Sailing through the sawgrass

[Pat Kelly]

You all might like this trip.  Tony Pernas and I just finished an amazing run through the everglades in my Core Sound 20 number 17.  I found out that a CS20 can do a broad reach through 4 foot sawgrass in 18" of water.  That was the fun part.  I also found out that it is possible to push her through 6 foot sawgrass in 8" of water for a mile or so but it ain't easy.  That was the hard part.  I'll try to paste a link to our Spot track as well as some photos, still waiting for more video to download.  The boat performed flawlessly, I love my Core Sound!

 

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0vnyuhJz64ekpjAoP8GCIr912oKQ3AYlC

 

You have to open all 5 pages to see the whole trip.

 

 

 

 

[LennieG]

Sounds interesting! would like to learn more as I live an hour from there....opened attachment but just got map points but no photos .

Reminds me of an old Kingstown Trio song.....lyrics included "if the gators don't get you then the 'squita's will"

[tom151]

Total amazement -- thanks for posting the track.

Would love to see more pics/videos- if you have'em.

Curious, is there a way to transform your Spot Track into a Google Earth .KML file that could be shared with us?

Thanks a lot,

TomH

[Pat Kelly]

If you clink the Spot page you should be able to toggle from map to satellite view that will give you the google earth look.  This trip was most likely the first of its kind in terms of the size of the boat that has made it through Shark River slough, at least in modern times.  Here's a couple more pictures

 

 

[Mike Vacanti]

Thanks for posting about your trip, it sounds like quite an adventure. I hope you find time to post more details.

[Pat Kelly]

I think this youtube video link will work...

 

[Mike Vacanti]

Thanks for posting your video, that was awesome. Did you scout the route ahead of time? It seems like it would have been easy to get stuck out there.

[tom151]

I think this ...Youtube...  will work...

 

Now THAT's a sailing video - totally amazed by your trip.

 

+1 on what MikeV said ... tell us about finding your way, navigating, charts, gps, whatever.

 

We need more... ((okay, it's really getting cold now in Mass so we need sailing sustenance))

 

Thanks,

TomH

[LennieG]

Great stuff!

[Chick Ludwig]

Love the video! Is than Mr. Johnny Cash singin'? I don't recall hearing it before. It fits well with this video somehow. I imagine that this adventure was very interesting-- just the kind of thing that I used to like to do when I was younger---got in a few messes on them, though.

[mattp]

That is a different kind of bushwacking altogether.

[Pat Kelly]

I have been thinking about and planning this trip for almost a year.  There is only a small window of opportunity to make a run like this, you need enough water in the slough and a good north wind.  In the summer there is plenty of water but no north wind, in the winter there is plenty of north wind but the water levels drop so that it is not passable. Fall is the only time to do it.  The park service post real time water depth readings from several stations along the route to help with the planning and we were just waiting for a nice cold front to come through to blow us down wind.  There really is no turning back once started as it is too far to push and you need a N to NE wind of at least 15 knots to make it work as the grass can be quite sticky and the friction slows you down.  We launched in the L67 canal on the South side of Tamiami Trail and sailed  down that for a few miles before portaging through 400 feet of tall sawgrass and cattails to get to a park service airboat trail.  You can follow the airboat trail all the way down to the headwaters of the Shark River and the run is almost all in a Southwest direction with the exception of a couple miles where we coaxed the boat into a beam reach with only a couple inches of centerboard and rudder in the water.  The inland portion of the trip was all in water no deeper than 2'.   Once in the creeks, it was a nice fast sail 35 miles mostly downwind and across Whitewater Bay back to the boat ramp in Flamingo.  Two full days, sunup to sundown, about 75 miles, lots of sore muscles

[Mike Vacanti]

The story of this trip would make a good article for the Small Craft Adviser magazine.

[LennieG]

I tried to find it on You tube ....is your video on You tube and what is the title ....just trying to find it to send on to friends.....very impressed,

[Pat Kelly]

Try that link on Vimeo, the resolution is better, same clip. Should be able to cut and paste the web address from the webpage.

[LennieG]

Thank you. Absolutely great,

[Paul356]

O2BU

[Tom Lathrop]

Good on you Pat.  I've sailed through a bit of grass on the Georgia coast but you put an entirely new light on it.

 

Thanks for the view.

[Pat Kelly]

You are welcome, Tom.  I'm glad to be a part of the B&B community,  still loving my boat after 8 years.