Day 80 02/23/2010
Daily stats Start: 7:15 AM- Virginia Key, FL (Miami) Finish: 4:30 PM - Dania, FL (Jake’s old apartment) Time: 9:15 Daily dist: 28 miles Total dist: 2221 miles Companions: Graceland the puppet Weather: Partly cloudy, calm, high 70’s (perfect South Florida) Notes: This was a neat paddle for me through the same waters where I started kayaking 10 years ago. After writing off paddling over the weekend, the plan was hatched to ride down to the office with Neil today and while Neil put in an eight hour day of work, I’d put in an eight hour day of paddling. When I launched into the glassy smooth morning water with a glorious day of weather predicted I know it wouldn’t have been hard to get Neil to trade places. Considering the mess I know I’d make of the NOAA fisheries data he works with I thought better of making that suggestion and stuck with paddling instead.  Graceland the puppet enjoying the early morning calm As I came down the west coast of Florida over the last few weeks many people e-mailed wondering what would come of me as I paddled through the big city of Miami. In their minds the area is nothing more than a scary crime ridden black hole. The city does have it’s rough side but it is most definitely not on the water. Paddling in Miami (and South Florida in general) is a very pleasant experience. The water is generally calm and clear, the boat traffic is tolerable, there are a thousand routes you can take on the hundreds of miles of canals, and there is a lot to see along the way ranging from wildlife such as manatees, and dolphins, to huge condos, mega yachts, and waterside mansions. You may have learned from my recent posts that the friends I’m staying with have a five year old son named Adam. Adam has been wondering when I was going to finally mention that I was going to his house in my blog. Adam lives a couple miles inland so I can’t quite paddle all the way to his house. His uncle Paul however, does live right on the water (in the same apartment we shared when I lived down here) so that became my destination for the day. The big surprise was the fact that today, after spending three weeks riding in steerage with a fuel canister as a pillow, Graceland the puppet got an upgrade to a first class seat on the deck of my boat for the day long ride to his new home with Adam. You may remember that Graceland (named after the answer I gave to win him at the weekly trivia contest at Two Al’s Restaurant) is the puppet that joined me on this adventure over 600 miles back in Carrabelle, FL. Today Graceland got to see some of the many things there are to see on the water between Adam’s parent’s office on Virginia Key and his uncle Paul’s house in Dania. Much of this blog written for five year old Adam to learn about what Graceland saw along the way.  After saying good by to Adam’s dad at his office, Graceland rode with me into the morning calm north around the island to the Port of Miami. There were no ships in just then, but we got a good look at the huge cargo cranes that unload the freighters that come into port.  You can see the huge blue and white cargo cranes behind Graceland  A big Coast Guard cutter Just around the corner from the shipping port is the headquarters for the US Coast Guard. Graceland and I were going to take a shortcut past their docks but we were quickly approached by guards in a patrol boat that politely suggested that we go the long way around. In South Florida the Intracoastal Water Way winds through the interconnected bays inside the outer islands that lie a half mile or less from the main land. The water in some of the bays can often be quite shallow so it’s important to follow the navigation aids to stay in the boat channel. Graceland got a good look at many of those red and green channel markers today.  A green channel marker with a Cormorant bird on top  There are lots of draw bridges along the channel that raise to let sailboats and other tall boats to go past. Graceland got a chance to watch one go up to let a construction barge come through. About half way through the day Graceland and I took a side trip to Oleta State Park. The park is an island of “nature” in a sea of city. In the park you’ll find a maze of great mountain bike trails wrapped around an equally interesting network of water channels winding through the mangroves. It was one of my favorite places to paddle when I was living in the area and it was fun to see it again.  Quiet mangrove tunnel in Oleta State Park The real reason for the quick side trip, however, was to check out the new rental/retail facility for Blue Moon Outdoor Center that is run by my friend Colleen Guido. I got my start in kayak guiding with Colleen’s fledgling Full Moon Kayak Company over eight years ago. Operating with a simple trailer full of about a dozen kayaks, we mostly did evening tours around the Las Olas Islands area in Fort Lauderdale with a few day trips to Oleta and other interesting and beginner friendly local spots. Colleen is a dynamo and I’m very impressed at where she has taken the business. The operation now has dozens of kayaks and canoes doing lessons, rentals, and tours in Oleta along with mountain bike rentals for the bike trails. Her new facility (on which the finish carpenters were still putting the finishing touches) is incredible and is sure to become a focal point in the park. Colleen wasn’t in when I arrived but I did hang out long enough to meet her crew and distract them from work long enough to sign my boat and pose for a group photo.  