Epic Paddle, Part One
Summary: Guntersville AL to Panacea FL; 850 Miles in 74 daysThe Tennessee River
The Tenn-Tom Waterway
The Tombigbee River
The Mobile Delta \ Mobile Bay
The Gulf Coast Intercoastal Water Way
The Florida Coast
Epic Paddle, Part Two
Summary: Panacea Fl to Savanna Ga; 1418 miles in 128 daysBeginning at Big Lagoon State Park near Pensacola, extending around the Florida peninsula and Keys, and ending at Fort Clinch State Park near the Georgia border, the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail (commonly referred to as The CT) is a 1,515-mile sea kayaking paradise. The trail includes every Florida coastal habitat type, from barrier island dune systems to salt marsh to mangroves. Numerous historical sites and points of interest are accessible by kayak along with colorful fishing communities and urban centers.
I ended the Guntersville to Panacea section in June 2011. Happened into a bayside boat storage near the Holiday Campground where I could store the yak until September.
A hurricane developed in the Gulf in early September 2011 so I waited and restarted the paddle in April 2012 after a long winter in Tarrant.
In mid-June, hurricane Debby developed in the Gulf and the winds created serious waves soon after I crossed the 35 mile Florida Bay to reach Long Key State Park. I weathered the rain and wind for a couple of days before starting up the Keys away from the storm.
I stayed in four or five hotels on the Atlantic side because there were no camping options in the built-up west coast. Other than those days I stayed in my tent, mostly primitive campsites with a few campgrounds.
