South of the ultra upscale development of Naples and stretching into the Everglades lies a jewel of Florida's Gulf Coast: Ten Thousand Islands. Clusters of small and large mangrove islands provide rookeries for wildlife and navigational challenges for man. One island is indistinguishable from another with mangrove on the landward side and sandy beaches on the gulf side. Waters are full of live shells and crustaceans providing food for flocks of wading birds. In the coves and inlets are ibis, heron egret, and plovers while wood storks and osprey circle overhead. Dolphins, turtles and manatees are seen as they surface for air.
Each of us has developed our own rhythm. Rod always keeps us found. He is an adept navigator and enjoys the challenges this area provides. Roger likes to poke along the edges where the water meets the land. He is constantly observing, categorizing and photographing the birds, shells and wildlife that passes his view. Pat is constant, keeping us at a constant pace and tracking progress on the chart. And I seem to flit among them all...tarrying to watch birds with Roger or getting into a joyful paddling grove and speeding ahead of the group.
We start the day from Cannon Island, just 2 miles from Marco Island and protected from the Gulf by a thin, sandy barrier island. A strong wind came up in the night and we can see big beakers rolling in over the dunes of the fore island. We quickly decide that we will not take the outside route around Cape Romano. Fortunately there is also a sand bar stretching from the island back to the channel leading in to Marco Island. We paddle inside of it to escape the turbulence, opting for a nice easy paddle down the Big Marco River.
As we enter the channel Roger and I notice an unusual bird. Roger quickly identifies it as a Razor Billed Auk, a northern bird blown in by the storm. With wings better adapted for swimming rather than flying, he is unlikely to make it back to his Nova Scotia summer home. Too bad we can't take it north as we head for Halifax.
As we proceed down the river, we reach the small town of Goodland. Here Pat gets her first ever glimpse of a manatee. We all see the nose surfacing for air, followed by the powerful tail fins. Pat, who grew up in Florida, has tried to see manatees many times. This is a first - way cool. She also is excited when a turtle surfaces within a few feet of her boat. She is able to look it in the eyes. What a day for wildlife encounters!
The gear breakdowns are beginning to take a toll. Pat's skeg is jammed in the down position. Landings are difficult because scraping it on the bottom can damage it more. When we reach Whitehorse Key, we meet a guide and two friendly paddlers from New Jersey. Scott, of Adirondack Exposure, keeps half a dozen boats in Florida and spends his winters guiding trips through the Ten Thousand Island and Cedar Keys. He takes a look at Pat's skeg and determines that the cable is frayed and kinked. It will need replacing. The next repair shop is in the Keys. That means she will have to paddle the rest of the trip with the skeg down.
It would have been attractive to take a zero day here and explore more of the Ten Thousand Islands. This is a very popular alternative to the northern Everglades and does not require permits. But we have fixed motel reservations in Everglades City so we must move on.
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