The Time-release Dose – Celebrating National Lighthouse Day in South Florida.

Today is National Lighthouse Day.

In South Florida we have several lighthouses,

celebrate by visiting one!

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

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

These lighthouses were lifesaving beacons in their day and

today remain beacons of time in South Florida history!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Please note:

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

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

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

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

Safety first means planning and research first!

Always have plenty of fresh water to stay hydrated!

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

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

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

Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

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

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

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

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

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

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More lighthouse information:

List of lighthouses in Florida

Florida Lighthouse Association

Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation

American Lighthouse Foundation

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Enjoy!

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! BLESS

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

One hundred and

sixty-nine years young.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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This is the only offshore Keys reef lighthouse that

I was able to stand under on dry ground.

Nothing quenches thirst quite like a home grown mango!

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

Click for:

The history of the two Sand Key lighthouses

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

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

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Key West.

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Happy Birthday Sand Key Lighthouse!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

That one time I brought my home grown mango

to a watermelon picnic on July 16,

but over 120 years late.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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By coincidence, my mango fiesta privada at Sand Key

was on the same date, thus continuing the picnic.

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

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

This is the only offshore Keys reef lighthouse where

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

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

Kayaking through South Florida

nautical history from Key West!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

The loneliest lighthouse in all the Keys!

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

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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American Shoal lighthouse is the newest of the

offshore reef lights constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

However it is 142 years old now!

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

American Shoal is an almost identical replica to

the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse off Miami.

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

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

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

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

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Happy Birthday American Shoal!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

The Kayak as a personal

“Declaration of Independence”!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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American Shoal lighthouse is the newest of the

offshore reef lights constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

However it is over 140 years old now!

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

American Shoal is an almost identical replica to

the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse off Miami.

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

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

Paddling into lower Keys nautical history

off Sugarloaf Key.

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Happy Birthday America!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – Where the people aren’t, the ultimate luxury!

Take a break on Florida Bay,

it’s

“Where the People Aren’t”.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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A tropical marine wilderness just

outside the world of people.

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

This story combines open water paddling,

coral reef snorkeling ~and~ interesting bits of

South Florida nautical history with a twist!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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Of course, for a paddling trip to Sombrero Lighthouse,

I had to wear a Sombrero myself.

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

Sombrero-Sombrero

connection! 😮

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

The Time-release Dose – An afternoon delight on Biscayne Bay.

Nestled between the Safety Valve and

the Gulf Stream,

a neat triangular route can be plotted out.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Cape Florida – Fowey Rocks – Soldier Key!

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

I can take comfort in three things:

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

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The distances involved made for a nice workout and the triangle

points provided me with many photographic opportunities!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

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

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Bill Baggs to Boca Chita Key:

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

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

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

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

Once out there on the undeveloped barrier islands of

Biscayne National Park, you are on island time!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

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

“Fantasy Island”.

Whereas in the past it was private playground for the

rich and famous, today anyone can visit this island.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Black Point to Boca Chita Key:

Twenty one miles of open water paddling on Biscayne Bay!

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

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

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

you are truly on island time!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

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

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

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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I did have some company and swimming was optional!

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

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

The loneliest lighthouse in all the Keys!

The American Shoal lighthouse was the last of the offshore

reef lights to be constructed in the Florida Keys waters.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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This makes it the newest,

even if it is over 140 years old now!

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

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

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

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

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

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

This story combines offshore open water paddling,

snorkeling and lots of photography

with interesting bits of

South Florida nautical history.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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Kayaking into lower Keys

nautical history from Key West!

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

This is the only one of the offshore Keys lighthouses where

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

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My timing was fortunate that I had just enough land

to pull my surfski ‘ONEWAY’ onto!

ONEWAY is my resurrected Shearwater surfski.

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

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

my new blade for a thorough testing!

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

but the trip was a real pain in the arse.

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

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

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

Fitness, Adventure and Art on Florida Bay!

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Black Point to Boca Chita Key:

Twenty one miles paddling on Biscayne Bay.

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(tap or click pic to read)

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

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

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

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

you are truly on island time!

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(Title quotation from Ralph W. Sockman)

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Full story at:

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

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! Bless UP

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Paddling South Florida’s Offshore Reef Lighthouses!

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

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The six offshore lighthouses presented:

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

Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

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

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

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

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

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(click on pic to enter portal!)

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

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Please note:

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

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

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

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

Safety first means planning and research first!!

Always have plenty of fresh water to stay hydrated!

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! BLESS

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Offshore Keys paddling to the southernmost

offshore Keys lighthouse

along the edge of the Gulf Stream!

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(click pic to enter)

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

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Kayaking into lower Keys nautical history

from Key West.

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

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Bless UP!

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.

.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

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

Offshore Keys paddling:

A journey to the loneliest Keys lighthouse

on edge of the Gulf Stream!

