Publisher Description

For anyone who has ever dreamed of truly experiencing America's unique Everglades National Park, there is only one way: by canoe or kayak. And Paddling the Everglades Wilderness Waterway is the all-in-one guide for safe adventure on this spectacular 99-mile route. No time for such days-long expeditions? No matter. Authors Holly Genzen and Anne McCrary Sullivan entice with their favorite day- and overnight trips from various Everglades departure points. Having spent years exploring this maritime labyrinth, the authors now share their intimate knowledge of historic Everglades rivers and bays, the endless horizon of its Gulf Coast, the eerie beauty of its mangrove forests, and the secrets of ancient tribes and early-American pioneers who left their distinctive traces. Descriptions of wildlife abound (the birds! the alligators!), as do the details of exquisite flora that flourishes here. But Genzen and Sullivan do not skimp on practicalities nor on threats to this environment. Safety, weather, insects, food, fresh water, and camping on rustic "chickee" platforms stilted above the rivers all earn many pages here. As does what lies in store for the timeless but fragile Everglades ecology. This book is a treasure trove for all paddlers--from novices to champions.

Author Biography

A longtime outdoor adventurer, Holly Genzen has a master's degree in outdoor education and a PhD in educational administration; she was an associate professor at National Louis University. An avid hiker, she has solo thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, and in recent years, she has focused her canoeing and kayaking activities on Florida's many springs, rivers, and coastal trails. She has been a volunteer resident at former President and Mrs. Hoover's Camp Rapidan in Shenandoah National Park, and she is a volunteer at Trout Lake Nature Center in Eustis, Florida. Holly lives in Leesburg, Florida, with her husband, Gary, and cat, Sherman. McCrary Sullivan had her earliest water adventures before she was old enough to walk. She is now an avid paddler and a naturalist volunteer in Everglades National Park. She first visited the park as an artist in residence, and her book of poems, Ecology II: Throat Song from the Everglades (WordTech Editions; Cincinnati, OH; 2009), explores flora, fauna, and ecology through a poetic lens. She has an MFA in poetry and a PhD in English education, and is recently retired from National Louis University where she was a professor of interdisciplinary studies.

Table of Contents

Everglades Wilderness Waterway Overview MapFront CoverOverview Map KeyDedicationAcknowledgmentsPrefaceINTRODUCTIONPART ONE: On the Everglades Wilderness Waterway

• Section 1/u: Everglades City/Chokoloskee Island
• Section 2/T: Chokoloskee Island/Lopez River Campsite or Crooked Creek Chickee
• Section 3/S: Lopez River Campsite or Crooked Creek Chickee/Marker 123
• Section 4/R: Marker 123/Marker 107
• Section 5/Q: Marker 107/The Watson Place or Sweetwater Chickee
• Section 6/P: The Watson Place or Sweetwater Chickee/Marker 79
• Section 7/O: Marker 79/Plate Creek Chickee or Lostmans Five Campsite
• Section 8/N: Plate Creek Chickee or Lostmans Five Campsite/Marker 49
• Section 9/M: Marker 49/East End of Big Lostmans Bay
• Section 10/L: East End of Big Lostmans Bay/Willy Willy Campsite or Rodgers River Chickee
• Section 11/K: Willy Willy Campsite or Rodgers River Chickee/Marker 26
• Section 12/J: Marker 26/Camp Lonesome or Broad River Campsite
• Section 13/I: Broad River Campsite & Highland Beach Excursion
• Section 14/H: Broad River Campsite/Harney River Chickee via TheNightmare
• Section 15/G: Harney River Chickee/Marker 9 or Canepatch Campsite
• Section 16/F: Marker 9 or Canepatch Campsite/Shark River Chickee
• Section 17/E: Shark River Chickee/Oyster Bay Chickee
• Section 18/D: Oyster Bay Chickee/Joe River Chickee
• Section 19/C: Joe River Chickee/South Joe River Chickee
• Section 20/B: South Joe River Chickee/Tarpon Creek
• Section 21/A: Tarpon Creek/Flamingo
• Map 22: The Historical Route

Part Two: North Everglades Day & Overnight Paddles

• Plan Ahead
• Day Paddles—Everglades City Area
• • Halfway Creek/Turner River Loop
  • Lopez River Route
  • Sandfly Island
  • Sandfly Island Loop
  • Smallwood Store Loop
• Overnight Paddles—Everglades City Area
• • Hurddles Creek Loop
  • Indian Key Pass
  • Jewell Key

Part Three: South Everglades Day & Overnight Paddles

• Plan Ahead
• Day Paddles— Flamingo Area
• • Bear Lake Canoe Trail
  • Mud Lake Canoe Trail
  • Nine Mile Pond
  • Noble Hammock Canoe Trail
• Overnight Paddles— Flamingo Area
• • Hells Bay Canoe Trail
  • Johnson Key
  • Shark Point
  • South Joe River
  • West Lake to Alligator Creek

Part Four: Summer PaddlingPart Five: The CampsitesPart Six: Everglades Flora, Fauna, People, & PlacesAppendix 1: ChecklistAppendix 2: Launch SitesAppendix 3: Outfitters, Suppliers, & Canoe/Kayak RentalsAppendix 4: Resource OverviewAppendix 5: Internet ResourcesAppendix 6: Suggested ReadingAppendix 7: Wilderness Waterway GPS CoordinatesIndexMap legendAbout the AuthorsEverglades North & South Day & Overnight PaddlesOverview Map

Long Description

For anyone who has ever dreamed of truly experiencing America's unique Everglades National Park, there is only one way: by canoe or kayak. And Paddling the Everglades Wilderness Waterway is the all-in-one guide for safe adventure on this spectacular 99-mile route. No time for such days-long expeditions? No matter. Authors Holly Genzen and Anne McCrary Sullivan entice with their favorite day- and overnight trips from various Everglades departure points. Having spent years exploring this maritime labyrinth, the authors now share their intimate knowledge of historic Everglades rivers and bays, the endless horizon of its Gulf Coast, the eerie beauty of its mangrove forests, and the secrets of ancient tribes and early-American pioneers who left their distinctive traces. Descriptions of wildlife abound (the birds! the alligators!), as do the details of exquisite flora that flourishes here. But Genzen and Sullivan do not skimp on practicalities nor on threats to this environment. Safety, weather, insects, food, fresh water, and camping on rustic "chickee" platforms stilted above the rivers all earn many pages here. As does what lies in store for the timeless but fragile Everglades ecology. This book is a treasure trove for all paddlers--from novices to champions.

Excerpt from Book

SECTION 1/U: Everglades City (Gulf Coast Visitor Center)/Chokoloskee Island (south end) Gulf Coast Visitor Center: N25

Details