This might be my last paddle till the Challenge... I hope not. Major development has already started at the end of my trail . Just two months ago I made it all the way past the road. Soon, all the way from where my track ends up to the road (US 41) will be a major golf course development. There and back, 9 miles.

This was last nights 5 mile in the dark paddle. I decided to do the Challenge, regardless of the challenges before the Challenge. Just a few more days...

February 21 & 22

Yesterday I got 10 plus miles in. Today I got out and only got 8 plus miles. Earlier today I mentioned on my home blog that there was only a 50/50 chance that I'd do the Challenge. When I look at the roster and see my friends I don't want to miss out. I need to make this happen.

Februdary 20th & 21st

An old image; my track logs are not loading correctly and I'm not willing to fix that right now. I went out Wed. morning and got 10 miles in. Later that night I decided to go paddle for the Full Moon Eclipse. A great night, 20 more miles and a night of camping from my white water boat. Total milage: 20 miles Wed. and 10 more Thurs. morning.

February 17th

A layed back 5 mile Sunday morning paddle.

February 14th

This trip was 15 miles to an anchorage for the night. Paddled back 15 miles Friday morning. Kruger now has 976 miles logged.

Feb. 8th, 12:01 am

I've been stuck in the mud since the UFC was cancelled... On Friday I went out at midnight and got 19 miles in. I've had problems loading track logs to Google Earth the last couple of attempts, hopefully I'll get that worked out... as I get back into the swing of things.

Feb. 2nd

On Sat. I had gotten out and only did a quick 7 mile loop simular to the Nov. 18th track as shown in photo. I've been recovering from heat exhaustion, dehydration, and sleep deprivation.

Jan. 29th and 30th

I had went down to Flamingo on Jan. 29th with plans of going to the finish and back. To make a long story short, I slept Tues. night out at Palm Key after putting in at Flamingo in the late afternoon sun. I was rushing (it can take an hour) to get out of the way at the ramp for when the charter fishing captains come in at the days end.

That was the start of my dehydration. The next morning I woke up and started out for the Keys. I was paddling lazily with my Balogh Boss system out just waiting for the wind to pick up. It was hot and still. Then I got to the Dump Keys at noon and out of no where it hit me. Heat Exhaustion. I didn't realize that at the time but it was. I thought it was just dehydration until days later.

Keeping the story short... it took everything I had to make it back to Flamingo. I was whipped and I didn't want to drive home to Naples until the next day. It took me a week to recover.

I only got 27 miles in over about a 24 hour period.

I went out Wednesday and got caught in a killer fog in the late afternoon. As sunset came and went I decided to just wait until morning to continue. The next day took until 10 am before you could see over 1/2 mile. I continued down to ENP and circled Chokoloskee. I even went inside check Pt. 2 for a bit. Then I called home and got a message that someone had messed with the gate to my property. I came on home and after a night figured out that my brother had dropped off a boat trailer. Now I'm getting ready to go down to Flamingo. Next week I want to spend 3 or 4 nights on Florida Bay. I keep taking LESS with me. less is more ps my track log photo wasn't co-operating, I really did go to Chokoloskee and got 68 miles in.

I had a good few days out. Wednesday I went out off of Marco and sailed. I don't know how Mark P. does it. I covered 109 miles while out for about 69 hours. 30 of those hours were anchored and camped.

This is my latest run. I went 118 miles in 72 hours. I never got out of the boat. Winds were head on at 10 mph most of the way home. "System" working well.

This is an 18 mile loop made yesterday out of Collier Seminole State Park. I was planning on staying out for three days but decided to scrub the mission after realizing that I was totally over-loaded. I'll be updating my progress soon at http://www.thereandbackagain-taba.blogspot.com/ .

Wednesday to Saturday, 75 hours and 100 miles spent in my Kruger. We're becoming bff. You've got to love a Kruger. Next week I think I'm adding a bathtub.

This was my Saturday paddle. I used my Kruger with a fairly heavy load. I went about 12 miles into the wind to Isles of Capri. There was a kayak demo day w/reps sponsored by Saltwater Sports of Naples. Then I put up my PAS 1.0 and flew back to Naples while barely paddling. I haven't paddled for 7 days prior to this. I'm working on refining my Kruger and getting it livable. I'm almost ready to get in another over nighter, maybe a few nights.

This was my paddle from Friday. I went south against the wind on the inside and then shot up the outside coast with my PAS 1.0. I covered 21 miles. I need to spend more time on open water.

