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

Posted by Kayakfari on July 20, 2022

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

One hundred and

sixty-nine years young.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

.

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 )

.

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.

.

Happy Birthday Sand Key Lighthouse!

.

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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Flex Maslan kayakfari.com rasta 420 happy kayakfari kayak canoe paddle photography adventure fitness awakenthegrass everglades florida

! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – July 16, 1899, a picnic at Sand Key lighthouse off Key West.

Posted by Kayakfari on July 16, 2022

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

That one time I brought my home grown mango

to a watermelon picnic on July 16,

but over 120 years late.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

.

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!

.

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/

.

! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on July 15, 2022

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

The loneliest lighthouse in all the Keys!

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

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

.

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.

.

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.

.

Happy Birthday American Shoal!

.

Full story at:

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

.

! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Happy Independence Day from American Shoal Lighthouse in the Lower Keys.

Posted by Kayakfari on July 4, 2022

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

The Kayak as a personal

“Declaration of Independence”!

.

(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!

.

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.

.

Happy Birthday America!

.

Full story at:

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

.

! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on June 23, 2022

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

If you stay out long enough,

the odds will eventually catch up with you!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

.

Florida Bay is a special kind of place to get away

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

.

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!

.

Full story at:

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

.

! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on June 6, 2022

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

Time to surrender to the hot permeating

wetness of summer! 🙂

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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Now that summer is here,

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

The

“90-90-90”

Over 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade,

over 90 percent humidity and the water also about 90.

.

Stay cool and hydrated,

enjoy the tropical summer!

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Full story at:

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

.

! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on May 5, 2022

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

This story combines open water paddling,

coral reef snorkeling ~and~ interesting bits of

South Florida nautical history with a twist!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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Of course, for a paddling trip to Sombrero Lighthouse,

I had to wear a Sombrero myself.

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

Sombrero-Sombrero

connection! 😮

.

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

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on April 21, 2022

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

Florida Bay is the kind of place to really

get away from it all.

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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/

.

! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on March 3, 2022

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

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

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

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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I did have some company and swimming was optional!

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

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on February 24, 2022

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

The loneliest lighthouse in all the Keys!

The American Shoal lighthouse was the last of the offshore

reef lights to be constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

.

(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

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on February 17, 2022

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

This story combines offshore open water paddling,

snorkeling and lots of photography

with interesting bits of

South Florida nautical history.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Kayaking into lower Keys

nautical history from Key West!

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

This is the only one of the offshore Keys lighthouses where

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

.

My timing was fortunate that I had just enough land

to pull my surfski ‘ONEWAY’ onto!

ONEWAY is my resurrected Shearwater surfski.

.

Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on May 5, 2021

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

Offshore Keys paddling to the southernmost

offshore Keys lighthouse

along the edge of the Gulf Stream!

.

(click pic to enter)

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

.

Kayaking into lower Keys nautical history

from Key West.

.

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

.

Bless UP!

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Posted by Kayakfari on February 10, 2021

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

Offshore Keys paddling:

A journey to the loneliest Keys lighthouse

on edge of the Gulf Stream!

.

(click pic to enter)

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

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

.

Kayaking into lower Keys nautical history

from a dead-end road off Sugarloaf Key.

.

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

.

Bless UP!

.

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

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Happy July 4th from American Shoal Lighthouse!

Posted by Kayakfari on July 3, 2020

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

Happy Independence Day

from American Shoal Lighthouse!

.

(click pic for story)

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

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Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

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Happy Birthday America!

.

More of South Florida’s local lighthouses:

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

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! BLESS

.

© 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.

…

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!

🙂

Sombrero Reef Light – paddling out to the tallest offshore Keys lighthouse!