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(click pic to enter)

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

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Kayaking into lower Keys nautical history

from a dead-end road off Sugarloaf Key.

.

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

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Bless UP!

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Fitness paddling visit to Elliott Key on Biscayne Bay.

Biscayne Bay kayaking series:

A quick afternoon visit to Elliott Key,

the largest island in

Biscayne National Park.

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The GREY GHOST on the rocks at Elliott Key on Biscayne Bay!

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One of the joys of paddling a lightweight performance surfski is the ability to cruise at sustained 5.5 – 6 mph speeds with relatively limited effort.

This opens up new possibilities for day trips and offshore destinations such as the Keys reef lighthouses and this island for instance.

Sixty years ago this island was slated for urban development, lucky for us this never came to pass. Elliott Key bears a scar down it’s full length, the infamous “Spite Highway“. Today it is just a hiking path for those who dare to explore it. The island has a deservedly earned reputation for bugs – bring a bug shirt!

As chance would have it, I arrived just as a lawn mowing team was finishing up. The group camping area on the ocean side is rather nice. With prevailing easterly breezes it could be a great spot on a cool South Florida winter’s night! 🙂

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Freshly mowed group camping site on the ocean side of Elliott Key.
Note the campfire pit and ring! 🙂

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Full story coming soon on this

open water fitness – adventure paddling trip!

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Bless UP!

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.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Paddling ONEWAY to Sand Key lighthouse off Key West!

Offshore Keys paddling:

ONEWAY parked under the Sand Key lighthouse.

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Surfski visit to a historic Florida Keys lighthouse where

the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico meet.

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(click pic for story)

ONEWAY at what is left of Sand Key eight miles SW of Key West, summer 2020.

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ONEWAY is my resurrected Shearwater surfski.

Sand Key lighthouse was the second of the six Florida Keys offshore reef lights built during the second half of the 19th century. This skeletal iron tower was erected on what was once a sizable island on actual dry ground. It replaced a previous brick structure which was entirely swept away during a fierce hurricane in 1846. Later hurricanes would completely wash away all of the island above water as early as 1856!

The resilient replacement lighthouse still stands, but Sand Key is now just a small sporadically roving sandy shoal which appears and disappears with the seasons.

Lower Keys photography, adventure

and fitness paddling!

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This is the only one of the offshore Keys lighthouses where I was able to stand underneath on dry ground. My timing was fortunate that I had just enough land to pull my surfski onto.

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Full story:

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

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Bless UP!

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Open water paddling to American Shoal lighthouse in the lower Keys!

Offshore Keys kayaking:

The MOJITO at American Shoal lighthouse.

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Bringing the Disco to the loneliest Keys lighthouse

on edge of the Gulf Stream!

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(click pic for story)

The MOJITO at anchor next to American Shoal Lighthouse in the lower Keys, summer 2020.

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

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

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The MOJITO is a customized RTM Disco kayak.

American Shoal lighthouse was the last of the six Florida Keys offshore reef lights to be erected in the second half of the 19th century. It is virtually an identical twin to the Fowey Rocks lighthouse which was built just a couple of years earlier.

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.

.

Full story coming soon on this photography adventure dive trip!

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Bless UP & ring da Bell!

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.

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Visiting South Florida’s lighthouses to Celebrate National Lighthouse Day!

Today is National Lighthouse Day!

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In South Florida we have several lighthouses – celebrate by visiting one.

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

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

You can take a virtual peek or an extended tour of the lighthouses and reefs that I have paddled out to.

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First, the offshore reef lights

along the Florida Keys chain:

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Florida Keys offshore reef lighthouses.
Photograph courtesy U.S. Coast Guard

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(click on any pic for story!)

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

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Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

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

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

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

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ONEWAY at what is left of Sand Key eight miles SW of Key West.
Sand Key Lighthouse – kayaking to the “southern star” of the offshore Keys reef lights!

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Boca Chita – kayaking to a Fantasy Island on Biscayne Bay!
(This is a decorative lighthouse, but worth seeing nonetheless.)

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Land based South Florida lighthouses:

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Jupiter Inlet – the Red Lighthouse kayak paddle.

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Kayaks at Hillsboro Lighthouse at the inlet.
Note the difference in water quality and spot the Blimp! 😮
Click for interactive 360 aerial panorama.

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Cape Florida lighthouse on Key Biscayne at Bill Baggs State Park, aerial seagull’s eye view.
Click for interactive panorama!

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There’s also the historic Key West lighthouse ,

and two more in the Dry Tortugas that I also hope to visit soon! 🙂

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These lighthouses were lifesaving beacons in their day and

today remain beacons of time in South Florida history!

.

