Wonders of Technology

Eye of the World Sailboat "William T Piquette" on right

Sailboat in Center

Thanks to the wonders of technology, Paul and I got to watch our son Alan as the Eye of the World made their way through the Miraflores lock on the Panama Canal.   The photos above were taken from web cameras at the locks.  

UFC is so Exciting

It's just been too hard to think about posting on this past Everglades Challenge while the big race is ongoing, the 1200 mile Ultimate Florida Challenge.

I'm barely getting much done keeping watch of the WaterTribe Forum and Race Mapper.  What an exciting race this has been.

They'll likely hold the 1200 miler again in 2014, hmmm.....

Back Home - But Not Over Yet

Every year as we drive into the driveway returning home from Florida, I find the daffodils in bloom and other wonderful signs of spring’s arrival.

This year’s EC was a great adventure, and for many reasons. Not only was this years challenge on of my best and most fun, my whole family was at the finish line. Paul of course was there (without his wonderful support I couldn’t do any of this), Alan had flown in from Panama taking a quick break from his around the world sail, and Tana’s sc school was on Spring break. They spent the week vacationing together in Key Largo, and then we all had a few days of fun and family when I finished. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Paul and I are back home now. Alan flew back to Panama this morning from Miami and Tana just left and is driving back to Boone. Paul’s back at work today. I’m taking one more day off, I need a few days for cleaning and organizing gear, a little more recovery, and time to process it all.

There are lots of stories to tell but I need a few days or so before I can get to it.

And of course I’ll be following fellow Tribe members Wizard, CrazyRussian, ManitouCruiser, WhiteCaps, RunningMouth, SnoreBringGator, and Pelican, as they continue paddling and sailing the rest of the way around Florida, as they compete in the Ultimate Florida Challenge.

EC'10: Life at the Finish Line

Waiting ....

After the speedy sailors of catamarans, trimarans, and monohulls have come to the finish line in Key Largo, the paddlers start to arrive in their doubles and singles, alone or in groups of two or more.

Meanwhile, on shore, friends and family await. It's a rough job, but someone has to do it. They must keep the food and cool beers ready and save some for the kayakers. SPOT data must be collected and inspected frequently.

KW, SB, KB, Seiche

Proper technique for waiting for the challengers to arrive

and simultaneously making vitamin D

Shade and cool breezes are essential to

careful analysis of the SPOT data while keeping watch

(DWSB and SOS)

Demonstration of another excellent waiting technique

Brief naps are allowed and inevitable in the cool breezes under the palm trees

Visiting with friends and recent finishers is recommended

(SOS and Pelican)

Look, here they come !

Finally, the data indicate eminent arrival. When will they round the bend and come into view?

There! We see them! Far in the distance. Is that dot of a kayaker mostly red? or blue?

KB and SB Arriving

Three Cheers for SandyBottom !

Well Done

KB and SB on the Finish Line

A happy time

Congratulations, KB !

Congratulations, SB !

Happy, slightly tired, and in need of soap

Say Cheese ! And stay downwind.

KW and Seiche

Good times with WaterTribe friends:

"Remember how crowded that chickee was?"

"Oh yes."
(Shark River chickee with 3 tents, a hammock, and 4 boats)



The OC-6 team arrives

hut........ hut........ hut........

(we want pizza!)

And the UFC challengers arrive, enjoy a brief rest,

but must keep moving on with miles to go before they sleep

That's life at the finish line. (Que es la vida en los tropicos.) Love, peace, sandy feet.

EC'10: One Day at a Time

Day-by-day summary...

Saturday: from the starting line to CP1

Sunday: CP1 to Wiggins Pass

Monday: Wiggins Pass to White Horse Key

Tuesday: White Horse Key to CP2 and on to Lostmans Five Chickee

Wednesday: Lostmans Five Chickee to Shark River Chickee





Thursday: Shark River Chickee to CP3/Flamingo

Friday: CP3 to Key Largo

EC'10: Crossing Florida Bay ...and Finished!

Everglades Challenge news last updated 5:00 pm Friday

Read all the forum posts from the challengers [here].

Zoom in on a WaterTribe map of their progress [here].

Follow SPOT tracking data from SandyBottom [here].