Posted by Kayakfari on July 9, 2019

Posted in: 42, 420, adventure, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, beach, everglades, fisheye, fitness, flex maslan, florida, Florida Keys, history, kayak, kayak hatch, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, lighthouse, mangrove, mojito, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rasta, reef, rtm disco, sea kayaker, skeleton, sombrero, south florida, summer, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 142 feet focal plane, 1858, 2019, 42, 420, adventure, adventure paddling, Alexander Mitchell, Architect I.W.P. Lewis, art, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, beacon, blue water, cast iron, Cayo Sombrero, Conservation, Coral Reef, coral research, crystal clear water, decorated reality, DecoratedReality.com, digital art, distance paddling, Сомбреро, east sister rock, ecology, education, environment, Everglades Art, fire coral, First-order fresnel lens, fisheye, fisheye lens, fitness, fitness paddling, flex maslan, Florida, florida keys, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida Keys Reef Lights, florida landscape, florida reefs, fresnel, fresnel lens, Frigate Birds, George Meade, ghost, gulf stream, gulfstream, History, iron foundation pilings, iron pile, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak fitness, kayak florida keys, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, key vaca, keys, keys lights, keys paddling, keys pirates, keys snorkeling, landscape, lighthouse, Man-O-War Bird, marathon, mexican sombrero, mojito, mojito kayak, mooring buoys, Mustard Hill Coral, nautical history, no fishing, ocean kayak, open water, open water paddling, panorama, pentax wg-3, Photography, piracy, prop scars, reef photography, richard white, RTM, rtm disco, satellite, satellite view florida keys, Sea Kayaker, sea sickness, seasick, seven mile bridge, ship wreck, shipwreck, skeleton, snorkel, soft coral, sombrero, Sombrero adventure to Sombrero Reef Lighthouse, sombrero beach, sombrero key, Sombrero Key Sanctuary Preservation Area, sombrero light, sombrero lighthouse, Sombrero on Sombrero, sombrero reef, sombrero reef lighthouse, south florida kayak, spur and groove reef, state park, straightpile, summer, summer heat, surrender to the heat, the Keys, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical paddling, tubular skeletal tower, turquoise water, turtle grass, Viva!, VRB-25, water, werner pegasus, werner wing paddle, west sister rock, white mooring buoys, willis parker, wing paddle, wreckers, wrecking, wrought iron. Leave a comment

Open water Sombrero adventure

paddling into middle Keys nautical history

off Marathon.

.

(click pic to enter!)

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

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

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Fitness, Adventure and Art in one trip!

.

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 – Сомбреро

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© 2019 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com . All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

From sunny to sundry – North Nest Key, Joe Bay and tropical storm Gordon!

Posted by Kayakfari on October 25, 2018

Posted in: 42, 420, aerial, answer 42, awakenthegrass, beach, camping, cooking, cosmos, east everglades, everglades, everglades art, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, humor, hurricane, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, mangrove, miami, Milky Way, night, paddle, panorama, pentax q, photography, rain, sea kayaker, south florida, space, stars, summer, tropical. Tagged: 1948, 42, 420, adventure, awakenthegrass.com, Beach, blackwater sound, Blessings, bogart, camping, Camping with the Stars, caribbean club, circular fisheye, Cloud9, clouds, downpour, dusenbury creek, east florida bay, Everglades, everglades adventure, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, face shield, fbo, feel irie, fisheye lens, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida bay outfitters, florida keys, florida rain, fun photography, gordon storm, Greenland stick, humor, hurricane irma, irie, irma, irma impact, island, joe bay, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak everglades, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, Kayak Ted, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, key largo, key largo film, key largo tower, labor day, light pollution, lightning, mangrove seedling, mangroves, Miami Kayak, microwave tower key largo, milky way, milky way galaxy, Mr Spock, nest key camping, nest key kayak, nest keys, North Nest Key, Paddle, paddling, paddling in the rain, panorama, pentax q, Photography, plan b, rain, rain showers, raining, rasta, roots paddling, Sea Kayaker, South Florida, south florida kayak, Spiritwalker, squall, stars, storm, summer, summer camping, summer camping everglades, summer heat, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, summer rain, summer storms, surrender to the heat, tent, Thaddeus Rice, the boggies, thunder, thunder storm, torrential rain, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, tropical storm, ts gordon, water, weekend, wet, wetness. Leave a comment

When Tropical Storm Gordon blows into town,

Plan B happens!

.

(CLICK on either pic to enter!)

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

Sunny camping on North Nest Key, Labor Day weekend 2018.
North Nest Key, Joe Bay and tropical storm Gordon!

