Nancy and I are heading over to Goodland today to check out the launch site for our Mar 14-16 or 17 camping trip in honor of our late friend, Terry Wilson. We will likely stop in Everglades City/Chokoloskee for some stone crab claws and, perhaps, watch the last competitors come through CP2.Update – Wednesday, 6:00 AMMost AI/Tis are on their way to Flamingo CP3. They take the Wildness Waterway (tough for an Island) or head out the passes and proceed down the coast. After that, it will be the 35 mi slog across eastern Florida Bay—a very shallow area. All Class 4 boats which attempted to go straight east from Flamingo yesterday, Tuesday, got hung up in the mud.
This was the tide at Flamingo yesterday, about a 2 ft change.
Further east, the tide change is probably less than 1 ft. The lowest tide is in the middle of the day. For the next few days, competitors will want to leave Flamingo at about 3-4 AM, EST, or late in the afternoon. If the competitors get out of the poorly and unmarked channels, they will be on mud flats, and will learn the true meaning of an Everglades Challenge “filter.” If there is anything good about getting stuck at mid-day in eastern Florida Bay, it is that you can
maybe stand on your boat and see where the channel will be when the 6-12 inch tide comes back.
Here is my annotated GE view of where many AI/TI boats will be today.
Here is a blowup of the Broad River/Nightmare area. Nightmare is a 3.5 mile tidal creek. It is heavily overgrown in spots, trees can be down and lying across the creek. At times, schools of tarpon are present, and in that tight area, they are bound to make their presence known.
Dogslife is doing the WW and made it through Nightmare. After spending the night on Shark River Chickee, he is moving at 5:30 AM. He will shortly turn off and enter Whitewater Bay. He is about 20 mi NW of Flamingo. I suspect he will try to get into Flamingo as early as possible, rest, then leave on the rising tide this afternoon to try and get across east Florida Bay.TIs--Most TIs still in the race are doing fine. I hope they are careful in the Cape Sable Triangle—it gets its name from the Bermuda Triangle of World War II infamy.
SirTackalot (aka Roy Edwards) and WindWatcher (aka Alex Wilson)—SirTackalot stayed on the outside, rounding Cape Sable as he made his way to Flamingo and CP3. He is not on the Mapper today. His SPOT must be turned off currently. He will probably make the crossing to the finish in Key Largo.
PedalOn (aka Roy MacPhail) and Sherlock (aka ArDelia MacPhail)—This team is in Flamingo. They are not moving.
ChumBucket (aka Bill Wickman) and TriSherpa (aka Steve Morris)—ChumBucket & TriSherpa must have traveled most of the night and are entering Buttonwood Channel, 2 mi north of Flamingo. If I were them, I would sleep during the mid-day low tide and get on the water about 3 pm for the slog across east Florida Bay
Triman (aka Mark Ellison) — This guy seems to only move at night. After showing up in Chokoloskee all day yesterday, this morning he turns up 8 mi west of Flamingo, camped at Clubhouse Beach. That would be a 65-70 mi night.
BackwaterBob (aka Bob Nichols) — A few miles off Ponce de Leon Bay, moving nicely.
PrivateHam (aka Michael Prince) & Jimbo (aka James Pritchard) —Their SPOT must be off. They are likely in Flamingo.
Pelican (aka Nick Hall) and falcon (aka Mark Hall)—Listed in class 5 (not Hobie TI) Pelican and son are making good time. Currently they are in open water off Nightmare (south of Highland Beach.) They will reach the Cape Sable area this morning and Flamingo later.
Sundance (aka James Connell) and GoldenSun (Victoria Connell) —Listed in class 5 (not Hobie TI) Wow, Sundance is taking his daughter down the WW. They are camped on Plate Creek Bay Chickee, NW of Lostmans River.
DivesWithKraken (aka Tom Turner) and WyomingWolf (aka Debbie Turner)—They camped at Pavilion last night—a place where we camped just a year ago on one of my famous leisure camping trips. You can read about it on this forum page: viewtopic.php?f=70&t=7276&start=270
Dietired (aka Josh Bowers) and dietired2 (aka Denise Parris)—Still in Chokoloskee according to their SPOT.
People who are making good progress but their SPOT is not tracking properly.
Moose (aka Lee Havins) and Squirrel (Kimberly Havins)—Their SPOT is not tracking properly. Apparently they are in Flamingo.
Hollywood (aka Butch Newell) —thru CP2 but not on mapper. Probaby another case of SPOT not tracking correctly.
Danceswithwaves (aka Royd Whedon) —Royd had not moved for a day, but suddenly he has shown up in Chokoloskee. My claim of his demise (in the 2014 EC) was clearly premature. Go Royd! He is not on the Mapper today.
___________________________________________
Sharknado (aka Kent Morse)--DNS??
There is no shame in not finishing. Not finishing usually simply means you have a much, much better understanding o the demands of the Everglades Challenge. Usually, you have another opportunity to finish. And, the WaterTribers will always welcome you.
AIs—Most AIs are doing great!
Dogslife (aka Paul Kral)—See above. Go Dogs!
PenquinMan (aka Jim Czarnowski) — Jim is in the Hobie IM class. Made a lot of progress in the WW today. He Is camped at the Broad R site (near Nightmare.) He will be doing Nightmare before continuing on the WW. Let’s see, 2 gator teeth = 2x$1.98 < $4. It’s worth it. Do Nightmare a second time.
Juscuz (John Sims)—SPOT must be off. Can’t locate him on the Mapper this morning.
AhMaChamee (aka Bryan Tindell)—AhMaChamee is cruising just off Pavilion on the outside. He will likely take a straight shot, open water crossing to Cape Sable today.
Dorsalis (aka Charles (Chip) Southerland)—He is waiting for the Ranger Station to open to get his permit.
Chief (aka Steve Isaacs)—He is in the Ultimate Florida race (circumnavigate Florida in about 30 days.) According to the Mapper he is still near Cape Romano.
_____________________________________________
Kokopedal (aka Ray Jones)— Kokopedal found a leak in his AI and has a temporary patch. Update: much of his gear is either wet or damaged (electronics.) He has dropped. DNF
FlyingFox (aka Susan Fox) — Pressed “help” button, DNF
My apologies for any errors or omissions. Please make additions and corrections as you see fit.
Keith
Login
Register
FAQ