Me with the crew at Blue Moon Outdoor Center  On the way back out to the main channel Graceland and I discovered a raccoon along the bank foraging amongst the roots of the mangrove plants. Oleta is a special place and is a nice break from the city paddling that exists in the area. Much of the time today I paddled past towering condo buildings and hotels. It’s all interesting in it’s own way and there is never a loss for something to see.  Big condos and beautiful water. Typical Miami paddling. A few hours north of Oleta I finally turned west off the Intracoastal waterway that I was following much of the day up the Dania Cutoff canal. The canal extends all the way out into the Everglades (now pushed over 40 miles away by city) and the first several miles are lined with finger canals, that jut off like side streets, that are lined with apartments, homes, and businesses. It’s this sort of network of finger canals that gave Fort Lauderdale (just north of Dania) the nick name “The Venice of America”. When I moved to Florida ten years ago I was lucky enough to have an apartment that was adjacent to one of those finger canals. To add still more to the luck, my apartment was a one story affair with a long straight wall just inside the front door which allowed me to get a full sized kayak in without any fuss. To go for a paddle all I had to do was take my kayak off the rack in the living room, pull it right out the front door, walk 30 steps to the water, lower it in, and go on my way. If it wasn’t for the fact that it was so easy for me, I’m not sure I would have gotten into kayaking as much as I did.  The end of the finger canal by my old apartment When I first started planning this trip seven years ago I was living in that apartment and it was a dream of mine to be able to paddle from my home up in Wisconsin all the way to my place in Florida. Today that dream became a spooky reality as I turned the corner off the Dania canal and paddled up to my old apartment. My friend Paul (Adam‘s uncle), and roommate at the time, is still living in the same place so Graceland the puppet and I got to share the novelty of linking two important places together. He linked Adam’s parent’s workplace to his uncle Paul’s house and I linked my home in Wisconsin to my old place in Florida.  Graceland with Adam Commentsmuseman Wed, 24 Feb 2010 2:13:58 pm Nice TR Jake! Looking forward to seeing you back in SD next month. Wed, 24 Feb 2010 2:18:42 pm How funny, I did not know you knew Colleen. She goes to the Paddlesport Industry Association Meetings and is real involved with the Florida Professional Paddlesports Association. So, yes Jake, the purpose of your trip, linking all of us who enjoy paddlesports and being on the water is again successful. Luke Stachovak Wed, 24 Feb 2010 2:22:58 pm Thanks Jake... I think that I have now hit a low point in my life. For once I am actually jealous of the day a puppet had vs. my own! Heather Wed, 24 Feb 2010 4:37:05 pm I hate to use the s--- word, but that was so Sweet!! ;) Portage Doug Wed, 24 Feb 2010 4:37:48 pm Jake, Jan Kleck Wed, 24 Feb 2010 7:17:00 pm I loved Graceland's views from his first class seat on your now famous boat. He will have a wonderful home with Adam, I am sure. I equally loved following your return to a place that has been and will always be, so important to your life. What a wonderful adventure! We are looking forward to the possibility of seeing you - if only briefly in SD. Neil B Wed, 24 Feb 2010 7:47:23 pm IT'S OFFICIAL! After 5 days, 3 hours, and 16 minutes; and on the eve of his departure, Jake has announced the unimaginable. Teresa Wed, 24 Feb 2010 8:24:28 pm Good job Neil - I knew you could do it! Lyn Stachovak Wed, 24 Feb 2010 9:24:59 pm Lucky little Graceland getting a first class seat on your boat like that. Hope he enjoyed himself as much as I enjoyed reading about his adventure. Tootie Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:20:38 am I am really envious of Graceland, being able to have a first class seat and to enjoy the trip and all the scenery with you. Glad you had a good day. Stay safe now and enjoy the weekend. Thu, 25 Feb 2010 5:55:27 pm Glad you made a surprise visit to the new Blue Moon and hung out with the guys! Love the pic. Thu, 25 Feb 2010 9:47:55 pm Arthur, one of the Al's of Two Al's in Carrabelle, FL will be very excited to see that Graceland was featured in today's post and that he was adopted by your friend Adam after traveling so far with you. John Fri, 26 Feb 2010 7:36:49 am Jake, Leave a Reply | Best of the Blog
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