Florida S/W coast questions

[Olddawg]

Much of what I'm looking at out of Everglades City looks navigable. Anyone here that runs (or has) in this area?

Thinking of running south to Flamingo using some of the rivers to overnights at a Chickee or two.
Possible?

[Knipet]

You're looking for a young chickee or two to overnight with in Florida??? Aren't you an old dawg? 😜

I couldn't resist... Sorry to be of no help.

[itiming]

For the past half dozen years, I have over-wintered on Chokoloskee Island. We typically navigated from Everglades City south to Lostman's River; and also from Flamingo west to East Cape Sable. However, we were not in our C-Dory, but our Hobie sailing kayak (with a small outboard). We used the kayak for providing the best access to fishing in the very skinny water--both through the 10,000 Islands and down the Wilderness Waterway.

Indian Key Pass from Everglades City is easy to access by boat (strong currents during large winter tides). Be sure to eat at Camellia Street Grill in Everglades City (has dock on the water)--esp the fish tacos. The Havana Cafe in on Chokoloskee Island (dock at very high tide at Chokoloskee Island Park Marina via Chokoloskee Pass and walk 2 blocks) is also terrific. If you can navigate Chokoloskee Pass, then you should be good-to-go the rest of the way. Probably don't tempt fate by taking Rabit Key Pass going back west/south.

Also, just west of Everglades City, Port of the Everglades is navigable to the islands (as is launching out of Goodland). Be sure to stop by Pavilion Key (the outside is much deeper than the inside). Once you get south of Chatham River, the rivers would be your best bet for more protected anchorage--though you may need to be on a rising tide to safely enter them--esp if off plane. The fishing charter center consoles do it all the time--they usually run on-plane to keep the prop above bottom--and they know where/when to (not to) go.

My initial calibration to such skinny water was coming into Flamingo and admiring all the birds way offshore. Then I realized they were standing.

I found two books helpful. "A Paddler's Guide to Everglades National Park" by Johnny Molloy. and "Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail Guide" by FL Office of Greenways & Trails. The Florida State book has the text descriptions--and you download the maps you wish.

Everglades National Park requires a boating certification, that you can complete online.
https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/boater-education-program.htm

Hope you are able to make your trip. Coming out of Everglades City and turning south with 100 undeveloped miles in front of you (either inland waterway or gulf) is a pretty remarkable way to visit Florida.

I am sure the local Florida folks will join in with better specifics.

[Olddawg]

[outbackbill]

Sure you can do it. Last winter we did the south Florida loop, starting at lake Okeechobee we went west to Cape Coral and then were able to follow the inside channel south to Wiggins Pass, then outside to Gordon’s Pass near Naples. Once in Gordon’s Pass there is an inside channel to Goodland. We restocked food and fuel there because there isn’t much past that. We made stops in Everglades City, Lostmans River, Little Shark River and Flamingo. The channel into Flamingo is shallow and we went in on plane at mid tide. We left on a high tide at displacement speed and still bumped a few times. From Flamingo it is about a 40 mile crossing to follow the channel around Florida Bay to Long Key.

[gulfcoast john]

Agree, yes it’s more than just ‘possible’ with careful planning and weather windows.

Don’t count on running the whole Everglades Wilderness Waterway in a C-Dory, except in the rivers. If you have a C-Dory, you won’t need a chickee, which is just a wooden platform over the water. You’d also be competing with all the paddlers for a reservation for one.

https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/wilderness-trip-planner.htm

Your closest ramp with transient slips (if you’re late) and rig storage is in Goodland at

https://shmarinas.com/locations/safe-harbor-calusa-island/

In addition to ittiming’s excellent advice, if you end up at the gated Calusa Island Marina, don’t miss Stan’s Idle Hour on Sundays starting at 11am (a two block walk, with folks parking on the shoulder for miles away). And DO NOT sit down when you think the National Anthem is over, ‘cause it’s not. Not by a long shot.

Cell coverage ends south of Everglades City. There is a lonely ATT pole at Flamingo per Molly Brown crew (who did the SFL loop last year with the same experience having to plane into Flamingo and thought it ‘pricey’ for what you get under new management).

