tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189992082024-03-13T19:29:10.368-04:00SandyBottom's Sea Kayaking and Other AdventuresAll things related to my kayaking experiences and interests, and everything else life throws at me.SandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229035938500562535noreply@blogger.comBlogger702125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-2994834219477681652014-03-31T10:54:00.000-04:002014-03-31T10:54:39.039-04:00Living the Dream and Loving the SurfRetirement has been about my bucket list, and in that, I'm living my dream. Two kayak camping trips to Everglades National Park this past Jan and Feb, and of course March's Everglades Challenge. And some more great expeditions coming up this year including weeks on the Roanoke River, Isle Royale, the Apostle Islands, down east Maine, and possibly Anglessy Wales. I'm always aboutSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229035938500562535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-3398380734473587942014-03-10T11:56:00.001-04:002014-03-11T15:27:48.634-04:00Everglades Challenge: Home Again
SandyBottom, Floatsome, KiwiBird in Chapel Hill, NC
Photo by DWSB
Planning the next adventurePhoto by DWSB
DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-23814949971222987892014-03-08T11:23:00.001-05:002014-03-09T17:06:17.035-04:00Everglades Challenge: Awards Party
SandyBottom received her shark tooth, aligator tooth, and paddle award
from Chief and PaddleDancer (a.k.a Paula Martel) at the BBQ party on Saturday
Photo by SOS
Just in time for the BBQ party....
PaddleMaker and SavannahDan !
Photo and caption by Paula Martel
Only a little BBQ left but still in time for the party...
PeacePaddler !
Photo and caption by Paula Martel
DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-76593861382488890992014-03-07T16:24:00.002-05:002014-03-09T19:58:18.116-04:00Everglades Challenger: Tellin' Tales of Adventure
Santiago posted this photo report today: "So what do you do when you're stuck by low tide for two hours in The Nightmare, a mosquito-infested portion of the Everglades Wilderness Waterway? Make sweet & sour pork and take a nap using your paddle float! — with Dawn Stewart and Warren Richey."
Tide Traveler got through this channel just before the last inch of water vanished. He DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-32193523202169964762014-03-07T14:31:00.002-05:002014-03-08T16:46:18.073-05:00Everglades Challenge: Relaxin' on the BeachThe number of EC challengers at Key Largo continues to grow today. Many more to come in yet. Here is Yakmando's mid-day arrival...
Yakmando happy to hit the beach (finish line) at Key Largo
Relaxing on the (currently windy) beach is the thing to do for those who have arrived. SandyBottom reported this morning that she is well and rested. SOS is helping her clean and dry DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-9211101334931488732014-03-06T20:06:00.003-05:002014-03-08T12:05:23.205-05:00Everglades Challenge: A Stormy Florida Bay Crossing
The weather started getting rough, the tiny ships were tossed....
SandyBottom at the finish line 10pm Thursday
The Stormy Crossing: horizontal rain, 10 foot seas, high winds
SPOT Track of Santiago crossing with SandyBottom and TideTraveler
Near Jimmy Key on Thursday at 7:00 pm
Red: SandyBottom, Santiago and TideTraveler
Black: DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-26448364275074422422014-03-06T14:24:00.001-05:002014-03-08T16:49:47.121-05:00Everglades Challenge: Cat and Bird
KiwiBird and DeadCat
Photos by Paula Martel
This is a story of a flightless bird and a lifeless cat......
Beginning at CP2, DeadCat and KiwiBird seemed to be in a race to the finish line. From CP2, DeadCat traveled the Wilderness Waterway and then followed the Joe River to CP3, while KiwiBird took the outside route until Shark River and then crossed DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-5414447046433682962014-03-06T13:50:00.005-05:002014-03-07T12:58:24.992-05:00Everglades Challenge: Cheese Burger in ParadiseSandyBottom arrived at CP3 in the Everglades' Flamingo Visitor Center at 9:54am and, it was reported, headed straight for the most delicious cheese burger on the planet. Probably had been dreaming of a real food along the way through the Wilderness Waterway.
Enjoying a cheeseburger or two or three is popular among challengers reaching CP3.
