So, my group planned on doing another little loop trip thru the Everglades starting from Flamingo on January 03 and ending on January 12. Rick and myself dove down on January 01 and camped at the park, so we could get to the ranger station at 8:00 AM on Friday to get the permits for the sites and order we wanted. And the rest of the gang would (4 more) would get to Flamingo some time on Friday. You can only reserve you trip sites 24 hours before you set off. And you need to have alternate site plans if you can not get some of the sites you want. We do it as two groups, so we need to have the double chickees.
Our original plan was to start on the outside (gulf) and camp at East Cape Sable, NW Cape Sable, Graveyard Creek, Harney River chickee, Canepatch (2 night), Oyster Bay chickee, Roberts River chickee and Hells Bay chickee. All legs where between 10 & 15 miles. When we got the permit Harney River was already booked, so we just swapped our Harney River & Canepatch days. Got all the sites we wanted, just not the exact order and it made for about a 17 mile paddle on one day to get to Canepatch from Graveyard.
Day 1, loaded our boats with 10 days of water, food and what every we would need.
Our first leg, from Flamingo to East Cape, 10.39 miles.
Camp site at East Cape.
Raccoons were terrible at this site, trying to get into boats for either food or fresh water all night long.
Our second leg, from East Cape to NW Cape, 13.49 miles.
Got there and got camp set up before the rains came. Just rain, no thunder or lightning. We all just stood out in the rain and used it as a chance to rinse some of the salt water off. Not one single raccoon footprint to be found at this site. The bobcat that left his prints must have eaten them all.
Leg 3, from NW Cape to Graveyard creek, 11.74 miles.
Texas is about 900 miles that way.
Waiting on the West side of Little Shark Island for lunch and to cross Ponce De Leon Bay.
Graveyard creek campsite. Only one very skinny raccoon, checked everything out, didn't attack the boats like the East Cape ones.
Leg 4, Graveyard to Canepatch, 22.82 miles. Stayed for two days.
Was only supposed to be about 17, but the route we took went up another smaller river branch that joined the Harney River farther up, but our way was blocked by some downed trees, so we had to back track and added about 5 miles to our leg. Got to the Canepatch site after dark.
Very nice site, surrounded by trees all the way around, no raccoons. But did have one very un-afraid of, way to used to humans, 7-8 foot danger gator that hung around & under the dock.
Had a storm front roll thru on our second day, lots of gusty winds, but very little in the way of rain. Temps got into the upper 50's that night.
Leg 5, Canepatch to Harney River chickee, 11.31 miles.
Leg 6, Harney River to Oyster Bay chickee, 14.60 miles.
Leg 7, Oyster Bay to Roberts River chickee, 13.60 miles.
Leg 8, Roberts River to Hells Bay chickee, 8.15 miles.
One way to unload a kayak at a chickee.
Sunrise from Hells Bay chickee
Final leg, Hells Bay to park road thru the Hells Bay canoe trail, 7.59 miles.
Very twisty and narrow in places. Had made arrangements with one of the wives to meet us about 1:00 PM at the Canoe trail launch, asked her to bring a cooler with ice cold beverages of choice.
At the take out after 120 miles of paddling. I am the one with the non-alcoholic beverage.
Our original plan was to start on the outside (gulf) and camp at East Cape Sable, NW Cape Sable, Graveyard Creek, Harney River chickee, Canepatch (2 night), Oyster Bay chickee, Roberts River chickee and Hells Bay chickee. All legs where between 10 & 15 miles. When we got the permit Harney River was already booked, so we just swapped our Harney River & Canepatch days. Got all the sites we wanted, just not the exact order and it made for about a 17 mile paddle on one day to get to Canepatch from Graveyard.
Day 1, loaded our boats with 10 days of water, food and what every we would need.
Our first leg, from Flamingo to East Cape, 10.39 miles.
Camp site at East Cape.
Raccoons were terrible at this site, trying to get into boats for either food or fresh water all night long.
Our second leg, from East Cape to NW Cape, 13.49 miles.
Got there and got camp set up before the rains came. Just rain, no thunder or lightning. We all just stood out in the rain and used it as a chance to rinse some of the salt water off. Not one single raccoon footprint to be found at this site. The bobcat that left his prints must have eaten them all.
Leg 3, from NW Cape to Graveyard creek, 11.74 miles.
Texas is about 900 miles that way.
Waiting on the West side of Little Shark Island for lunch and to cross Ponce De Leon Bay.
Graveyard creek campsite. Only one very skinny raccoon, checked everything out, didn't attack the boats like the East Cape ones.
Leg 4, Graveyard to Canepatch, 22.82 miles. Stayed for two days.
Was only supposed to be about 17, but the route we took went up another smaller river branch that joined the Harney River farther up, but our way was blocked by some downed trees, so we had to back track and added about 5 miles to our leg. Got to the Canepatch site after dark.
Very nice site, surrounded by trees all the way around, no raccoons. But did have one very un-afraid of, way to used to humans, 7-8 foot danger gator that hung around & under the dock.
Had a storm front roll thru on our second day, lots of gusty winds, but very little in the way of rain. Temps got into the upper 50's that night.
Leg 5, Canepatch to Harney River chickee, 11.31 miles.
Leg 6, Harney River to Oyster Bay chickee, 14.60 miles.
Leg 7, Oyster Bay to Roberts River chickee, 13.60 miles.
Leg 8, Roberts River to Hells Bay chickee, 8.15 miles.
One way to unload a kayak at a chickee.
Sunrise from Hells Bay chickee
Final leg, Hells Bay to park road thru the Hells Bay canoe trail, 7.59 miles.
Very twisty and narrow in places. Had made arrangements with one of the wives to meet us about 1:00 PM at the Canoe trail launch, asked her to bring a cooler with ice cold beverages of choice.
At the take out after 120 miles of paddling. I am the one with the non-alcoholic beverage.
I see now what you were trying to say. I will try go get this chip off my shoulder( probally a cow chip anyway). :roll: :wink: 
