Everglades, bourbon-fueled post mortem lists

[Chip]

After a pre-dawn launch, we were done early, about 9am. At Flamingo, we set up our wet tents on a grassy area near the Marina and spread out additional wet gear so stuff wouldn’t get moldy before we got home. Back in Florida City, we ate at Top Taste Jamaica before stopping in at Sam’s for a couple drafts. Excellent food and friendly staff (who asked how to get started canoeing) at Top Taste, which is mostly a take-out place with one table which we shared with a nice Jamaican fellow. Sam’s bills itself as the oldest, southern-most, tavern in the continental US. Who verifies a claim like that? We ended the night at our hotel, sipping bourbon leftover from the trip, and making lists. I just found the lists and thought I’d share.

Stuff we packed and didn’t use:
Therma-cell bug gasser
Surf fishing rod
2nd, summer weight sleeping bag
Tarp
Bug suits
2nd set of clothes
Ratchet strap
Several lengths of rope

Stuff we brought that worked:
Sheet of plastic 4’x5’, good on sand or decks with wide-spaced boards
Chairs
Rick’s canoe seat
Permethrin treated clothes and tents
Gaia maps downloaded to iPhone
Head net
Bug spray with deet
Golf umbrella for downwind sailing

Allstar Gear:
Binoculars
Rick’s thrift store chair—aluminum frame, nylon webbing, not compact so had to go on top, which I hated, but I wasn’t the one sitting in it.
Chip’s chair with tennis balls on the feet for beach
Anchor pegs for securing tents between the deck boards (see photo below)
Permethrin
Cheap-arse, like from the 60’s, AM/FM transistor radio, with weather band.

Things we forgot to bring:
Chip’s canoe seat
Sponge
Rick’s towel

Gear Fails:
Little rechargeable bug zapper light
Bug tent that did nothing to stop no see ums
Chip’s battery bank that failed on the last day.


Anchor pegs

 

[Gamma1214]

I like the anchor pegs for chickee camping... DIY or purchase?

 

[Chip]

I like the anchor pegs for chickee camping... DIY or purchase?

Rick surprised me with those pegs, tossing me a 10-pack as I was struggling to tie my tent down to the chickee. He got the 10-pack on Amazon for about $12. I thought they'd move in the crack between the deck boards, but they did not budge. Easy in and easy out. I remember the boards being tighter in the Okeefenokee, and I'm not sure these would work there. but for two nights of chickee camping, these were Allstars.

 

[dramey]

What is chickee camping?

 

[Gamma1214]

What is chickee camping?

The parks have elevated platforms called chickees that people can camp upon. They usually include port-a-potties also. It makes camping easier in the really marshy areas and keeps you up out of reach of the gators.

I searched some TRs to find a good picture but most have "photobucket" emblazoned across them so they're not easy to see...

 

[lowangle al]

This is a chickee.



The Everglades is a real wilderness that can kick your butt with bugs, wind, hungry animals and navigation.

 

[Punkinhead]

How was the water level? We did a lot of paddling in the Big Cypress last month and there were places we went in the past that were impassable this year.

 

[snapper]

I remember my first trip to the Okefenokee when I referred to our camping location as a chickee. I was promptly corrected and told in the Okefenokee, they are platforms! I never made that mistake again

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[Chip]

How was the water level? We did a lot of paddling in the Big Cypress last month and there were places we went in the past that were impassable this year.

We circumnavigated Cape Sable, so it was all tidal water. Being connected to the ocean, I suspect the levels are fairly constant and probably somewhat affected by winds. My understanding is that this is ”dry season.” Maybe your prior trip was at a wetter time of year.

Big Cypress sounds cool, and you must like it since you returned for another go. Is it river tripping? Overnight or day trips?

 

[Punkinhead]

We're here at the same time each year. Last year was a wet one which really brought out the hoards of mosquitoes in Flamingo. This year is particularly dry. We wanted to paddle the Turner River from route 41 to Chokoloskee but turned back due to low water. On the plus side, it was nice not to have the mosquitoes although they've never been bad while paddling - only on shore.