Everglades (Sail) Kayak Trip 2013

Just back from the Everglades with highlights too numerous to relate them all here. For a start I think we’ve hit on the perfect mode of transportation—pedal kayaks with sails! The only downside compared with a canoe is getting on/off the chickees. In every other respect they were superior to canoes and even other types of kayaks. We especially noticed how wind and waves were much less of the threat, and wind could often be put to good use! Unlike the sail canoe rig I’ve used in the past, the kayaks are much safer if they capsize.

Our route was aggressive and included a passage through Gopher Key, which is only possible at high tide. As you can see, we made extensive use of the sails with a prevailing winds from the north and northeast.

everglades-route-2013-small

I also tried a waterproof camera for the first time with good results, especially video! I’ve edited the clips together into a seven minute long high res feature. Be sure to click on the ‘full screen’ button if available!

Everglades Kayak Trip 2013
201 Mb Video

It was a joy to be able to keep a camera close at hand and not worry about getting it wet. I also got a few good bird and HDR shots with my other cameras [full gallery], but my photography time was limited because we were having too much fun just exploring! Here are a few highlights…

crooked-creek-chickee

First day we stayed at the new Crooked Creek Chickee near the head of the Lopez River. In spite of being just off the main channel the site has a secluded feel. It replaces the now defunct chickee on Sunday Bay (which we will miss!). The new chickee is nice with a few new features: high flat roofs, robust ladders, and elevated kitchen shelves.

kayak-sailing-gulf-of-mexico

The next day we sailed for the first time on the large bays along the way to the Plate Creek Chickee. We were excited to return to this historical location that existed before there was a national park. Alas, the original chickee has been razed and replaced by a new one set away from the small island. Another old place we will miss.

We sailed almost the entire next day. It was phenomenal!! Check out the video above to share some of the thrill. Unfortunately, in the heat of the moment getting the sails up, I lost track of my paddle. <frown> It was on a leash trailing behind as the boat took off and the leash failed due to our excessive speed. Ironically this occurred on the upper Lostmans River. Out in the Gulf of Mexico we sailed about a mile off-shore and reached New Turkey Key with plenty of time to explore and take pictures. Along the way I cut a black mangrove pole to replace my paddle. It worked remarkably well!

new-turkey-key-hdr

new-turkey-key-campsite

The next day we waited for the tide to start rising before heading up Charley Creek to reach Gopher Key. This is a magical place with birds everywhere! My conservative estimate is we saw over four hundred White Pelicans soaring, landing and fishing. No Avocets this time, but there were hundreds of small shore birds feeding and about a dozen Roseate Spoonbills. At one point we witnessed an (unsuccessful) attack from a Peregrine Falcon. It only lasted 20-30 seconds, but the ensuing pandemonium was a sight to behold! The falcon flew right over our heads as he left the scene with empty talons.

charleys-creek-low-bridge

We had an uneventful exit via Gopher Key Creek and pedaled up to the Sweetwater Chickee. We got out early the next day and caught the end of the outgoing tide to get quickly down to The Watson Place. While there we took the now canonical photo by the sugarcane caldron. We made our way down the lower Chatham River and out to the Gulf. We rested at the river mouth and watched a pair of Dolphins feeding on the incoming tide. On the way we saw or heard several Manatees coming up to breathe.

We got to sail some more on our way to Rabbit Key and our last night on the beach. Along the way we saw more White Pelicans and at least three Sea Turtles. I’m convinced that pedaling and sailing are much better than paddling for seeing wildlife. Waving your arms in the air is probably a bit more threatening. We again arrived with plenty of time to explore and had a small beach fire to keep the bugs away in the evening.

The next day we pedaled our way to Sandfly Pass and back to the Ranger Station. All and all this was an exceptional trip and I am completely enamored with the multi-power Kayaks! We found that we could avoid damaging the drive fins by judicious choice of route. Wind and waves were much less of a problem and even became our ally when we put up the sails!

end-of-the-trail

Atul Gawande “How do we heal medicine?”

Cowboys vs Pit Crews

Key facts from his recent TED talk…

  • Modern doctors have 4000 procedures and 6000 medications at their disposal
  • In 1970 it took 2 FTEs to care for a patient in the hospital
  • In 2001 it took 15 FTEs to care for the same patient
  • Checklists and mandatory pauses help decrease mistakes

“We are all specialists now, even primary care physicians.”

To sum up his talk in two words, both the Intensity and Complexity of care have increased in the past forty years. This is not surprising when you think about it. What aspect of life in the US has not become more intense and complex? He focuses on how the education of physicians lags behind the realities of team-based care. This is a valid point as far as it goes. He does not speculate on why “even primary care physicians” are specialists and no one is charged with understanding the entire spectrum of care for individual patients? (So I will…) In a word, Economics! During the 1990s Medicare and other payers decided to stop paying for coordination of care by primary care physicians. This was exacerbated by division of outpatient and inpatient care in the past ten years (again primarily for economic reasons). The new focus on high-volume, episodic care leaves little time for the big picture. This is not a flaw in medical education and not a choice made by primary care physicians! Merely the predictable consequence of decisions made by insurers and the federal government.

The Amazing Talks of RSAnimate

I’ve been a big fan of the RSA Podcast for several years now. All of these talks are worth listening too, and many are true gems! The best have been rendered in the brilliant “animated whiteboard” style of CognitiveMediaUK. I finally figured out how to create a “channel” for them on YouTube. Here is a sample by Daniel Pink, author of the book Drive.

It blew me away the first time I viewed it. Enjoy!