View collected WaterTribe photos and video [here].

Friday (3/12)

At about 7:00 am SB and a group of paddling comrades launched into Florida Bay from CP3 at Flamingo for the 37 mile crossing to the finish line. By 9:12 am SB was passing by Buoy Key. SB reached the finish line at 4:15 pm with KB. KW and Seiche finished at 4:05 pm. Sundance and HammerStroke finished at about 8:45 pm.

SandyBottom

8:00 am location

Overview of Florida Bay crossing


The long and winding road to Key Largo: Chart View


The long and winding road to Key Largo: Road Map View

Go Dawn go!

EC'10: Two Chickees and a Flamingo

Everglades Challenge news last updated 10:00 am Friday

Read all the forum posts from the challengers [here].

Zoom in on a WaterTribe map of their progress [here].

Follow SPOT tracking data from SandyBottom [here].

View collected WaterTribe photos and video [here].

Thursday evening (3/11)

SB and several other kayakers reached CP3 at Flamingo Thursday evening at about 5:30 pm. All of them decided to wait for morning to start the 37 mile crossing of Florida Bay to the finish line.

SandyBottom

The route from CP2 at Chokoloskee was a long and winding road that included two nights of camping scheduled for the Lostmans Five chickee and the Shark River chickee.

Map View of Wilderness Waterway route

WaterTribe "Challenge Mapper" view of Wilderness Waterway route



The Joe River path taken around the south side of Whitewater Bay



SB, KB, KW, Seiche together





Challengers: current locations

Meanwhile, challengers were spread across the landscape from start to finish.

Three of the challengers in the 1200 mile UFC were headed up the east cost of Florida, with Wizard in the lead ahead of ManitouCruiser and WhiteCaps. CrazyRussian was about a day behind them having arrived in Key Largo on Thursday.

EC'10: The Wilderness Waterway

Everglades Challenge news last updated 9:00 am Wednesday

Read all the forum posts from the challengers [here].

Zoom in on a WaterTribe map of their progress [here].

Follow SPOT tracking data from SandyBottom [here].

View collected WaterTribe photos and video [here].

Wednesday morning (3/10)

SB is making great progress through the Everglades this morning. SPOT data indicates she left the Lostmans Five campsite (chickee) at or before 5:15 am.

Sure it adds an extra 30 miles to the EC, but the Wilderness Waterway through Everglades National Park is famously beautiful. Who could resist? Challengers who take this route and complete the EC are awarded a shark tooth and an alligator tooth --appropriately so, considering the extra distance and the travel through winding blind tunnels of mangrove, lurking big critters, even bigger snakes, and sections with names like "Lostmans", "Shark River", and "The Nightmare".

The chart below shows the winding path of the Wilderness Waterway as it was experienced by SB in 2008...






SandyBottom

The Wilderness Waterway winds through Everglades National Park (2008)



Chickees: raised wooded platform campsites like this...



... or on the ground like this.

Map of Campsites in Everglades National Park

Having the SPOT data for tracking the EC challengers is wonderful, especially when they are in the Park as cell phone coverage there is extremely poor between CP2 and CP3. A cell phone call home are unlikely until SB reaches CP3 at Flamingo, FL.

Speak, dear phone, speak.

With apologies to author Lowell George and to singer Linda Ronstadt...


WaterTribe Willin'

I been whipped by the rain, driven by the flow
I'm damp and dirty, don't you know
But I'm still willin'

Out on the river late last night
I'd see the pretty 'gators in my headlight
sharks, manatees and 'gators

And I've paddled from Tampa to Key Largo
Even all the way around!
Sailed every kind of rig that's ever been made
Camped outta sight so I wouldn't be delayed
And if you give me charts, tides and time
And you show me a sign
And I'll be willin' to be movin'

And I've been kicked by the wind, flipped off the seat
Had my head stove in but I'm still on my feet
And I'm still willin'

And I struggled at times to reach that Big Marco
Baked by the sun every time I go to Big Marco
Ah but I'm still...

And I've paddled from Tampa to Key Largo
Even all the way around!
Sailed every kind of rig that's ever been made
Camped outta sight so I wouldn't be delayed
And if you give me charts, tides and time
And you show me a sign
And I'll be willin' to be movin'