Everglades Canoe Trip January 2003

New Turkey Key to Watson Place

The next morning we "portaged" the canoe and packs about fifty feet to the other side of the island so we could start out in the deeper channel to the southeast. This also gave us some protection from the wind and waves out in the Gulf. As we made our way back to Mormon Key we saw a Bald Eagle with a fish he had just pilfered from an Osprey. We also saw several Raccoons out on the mud flats at low tide.

The tide had not quite turned when we reached the mouth of the Chatham River. This is where Al and I had encountered a stiff current in 2001. This time we had the wisdom to wait it out. We ate lunch on a pleasant little oyster bar and rested in the shade for about two hours. At one point we were surprised by a pair of Dolphins coming up for air with a great "sigh" about fifty feet away.

By 2pm we were back on the water with both wind and current pushing us up the river to the Watson Place. This small parcel of higher ground was once the homestead of Edgar Watson who was later murdered in Chokoloskee. The story is well told the historical novel Killing Mister Watson by Peter Matthiessen. We attempted to explore beyond the artificial clearing but the jungle has returned in force (such a contrast from the openess of New Turkey Key!).

We shared the campsite with two large parties so there was snoring and other noise. On the bright side we heard an Eastern Screech Owl (and the other party saw it in a tree at dusk). We had burritos made with dried refried beans for dinner.