Paddler's Guide to Everglades National Park

by Johnny Molloy

Overview

"After hundreds of hours of actual experience in the field, which can't be beat, Molloy has written a much-needed guide to paddling the waterways of Everglades National Park--good, practical knowledge and common sense in a folksy, down-home style that is easy to read and follow."--Jeff Ripple, author of Southwest Florida's Wetland Wilderness: Big Cypress Swamp and the Ten Thousand Islands For the ultimate adventure by canoe or sea kayak, this guide to paddling the Everglades offers detailed information about every significant paddling route in Everglades National Park. These routes cover more than 400 miles of ocean, river, bay, and creek waters, plus the Gulf of Mexico. The 53 designated paddling routes-including the renowned Wilderness Waterway, the spine of the paddlers' pathways--provide access to Florida's endangered natural paradise, the wide sheet of water that includes pristine beaches, sun-drenched keys, and the world's largest mangrove forest. The routes include day trips, week-long excursions, and many not-so-frequented passages. A Paddler's Guide presents a rating system for each route that includes possible hazards, navigational challenges, potential wind and tidal influences, overall mileage and paddling time, and a running description of both physical and cultural landmarks along the way. It presents descriptions of every backcountry campsite in the park, from unusual chickees to old Calusa Indian mounds, to beachfront islands in the Gulf of Mexico. The book includes 22 trail maps, adapted from nautical charts and U.S. Geological Survey topography maps of the park. Johnny Molloy, an experienced outdoorsman, also tells you how to execute a paddling trip-what supplies and equipment to take, where to get them, and how to obtain permits. Once on the water, you'll get tips on navigation, coping with insects, and other situations paddlers face in the park. It's realistic and instructive information for serious paddlers, casual vacationers, bird watchers, and fishermen. Molloy has years of paddling experience in the Everglades, logging trips of two hours and up to two weeks. In the course of writing this book, he paddled over 500 miles in one season. Johnny Molloy is an outdoor writer and adventurer based in Knoxville, Tennessee. His camping and hiking guides include Beach and Coastal Camping in Florida (UPF, 1999); Trial by Trail: Backpacking in the Smoky Mountains; The Best in Tent Camping: West Virginia; Day and Overnight Hikes in Shenandoah National Park; and The Best in Tent Camping: Colorado.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813033600
Publisher:	University Press of Florida
Publication date:	09/06/2009
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Johnny Molloy is an outdoor writer and adventurer based in Johnson City, Tennessee, who spends his winters in Florida.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii

Introduction to the Everglades 1

What It's Like-Paddling the Everglades 4

Natural History 7

Human History 12

Climate 15

Navigation 17

Navigational Considerations 20

Potential Hazards 22

Trip Planning 27

Heavy-Use Periods 28

Wilderness Waterway 28

Paddlers' Waterway 29

Rules and Regulations 30

Equipment 31

Backcountry Pastimes 37

The Routes

Florida Bay

Dead Terrapin Key Route 41

Dildo Key Bank Route 43

East Cape Route 44

First National Bank Route 46

Johnson Key Route 48

Little Rabbit Key Route 50

North Nest Key Loop 51

Snake Bight Route 53

Cape Sable, Whitewater Bay, and the South

Big Sable Route 55

Buttonwood Canal Route 57

Cormorant Pass Route 59

The Cutoff Route 61

East River Route 63

Hells Bay Canoe Trail 64

Joe River Route 67

The Labyrinth Route 68

Lane River Route 70

Little Sable Creek-Lake Ingraham Route 72

Middle Cape Route 74

Mud Lake Loop 77

Nine Mile Pond Loop 79

Noble Hammock Loop 81

North River Route 83

Roberts River Route 84

West Lake Canoe Trail 86

Whitewater Bay Route 88

The Central Rivers Area

Broad River Route 91

Cabbage Island Shortcut 93

Graveyard Creek Route 94

Harney River Route 97

Highland Beach Route 99

Little Banana Patch Loop 101

Lostmans River Route 103

The Nightmare Route 105

North Harney River Route 108

Ponce de Leon Bay Route 110

Rodgers River Route 112

Rodgers River Bay Route 114

Shark Cutoff Route 116

Tarpon Bay Alternate 118

Toms Creek Route 119

Wood River Route 120

Ten Thousand Islands

Causeway Route 123

Chatham River Route 124

Darwins Place Route 127

Gopher Key-Charley Creek Route 130

Halfway Creek Loop 134

Halfway Creek Canoe Trail 136

Hurddles Creek Route 138

Huston River Route 140

Indian Key Pass Route 142

Last Huston Bay Route 145

Le Mans Route 146

Lopez River Route 148

Northwater Route 150

Pavilion Key Route 152

Rabbit Key Pass Route 155

Sandfly Island Route 157

Turkey Key Route 159

Turner River Canoe Trail 162

West Pass Route 166

Willy Willy Route 168

North of the Park

Blackwater River Route 171

East River Route 174

Morgan River Route 176

Mud Bay-Goodland Route 178

White Horse Key Route 181

Whitney Channel Route 185

The Campsites 187

Suggested Paddling Trips 247

Appendix

A Paddle Routes 252

B Campsite Information 255

C Paddler's Checklist 258

D Boat Rentals and Outfitters 260

Route Maps 263

Acknowledgments 287

Editorial Reviews

Why anyone with an ounce of brains would want to paddle a canoe or kayak through the Everglades escapes this reviewer. Molloy makes it very clear that alligators slither around, weird things come flying out of the trees, tides strand you on mud flats, and geographic names such as Shark Point and Graveyard Creek make you wonder about their origins. But Molloy's relaxed prose makes all doubts vanish. Molloy has floated his boats around most of the United States and has written a number of books about his experiences. Here, his writing style is both authoritative and enticing; he can almost make you want to drift about in clouds of mosquitoes and no-see-ums. He offers important information for boaters (tidal activity, campsites, routes to avoid, what to pack, wind challenges, approximate paddling time, and much more) and includes detailed maps that will be of immense value to anyone venturing out into this intimidating environment. Definitely of importance to all Southeastern public libraries, this guide should also be considered by all for its comprehensiveness, attention to detail, and clarity.--Joseph L. Carlson, Lompoc, CA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\

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