FL Ultra Marathon Registration SPOT Setup
Tampa Bay To Placida In Sea Kayaks, Canoes and Small BoatsThe next WaterTribe Ultra Marathon is Saturday, March 1, 2013. There is an equipment inspection on Friday, March 1, 2013. Cost is $110 for the captain and $110 for a crew member if any. Billing starts January 1. Registration ends January 31 at noon. Payment Deadline is January 31 at noon. |
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Due to the exteme commitment for this race late registration and/or late payments will not be allowed. We recommend that you commit to this race early so you have plenty of time for planning, training, and preparation. Pay early in the payment cycle. You can get a full refund up until January 31 at noon. No refunds after that date and time.
All WaterTribe events are dangerous events as defined by Florida law and common sense. You are responsible for your own safety. You must read and understand The Rules and Warning before you register for this event.
The WaterTribe Ultra Marathon is an unsupported, expedition style adventure race for kayaks, canoes, and small boats. The distance is roughly 67 miles depending on your course selection. There is a time limit of about 1 day. Your safety and well being are completely up to you.
Unsupported means that there are no safety boats or support crews to help you during the race. You are not allowed to have a support crew follow you or meet you during the race. See the official WaterTribe rules for more details.
Expedition style means that you must carry the same type of equipment and supplies that you would carry on a major expedition lasting 4 weeks or more. Camping equipment, food, water, safety, communication, etc. is required. See the official required equipment list for more details.
Although this is a race, many participants are more interesting in cruising and adventure. Whether you are a cruiser or racer is up to you. Just getting to the starting line is a major accomplishment and only about 40% of starters are able to finish. You should be an expert kayaker and/or sailor before you consider this challenge.
Note that the WaterTribe Ultra Marathon runs concurrently with the Everglades Challenge. The schedule mentions both races.
Schedule
Note that the WaterTribe Ultra Marathon runs concurrently with the Everglades Challenge. The following schedule mentions both races.
Gear Inspection - Friday, March 1, 2013 Is Mandatory.
Race - Saturday, March 1, 2013 to Sunday, March 3, 2013.
| Locations | Deadlines | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Captains Meeting Gear Inspection |
Tampa Bay Fort Desoto East Beach Shelter 13 |
Gear & Boat Inspection Friday 10:00-15:00 Captains Meeting Friday 15:00-17:00 |
Attendance Is Mandatory For those who cannot make this meeting, other arrangements can be made. Contact mailto:Chief@WaterTribe.com |
| Start: |
Tampa Bay Fort Desoto East Beach in front of Shelter 13 |
Assemble Saturday 05:00-06:30 Last Shuttle Saturday 06:15 Roll Call Saturday 06:30-06:45 Launch Saturday 07:00 |
Start for Challenge and Marathon |
|
Finish: and CP1: |
Grande Tours Placida, FL |
Ultra Marathon Award Deadline Sunday Noon Challenger Deadline Sunday Noon |
WaterTribe Ultra Marathon Finish Line CP1 for Everglades Challengers As of EC2008 both UM and EC particiapants must get to CP1 by noon Sunday. |
Start - Fort Desoto Park, Tampa Bay, Florida
The race will start in Fort Desoto Park (the link shows a nice bird's eye view of the starting beach) located on Mullet Key in Tampa Bay, Florida. A large pavilion is reserved for all day Friday. Boats may assemble on the adjacent beach. All boats should be left on the beach above the high water mark Friday night. A guard will be posted.
The pavilion is at East Beach on the eastern leg of Mullet Key facing south. There is a very nice beach perfect for launching boats. There is road access to the beach for sailboats. See the Chief at the captains meeting for directions.
Friday afternoon there will be a captain and crew meeting which is mandatory. Your boat may be inspected for final class determination. If you can't make it to the normal equipment inspection on Friday, you should arrange another time. Email Chief (Chief@WaterTribe.com) to make special arrangements well in advance.
If you don't want to off load your boat right on the beach, there is a very nice boat ramp on Mullet Key. After you pass through the toll booth ($0.35 per car + $0.10 per axle) and go over the bridge, the ramp is on your right. Many cars are parked here for days at a time for extended fishing trips. This is where you will leave your car and trailer if you don't get someone to drive it down to Key Largo. The lot is patrolled. Please note that none of us associated with the race accepts any responsibility for your vehicle or trailer or their contents.
After you launch, you can sail around Mullet Key to the pavilion. The Lat/Lon of the pavilion and the beach adjacent to it will be provided in due course.
Camping on Mullet Key
There is a very nice campground on Mullet Key.
- Sites 1-85 are designed for tent, van, and pop-up campers.
- Sites 86-233 are designed and equipped to accommodate all camping units
- All sites have water, electrical hookup ( 30 amps), picnic table, and a charcoal grill
- Dump stations, restrooms, showers, and laundry are available
- Many sites are waterfront with room for your kayak or boat in your camp site.