Photo by Sherry Olsen who notes that the DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-74358593383565310412014-03-05T13:59:00.003-05:002014-03-05T16:20:06.132-05:00Everglades Challenge: Wednesday
Click here to follow the live SPOT tracking map
Just before reaching the Rogers River chickee, SandyBottom's SPOT stopped transmitting. Sundance and GoldenSun are trailing a few miles behind SandyBottom who is/was paddling with Santiago (Joe Spooner).
(If Sundance or Santiago phone home, ask them to confirm SandyBottom's location and try to let her know her DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-80655336868116595862014-03-05T13:57:00.000-05:002014-03-05T16:25:29.103-05:00Everglades Challenge: Mosquito to the Finish
Meanwhile... SOS & PopTarp aboard Mosquito finished EC in 2 days, 11 hrs, 4 mins. Wow! Well done!
SOS (Alan Stewart) and PopTarp (Jake Kohl) enjoying a cold one after an awesome finish.Photo and caption by Paula Martel at the finish line.
Mosquito (left) at rest at the finish line next to Sizzor (right)
Photo by Dana Clark
When I last posted their status, it was DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-10382226668505627582014-03-05T02:31:00.004-05:002014-03-05T16:21:02.001-05:00Everglades Challenge: Tuesday
Click here to follow SandyBottom's live SPOT tracking map
Tuesday morning SandyBottom visited the park's ranger station near CP2. She and other kayakers purchased permits for camping. She arranged to camp on the Rogers River chickee and the Oyster Bay chickee. With other kayakers she paddled 35 nm from CP2 the Rogers River chickee.
She phoned home fromDancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-216473439983547392014-03-05T01:30:00.002-05:002014-03-05T01:52:02.741-05:00Everglades Challenge: Monday
1:41am Tuesday
On Monday SandyBottom paddled from Wiggins Pass to CP2 on Monday
The story so far:
Sat -- paddle from Ft. DeSoto beach to CP1. 63 nm
Sun -- paddle from CP1 to Wiggins Pass. ~ 50 nm
Mon -- paddle from Wiggins Pass to CP2. ~ 50 nm
DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-70286785354463468232014-03-05T01:24:00.002-05:002014-03-05T01:24:43.624-05:00Everglades Challenge: Sunday Night
Sunday 11:59pmGround covered by SandyBottom Sunday
By the end of the day on Sunday, SandyBottom covered about 50 nm and reached a camp site at Wiggins Pass. Having paddled 63 nm on Saturday, this made two long days in a row.DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-26570581565572287972014-03-02T22:20:00.000-05:002014-03-05T01:08:00.305-05:00Everglades Challenge: Sunday -- Day and Night
8:00pm Sunday evening
After Sanibel Bridge, SandyBottom took the inside route
SandyBottom is paddling on an inside route tonight at Ft. Myers Beach with other kayakers: Sundance, HammerStroke, GoldenSun, and perhaps others. She phoned home to say that she is in the process of deciding whether to paddle all the way to Wiggins Pass tonight (20 nm) or camp after only 8-10 nm. DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-23783357346578504812014-03-02T07:57:00.002-05:002014-03-02T07:57:38.467-05:00Everglades Challenge: Onward to CP2 at Chokoloskee
Goodbye tent-camping, Hello long day toward CP2
SandyBottom camped from 11:45pm Saturday to 7:30am Sunday, and then began paddling on toward CP2. The route today is across Charlotte Harbor and then through the Pine Island Sound area to reach the coastal areas of Fort Myers and Naples, and then perhaps arrive near Marco. From there, CP2 is another 25 nm. Winds appear to be easterlyDancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-25398805464644154582014-03-02T01:02:00.001-05:002014-03-02T07:58:44.411-05:00Everglades Challenge: Checkpoint 1SandyBottom reached CP1 at about 9:26 pm. She phoned home. Said she was planning to refill her water tanks and then paddle on about 5 nm south to a quiet campsite for sleep. She sounded strong and was pleased with the first day. Good planning and training seems to be paying off.
Leaving CP1, SB paddled at about 3 kts , perhaps winding down, whereas her approach to CP1 DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-15100260251995422712014-03-01T14:38:00.001-05:002014-03-02T22:31:21.120-05:00Everglades Challenge: Tracking Map and SPOT Buddy
Snapshot of SandyBottom's tracking map
SOS, SandyBottom, and PopTarp 17 minutes before the start
(Photo by Ginger)
I am trying out the SPOT Buddy App on my iPAD Mini.... SandyBottom in blue, SOS in red.
DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-46594602372534323452014-03-01T08:54:00.002-05:002014-03-01T09:18:27.633-05:00Everglades Challenge: Fun Begun
2014 Everglades Challengers: SandyBottom and KiwiBird
O'dark thirty. SandyBottom managed to squeeze all gear into her TideRace kayak. The darkness lightened as the sun rose. Excited. Nervous. The roll was called. And then... "GO!" The challengers began launching their boats. A bagpipe played farewell 'music'. The challengers are all way in light Easterly winds. SandyBottom DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-48064783409852588422014-02-28T16:29:00.002-05:002014-02-28T23:28:14.279-05:00Everglades Challenge 2014: Friday is Inspection Day
The starting line Friday on Tampa Bay. Mosquito poised to strike. (Photo by SOS)
The WaterTribe is gathering for the 2014 Everglades Challenge that will start Saturday 7:00am. Boats and gear were brought to the starting line today (Friday) on the beach at Fort DeSoto park. Friday is a day of reunion, meeting old and new friends, while making last-minute preparations, DancesWithSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06744638027388491267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-17920868674031238022014-02-27T18:30:00.002-05:002014-02-27T18:47:38.558-05:00This One's for You, Dad
Robert Dickie
So sad when the call came that my Dad passed away this morning. He'd been sick a very long time and is now at peace. I love you Daddy, and will think of you often, especially this week while out there paddling, drawing strength remembering you.
Mom and Dad at Pan Am Airlines with Lani, Bobby, and me (with bandaged finger)
Dad fishing with Lani and Bobby.
I would SandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229035938500562535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-90240330884776923872014-02-22T19:55:00.000-05:002014-02-22T19:55:19.638-05:00It's That Time of Year AgainI've been busy finishing some last minute preparations for the WaterTribe Everglades Challenge (EC) which begins next Saturday, March 1st. KiwiBird and I will be driving down to Ft DeSoto early Thursday morning, for what's become an annual trek. The blog has been sleeping for awhile, it's time to bring it back to life.
I’ve added last year’s teeth awards (shark and SandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229035938500562535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-16816035379965462132013-11-01T15:39:00.000-04:002013-11-01T15:39:02.835-04:00All in a Month
So much has happened in the last month that I’ve not had
time to blog, been working hard on
my bucket list. Things aren’t
slowing down yet, so here’a a quick synopsis.
Around Cape Lookout –
Check
This has been on my bucket list for awhile. Lee, Chris, James, Jay, and I sent a weekend
paddling around the outside of Cape Lookout, and it was one of the more
exciting paddles I’ve SandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229035938500562535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-58156502072011737202013-08-15T12:14:00.001-04:002013-08-15T12:56:04.954-04:00Tidal Bore in my FutureJust got an email from Committed 2 the Core Sea Kayak, about the Shubie Tidal Bore class I'm taking next month up In Nova Scotia. It read:"For those of you who have not done this before here is a little video to give you an idea of what you might be in store for. https://vimeo.com/24365069".OMG, it's going to be a blast, can't wait. I'll be there for the 1st Bay of SandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229035938500562535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-79805244514561004292013-07-27T19:19:00.000-04:002013-07-27T19:23:39.677-04:00It's Not Easy Being Greensung by Kermit the Frog on the child's TV show Sesame Street. This is what came to mind Saturday kayak surfing at Mason's inlet off Wrightsville Beach with Carolina Kayak Club Members Lee, Chris and Lyman, and with Alan on a rented surf paddle board.
While taking a break on shore, we all noticed Lee was color coordinated with his green Valley Gemini, wearing a green kayak club shirt and SandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229035938500562535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18999208.post-46173033985846504862013-07-22T07:19:00.001-04:002013-07-23T06:56:42.422-04:00Cross Boating
A few of us in the
Carolina Kayak Club call ourselves “cross boaters”. We have various and different types of
kayaks, from white water to ocean expedition.
Adding a white water skill set is relatively new to me right now (though
a bit of a flash in my past). I’m
amazed at how comfortable and confident I am in surf conditions at the coast, yet
a tight ball of nerves on theSandyBottomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06229035938500562535noreply@blogger.com2