Day 52

Daily stats
Start: 6:40 AM-Panama City, FL
Finish: 4:10 PM -South of Tyndall Airforce Base
Time: 9:30
Daily dist: 20 miles
Total dist: 1,487 miles
Companions: None
Notes:  windy, portages

Today was one of those days that I probably shouldn't have broken camp.  I did get twenty miles in but I earned every inch.  I launched at 6:30 knowing that the seas on the open gulf were rough so I decided to stay behind Shell Island until I was warmed up.  It was an hour and a half later when I should have reached the end of Shell Island I learned that the island is no longer an island but a peninsula connected to the main land.

The Ikkuma on my cart...pretty much sums up the day.

So began portage number one.  I scouted a route over the sand dunes, assembled my kayak cart, lightened the load by putting some gear into duffel bags to carry, and made the portage to the other side.  What I saw when I finally caught sight of the open coast was heartbreaking.  Beyond a do-able 2'-3' surf zone was a blown out confused sea of rolling whitecaps.  I could have gotten through the surf but I wasn't ready to subject myslef to what would have been 20 miles and 5 hours of the kayaking equivilant of being in a Maytag washer. 

The weather is supposed to improve a bit by tomorrow so I was ready, even at 9:00 AM to call it a day and wait for better conditions.  However, I happend to be sitting right on the very same military property I was trying to avoid by paddling so far yesterday.  So setting up camp so early on a fairly frequently visited beach was not an option.  I happened upon some folks out doing a bird survey and asked them what they thought would happen if I did set up camp, even after dark.  They knew the beach was patrolled and said it probably wouldn't be a good idea.  They did present an option of portaging down the beach a way to access the next lagoon to the East which would then allow me to continue on another ten miles and reach non-military land.  I had nothing else to do for the rest of the day so why not.

So began portage number two.  I once again put the boat on the cart and this time wheeled it, alternating with carrying bags of gear, over a mile and a half to the next lagoon.  While I was scouting exactly where I could drop back in I met a couple military guys out on their lunch break seeing the sites.  I explained what I was up to and they ended up helping me move my boat and gear the last quarter mile half way up the board walk then over the railing into the marsh grass bordering the water below.  After bidding them farewell I re-packed the Ikkuma and pushed off into St. Andrew's sound.  I followed this narrow body of water another six miles south until it dwindled into a narrow channel and came to a gravel road.  After verifying with a passer by I knew I had found the road that would lead me back to the beach. 

So began portage number three.  Once again I went through the now familiar routine of assembling the cart and putting my gear into duffel bags to be carried on my back.  A half mile portage later I was finally back on the beach and at my camp site for the night.  Of course still on military land but hopefully far enough out of everyone's way that they won't notice or care. 

Tomorrow I may get a small break in the wind so I'm going to try to make the best of it.  My goal over the next two days is to make sure I end up someplace comfortable for Friday and Saturday when another weather system is supposed to pass through making things too rough to paddle.  I literally got on my knees and prayed for less wind this afternoon.