You may also not be in VHF radio range of anyone who could help you if you get in trouble off the Everglades. I’d want an EPIRB or at least PLB (rent one from US BOAT). For the rest of Florida a VHF will suffice.

If you’re going to trailer all the way from NH to FL, we’d advise taking the time for a longer adventure, like outbackbill’s S FL loop. Consider dropping straight down to Marathon and tool around the Keys for a while.

Miami to Palm Beach is concrete condo canyons on the ICW, but at least you can slip under most bridges without waiting for an opening. Stay in port on weekends… it’s a boating madhouse.

Indiantown Marina on the OK Waterway is a potential Loop put-in and take-out and has a ramp and rig storage (bottom right on page) and sometimes transient slips.

http://www.indiantownmarina.com/p/6/rates

Most seniors will want air conditioning, even if it’s just a $95 Wal Mart model stuffed in the center window with pool noodles or in the aft door with a canvas curtain in order to achieve that highly coveted C-Dory ‘ghetto-chic’ look.

Hope this is helpful.

Safe travels!

John

[Olddawg]

Thank you both Bill & John!

Wealth of info there for me. I do appreciate you folks taking the time.

Would either of you happen to track your route?

[outbackbill]

I keep a logbook with milage, anchorage and route information but I don't save my tracks.

Bill

[gulfcoast john]

Olddawg,

Florida and its’ inlets are mainly soft sand. Channels and shoals shift around after large tides and small storms and also whenever they feel like shifting.

The most dependable way to stay out of trouble on Florida waterways is not to follow ‘someone else’s tracks’, but to stay between the red and green ATONS. This means looking behind you to ensure you’re still on the straight line between NAV aids. I don’t even follow my own tracks (maxed out at 1,000) most of the time. Depend on #1 your eyeballs out the window, then #2 the visible NAV aids, and only well after that #3, your chartplotter.

Many Florida NAV aids will be floating buoys, which are easier to move as channels shift. We’ve grown to favor Waterway Guide/Southern (all of Florida) spiral books for writing notes on and marina services along with the online edition for today’s Notices re missing NAV aids, sunk boats, dredging etc. If WWG states an inlet should ‘only be used with local knowledge’ then don’t try it. Likewise if there are no ATONS at all in what looks to be a channel or inlet.

The depth contours on whatever marine cartography you have are MLLW, or the most shallow depths averaged over the past 17 years of low tides. Today’s low tide may be a foot or two higher than that, thankfully. However, East winds over the shallow Everglades can blow two feet of water off the wet sand despite today’s tide charts. A C-Dory in typical clear Florida waters will often see when the water is getting under knee-deep and have time to shift to idle.



If you’d like a tablet-based backup to your fixed mount MFD (recommended), consider Aqua Maps, which includes USACE most recent surveys of the most problematic inlets overlay.

For a long haul, consider replacing any trailer tires that are over 3-5 years from the date of mfg (not the date you bought them). The DOT date code stamp is WEEK-YEAR. They age out long before they wear out. Don’t tow over 60-65 MPH. Check IR hub temp and pressure at every two hour stop if you don’t have a trailer tire monitoring system.

Above all, don’t over-think or fear the attempt. The SE Alaska CD guys are managing ten times (easy) EVERY DAY the TOTAL risks of doing a solo S FL loop.

PM me to exchange phone numbers or for any questions. Thousands of friendly Florida boaters (including us) very much want you to have a good time and experience safe travels, and will do whatever they can to help you.

Hope to talk to you soon and convince you that it’s a do-able and easy cruise for any C-Dory with any reasonable preparation!



John

[Olddawg]

Thank for the info John! Great response and offer!

I like others tracks, not to navigate by, yet to see their course/path in an area I am not familiar with. I use these as I travel over land to explore new areas as a basic guide. I see parts f the wildness waterway that looks doable, but mostly as a in & out vs. traveling along. Also like to see just where someone else has ventured!

I'm finding myself jumping between SeaIQ, Aqua Maps & Waterway Guide. Each has info pertaining that another misses. Much like my land travel apps, I use a couple different ones.

I try not to 'over-think' any travels, yet I do research, learn & hope for advise (like you folks are giving) of an unknown area. I've already picked up on a few places to see from you all that I had no idea of! How cool!

Again, thank you for the input!

[Pat Anderson]