Why I'm attempting the 100 Mile NPS Paddle Challenge

The news that these people had left their own country to bathe in the river Jordan, spread among all the kings and chiefs of Florida, and as they were an ignorant people, they all set out in search of this river, which was supposed to possess the power of rejuvenating old men and women. So eager were they in their search, that they did not pass a river, a brook, a lake, or even a swamp, without bathing in it; and, even to this day, they have not ceased to look for it, but always without any success.

- Memoir Of Hernando D’Escalante Fontaneda 1575

I'm not expecting to find the Fountain of Youth, but I needed some kind of cross training upper body workout to supplement (i.e. give my knees a break) my long distance running. As with signing up for a marathon it is simply a way of maintaining my motivation to keep exercising. I much prefer training outside versus working out in a gym. So kayaking (and the occasional period oared powered vessel), seemed like a good fit.

Friday, July 29, 2016

Paddle Challenge in the News

The Bradenton Herald has posted an article on Florida Centennial Paddle Challenge and Kayaking at De Soto National Memorial.

De Soto booked for kayakers, but not for the National Parks Service paddle challenge

Evidently the reporter spotted a post on Biscayne's Facebook page with me at the landing reenactment and she tracked me down while I was out of town. I sent her a link to this blog and ended up answering a few questions.

How many miles have you paddled so far?

63 miles so far.

What other Florida parks do you plan on paddling in?

I was at Biscayne NP on Thursday, alas no miles paddled as a day of thunderstorms occurred. So my daughter and I visited Coral Castle. Always have a backup plan.

I am going to try to do an Everglades NP/Big Cypress NP trip when the weather is a bit cooler. If the weather is bad there is always the Skunk Ape Research Center.

I've looked into Ft.Jefferson /Dry Tortugas but it is a serious logistical challenge. Drive to Key West, find parking in Key West, book the ferry to DT NP, xtra charge to haul kayak, camp or day trip?, weather chances vs. more stuff to haul, boating permit at Ft. Jefferson, need VHF marine radio, etc.

On the other hand Gulf Islands is only an 8 hour drive, we'll see.

Was this, as you said, more training for a marathon, or were you interested in completing the challenge as well?

I'm doing it solely for the 3" iron on patch. ;)

I'm going to try to complete the challenge, but as with many things the journey is more important than the goal.

How many days a week do you volunteer as de Soto?

These days my volunteering at De Soto is mostly special events , a half dozen times a year.

What's your favorite thing about being a historical reenactor?

My favorite thing about being a historic reenactor is waxing philosophic to reporter's questions.
-Tim

Update:

Although the article was posted July 21, on-line , it didn't see print until August 1

DESO

#FLNPS100PaddleChallenge and #FindYourPark

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article92356957.html#storylink=cpy

Biscayne National Park - Zero Paddle Miles.

A brief moment of sorta dry at Biscayne's VC.

I'm back from a few days Ft. Lauderdale. Checking Google Maps it looked like Biscayne NP would be only an hour or so away in driving time, a reasonable side trip, so I had hoped to add another of Florida's National Parks to my Paddle Challenge log sheet.

At the beginning of the week the weather forecast look good but by the time of the trip it had become a chance of thunderstorms of 40% Thursday and increasing to 70% by Saturday. So Thursday was the day, from the title of the post I think its going to be clear how that went.

My plans for an early start we're thwarted by first band of Rain at 5:00am which cut my morning run short. We waited until around 9:00 when the rain seemed to be letting up and morning rush hour traffic was over - once well on our way, it started raining again and there was construction traffic too.

The price has gone way up since that was carved.

The Courtyard of Coral Castle

Arriving in Homestead it was clear that it wasn't going to be cleaning up anytime soon so my daughter and I visited the Coral Castle one of my favorite tourist traps from my youth when I grew up in south Florida.

LAT LONG

After touring the Castle, we headed over to Biscayne NP, it was still drizzling, but the radar indicated that it might start clearing up. So we toured the VC, and the Gift Shop, we're we learned of the "congressional funded" Skunk-Ape Research Center . A back-up to keep in mind for an Everglades/Big Cypress paddling trip.

Still lightly raining we went next door to have lunch at the Homestead Bay Front Park, saw an iguana, checked the radar, and though by then the bay was then quite calm we could see that yet another thunderstorm was approaching and I called off any paddling today.

The calm before the storm

My daughter seemed quite relived that we wouldn't be kayaking in the crocodile infested waters of

Croc Sign

Turkey Point

Biscayne Bay next to a nuclear power plant, while in a thunderstorm.

Hug

DESO

#FLNPS100PaddleChallenge and #FindYourPark

Why I'm attempting the 100 Mile NPS Paddle Challenge

Friday, July 29, 2016

Paddle Challenge in the News

The Bradenton Herald has posted an article on Florida Centennial Paddle Challenge and Kayaking at De Soto National Memorial.

De Soto booked for kayakers, but not for the National Parks Service paddle challenge

Evidently the reporter spotted a post on Biscayne's Facebook page with me at the landing reenactment and she tracked me down while I was out of town. I sent her a link to this blog and ended up answering a few questions.

Update:

Although the article was posted July 21, on-line , it didn't see print until August 1

DESO

#FLNPS100PaddleChallenge and #FindYourPark

Biscayne National Park - Zero Paddle Miles.

At the beginning of the week the weather forecast look good but by the time of the trip it had become a chance of thunderstorms of 40% Thursday and increasing to 70% by Saturday. So Thursday was the day, from the title of the post I think its going to be clear how that went.

The price has gone way up since that was carved. The Courtyard of Coral Castle

Arriving in Homestead it was clear that it wasn't going to be cleaning up anytime soon so my daughter and I visited the Coral Castle one of my favorite tourist traps from my youth when I grew up in south Florida.

Still lightly raining we went next door to have lunch at the Homestead Bay Front Park, saw an iguana, checked the radar, and though by then the bay was then quite calm we could see that yet another thunderstorm was approaching and I called off any paddling today.

My daughter seemed quite relived that we wouldn't be kayaking in the crocodile infested waters of Croc Sign Turkey Point Biscayne Bay next to a nuclear power plant, while in a thunderstorm.

DESO

#FLNPS100PaddleChallenge and #FindYourPark

The price has gone way up since that was carved.

The Courtyard of Coral Castle

My daughter seemed quite relived that we wouldn't be kayaking in the crocodile infested waters of

Croc Sign

Turkey Point

Biscayne Bay next to a nuclear power plant, while in a thunderstorm.