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From this to that!

But what about take #2 ?

.

Paddling in a heavy downpour in eastern Florida Bay near the Nest Keys.
North Nest Key, Joe Bay and tropical storm Gordon!

.

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

.

! BLESS

.

© 2018 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.

…

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!

🙂

Five days of hot summer camping and cruising on magical Florida Bay!

Posted by Kayakfari on July 31, 2018

Posted in: 1000mm lens, 42, 420, aerial, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, beach, Big 10 inch, birding, camping, chickees, cooking, cosmos, decorated reality, everglades, everglades art, Everglades birds, extreme birdwatching, first national bank, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, GIF, hat, humor, hurricane, island, july 4th, Julyer, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, keys, landscape, little rabbit key, mangrove, marine trash, Milky Way, moonlight, night, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, sea kayaker, sombrero, south florida, stars, summer, sun, surreal art, tropical. Tagged: 42, 420, adventure, afternoon storms, art, awakenthegrass.com, bay scrag, Beach, big hat, Blessings, blue green, camping, carl ross key, chickee, chickee camping, Cloud9, clouds, coconut water, decorated reality, digital art, digital029art, dildo key bank, east cape, Everglades, everglades adventure, Everglades Art, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, extreme chilling, face shield, feel irie, first national bank, fisheye lens, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida keys, florida rain, freshwater, fun photography, Greenland stick, gulf of mexico, heat, hot, hot and buggy, hot sun, humid, humor, ice cold, irie, island, Jenn Call, Johna Till Johnson, johnson key, Johnson Key Chickee, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak everglades, kayak fitness, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, landscape photography, lightning, little rabbit key, mango, Mangrove bloom, Mangrove blossom, mangrove seedling, mangroves, mexican sombrero, Miami Kayak, mud flats, Paddle, paddling, paddling in the rain, Painen Dias, panorama, pentax q, permeating wetness, Photography, rain, rain showers, raining, rasta, red alert, roots paddling, Sandy Key, santa sombrero, Sea Kayaker, shark point, Shark Point Chickee, shields up, sky, snake bight, sombrero, South Florida, south florida kayak, squall, storm, summer, summer camping, summer camping everglades, summer heat, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, summer rain, summer storms, sun, sun protection, sun shade, sunshine state, surrender to the heat, tent, thunder, thunder storm, tides, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, water, water levels, wet, wet season, wetness, widely scattered showers, windagainstcurrent.com. 1 Comment

Freestyle leisure paddling and camping in a

tropical marine wilderness!

.

(CLICK on any pic to enter!)

flex maslan kayakfari florida bay kayak loop summer paddle everglades chickee Camp mud flats tide turtle grass Keys heat satellite

Summer casual camping loop of Central and Western Florida Bay over 5 days and 4 nights.
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!

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Summer adventure paddling and camping in South Florida’s Everglades!

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Jenn paddles up to the Johnson Key Chickee v3.0 in the mid day heat!
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!

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Setting up camp at Little Rabbit Key in the middle of nowhere. 😮
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!

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Storms all around!!
Everglades hot summer camping and cruising – the Central & Western Florida Bay loop!

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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 – July Morning

.

© 2018 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.

…

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!

🙂

Summer is here, surrender to the HEAT – Resistance is Futile!

