The Time-release Dose – Deep Field Exploration with my kayak and the JWST.

Thanks to the marvel of the

James Webb Space Telescope ,

we can travel the highways of fantasy

here on Earth.

.

(click pic)

“Deep Field Exploration” – camping in silent darkness.
Kayakfari ART photography – ART of Darkness series.
Tidal sandbar, Ten Thousand Islands, Florida.

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Kayakfari Fantasy Art Photography series:

“Deep Space Exploration”

in the Ten Thousand Islands

plus a word from Captain

James T. Sprayskirt:

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“Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Kayakfari. The continuing mission to create strange new artworks, to seek out new campsites and paddling opportunities, to boldly go where no photographer hath gone before.”

(** cue theme music **)

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ART of Darkness – Kayaking the final frontier of imaging and photography.

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Camping with the Stars means going outside to experience the night as all the wild creatures of the earth do, or as closely as modern western society humans can. It is to step away from, and to go outside the world of people. It means to look up at the vast infinity above full of billions and billions of stars and feel humbled. It means to connect with the power of the infinite and transcend our daily, busy modern lives. It also means to stay up close and connected to the rhythms of the heavens and of the earth!

Enjoy the Universe!

.

.

Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-darkness-kayaking-the-final-frontier-of-imaging-and-photography/

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Bless !

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.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

The Time-release Dose – Heaven and Hell ? Heaven or Hell.

Somewhere between

heaven and hell

lies

real Everglades paddling freedom!

.

The Sweetwater chickee camping platform was next on our list. It lies tucked away inside a little ‘finger cove’ of Sweetwater Bay. It is also pretty close to the Everglades interior (i.e. the slough) so the tidal influence was minimal here. I tasted the water and it was pretty sweet, probably good enough to filter. However this may not always be the case at other times of the year!

(tap or click pic to read)

The Sweetwater chickee is aptly named for the water was indeed sweeter!
Heaven or Hell: Summer paddling and camping in the Ten Thousand Islands

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Paddling in the summer heat really feels like being in a steam bath. I tried dunking myself in the water to cool off, but it was not very effective since the water felt like a hot tub. Still, the evaporation of the water did help a tiny bit. I was glad that I used an old somewhat leaky nylon spray skirt rather than my neoprene nice fitting one. The porousness did keep me cooler!

Some people bring sports drinks for hydration. I rely mostly on plain water supplemented with rations of young cocoanut water to replenish the sweated out salts. If you go paddling in the summer, it bears repeating:

Bring twice the amount of drinking water you think you’ll need!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/heaven-or-hell-summer-paddling-and-camping-in-the-ten-thousand-islands/

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! Bless UP

.

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Time to surrender to the hot permeating

wetness of summer! 🙂

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

.

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!

.

Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – 1, 2, 3 – tripping into the wild Everglades!

We can also strive to escape

from our modern domesticated era,

if only for a brief and limited time!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Paddling just as easy as 1 – 2 – 3 ? Perhaps, or perhaps not!
Escape from Babylon into the Ten Thousand Islands.

.

This trip added up to about 84 miles with a nice progression

of  11, 20, 25 and 28 mile days.

A memorable escape into the the Ten Thousand Islands of the Everglades!

The Ten Thousands Islands of southwest Florida have a rich human history that dates back thousands of years. For instance, the Calusa Native Americans prospered here, living off the bounty of the coastal marine zone. Rare in human history, they achieved an advanced level of civilization that was not centered on agriculture. They also left us plenty of evidence of just how much, and how well they ate in the form the “midden mounds”. These are basically garbage heaps, of mostly shells, some reaching very large proportions! The remoteness and isolation of the 10K attracted white settlers in the last 150 years to eek out a living, often on top of those old Calusa shell mounds. Some of the so called settlers were actually seeking a place to escape to, to evade the law, perhaps permanently.

In more recent times, access to the 10000 Islands has become codified with the creation of Everglades National Park and other wildlife sanctuaries. Conveniently spaced campsites which can be “reserved” months ahead of time serve to give a familiar structure to an otherwise wild place. A few people still make a living out there, mostly to get others in and out and help them get the most out of the area.

Still, there are a few hidden gems left where the original story continues!

.

Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/escape-from-babylon-into-the-ten-thousand-islands/

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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 – Delicious silence under the stars.

An invitation from the silent darkness.

