Everglades Exploration Network 2017 Invitational paddle.
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Approximate path of the 2017 EEN Invitational paddle in the transition zone between the open ‘Glades prairies and the mangrove coastline through a maze of creeks and water leads!
CLICK for large version.
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Continuing on a theme of “Invitational” Everglades paddling events, this year’s event was held in a seemingly endless maze-like area southwest of the Mahogany Hammock Trail in Everglades National Park. The trip was organized by contemporary Everglades explorer Terry Helmers of the Everglades Exploration Network. Terry likes to go well off the beaten path and plans these trips right near the end of the Everglades wet season, usually late October or first thing in November.
Terry’s promise is to never subject paddlers to a “brochure route” and he always delivers!
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Some of the past Invitationals that I have had the great pleasure of participating in:
Taylor Slough (2010)
Mahogany Hammock to Ed Brooker’s Landing in the Bill Ashley Jungles (2012)
Grass Paddling in the East Everglades Expansion Area (2013)
“Halloween on the Taylor Slough” special edition (2015)
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+ ( additional “satellite” paddling events held throughout the season )
Kayaking the River of Grass – Shark River Slough (2012)
Barron Creek – Ferguson River loop in the Ten Thousand Islands (2012)
Pahayokee to Main Street: Probing into the Shark River slough (2013)
Go West to East Cape – an interior route via “Spoonbill Pass” and Raulerson Prairies (2014)
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The 2017 EEN Invitational starts dark and early! 😮
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As customary, the Invitational ran from dawn till dusk in the Everglades back country mangrove maze that very few ever get to see!
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Launching kayaks and canoes from Mahogany Hammock at sunrise (scene from a previous trip).
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NOTE:
This trip is NOT on any official trails of any kind and should be considered as experimental Everglades exploration. Variations in water levels, paddlers’ abilities, stamina, planning and navigation will mean that each trip like this will be an adventure. Even with GPS, Google Earth print outs and EDEN data, there are never any guarantees!
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!!
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Rob and his son paddling their canoe in the early morning light.
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Everglades back country volunteer Ranger John Buckley and local paddler Jay Thomas in their canoes.
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Adventure paddler and racer Ted Perron aka ‘Spiritwalker’ and Esther Luft of Virginia Key Outdoor Center threaded this large canoe through the tight water leads!
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Charlie Arazoza of www.BushPaddlers.org in his new ride on the 2017 Invitational.
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John Buckley and his wife Donna spend winters in the Everglades aboard their houseboat “Swamp Lilly” as volunteer back country Park Rangers!
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Hiker extraordinaire and local adventure paddler Leah Harman flashes a lovely smile through the mangroves!
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Happiness is having a thermos full of hot coffee in the Everglades! 🙂
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Early morning cloud cover moving across the Everglades.
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Paddlecraft sizes ranged from 10 feet to 17 feet on this Invitational!
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Much of this area only allows paddling single file through the narrow creeks and water leads.
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It really helps to be able to stand up in the boat to look out over the mangrove maze of creeks!
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Trip leader Terry Helmers signals his location to paddlers.
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Charlie points out Poisonwood in foreground – do NOT touch!
At first glance it may look a lot like mangroves, but the pointy droopy leaves give it away.
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Epiphyte pseudobulbs are very common in this area!
CLICK: Mahogany Hammock to Ed Brooker’s Landing via Herman Lucerne backcountry & Bill Ashley Jungles.
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Broken mangrove stems bleed red like people! (it’s the tannins)
CLICK: Mahogany Hammock to Ed Brooker’s Landing via Herman Lucerne backcountry & Bill Ashley Jungles.
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Tannin rich water looks like tea – “Everglades tea”!
Crossing paths of Gladesmen, Gator hunters, Outlaws & Moonshiners: An invitation to paddling forgotten trails of the Everglades!
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Local paddler Frank Fernandez in a Nifty 430 kayak well suited for this kind of paddling.
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The pace on Invitational trips is always simply to “keep on paddling”! 🙂
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Ted and Esther entering Lane Bay in their canoe.
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“The Paddling Men” on lunch break!
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Leah and Jim Peele take a break on the Invitational.
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Taking a lunch break in the mangrove maze jungles (on a similar previous trip) in this low altitude aerial view. Truth is the mangroves all look the same when running off-trail!
CLICK for full screen interactive 360 spin around panorama!
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Mahogany Hammock to Ed Brooker’s Landing via Herman Lucerne backcountry & Bill Ashley Jungles.
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“Pa-Hay-Okee” is my new back country Glades boat and a perfect choice for this Invitational paddle.
CLICK for: Post Hurricane Irma high water paddling in the Everglades!
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Paddling the “Pa-Hay-Okee” was a joy on her very first Invitational run!
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Esther of VKOC.NET performing canoe maneuvers in her bug shirt!
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Shawn Beightol and co-pilot Bill did well in this beat up but versatile old aluminum canoe!
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“Pa-Hay-Okee” is stable enough to paddle standing up and just the right size for me.
Big thanks to Shawn for this great pic of me! 🙂
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As the day wears long, the bug shirt comes on!
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Paddling across a small lagoon full of periphyton.
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Navigating the final switchbacks around the backside of Mahogany Hammock in the late afternoon sunlight.
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Final approach to the takeout at Mahogany Hammock hugging the outline of the tree island!
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Pulling out boats at Mahogany Hammock near sunset.
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Sunset photo finish at Mahogany Hammock of the 2017 Invitational in this low altitude aerial panorama taken from the seat of my “Pa-Hay-Okee” Glades kayak.
CLICK for full screen interactive spin around 360 panorama!
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Later on driving home we were all treated to a big full moon rising.
ART of Darkness – Camping with the Stars.
Part I – A Trip to the Moon!
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See y’all next year!
🙂
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You may also like another variation of this trip:
Mahogany Hammock to Ed Brooker’s Landing via Herman Lucerne backcountry & Bill Ashley Jungles – 2012 EEN Invitational.
CLICK for story!
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Mahogany Hammock to Ed Brooker’s Landing via Herman Lucerne backcountry & Bill Ashley Jungles.
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© 2017 Flex Maslan / kayakfari.com / awakenthegrass.com. All original photographs, artworks and music in this portfolio are copyrighted and owned by the artist, Flex Maslan, unless otherwise noted. Any reproduction, modification, publication, transmission, transfer, or exploitation of any of the content, for personal or commercial use, whether in whole or in part, without written permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.
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With that said..
Blessings friends!
Kayakfari
kayakfari ( kayak .. far .. i ) 