort Reef Lighthouse off Key Largo.

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

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – US NAVY submarine sighting off Dania Beach.

Offshore open water paddling at

Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park.

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(tap or click pic to read)

US Navy submarine about two miles offshore Dania Beach, Florida.

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I’ve been occasionally seeing this sub off Dania Beach for months, if not years. Probably just conducting exercises or testing, but last week they seemed to be out there every single day!

It’s always in the same area, just south of Port Everglades inlet, about a couple miles offshore. Seems to run a short north – south course paralleling the coast.

Once I spotted it, I paddled out about a mile offshore in my surfski to where the white reef mooring buoys are. The sub was still at least a mile away and heading due south with a police escort.

Thanks to reader feedback, I found out that the sub is conducting undersea mapping and other exercises. It uses special detection devices to determine the acoustical and electromagnetic signatures of nearby ships. It’s a part of the South Florida Ocean Measurement Facility, i.e. the Naval Surface Warfare Center. The ship itself is a large nuclear powered Virginia-class attack submarine, and here’s a video of a similar one heading out of Port Everglades back in 2015!

That coastline is the quiet* and beautiful Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park (MJ Park for short), which also includes Whiskey Creek – a very popular paddling spot.

The Park, formerly known as John U. Lloyd Beach State Park is the last remaining undeveloped beach and quite possibly the nicest natural place in all of Broward County!

(* Quiet not available on weekends!)

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/urban-paddling-in-south-flaariduh-florida/whiskey-creek-john-u-lloyd-state-park/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – The Sombrero at the Sombrero Reef Lighthouse!

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

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

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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I did have some company and swimming was optional!

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

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Exploring American Shoal lighthouse in the Lower Keys.

The loneliest lighthouse in all the Keys!

The American Shoal lighthouse was the last of the offshore

reef lights to be constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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This makes it the newest,

even if it is over 140 years old now!

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

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

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

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Visiting the historic Sand Key lighthouse where the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico mingle.

This story combines offshore open water paddling,

snorkeling and lots of photography

with interesting bits of

South Florida nautical history.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Kayaking into lower Keys

nautical history from Key West!

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

This is the only one of the offshore Keys lighthouses where

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

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My timing was fortunate that I had just enough land

to pull my surfski ‘ONEWAY’ onto!

ONEWAY is my resurrected Shearwater surfski.

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Priceless views outside the world of people!

Kayakfari ART photography brings you

the magic of Florida Bay.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

as if mirages, but they are real places!

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

EVERGLADES LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY and

DIGITAL ART from FLORIDA BAY

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Full story at:

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

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More on paddling and camping on Florida Bay:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – “The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder.”

Black Point to Boca Chita Key:

Twenty one miles paddling on Biscayne Bay.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

you are truly on island time!

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(Title quotation from Ralph W. Sockman)

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Kayaking to Fowey Rocks lighthouse – The eye of Miami!

Re-visiting Fowey Rocks lighthouse via surfski

for a photo and dive adventure trip!

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

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

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

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Offshore Paddling: The six historic Florida Keys lighthouses

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

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! Bless UP

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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 to Boca Chita across the Safety Valve on Biscayne Bay.

Bill Baggs to Boca Chita Key:

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

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

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

Once out there on the undeveloped barrier islands of Biscayne National Park, you are truly on island time!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/kayak-miami-bill-baggs-to-boca-chita-across-the-safety-valve-on-biscayne-bay/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Safety Sombrero hat is the way!

Can a funny hat reduce paddling risks?

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I hope this makes you laugh, in fact I’m counting on it!!

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Most people who are new to paddling always ask “but aren’t you afraid of the (insert) – alligators, crocodiles or sharks”. The truth is however, that at least in South Florida the biggest danger by far to kayakers and paddlers are actually power boaters!

OK so most boaters don’t drive quite like in the picture, but there is a significant percentage who do operate their vessels carelessly and sometimes even maliciously. This is based on many years spent paddling and sharing the waterways all around South Florida with all types of boaters. I am of the opinion that you can tell a lot about a person and their character based on the way they drive .. or boat. Also one can tell a lot about a certain location by the way people are driving and boating. It follows then that people tend to operate their boats much the same way they drive on the highway!

I’d say upwards of 60% of boaters seem to be at the very least self-absorbed, inattentive, inconsiderate speeders and a few downright assholes. Another maybe 30% are normal boaters going about their way who just want to be left alone. The roughly 10% left are actually nice and considerate boaters who might even socially engage with paddlers. This percentage breakdown probably also reflects the general nature of the South Florida population at large.

Of course, there are never any guarantees as evidenced by the boat that crashed into a jetty. C’est la vie! 😉

Regardless, it stands to reason that once out on the water, all paddlers should be as visually conspicuous as possible, especially when paddling near power boaters. A bright colored kayak or board certainly helps, as well as clothing and head wear. Kayakers are notoriously difficult to see from a distance because we sit so low to the water. This is where bright color paddles and head wear really matter because often that’s all a power boater will see until they are almost on top of you! I take this up a notch with a bright orange traffic cone like sombrero hat! If you think it looks funny (and it does), so much the better! Why? Because humor really helps to break the ice, so to speak and lets people adopt a more relaxed and light hearted attitude. This helps safety because now you’re a person, not just a random paddling figure in the distance! It’s also of the the reasons why I alternately often wear giant Mexican sombrero hats (other than for the excellent shade they provide).

I’ve found that the sombrero and cone shape is easily seen from a great distance, and always makes people laugh.

Ultimately to be seen is all that matters to me.

Happy paddling! 🙂

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – The multi-universal Sombrero.

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

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

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Part hat, part umbrella, part wind block,

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

No, it’s never really gone.

But our first fall cold front is right on time!

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

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

Enjoy!

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Paddling South Florida’s Offshore Reef Lighthouses!

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

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The six offshore lighthouses presented:

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

Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

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

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

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

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

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(click on pic to enter portal!)

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

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Please note:

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

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

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

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

Safety first means planning and research first!!

Always have plenty of fresh water to stay hydrated!

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! BLESS

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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!

🙂

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

Offshore Keys paddling to the southernmost

offshore Keys lighthouse

along the edge of the Gulf Stream!

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(click pic to enter)

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

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Kayaking into lower Keys nautical history

from Key West.

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

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Bless UP!

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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!

🙂

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

Offshore Keys paddling:

A journey to the loneliest Keys lighthouse

on edge of the Gulf Stream!

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(click pic to enter)

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

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Kayaking into lower Keys nautical history

from a dead-end road off Sugarloaf Key.

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

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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!

🙂

Crazy from the heat paddling around the Cape Sable ‘Capes’!

Everglades coastal kayaking series:

Paddling an alternate Cable Sable loop

near the end of the hot and wet season!

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How it begins – but will the Sombrero be enough?!

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Full story coming soon on this

photography and adventure paddling trip!

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Read KayakTed’s account here:

https://www.tripline.net/trip/Hell_in_the_Glades_2020_Cape_Sable-0337456215601017822AA36453111954

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Bless UP!

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© 2020 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com . All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