99% packed...
Flying into Tampa on Friday morning.
Can't wait to see everyone!
Talking About Adventure In Small Boats
99% packed...
Flying into Tampa on Friday morning.
Can't wait to see everyone!
The boats are on their way!
My boat (the SeaWind) is currently in New Jersey where my dad (PassaicPaddler) will be leaving for Ft Desoto soon.
Safe Trip!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ben is in the air and headed for Tampa, he should be to Fort DeSoto early this afternoon depending on when PassaicPaddler finds him at the airport. I wish I could be at the beach this year, but instead I'm taking my turn as reporter for Macatawa and PassaicPaddler. I'm guessing Chief might have a rule against 3 month old stowaways anyway.
Good luck to all! Stay warm and have a great race. See you in Key Largo!
Ben, I've been given the green light by Emily to abuse, I mean talk about your adventure in the EC on the http://www.krugercanoes.blogspot.com blog; I promise to be gentle as nor'easter on Florida Bay!
Kap
Macatawa and PassaicPaddler reached checkpoint 1 just past 10 pm and headed out so quickly they didn't take the time to call their shore contact!
I'm told they had an adventure with a sandbar but they were feeling good and had a great first day. They are now camped just past the Placida harbor bridge; looks like there is a small Watertribe encampment on a small island there.
Stay safe and warm everyone!
The Father Son duo is looking good! It's great to see! Godspeed guys!
AhMaChamee! So nice to see you on the Forum. Hope all is well.
I just talked with Ben - he and PassaicPaddler are near Wiggins Pass and stopping to rest and dry out a little. They had a good day, pretty windy but they felt they made good progress. They can hear the surf in the Gulf and hope it starts to calm by morning. Last night was not really restful between the wind and rain (but the hot soup at CP1 was much appreciated!) so they would love a few good and warm hours of sleep. They are hoping to paddle near to the NPS office and CP2 tomorrow.
And - hi AhMaChamee! Maybe this will be the year they won't have to fight the wind and tide in and out of Chockoloskee - and we aren't there to appreciate it!
It looks like Macatawa and PassaicPaddler have stopped to rest just outside the national park. They will probably be up early to catch the tide into Indian Key Pass and be at the NPS office when it opens to get their permits for the Wilderness Waterway.
It looks like they had a good day out in the Gulf, a nice steady pace and good miles behind them!
I just talked to Ben while he enjoyed his breakfast at the ranger station. They had a good night on Camp Lulu Key and left early. He said the paddle in was great with the tide pulling them along. They have lots of Watertribe company, a nice change from last year. They should be to checkpoint 2 very soon!
They have permits for Rodgers River chickee tonight and for South Joe River on Wednesday. They hope to finish on Thursday.
Macatawa and PassaicPaddler made it to the Rodgers River chickee wuth time enough for a good long rest. It looks like they are up and moving again this morning. Their plan was to take the Nightmare for a gator tooth and camp tonight at South Joe River. Ben did say that if they were feeling good and conditions were right they might push on to Flamingo. Kind of a long shot though, they wanted to enjoy the Waterway and have a comfortable camp tonight.
I'm sure Ben is enjoying seeing more of the waterway during the day, we did a lot of our paddling at night last year dur to the wind slowing us down. No falling asleep so exhausted you can hardly set a tent up this year!
Ben just sent an OK from the Harney River - they made it through the Nightmare! From the tracker, it looks like PenguinMan was with them in the first Hobie to make it through.
Well, I was going to make a comment about Macatawa getting more sleep than I am while paddling the WW, but it looks like he and PassaicPaddler have decided to leave the South Joe River site and head into Flamingo tonight!
They are in to Checkpoint 3! Ben said they are a little sore but feeling really good about paddling the WW in 2 days. They had planned to camp at South Joe River tonight, but it was cold and windy and someone was on their chickee so they decided to just head in. Really looking foward to FL Bay and finishing tomorrow.
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