Escape! East Cape Sable

Northwest Cape Sable campsite has bugs. Serious numbers of bugs.

Zillions of black gnats are in the grass and immediately cover anything set nearby. The tents are a regular killing field as the bugs cover the tent wall, overheat and fall dead. There are literally piles of them.

We woke this morning and the bugs were just too much. Pat spent a half hour sweeping bugs out of her tent. Sitting in her tent, Fran just couldn't take it anymore and hatched a plan to bail out to East Cape. While the heads winds are higher today than tomorrow, and we do not know if East Cape is any better, the discussion lasts maybe 30 seconds and we are all packing.

The paddle was quite fun, practicing boat maneuvering in strong wind. Part way down we hooked inside through Lake Ingram to get a break from the wind.

The moment we arrived at East Cape, we were ecstatic. First, the point is picture perfect with white sand arcing out into the water. Second, there was a welcoming party of 500 to 1000 Sanderlings on the beach. Third, there were two inviting chairs sitting in the sand facing out into the water, and the entire beach was abandoned. Instantly we knew we were now in the perfect place for a layover day.

The next day each of us carving out our personal time in our preferred way.  I practiced bracing and rolling. The others went for walks, looked for shells and birds, and read. Perhaps the best part was when we set up the solar shower and all took warm showers.  We all reveled in the gift of spending a zero day in such a beautiful place.

For years Pat has wanted to visit Cape Sable, the furthest southern point of the mainland US (excluding the Keys).  She passed up sunset cruises filled with lots of tourists from Flamingo.  Now she feels the preciousness of arriving on this point of land in her own boat under her own power.  As she watches the sunset now, she is grateful that she doesn't have to share it with the crowds.

To her it is a place where curves align and converge.  The point of land curves, the sandy shore facing west then south.  The horizon curves and the arc of the sun curves overhead. We remark that East Cape Sable is a place where you can watch the sun rise and set over the ocean and where there is enough wind to chase the bugs away.

It is wild and untamed, a place that has escaped the Florida development craze. May it always remain so.