Visiting remote destinations that have some of the darkest skies

and best star viewing in the Everglades!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Deep space exploration under the stars in the Ten Thousand Islands.
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part II

.

Ten Thousand Islands photography series:

“It’s full of Stars!”

ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part II

.

Full story at:

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

.

.

.

! 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 serious Moonlight.

The first few minutes of a moon rise

are the most poetic!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Under the serious Moonlight in the Ten Thousand Islands.
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part I

.

The moon’s steady ascent above the horizon is clear evidence of an endless cosmic cycle. From day to night, month to month, epoch to epoch – as our little planet world moves through space and time.

Camping with the Stars means going outside to experience the night as all the wild creatures of the earth do, or as closely as modern western society humans can. It is to step away from, and to go outside the world of people. It means to look up at the vast infinity above full of billions and billions of stars and feel humbled. It means to connect with the power of the infinite and transcend our daily, busy modern lives. It also means to stay up close and connected to the rhythms of the heavens and of the earth!

Remote camping under the full moon is a beautiful

experience not easily forgotten!

.

Full story at:

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

.

.

.

! 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 – Paddling in the Rain!

I’m happy again…

Just Paddlin’ in the Rain!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Wet surfski workout session paddling through Port Everglades in Ft Lauderdale.
Paddling in the Rain, Just Paddlin’ and Campin’ in the Rain .. sing along!

.

(** Cue music **)

Sing along to the music, ya’ll can paddle if you want to ..

Sing along .. Paddling in the Rain, Just Paddlin’ and Campin’ in the Rain!

.

Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/paddling-in-the-rain-just-paddlin-and-campin-in-the-rain-sing-along/

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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 – Goodbye Babylon, bye bye. Hello Everglades tripping!

Escape from Babylon into the

Ten Thousand Islands!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

This simple laminated Google Earth printout sufficed for maybe 90% of my navigational needs.
(For the remaining 10% I thanked Ted’s GPS unit.)
Escape from Babylon into the Ten Thousand Islands.

.

The Ten Thousands Islands of southwest Florida have a rich human history that dates back thousands of years. The Calusa Native Americans prospered here, living off the bounty of the coastal marine zone. Rare in human history, they achieved an advanced level of civilization that was not based on agriculture! They left plenty of evidence of just how much (and how well) they ate in the form the “midden mounds”. These are basically garbage heaps, of mostly shells, some quite large! The remoteness and isolation of the 10K attracted white settlers in the last 150 years to eek out a living, often on top of the old Calusa shell mounds. Some of the so called settlers were actually seeking a place to escape to, perhaps permanently.

In the modern era, we can also strive to escape,

if only for a limited time!

With my paddling partner Kayak Ted, we hatched yet another route plan to take us further south along the Ten Thousand Islands coastline and then visit a few interior campsites on the Wilderness Waterway. One of best things about tripping with Ted is that he’s down with (some of) my oddball suggestions, and sometimes he pulls out one of his own.

Such as, let’s start our 3 night trip at 5pm, day of!

In the end we paddled about 84 miles and had a nice progression of 11, 20, 25 and 28 mile days. The conditions were mostly favorable, the bugs weren’t that bad on this adventure, and it was a great trip in the Ten Thousand Islands.

A fun escape from Babylon into the Everglades outback!

.

Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/escape-from-babylon-into-the-ten-thousand-islands/

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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 – Voices of shellers shrouded in fog.

A blanket of fog covered the sandbar as I was

waking up hearing strange voices in the mist.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

The fog would not deter the shellers from their mission.
Fogged out and hearing voices in the Ten Thousand Islands!

.

At times the fog was so thick that we could only hear the voices in the mist! The place was suddenly full of people, wading and shelling the shoreline and tidal flats. The shellers were busy picking and seemed oblivious to our presence on the sandbar. So I set out to investigate and find their origin.

Fogged out and hearing voices in the Ten Thousand Islands!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/humor/fogged-out-and-hearing-voices-in-the-ten-thousand-islands/

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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 – Fogged out in the Ten Thousand Islands.

Ten Thousand Islands kayaking series:

Second Chance sandbar off Cape Romano.

.

Second Chance sandbar shrouded in fog, January 2022.

.

Taking time to explore these sand shoals we were treated to a rare experience of complete fog out. At times it was so thick that we could only hear the voices in the mist!

