A friend of mine took an 18' Hobi from Key West to Dry Tortugas with no
problem (it is 68 miles). They slept on the tramp under a boom tent.
This guy might consider a few "dry runs" in the Keys cuz I have never
seen any crocs there and there are a lot of islands for him.

:

A friend of mine took an 18' Hobi from Key West to Dry Tortugas with no
problem (it is 68 miles). They slept on the tramp under a boom tent.
This guy might consider a few "dry runs" in the Keys cuz I have never
seen any crocs there and there are a lot of islands for him.

Ok, the Keys do look interesting, and have the advantage thatif I can get
lost there, I will nor consider the Bahamas

What I don't understand is the number of people who suggest it is a bad idea
but don't say why.

Earl Colby Pottinger

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The Keys a bad idea? Dunno. Another option is the Big Bend area of
Florida (up where the Suwanee River goes into the Gulf) There is a
canoe trail that wanders the coastline among true wilderness among
isolated islands and a few tiny towns. Perfect for the sort of vessel
you describe. The town of Cedar Key is the perfect place for such a
launch point as it has access to many of these islands. Going west,
you could reach the islands at the mouth of the Suwanee or even the
uninhabited Pepperfish Keys.
The area around Carabelle is another possibility (SW of Tallahassee) as
it has access to isolated Dog Island, western St. George Is.
(uninhabited) and St. Vincent Is. If you got tired of salt water, you
could go up the New River and get lost for the rest of your life in the
swamps. I had a homeless riend who lived for several years on a
$500Venture 21 sailboat there. He did more cruising than anybody else
I ever knew.

:

The Keys a bad idea? Dunno.

No, people implied that the Bahamas was a bad idea for a canoe-catamaran
tripping.

Another option is the Big Bend area of
Florida (up where the Suwanee River goes into the Gulf)

Googling right now. Found it, looks easy. Googling the Keys finds a number
of parks in the Keys themselves.

There is a
canoe trail that wanders the coastline among true wilderness among
isolated islands and a few tiny towns. Perfect for the sort of vessel
you describe. The town of Cedar Key is the perfect place for such a
launch point as it has access to many of these islands. Going west,
you could reach the islands at the mouth of the Suwanee or even the
uninhabited Pepperfish Keys.

Yes, it does look good.

The area around Carabelle is another possibility (SW of Tallahassee) as
it has access to isolated Dog Island, western St. George Is.
(uninhabited) and St. Vincent Is. If you got tired of salt water, you
could go up the New River and get lost for the rest of your life in the
swamps. I had a homeless riend who lived for several years on a
$500Venture 21 sailboat there. He did more cruising than anybody else
I ever knew.

Ok, it looks like it will be Florida for the winter of 2006, and the Bahamas
in 2007. Those who wonder about the coming summer, I think I will spend my
time around the cabin doing some shake-down trip on lake Huron. If I get the
time maybe go to the Upper Channel.

Earl Colby Pottinger

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On Sun, 20 Nov 2005 21:09:36 -0600, Earl Colby Pottinger
wrote:

What I don't understand is the number of people who suggest it is a bad idea
but don't say why.

===============================================

If you stay away from populated areas (civilization), and are
comfortable with managing on your own, you may do OK. No one
occupying expensive real estate is going to be thrilled with you
camping out on their door step, one small step up from homless. That
includes marinas, town docks and quite a few parks.

Other than "people" problems, the next biggest issue is the inherent
unseaworthiness of your chosen craft. You WILL be capsized and
swamped at various times, it just goes with the territory.

Here in N. FL, he'd fit in pretty well as most natives in the coastal
counties (Dixie, Taylor, Wakulla, Franklin counties) are semi-employed
loggers or oystermen living fairly well on what would be below poverty
level wages anywhere else. Hardly anybody would think twice about him
camping with his boat except the damned transplanted yankees in their
condo trash towers. Fortunately, they rarely venture into the shallow
coastal wilderness so he could easily get away as long as he wanted.
With a little knowledge, it'd be nearly impossible to starve too. This
is not the usual beachy environment and can be very isolated and often
even VHF will pick up nothing
Very isolated salt marsh/mangrove islands, cabbage palms all over,
shallow flats teeming with fish with tiny crystal clear spring runs
emptying into the salt marshes........(paradise for some people).
However, he should consider swarms of mosquitoes, no-see-um bugs, the
occasional gator (not really a problem when its colder) and snakes.
The gators and snakes can be dealt with easily by watching where you
step or swim. He'll need to watch for Sting rays if he walks in the
water.
It does get cold in N. Fl. but does not stay cold for more than a few
days. A canadian will probably find the water temp swimmable year
round (my kids do, I do not).
I would not hesitate to do this.

Wayne.B :

On Sun, 20 Nov 2005 21:09:36 -0600, Earl Colby Pottinger
wrote:

What I don't understand is the number of people who suggest it is a bad
idea but don't say why.

===============================================

If you stay away from populated areas (civilization), and are
comfortable with managing on your own, you may do OK.

