Trippin'...page 4
So, in 1978, I took a major canoe trip.
Just exactly how does one paddle from Fayetteville,
North Carolina, to St. Petersburg, Florida?
1. I started at a public boat ramp, on the
Cape fear River in Fayetteville. It was pouring
rain!
2. I took the Cape fear about 120 miles down
stream to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
This runs down the east coast, some very
open water, and some sheltered.
3. I stayed on the waterway until the Florida
-Georgia line, where I went upstream on the
St.Mary's river for about 110 miles, to St.
George, Georgia.
I had tried to cross the Okefenokee Swamp,
to pickup the Suwannee River on the other
side, but was denied permission to cross,
on a 13 mile trail, because I was alone!
Even though I had just paddled nearly a thousand
miles, alone.
4. At St.George, I enlisted the help of a
young man to haul me and my canoe the 32
miles to Fargo, Georgia, and the Suwannee
River. This is the only part of the trip
that I did not paddle. A great disappointment,
and I even hitched a ride to the swamp headquarters
to "beg".
5.After the hard pull upstream on the St.Mary's,
the elation upon reaching the Suwannee was
undescribable!
I now had a 200 mile(plus) trip down stream
to the Gulf of Mexico.
6. So, it was...the best part of the trip,
the Suwannee River. Made famous by a man
that never even seen the river, Stephen Foster,
it remains a truly natural park!
7.From the mouth of the Suwannee, I turned
south, most of the time and followed the
coast down to St.Pete.
At times, I was ten or so miles off shore,
due to shallow gulf waters. I went upstream
on the Waccassa River for half a day, just
to get supplies, and camp for a couple of
days.
8. I went up the Anclote River, near New
Port Richey, because I was given bad directions,
and struggled to gain back the lost time
against an incoming tide.
9. I used road maps, and got mixed up often,
since my view was only a couple of feet above
the water, and there is no 'road' signs on
the waterways.
10. I ate alot, and still lost 33 pounds.
I was asked for my autograph, and was declared
'stupid' for taking such a trip, and padded
on the back, often in the same day!
Epiloge: I carried no perishable supplies.
I used boxed and canned goods. I camped out
at night,or paddled all night, depending
on circumstance. My load was heavy, lightened
as I grew smarter. I broke my #2 rib in the
first week,but learned to tolerate the pain.(learned
the true nature of the injury, years later
with x-rays) I broke my heavy water paddle
upon entrance to the Gulf of Mexico.
The rib and the paddle are still broke!
During the trip, after sun-blistered lips,
and hard paddling, I learned the true appreciation
of...ICE!
Paddle to other places:
Photo Album page 1
Photo Album page 2
Photo Album page 3
Photo Album page 5
Main Gallery
for "Swaneerat"
...Your comments are appreciated. I hope you enjoyed these pages, tell a friend!
Copyright© by barry 1996-2001 - All Rights Reserved
