Everglades Canoe Trip January 2004

Preparations

This was to be the year we paddled the entire length of the Everglades, north to south or south to north. We debated several routes. In the end chose a hybrid that included some new territory and two "boomerang" visits to the gulf. (A boomerang is when you go downstream and upstream with the tide in both directions.)

After last year's "cracked canoe" episode, repairs were necessary. I patched two 8 inch cracks with epoxy and glass fabric. The results weren't pretty, but they were functional and watertight!

I also thought I'd take a crack at the "tall chickee" problem. On past trips we had to improvise footholds to climb up onto a chickee at low tide, or to get in and out of the water for a swim. Exposed surfaces below the high tide line rot away or are covered with razor sharp marine life. A rope ladder seemed like a good solution, and fortunately I found a description in The Ashley Book of Knots. This ladder had the distinct advantage of consisting entirely of knotted rope without additional wooden or metal treads. The only problem was finding thick enough rope.