More lighthouse information:

List of lighthouses in Florida

Florida Lighthouse Association

Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation

American Lighthouse Foundation

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Enjoy!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/2013/10/06/jupiter-inlet-red-lighthouse-kayak-paddle/

http://www.dermandar.com/p/amqLbO/pompano-hillsboro-light-kayakfari-aerial

http://www.dermandar.com/p/cOFcJC

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

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

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

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/alligator-light-reef-lighthouse/

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

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Happy July 4th from American Shoal Lighthouse!

Happy Independence Day

from American Shoal Lighthouse!

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(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!

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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

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

All rights reserved!

…

DISCLAIMER:

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

…

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

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With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Celebrating National Lighthouse Day with South Florida’s local lighthouses!

Today is National Lighthouse Day!

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In South Florida we have several lighthouses – celebrate by visiting one. Some are on land and accessible to everyone, others are out at sea over the Florida Keys reef chain. They are just a small subset of all the lighthouses in Florida!

Presented here in order from north to south, starting with Jupiter Lighthouse and ending with Sand Key Lighthouse. You can take a virtual peek or an extended tour of the one’s that I have paddled out to.

These lighthouses were beacons in their day and

today remain beacons in time as integral parts of South Florida history!

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(click on any pic for more!)

Jupiter Inlet – the Red Lighthouse kayak paddle.

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Kayaks at Hillsboro Lighthouse at the inlet.
Note the difference in water quality and spot the Blimp! 😮
Click for interactive 360 aerial panorama.

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Cape Florida lighthouse on Key Biscayne at Bill Baggs State Park, aerial seagull’s eye view.
Click for interactive panorama!

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

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Boca Chita – kayaking to a Fantasy Island on Biscayne Bay!
(This is a decorative lighthouse, but worth seeing nonetheless.)

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Carysfort Reef Lighthouse – paddling into upper Keys nautical history!

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

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

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

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

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Then there are also a few more historic lighthouses like the Key West lighthouse , and two more in the Dry Tortugas that I hope to visit soon! 🙂

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More lighthouse information:

List of lighthouses in Florida

Florida Lighthouse Association

Florida Keys Reef Lights Foundation

American Lighthouse Foundation

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Enjoy!

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https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/2013/10/06/jupiter-inlet-red-lighthouse-kayak-paddle/

http://www.dermandar.com/p/amqLbO/pompano-hillsboro-light-kayakfari-aerial

http://www.dermandar.com/p/cOFcJC

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

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

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

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/random-gallery-2/florida-south-florida/florida-bay-keys/alligator-light-reef-lighthouse/

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/

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/

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

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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.

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!

🙂

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

Open water Sombrero adventure

paddling into middle Keys nautical history

off Marathon.

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(click pic to enter!)

“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!

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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.

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!

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!

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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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

Twenty one miles paddling on beautiful Biscayne Bay to Boca Chita Key (and reluctantly back).

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

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(click pic to enter)

“I have seen the light!”
Boca Chita – kayaking to a Fantasy Island on Biscayne Bay!

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Look .. da Plane, da PLANE! 😉

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

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Enjoy!

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! BLESS

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.

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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!

.

With that said..
Blessings friends!

🙂

 

Paddling Florida Bay – “Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay” published in Sea Kayaker magazine’s final issue!

FEATURED:

Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay

link above to online version by Flex Maslan (aka “kayakfari“)

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After an incredible 30 year run and service to sea paddlers around the world, Sea Kayaker magazine publishes their final issue for Feb/March 2014.
Always a great read, it has been an honor to work with the magazine and have my story featured – “Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay” published!

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An honor and a personal dream realized – and also an end of an era

for sea paddlers comes with the

final issue of Sea Kayaker magazine Feb/March 2014.

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After an incredible 30 year run and service to sea paddlers around the world, Sea Kayaker magazine publishes their last issue for Feb/March 2014 with a reproduction of the fun cover art of their very first issue – two ends of time, neatly tied!
As the sport’s  premier publication, Sea Kayaker has been at the forefront literally since the beginning of the sport, influencing  thousands of paddlers over nearly 30 years! It has always fired up my imagination with excellent travel articles to locations near and far. Each issue also always brought a healthy dose of reality in the “Safety” section. Sea Kayaker has had huge impact on the sport of sea kayaking with emphasis on education, training and safety with the publication of many books, such as the excellent “Deep Trouble” series! The list goes on .. and includes boat design & outfitting, providing a feedback loop to manufacturers from real world SK testing!

It has been an honor to work with editor Christopher Cunningham and staff to have my story featured – “Chickees and Keys in Florida Bay” published.

Thank you Sea Kayaker!

For all you’ve done for the sport!

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Get your copy today, this one is sure to become a classic!

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Final issue of Sea Kayaker

To purchase this issue or other back issues:  http://seakayaker.us/

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RIP – Sea Kayaker Magazine – you will be missed!

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! Bless UP

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© 2014 – 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!

🙂