Everglades USA Exped – Day 6
Friday, November 18th
USA Expedition blog: Everglades kayak Flamingo to Middle Cape
by Livio
We woke up this morning in Flamingo, Florida and we could hear the mosquitos swarming around the tent. We prepared to leave the campsite and have a fresh water “shower” under a hosepipe at the boating dock. While showering we heard a splashing sound in the water and we were amazed to a see a manatee looking up next to us in the water. The woman at the visitor center shop told us the manatee came because he likes the freshwater.
The short time in a little bit of civilization was great, but we are all looking forward to again immerse ourselves completely out into the remote nature surroundings. Before we left Flamingo had the opportunity to have a look around the small museum there and speak to two Everglades rangers who informed us about the species and conditions we could expect through the rest of our trek through the Everglades.
We left Flamingo in a north-westerly direction keeping next to the coast so that we could stop on some of the pristine beaches. After lunch we crossed a big bay and half way through it started pouring rain. The waves were big and choppy as we paddled almost five miles across the rough open water. The group stayed positive and rowed hard and eventually we reached the other side of the bay smiling.
We set up camp between passing storms on the beach at Middle Cape for the night. From long ago I was scared of the insects and reptiles. After we set up the tents Mike showed us a scorpion that was running in the bush. I learned that Scorpions are more scared of us then we are of them. They won’t harm us if we don’t threaten them. It is great to see how you get more and more comfortable in nature as you learn to understand and appreciate it. I don’t miss civilization any more!
Wednesday: Key Largo through Buttonwood Sound to North Nest Key — 7 miles (11 km)
Thursday: North Nest Key to Flamingo — 26 miles (42 km)
Friday: Flamingo to Middle Cape — 16.5 miles (26 km)
TOTAL: 2 ½ day total distance travelled — 49.5 miles (79.5 km)