The so called “Second Chance” sandbar is an ever changing and dynamic collection of shifting sands in Gullivan Bay. There can be one, two or more small splintered off sandbars just barely above the high tide line. The area lies about a mile southeast off the tip of Cape Romano. It is a part of the Rookery Bay Research Reserve and Second Chance is also a designated Critical Wildlife Area (CWA). As such, access is restricted with the entire area closed off from March 1st to August 31, or whenever nesting birds leave. This helps to insure that the many species of shorebirds have a place to nest free of mainland predators and people!

.

.

Full story coming soon on this

open water adventure camping trip!

.

.

.

! Bless UP

.

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Take this bottle!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

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

.

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

The embossed text on it reads:

“FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS SALE OR REUSE OF THIS BOTTLE”

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

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

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

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

High water paddling and poling

the interior Everglades prairies on the

“Pa-Hay-Okee”.

.

Full story at:

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

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

ART at Liquor Still Bay – hidden history in the Everglades

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

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

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.

.

! Bless UP

.

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Exploring a hidden bit of the colorful old time Everglades history!

Moonshine in the Ten Thousand Islands

of the Everglades.

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Represent! Flying the colors at the launch in Everglades City.
Moonshine in the 10 000 Islands of the Everglades.

.

A simple “overnight” trip,

but with about 42 miles to cover.

On offer in this story is a photo journey of a quest to find a “lost” bit of old Everglades history. It’s the story of a Prohibition era liquor still hidden deep in the mangrove jungles of the Ten Thousand Islands.

It takes us back to the beginnings of the fascinating life story of Chokoloskee resident Loren “Totch” Brown who lived there. If you are not familiar, his book is a must read:

Totch: A Life in the Everglades by Loren G. Brown

With the Liquor Still Bay mission accomplished, we headed out into the Gulf on a slack tide. The paddling was easy and serene, and not at all what the Gulf waters would have waiting in store for us.

It forced us to re-examine our situation!

.

.

Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/moonshine-in-the-10-000-islands/

Revised and updated for your reading pleasure!

.

.

! Bless UP

.

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Fifty miles, three nights and ten thousand skeeters in the Everglades.

Adventure paddling and hellish camping

in the Ten Thousand Islands!

.

(tap or click pic to read)

Emerging from the refuge of the micro-tent / cage after 12+ hours.
Camping Hell in the Ten Thousand Islands.

.

 Revised and updated for your reading pleasure!

Starting with a late departure, this trip seemed all about pushing our luck. It was a 3 day and 3 night kinda trip, if that makes any sense? The idea was to revisit the liquor still in the Everglades we had found earlier, and also see a bunch of places en route. We explored the Gopher Key Calusa mound and then rode Charley Creek out into the Gulf of Mexico, followed by camping at Pavilion Key.

Thanks to skill, perseverance and some luck we were able to visit

all the spots as planned, however the camping was just plain ugly!!

.

Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/camping-hell-in-the-ten-thousand-islands/

.

.

.

! Bless UP

.

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Once upon a time at Cape Romano.

The Australopithecine Island Village

at Cape Romano!

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(tap or click pic to read)

I began to dress like them to fit in, and soon they began to accept me as one of their own.
ART of Cape Romano – The curious inhabitants of Australopithecine Island.

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On a remote island in the Ten Thousand Islands area of the Everglades an isolated tribe of curious Australopithecines took up residence in the Cape Romano dome ruins. For years the clan lived in harmony subsisting on a diet of mostly fish, marine life and herbs. Sometimes they would find ready made food containers with half eaten sandwiches and salads, presumably left behind by the “hairless ones” (whom we call tourists).

These were “feast” days to them, and the living was good!

The hominins soon learned that the “hairless ones” would come twice a day, morning and afternoon, almost like the movement of tides. They would watch from their hiding places and later find other objects the “hairless” sometimes left behind. They made good use of all the things left to them like tents, tarps and plastic cups and wood pieces!

The first Australopithecine I ever met, I named him “George” due to his curious nature! There was also at least one female of breeding age and I called her “Lucy”, along with a young juvenile male “Diego”. Where in the world did he come from?

Long live George and the Australopithecine dream!

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Full story at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-cape-romano-the-curious-inhabitants-of-australopithecine-island/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – See the Rabbit in the Moon, don’t stop Florida!

