Everglades Canoe Trip 2007

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Oyster Bay

We were alone on the chickee overnight, even though it was a double. The morning was uneventful as we packed up and headed almost due north towards the Shark River. Unfortunately the tide was against us, so we decided to follow a small creek leading back east to The Labyrinth. As we entered the wider part there were many birds of all types, so we gave it the unofficial name of Bird Creek. We also saw a Manatee briefly coming around a corner. He must not have wanted to be seen, because he disappeared after taking a few breaths.

Bird Creek

It felt a bit like returning to the scene of a crime. This was the same creek where my father and I fell overboard in 2005. The creek got continuously narrower until there were points where we had to push through overhanging mangroves. It was a pleasant paddle, out of the wind, with a slight current in our favor.At one point we could catch a glimpse of a large Marsh marked on the map.True to its name, The Labyrinth was confusing when we got there. The various outlets and ponds did not correlation well with the map. We wound up in a large stream going in the right direction and soon had our bearings again.

Watson River

We eventually emerged from the creeks into the upper part of Whitewater Bay. We had to paddle against a moderate breeze to reach the Watson River Chickee (which we had passed the day before). The night was a bit unsettled, with wind and thunder storms passing by. We also heard dolphins blowing most of the night. The combination was almost surreal. »»»

Copyright 2007 by Richard Rathe, Except Where Noted