Reservation is VERY limited. Reserve your site as early as possible. Google Fort Desoto park for reservation information.
Finish - Grande Tours, Placida, Florida
Roughly 67 miles along the coast from Tampa Bay you will come to Boca Grande Pass into Charlotte Harbor. The Grande Tours checkpoint is located a few miles north of the pass at Placida, Florida adjacent to the inland waterway Placing the checkpoint north of Boca Grande means that you will have a "safe haven" to wait out the weather if the pass is dangerous. If you're not too tired and the conditions in the pass are good, just check in, cross the pass, and camp at Cayo Costa. But if conditions are bad or you are not in condition to continue, you will have a nice place to stay and recover or wait for weather to clear.
Finding Grande Tours
Grande Tours is tucked just a bit out of the way from Intercoastal as you approach the Boca Grande area. You will need your chart to interpret these directions. I'm using Maptech Number 31 Edition 1.
Click to get larger views. Thanks SansSouci. An aerial shot of Grande Tours. The always open railway bridge is shown. Looking south. The swinging bridge is just out of the picture on the right side. Contact and Operating Info: Open 7 days 08:30 to 16:00; Note that during a challenge WaterTribe has full use of the restroom facilities. Grande Tours has kayaks for rent, eco tours, bikes, and nice pontoon boats that make stable photography platforms. Access to Grande Tours is easy. Just find Placida north of Boca Grande pass on a Florida map and go there. They are very close to the corner of 775 and 771 on the east side of 775. Grande Tours |
Thanks AndrewsCanoes Here is another view showing the route in red. |
If you approach the area from the outside you will see the fixed bridge as you enter Gasparilla Pass. Unfortunately there isn't a clearance gauge on the bridge pilings so you will have to eyeball the clearance. Bird Key offers a beach that you can use if you need to step your mast. Stay on the causeway side of Bird Key or shoals will get you. Kayakers -- no problemo. You can also pass between Bird Key and the causeway and go on down to the swinging bridge between Placida Harbor and Gasparilla Sound. There are two clearance gauges here one for the lowest point of the bridge (left side of southbound channel) and one for the highest point of the bridge (right side of southbound channel). Note that the swinging bridge has a south bound channel and a north bound channel. My sailing kayak would be able to scoot under the highest part of the bridge at low tide but not at high tide. It all depends on mast height.
After you get by the bridges you have to pass through the old railway bridge. This section is always open since the rail system isn't used any more.
Just after you pass through the railway cutout you will see two channels on your left. Take the second channel. They aren't very far apart. The channel is off the Intercoastal flashing red marker number "20". The channel leading to your left will have markers "1 green" and "2 red" but remember, it's the SECOND channel leading to the left. The first channel has the same numbers so it's easy to get confused especially at night.
Follow the second channel almost to the marina that you see dead ahead but turn left just before you enter the marina.
While paddling in using the second channel, keep looking left and you will immediately see a low bridge. Vertical clearance is only about 6 to 8 feet. The distance between the 771 bridge pilings is about 12 feet. Grande Tours has a couple of pontoon boats that are 10 feet wide that go through all the time. Squeeze between the bridge pilings and you will see another spur of railroad ending in the water. Go around the end where there is a channel, but STAY CLOSE TO THE END OF THE RAILROAD BRIDGE. There are some nasty pilings just under the water on the right side.
Now stay close to the left bank of mangroves. Not too close or you will run aground. But not too far away either or you will run aground. the channel isn't marked but stay 10 to 15 yards off the left bank and you should be OK. This whole area has lots of oyster bars. Be careful if you have an inflatable or a pretty boat.
Grande Tours is less than 5 minutes from the railroad spur. Bear left always. If you go to the right you will get lost.
From the Intercoastal after the swinging bridge it only takes 15 to 20 minutes to get to Grande Tours, and I was lollygagging.
Fresh Water
Grande Tours has fresh water available. They also have an outdoor shower, restroom, a bunkhouse, and a bivouac area.
Physical Check In Station
An ORANGE LOCKBOX will be located on the picnic tables next to the canoe ramp at Grande Tours
In the ORANGE LOCKBOX you will find a logbook. You must sign the logbook and fill out each section adjacent to your name.
Landing Waypoints for Grande Tours and Cayo Costa
The canoe landing at Grande Tours is on a deep water channel just around the corner from the intercoastal waterway.
| Lat/Lon Checkpoint 1 Grand Tours Kayak Landing 026° 50.13 N The lockbox is on a picnic table next to the landing. |
Accommodations at Grande Tours
There is plenty of room to pitch tents as needed.
The canoe landing shows attention to detail. The bivouac area would be to the right in this picture in front of the pontoon boats. |
The rest room is on pilings. There is a wheelchair ramp that spirals to the balcony. |