And how many people do you think I am with when I go wilderness camping?
Most trips there rarely have more than one campsite on the same lake. And
even if I go with others they are off doing thier own thing somewhere. If
you can't handle being alone don't do real camping.

No one occupying expensive real estate is going to be
thrilled with you camping out on their door step,

You know, it is amazing what you can get if you appoach the shore and before
landing you ask politely if you can land there. Plus my plans were to go
where people are NOT! If I want to see people there is tons of them in
Toronto to see. I want to see nature. However, I do not enjoy the cold
weather we have up here in Canada at this time of year. And no, 10-25C is
not cold to me. Bahamas in winter time is still warm to me.

one small step up from homless. That
includes marinas, town docks and quite a few parks.

And when have I ever suggested that I was planning to go to such places?

Other than "people" problems, the next biggest issue is the inherent
unseaworthiness of your chosen craft. You WILL be capsized and
swamped at various times, it just goes with the territory.

Really? Why would that be? I have been canoeing in 50KPH winds (not fun I
tell) without capsizing. I have been in 2-3 meter waves without capsizing.
Why should I capsize in the Bahamas if I am not there in the hurricane season?

Plus I have only gone out in that weather when I was up against a hard time
limit, any other time if the weather is bad I just stay inside the tent and
read a book.

Last, so I capsize. I always wear my lifejacket, and it does not matter how
hot it gets as to me 40C is nice weather, all my stuff is in water proof bags
and tied to the canoe with rope. If you ever went canoeing with Ralph you
would understand why. If I go over, I will paddle to the nearest island and
sort things out.

Earl Colby Pottinger

PS. A canoe with all it main load place on the bottom of the canoe is very
stable on water.

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:

Here in N. FL, he'd fit in pretty well as most natives in the coastal
counties (Dixie, Taylor, Wakulla, Franklin counties) are semi-employed
loggers or oystermen living fairly well on what would be below poverty
level wages anywhere else. Hardly anybody would think twice about him
camping with his boat except the damned transplanted yankees in their
condo trash towers. Fortunately, they rarely venture into the shallow
coastal wilderness so he could easily get away as long as he wanted.
With a little knowledge, it'd be nearly impossible to starve too. This
is not the usual beachy environment and can be very isolated and often
even VHF will pick up nothing
Very isolated salt marsh/mangrove islands, cabbage palms all over,
shallow flats teeming with fish with tiny crystal clear spring runs
emptying into the salt marshes........(paradise for some people).
However, he should consider swarms of mosquitoes, no-see-um bugs, the
occasional gator (not really a problem when its colder) and snakes.
The gators and snakes can be dealt with easily by watching where you
step or swim. He'll need to watch for Sting rays if he walks in the
water.
It does get cold in N. Fl. but does not stay cold for more than a few
days. A canadian will probably find the water temp swimmable year
round (my kids do, I do not).
I would not hesitate to do this.

You know, more and more it looks like my first trips outside of Canada will
be in Florida. What is it with you people there? It seems you have the
Canada SnowBird market all locked up. Is there and good reasons for a
Canadain to bother see the rest of the USA?

Earl Colby Pottinger
--
I make public email sent to me! Hydrogen Peroxide Rockets, OpenBeos,
SerialTransfer 3.0, RAMDISK, BoatBuilding, DIY TabletPC. What happened to
the time? http://webhome.idirect.com/~earlcp

In my childhood here in N. FL, I spent as much time in a canoe as I did
on a bicycle. It was a Grumman 18' that was nearly indestructible
until it got under a log on the Suwanee in flood stage. A little TIG
welding and its as good as new, now 43 yrs old it is in my back yard
ready to use. We would fill it with kids, (I have 8 siblings), take it
out into the water and tip it over on purpose and play in it. As kids,
we could never figure out why this always got the Marine Patrol so
excited.
The point is, around here, even in Winter, tipping over is often
welcome and rarely dangerous.
Another possibility for this sort of cruising is Pine Island Sound down
near Ft. Myers. I have not been there but it comes strongly
reccomended by friends.
From what I have seen, Canada has as much scenic value as most of the
US.
In South FL, you will see many Snow Birds, last year when I sailed into
the area south of Sarasota I thought I was in Wisconsin because all the
people there looked and talked like my in-laws from there. N. FL is
very different. From north of Clearwater along the coast to just east
of Panama City, you will see almost no tourists.

Earl Colby Pottinger wrote:

You know, more and more it looks like my first trips outside of Canada will
be in Florida. What is it with you people there? It seems you have the
Canada SnowBird market all locked up. Is there and good reasons for a
Canadain to bother see the rest of the USA?

Earl Colby Pottinger

Depends on what coast you live on in Canada. Southern California ( San
Diego) can be nice.
The thing is...if you' re flying south during our winter season...
you may as well go where you can pretend it's summer. In January &
February your choices on the mainland USA are limited.

Do the Florida thing...and then try Cuba.
I spent a week at Orlando and a few days at St. Pete's and I have no
great desire to rush back. I'd like to do the entire Florida Keys trip
at least once..but there are a number of islands east of there that are
calling me first.