Once you see the Rabbit in the Moon,

it can not be unseen.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Don’t stop, don’t stop – The Rabbit in the Moon in Florida.
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part I

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Staring at the moon can be a hypnotic experience, yet many creatures are nocturnal. They live and die under the moonlight. I once saw a whole flock of Pelicans gliding in the breezes above me in the moonlight. They flew silently in formations, with only the swoosh of their wings giving them away! The moon’s gravitational pull works ocean tides in an endless cycle. In the Everglades this is particularly apparent, especially in places like the flats of First National Bank in the western part of Florida Bay!

I find great comfort resting under the moonlight

while watching it ride across the night sky.

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“A Trip to the Moon!“

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

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! Dynamix Bless UP
Rabbit in the Moon

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – The Hurricane and the Damage Done.

An overnight visit to Cape Romano

that was three months after

Hurricane Irma had passed directly overhead.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Last rays of sunshine over the Cape Romano dome home ruins!
Paddling the Goodland to Cape Romano loop and camping in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

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Hurricane Irma made landfall directly at Cape Romano at about 3pm EST on Sunday, September 10, 2017 as a Category 3 storm. The 120 mph winds and strong storm surge collapsed two of the six dome home structures and further eroded the coastline. What was once a very wide and large sandy beach at the tip of the cape has been reduced to a tiny strip of sand.

Since the hurricane, there is even less beach left now, and the best camping is a little further north along the western shoreline.

The Goodland to Cape Romano paddling loop amounts to at least 14 miles, with much of it in open water on Gullivan Bay in the Ten Thousand Islands. However this can be a relatively easy paddle for intermediate level paddlers with several semi-sheltered route options depending on weather conditions. You can also hug the shoreline the whole way if you don’t like open water paddling, but it will make for a longer paddle. Evidence of the powerful hurricane can still be seen all along the coastline and the Morgan River.

A reminder of the impermanence of shorelines

and the shifting sands of time!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/paddling-the-goodland-to-cape-romano-loop-and-camping-in-the-aftermath-of-hurricane-irma/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Sugar sand beachcombing, fishing and photography at Camp LuLu.

Fine beach camping and photography at

Camp LuLu in the Ten Thousand Islands.

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(tap or click pic to read)

Buenos días from Camp LuLu beach on the Gulf coast of the Everglades.
Camping at Camp LuLu in the Ten Thousand Islands.

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Camp LuLu is a great place to camp and is popular with paddlers and powerboaters alike. Since it is outside Everglades National Park, no permit is needed, but you still need to respect the private property on the island, such as the green cabin! Excellent place to relax, has weathered deadwood to setup your hammock on. Also great for shelling and just walking along the beautiful sandy beaches.

Like many Gulf campsites beware the Raccoons as they sometimes work in teams! Also if you arrive at low tide, you’ll have several hundred feet of mudflats to explore or fish from. You may consider to bring some pool noodles to use as logs to roll your kayak onto the beach with, lest you get stuck in those mudflats!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/camp-lulu/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Not to worry this chickee tells me ..

Up on Crooked Creek they sent me

to have a little chickee camping fun!

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(tap or click pic to read)

An outback plein air apartment on the creek.
Gone up Crooked Creek to have a little chickee camping fun!

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At about 9 miles out from the Park launch at Everglades City it sits between the Lopez River and Sunday Bay. The paddling distance is about the same whether you come up the Lopez River from the Gulf side or paddle inside via the Turner River.

The Crooked Creek chickee is well positioned as an easy

first night camp for many Ten Thousand Islands trips.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/gone-up-crooked-creek-to-have-a-little-chickee-camping-fun/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Close encounters of the airboat kind,

but also some of the most beautiful

mangrove tunnels

that you’ll find anywhere!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Camping the colorful history of the Everglades – The Watson Place.

An interactive panorama from the

Ten Thousand Islands.

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Camping at the Watson’s Place wilderness backcountry site on the Chatham River in Everglades National Park.
Everglades & KOE Aerial VR Panoramas.

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Many places in the Everglades have a colorful history sometimes famous, sometimes infamous. This human history can also lend a layer of mystery and intrigue to an otherwise ordinary campsite. Such is the case with The Watson Place in the Ten Thousand Islands region. It is named for it’s principal resident Edgar J. Watson, who had a two story house there and ran an agricultural and “food processing” operation. There is much lore and speculation regarding the life and times of Mr Watson and so few facts that the actual truth of his exploits may never be fully known. Suffice to say that a fictionalized fleshing out of his persona in Peter Matthiessen‘s famous novel “Killing Mister Watson” may give us the best interpretation of life in the Ten Thousand Islands at the turn of the 20th century.