Posted by Kayakfari on June 28, 2018

Posted in: 42, 420, answer 42, Art, awakenthegrass, banana boat, beach, camping, chickees, everglades, everglades art, first national bank, fisheye, flex maslan, florida, florida bay, Florida Keys, fowey rocks, ft lauderdale, hat, ice, island, kayak, kayakfari, kayakfari.com, kayaking, key biscayne, landscape, lighthouse, little rabbit key, mangrove, miami, paddle, panorama, pentax, photography, rain, reality check, sea kayaker, seda glider, sombrero, south florida, summer, sun, ten thousand islands, tropical. Tagged: 10 thousand, 10000 islands, 10k islands, 42, 420, adventure, afternoon storms, art, awakenthegrass.com, banana boat, bay scrag, Beach, big hat, Biscayne Bay, Blessings, blue green, camping, camping ten thousand islands, canoe everglades, chickee, chickee camping, Cloud9, clouds, coconut water, Cumulonimbus cloud, decorated reality, digital art, digital029art, dildo key bank, Everglades, everglades adventure, Everglades Art, everglades camping, everglades exploration, everglades kayak, everglades landscape, everglades national park, everglades panorama, everglades photographer, Everglades Photography, extreme chilling, face shield, feel irie, first national bank, fisheye lens, Flex Kayakfari, flex maslan, Florida, florida bay, florida bay kayak, florida keys, florida rain, fort lauderdale kayak, freshwater, ft lauderdale kayak, fun photography, gloves, Greenland stick, gulf of mexico, heat, heaven and hell, hot, hot and buggy, hot sun, humid, humor, ice cold, irie, island, kayafari, kayak, kayak adventure, kayak art, kayak everglades, kayak fitness, kayak miami, kayak photograher, kayak photography, kayak touring, kayakfari, kayakfari art, Kayakfari ART Photography, kayakfari.com, kayaking, kayaking photography, kayaking ten thousand islands, landscape photography, lightning, little rabbit key, Mangrove bloom, Mangrove blossom, mangrove seedling, mangroves, mexican sombrero, miami, Miami Kayak, Paddle, paddling, paddling in the rain, panorama, pentax q, permeating wetness, Photography, rain, rain showers, raining, rasta, refreshing, resistance is futile, River of Grass, roots paddling, santa sombrero, Sawgrass, Sea Kayaker, seda glider, shade, sky, Slough, sombrero, South Florida, south florida kayak, spf, squall, steam bath, steambath, storm, summer, summer camping, summer camping everglades, summer heat, summer kayaking, summer paddling, summer paddling florida, summer rain, summer storms, sun, sun protection, sun shade, sunshine state, surrender, surrender to the heat, swamp, sweetwater chickee, ten thousand, ten thousand islands, ten thousand islands kayak, tent, thunder, thunder storm, tropical, tropical adventure, tropical back country, tropical kayakfari, water, water levels, wet, wet season, wetness, widely scattered showers. Leave a comment

The forecast calls for a “steam bath” every day.

Surrender to the hot permeating wetness of summer!

🙂

(click pic to enter)

flex maslan everglades kayakfari summer heat kayak paddle camp surrender hot storms sun protection miami florida

Among sea grasses on the flats at high tide, witnessing a large storm over the Everglades mainland to the north.
Surrender to the summer HEAT!

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Imposing cloud formations over the Everglades mainland as seen from First National Bank, Florida Bay.
Quality times like these make the trip worthwhile.
Surrender to the summer HEAT!

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Presenting the Kayakfari summer collection ..
Stay cool all the while looking dashing all summer!
Surrender to the summer HEAT!

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Summer paddling and camping in South Florida and the Everglades!

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

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! BLESS – Surrender

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© 2018 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.

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DISCLAIMER:

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

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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!

🙂

One hundred and

sixty-nine years young.

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!

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Key West.

Happy Birthday Sand Key Lighthouse!

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That one time I brought my home grown mango

to a watermelon picnic on July 16,

but over 120 years late.

By coincidence, my mango fiesta privada at Sand Key

was on the same date, thus continuing the picnic.

This is the only offshore Keys reef lighthouse where

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

Kayaking through South Florida

nautical history from Key West!

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The loneliest lighthouse in all the Keys!

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

American Shoal lighthouse is the newest of the

offshore reef lights constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

However it is 142 years old now!

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 years!

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

Happy Birthday American Shoal!

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The Kayak as a personal

“Declaration of Independence”!

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!

American Shoal is an almost identical replica to

the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse off Miami.

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

Happy Birthday America!

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If you stay out long enough,

the odds will eventually catch up with you!

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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Time to surrender to the hot permeating

wetness of summer! 🙂

The

“90-90-90”

Stay cool and hydrated,

enjoy the tropical summer!

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This story combines open water paddling,

coral reef snorkeling ~and~ interesting bits of

South Florida nautical history with a twist!

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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Florida Bay is the kind of place to really

get away from it all.

Once out past the first line of keys outside Flamingo,