I went out at 3:30 pm and had planned to stay out till 10 or 11. After just 4 miles I decided to turn around and take it easy for the night. I got back a little after dark with just over 8 miles. I need the sleep more than the miles. Back at it tomorrow.

This is my journey from Tuesday. I went to 3 different spots and activated the "help" feature on my SPOT. My mileage for the day was 9. A small report will soon be made at http://www.thereandbackagain-taba.blogspot.com/ .

Only a 7 mile day. Sometimes I feel like I'm not getting any miles or camping in until I think about the Challengers in the North. I don't know how they go from snow and no paddling to sand and 300 miles.

I went out with a Challenger today who test drove and purchased the infamous Viviane. We went out for a 6 1/2 mile loop. I think I found her a good home.

I went out with 3 novice friends and covered 14 miles. I'll bet they hurt tomorrow.

It doesn't look like it but this is 5o miles. I went out with my Kruger about 1:30 yesterday afternoon and stayed out on the water about 16 hours. I collected lots of SPOT data.

Today I paddled 10 miles while working some more with SPOT







Notice my "stump" trail down the beach where I crossed Keewaydin Island.







The view makes the portage worthwhile.

I paddled 10 miles at midnight and 10 more miles at 11a.m. I like the SPOT but reception is questionable.

Ok, only 10 miles for the day and 47 for the week but...

I got to play and experiment with SPOT today.

Only 10 miles again but at least I have 4 days in a row. Tomorrow isn't looking good as a paddle day, but you never know.

10 miles this morning. I'll be glad when the holidays are over.

Again, just getting back into the swing, 10 miles this morning.

Only 7 miles today after such a long break. I need to get back on track. ...one more day off ...and then Thanksgiving Day ...and then

On Thursday, Nov. 15th I paddled 10 miles.

On Friday, Nov. 9th I got 12 miles in but erased my Track log. photo here for 10/23

An 11 mile day.

An 11 mile day with a lot of reflection.

Just the old familiar 10 mile loop.

I left Thursday at noon and started by paddling 27 miles north to Naples. The sun had just set and it was getting dark quickly. I drifted in the wind and tide as I switched to sailing. That took 30 minutes and I covered a whole mile (lesson, in the dark, set anchor when setting sail). I sailed south and east back toward the park covering an additional 40 miles under sail. Camping consisted only of anchoring for 2 and 1/2 hours for a quick nap and food. The last three miles I paddled in for a total of 70 miles in 24 hours. Wind conditions varied from blowing to wild to mild.

Failed to launch Kruger today. Finally took out small kayak for 10 miles. Great wind. Mileage for October:340, 200 were in the Kruger.

I made a loop up one creek and out the other about 7 years ago. I was probably the last to make it through. I've tried a couple of times to make it back to the middle bay and out but everything is overgrown.




I only have an 1/8th of a mile to go to get through but it is tough going. Maybe one more attempt and I'll get through. 10 miles today took over 5 hours.



Today, I actually got mentally twisted around more than once. There should have been one trail in and one trail out. This is the most dense mangrove forest that I've ever gone through.

Short 9 mile day.

This is from Friday's paddle, 13 miles with a 1/4 mile of trial cutting.

A fun day going in the backwaters. I got 18 miles in and beat the rain!

It was worth paddling into the wind the first half of the day; going home with the tide and wind made for a fast second half of a 12 mile day.

A simple 10 mile loop in my little boat. I like getting my miles for the week spread out over 4 to 6 days rather than one hard paddle like last week.

I finally got on the water Thursday afternoon. It was a tough week with other commitments. I paddled out to the Gulf and started to sail Southeast when thunderstorms moved in. Change Float Plan: Head Northwest! I covered 50 miles before sleeping. After getting a late start Friday I went six miles further north to avoid morning showers. After getting to Naples I stored the sail and set about to paddle into the wind for 25 miles. Made it back just after dark Friday night, 83 miles total.

Well, I did it. I got out last night and camped. I got 17 paddling miles in Friday before camping 13 hours. Today I sailed back on the Gulf and got in 24 miles for a total of 41 miles. Moving time:12 hours, camping time: 13 hours.

I took it easy today and paddled my whitewater boat 9 miles at an easy and lazy pace; It was a day of recovery. I'll have to camp tomorrow or Saturday if I'm going to keep my once a week commitment. That "life" stuff keeps getting in the way. Sickness in the family has taken priority, ... hopefully just a little longer.