One thing that is certainly sure is that Mr. Watson was eventually gunned down by a posse of his neighbors!

Today this is a very popular wilderness backcountry campsite on the Chatham River inside Everglades National Park, though it still inspires ghost stories.

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More Everglades panoramas at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/360-vr-panoramas/everglades-koe-aerial-vr-panoramas/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Shine on you crazy Outlaws!

Time portal into the old Ten Thousand Islands:

(Enter at own Risk)

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

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Hidden history in the Everglades at Liquor Still Bay.

((( cue soundtrack )))

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

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

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

live a full life in the original Everglades!

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Camping with the Stars with a side trip to the Moon.

After watching the moon slowly descend and peacefully set over the Gulf of Mexico, there was an eerie stillness in the pre-dawn glow.

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Moon setting over the lunar-like domes of Cape Romano, October 2008.
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars! Part I

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Eerie full moon solo camping next to the “lunar module” looking domes of Cape Romano when they were still on dry land in October 2008. Originally the separate domes were all connected with walkways and made up one unique island home. I woke up in the pre-dawn hours to watch the moon setting over the Gulf of Mexico.

Remote camping under the full moon is a beautiful experience not easily forgotten!

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

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-cape-romano-the-curious-inhabitants-of-australopithecine-island/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – The Cape Romano dome ruins were a fertile photographic playground!

Ten years after, the domes are underwater and may disappear with the next big storm.

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Hanging out on the Cape Romano dome home ruins in October of 2011.
KAYAKING DESTINATIONS + RANDOM IMAGE GALLERY

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The one of a kind dome homes of Cape Romano ruins were still mostly on dry land in October 2011 when this picture was taken. Originally the separate domes were all connected with walkways and made up one unique island home!

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-cape-romano-the-curious-inhabitants-of-australopithecine-island/

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Tropical Storm Issac officially sank the domes in August of 2012, and subsequent storms further eroded the Cape Romano shoreline.

Finally, Hurricane Irma passed directly overhead on September 10, 2017 and collapsed two of the six domes.

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/paddling-the-goodland-to-cape-romano-loop-and-camping-in-the-aftermath-of-hurricane-irma/

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More at:

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Ten Thousand little messengers from Hell at Pavilion Key.

This picturesque sandy isle in the Ten Thousand Islands first drew blood with it’s namesake.

Today it continues to draw blood by way of mosquitos – well sometimes anyway.

Campers beware! 😉

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“Ten Thousand little messengers from Hell at Pavilion Key”
The Milky Way, Polaris and Big Dipper in the no-so-silent darkness of Pavilion Key.
Camping Hell in the Ten Thousand Islands.

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Pavilion Key is a popular island campsite in the Ten Thousand Islands, inside Everglades National Park. While the beach camping is very nice, the island also hosts a surprisingly large mosquito population for an offshore island. At night in the darkness when the stars are out and the wind drops, it’s not necessarily a silent night! Protected inside the inner sanctum of my tent, I hear a roar of skeeters overhead – buzzing about for hours until a breeze picks up again!

The island’s name harks back two hundred years to a cruel twist of fate for a young blonde virgin who was imprisoned for a time inside a pavilion made of logs and palm fronds on the isle. She was the only “survivor” of a raid on a Dutch merchant vessel by the pirate captain Charles Gibbs. The rest of the ship’s occupants and crew were murdered out on the sea, while she was brought back to this island pirate camp presumably as a sex slave for the captain. Eventually the rest of the crew grew tired of the captain keeping a live witness to their crimes and forced their leader to surrender the girl’s fate. She was reportedly poisoned* in her meal and died an agonizing, slow death. Not long after, the US schooner Porpoise discovered the as yet uncharted island and found her recent grave and the pavilion structure.

Thus the name Pavilion Key!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/camping-hell-in-the-ten-thousand-islands/

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*( Words on the Wilderness: A History of Place Names in South Florida’s National Parks

by Larry Pérez )

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! Bless UP

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Daily Dose – Cape Romano dome homes ten years apart.

Unique and innovative, the Cape Romano dome homes still stand (kinda).

But mother nature has really pulled the rug out from under them!

