Scareman's SPOT Crossing Florida Bay and Back this weekend

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Scareman's SPOT Crossing Florida Bay and Back this weekend

(12 posts) (8 voices)

Started 8 years ago by Scareman
Latest reply from MisterMoon

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Scareman
Member

I'll try this...You can see my spot info where I will be crossing Florida BaySaturday from Flamingo to Bay Cove at Key Largo, camp at North Nest Key Saturday night, then return back to Flamingo Sunday.

I plan to take Jimmie Channel to Manatee Pass over and then try Crocodile Dragover on the way back. MaybeI'll even go look at the Park Key Channel that has been discussed.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0zqI9PODfOvdHtEFmHlfdqj2F7At8q3NX

I plan to play Friday, then launch Saturday morning for the crossing.

Now if I can get my SPOT to work from Embassy Suites I'll know this works.

By the way, I left my kayak and gear on my truck at the Embassy Suites at Miamia Airport this week. No issues at all!

Scareman

Posted 8 years ago #
Scareman
Member

The link works on my PC.

The link does not diisplay anything on my iPad.

Scareman

Posted 8 years ago #
MicroTom
Key Master

Did the data expire on SPOT's website? I only see one checking from an hour ago.

Posted 8 years ago #
Scareman
Member

It is there, just click on Satellite from a PC too. The map isn't displaying any details on my end.

I sent second one and finalized float plan.

I will not activate Tracking until Saturday. I will send another OK once at Flamingo this afternoon.

Float Plan:

I will launch Saturday between 3-7AM paddling East through Tin Can Pass, Jimmie Channel, Manatee Pass, then over to the Bay Cove motel in Key LArgo. Then I will paddle up the ICW to Florida Bay Outfitters. Then I will paddle out to camp on North Nest Key saturday night Jan 21st. Sunday I will try to leave early from North Nest Key and inspect Park Key Pass for WaterTribe, then head Northwest to Crocodile Dragover, then back through Dump Keys to Tin Can pass and into Flamingo.

Brad is paddling a 22' kayak with White Hull and Mango/Orange deck This kayak weighs 91# without expedition gear and sail. It is a Seaward Passat tandem kayak, but Brad is paddling it by himself as he always does. The kayak will be equipped with navigation lights, Brad has two headlamps and a flashlight, a rescue beacon on the back of his PFD, and a white light on his left rear PFD. Brad has signaling devices in his PFD including a horn, safety whistle, signaling mirror, and will have flares on deck. Brad has a PLB, SPOT2, VHF, cell phone (229-344-5620). Brad is 6'2" 245#. His PFD is yellow with highly refelctive vertical stripes. His kayak has reflective strips on the nose and down the sides. Brad will have a 1.0 square meter downwind sail which is blue and yellow on the front of the kayak which can be pulled down and furled up as needed.

Now my SPOT messages are:

OK Message: I'm alright! Crossing Florida Bay from Flamingo to Key Largo Sat Jan 21 and Key Largo to Flamingo SundayJan22

Help Message: Please notify ENP 305-242-7700 or Coast Guard 305-292-8700 may need assitance, but not urgent

Custom Message: Something requires my attention. Please be on notice. If I need help, you will get a help message with details

SOS message below (Search and Rescue Service will be notified and call Angela and/or Shannon from SPOT2 tracker. My PLB will also trigger another response.):

Brad Lockhart is 6'2" 245# paddling across Florida Bay Jan 21 from Flamingo to Key Largo, camping on North NEst Key Sat night, paddling back to Flamingo on Sunday Jan 22.

He is paddling 22' tandem kayak by himself, nly 1 paddler in 2-man kayak. White hull orange deck.

Brad has PLB, VHF, SPOT2, signaling devices, rescue equipment, spare paddle, hypothermia kit.

If SOS is activated, it is of a serious nature for this paddler recognizing situation and how it may evolve.

God Speed - Thanks

Scareman

Posted 8 years ago #
JollyRoger
Member

Scareman has started his Fla. Bay crossing and his tracking is on. Link is above for anyone following his progress. JR

Posted 8 years ago #
MisterMoon
Member

Looks like he got a late start on an ambitious schedule. Hope the weather is cooperating for him.

I'm afraid Scare's Spot 'help' message would generate the same emergency response as SOS. What's the collective wisdom of the tribe on what's proper instructions for a 'help' message?

In the EC last year I instructed my shore contact that 'help' meant I was having some kind of difficulty and therefore deviating from my float plan and would contact them with further info within 4 hours or send an OK message cancelling the help. If they did not hear from me before then, they were to contact the authorities.

That being said, sitting here in front of my computer I'm having a hard time visualizing when I'd use the 'help' feature instead of the SOS feature. I would not want to create unecessary concern with my shore contacts when I'm somewhere between 'OK' and 'SOS'.

Posted 8 years ago #
Wyvern
Member

I think the help function could be useful if you had someone following your progress that could come and get you. As in "Help, I'm fine but I could really use a ride home." I think SOS is "Help, call the coasties cause I may need medical help or an urgent rescue". I think they both indicate a need to take action.

Posted 8 years ago #
DolphinGal
Member

SOS goes to the SPOT command center where they will initiate land/water/air rescue through appropriate channels like Highway Patrol, Coast Guard, mountain rescue centers, and the like. Help sends a message to whoever you put in your Help contact information in your SPOT account. It doesn't go to the SPOT command center. It's up to you and your contact to set up whatever actions you want them to take if you should hit the Help button.

Posted 8 years ago #
KiwiBird
Member

Interesting that Brad's taking the route below Shell Key and not below Buttnernut Key...

KB

Posted 8 years ago #
IronBob
Member

Good job! It was fun watching that!

Posted 8 years ago #
Scareman
Member

Hahahahahahaha!

Too much fun! 70 miles. 35 miles in 11 hours and some headwinds for me from Flamingo to Bay Cove against falling tide on tin can, otherwise beautiful. Then a stop for spaghetti and a trip to CVS. Said hey to Pat at Bay Cove. Then about 5.5 miles to camp on North Nest Key. saw shooting stars and enjoyed bioluminescent water. Then Sunday made 30 miles in 8 hours. I had a tailwind that died Sunday through Crocodile or near. Then nice breeze picked up. I was paddling way too hard to get through tin can before tide came in - OH no! The wind picked way up and blew against the incoming tide. The last two hours had me keeping the sail down, rudder stroking the following seas every three strokes with full left rudder. I thought my left toes were gonna break off. Then I had to get out of the channel to miss the big waves requiring too much effort. Then the wind laid down. - of course!

My toes were numb, so I worked them at the Boynton Beach Y when I swam there this morning heading back home. Snore, I was right down the road from you. Oh yeah, I can feel my toes now. So if your. Toes go numb after the EC, get in a pool.

I was amazed to see Tin Can's falling tide almost empty knocking me down to 1.4 mph mid channel and around 2.4 mph on the edge.

With the big wind from the E late afternoon coming back into Flamingo, the tide knocked me down to 3-ish, but I kept pulling hard.

It was 90 degrees both days. I thought it was going to be 78-80. Oh well, at least the water was wet.

Oh yeah, paddling a 22' tandem solo from the front cockpit is quite a handful, especially in following seas. I got pretty good at surfing this beast and could jump wave to wave, I had fun paddling and surfing with a little help from my 1.0 PAS. I played a lot in the 4.6 to 4.9 mph range for a bit of the paddle.

Too much fun!

Scareman

Posted 8 years ago #
MisterMoon
Member

That was an ambitious trip done very well, Scare. I was jealous all weekend.

Posted 8 years ago #

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