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Making my final approach onto the tip of Cape Romano in 2011.
The dome homes were still mostly above high tide with lots of beach space all around.

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The distinctive dome homes of Cape Romano were still on (relatively) dry land in 2011, and one could access the second story level inside of one them.

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/kayakfari-art/art-of-cape-romano-the-curious-inhabitants-of-australopithecine-island/

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Tropical Storm Issac officially sank the domes in August of 2012, and subsequent storms further eroded the Cape Romano shoreline. Finally, Hurricane Irma passed directly overhead on September 10, 2017 and collapsed two of the six domes.

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/paddling-the-goodland-to-cape-romano-loop-and-camping-in-the-aftermath-of-hurricane-irma/

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The four remaining Cape Romano dome homes stand underwater in September 2021.
The wide beach on the tip of Cape Romano is now completely gone!

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Federal Law Forbids Sale or Re-use of This Bottle!

I found a liquor flask in the Everglades

so I drank it!

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“Federal Law Forbids Sale or Re-use of this Bottle”
Post Hurricane Irma high water paddling in the Everglades!

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April Fools’!

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OK, so it was empty, but a cool find none the less!

This is actually the second one that I have found, this time along the shores of Florida Bay.

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“FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS SALE OR REUSE OF THIS BOTTLE”

The embossed text on the bottle/flask pertains to a Federal law that went into effect in 1935 and was on the books until 1964.

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

So this is a vintage bottle from the post-Prohibition era.

Whether or not it was part of a clandestine moonshine operation or just somebody’s personal refuse we shall never know. But there were many moonshine operations in the Everglades for decades!!

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Read more at:

Post Hurricane Irma high water paddling in the Everglades!

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

ART at Liquor Still Bay – hidden history in the Everglades

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

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

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“You want blood?”

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Be well friends!!

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Bless UP!

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

All rights reserved!

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DISCLAIMER:

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

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, no barbie, nor person, nor kayak was harmed in the making of this work. The author is sorely responsible for the contents of this work!

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

 

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

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

Surrender to the hot permeating wetness of summer!

🙂

(click pic to enter)

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.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Sing along .. Paddling in the Rain, Just Paddlin’ and Campin’ in the Rain!

The sweet rain is a delicious contrast to the

salty Atlantic and it’s fun to be “paddling in the rain”!

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(** Cue music **)

Sing along to the music, ya’ll can paddle if you want to ..

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(click pic to enter)

Paddling in the rain – a widely scattered shower over Florida Bay.
Paddling in the Rain, Just Paddlin’ and Campin’ in the Rain .. sing along!

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I’m happy again…

Just Paddlin’ in the Rain!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/thematic/paddling-in-the-rain-just-paddlin-and-campin-in-the-rain-sing-along/

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! BLESS

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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.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Post-Hurricane Irma kayaking, camping and photography at Cape Romano in the Ten Thousand Islands!

Paddling the Goodland to Cape Romano loop and camping in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

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(click pic to enter)

Paddling the Goodland to Cape Romano loop and camping in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/paddling-the-goodland-to-cape-romano-loop-and-camping-in-the-aftermath-of-hurricane-irma/

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! Bless

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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.

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

Adventure paddling in Heaven and summer camping in Hell!

Heaven and Hell?  Heaven or Hell?

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Adventure paddling and summer camping in the Ten Thousand Islands!

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(click any pic!)

Heaven or Hell: Summer paddling and camping in the Ten Thousand Islands
CLICK for story!

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Heaven or Hell: Summer paddling and camping in the Ten Thousand Islands
CLICK for story!

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Heaven or Hell: Summer paddling and camping in the Ten Thousand Islands
CLICK for story!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/heaven-or-hell-summer-paddling-and-camping-in-the-ten-thousand-islands/

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Enjoy!

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It’s Heaven & Hell!

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© 2016 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com / decoratedreality.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

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

With that said..
Blessings friends!

Up on Crooked Creek they sent me .. to have a little chickee camping fun!

Old time camping on the Crooked Creek chickee in the Ten Thousand Islands of the Everglades!

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Gone up Crooked Creek to have a little chickee camping fun!
CLICK for story!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/10-000-islands/gone-up-crooked-creek-to-have-a-little-chickee-camping-fun/

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BLESS UP!

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© 2016 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com / decoratedreality.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved!

…

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

With that said..
Blessings friends!