The locals call where I am camping Bird Island. The majority of the island is roped off for nesting birds but I found a small patch of sand just above the high water mark to camp. I woke up to the sound of rain drops splattering on my tent. I snoozed for a while since I was in no rush. I woke a while later to the sound of hundreds of birds singing. Well maybe not singing, but the sound of hundreds of sea gulls. Then I heard the sound of rain again tapping on my tent. Except I knew it wasn't rain, it was the results of being on an island with that many birds flying over. When they passed I climbed out and wiped off the presents they left on my tent. I packed up and headed for port. It was about a mile and a half back inland to the marina where I had arranged to store my boat while I was gone. The water flowing out to sea made it rather difficult. A lot of thoughts and emotions were running through my head knowing that this is the last time I will be paddling for 2 weeks. While it will be good to take a break, this is the life I am used to now. So getting off the water is like the equivalent of me going camping. Deep thinking, I know. I docked at the marina and went to find the lady I had talked to a few days earlier. She told me that when I was ready the dock guys would take care of me. I pulled my boat up to the ramp and unloaded everything. I think this is the first time I have had my boat completely empty since I started. I cleaned it up and put some stuff back in. When I was ready the dock guy came over with the giant forklift they used to move boats and we loaded my boat up. We probably could have carried it but it made for a way better experience. He drove it in the building that had about 150 boats stacked 3 high. I was hoping he would put it on the top level just so I could get a picture but he had a spot on the bottom row for it. I walked to town to find lodging for night. I walked to the hotel that was suggested as probably the cheapest. When I went in the ladies at the front desk were rude and I didn't get a good vibe. I told them I would think about it, knowing that I wasn't going to stay there and booked a room at the B&B that was a little farther away. I went back to the marina to get my gear and headed to check in. The guy who helped me with my boat gave me a ride which saved me from having to carry all my gear the mile through town. While checking in one of the ladies told me not to jump on the bed. She said that she had a lady who was jumping on the bed because she had never seen one like that. When I got in the room I understood. It was a four-poster bed with a canopy. So it made me feel at home since it's kind of like a tent. I took my normal extra long shower and then put on the complimentary robe. I felt so fancy. That lasted about an hour till I was starving and decided to find something to eat. I couldn't figure out which seafood restaurant to try now and ended up back where I ate yesterday. They welcomed me back with open arms. The owner said he was telling his wife about me last night and still couldn't believe I paddled from Ohio. I have found that it really takes people a while for it to set in how far that is when I tell them. The shrimp tacos were amazing. I left full and wandered around town for a bit then back to my mansion for the evening. I felt a little strange spreading my gear all over this nice room, but I wanted to make sure it was all dried out before I packed it away for 10 days. Now I just have to try and figure out what all I needed to take back with me to Ohio.
September 5
Yes, I'm aware that there is a hurricane heading towards Florida. Yes, I know it's already a category 5. Yes, I am doing something about it. These are the answers to the most popular questions I have been getting lately. I knew going into this trip that I would be paddling in Florida during the hottest months and during hurricane season. The heat has been real for a while now. After the aftermath of Harvey and now they threat of Irma, hurricane season is real. It just so happened to worked out that my planned break is falling during when Irma is supposed to hit. I had a nice enjoyable paddle today to reach Apalachicola. After some light rains this morning the weather was perfect. I took my time really trying to be present in the moment of paddling and what I was doing. Too often I get caught up with trying to do miles that I don't get to look around and enjoy the fact that I have been given a second chance in life to live out this dream. When I reached one of the marinas I tied up and went looking for something to eat. I walked past the Police station and I saw an officer in his car. I asked him where a good place to eat was. He gave me a recommendation so I thought I would check it out. While I was walking there I saw an old converted gas station garage that was converted into a restaurant. Above the door they had a 3 Dale Earnhardt memorial sticker. They just earned my business. I went in and got some Oysters. The 5 people including staff in the place were talking about the hurricane. They were stocking up on supplies and filling there cars with gas. It reminded me of my time living on an island in Florida. My hurricane prep was to buy booze and call the dope man well in advance. The only problem was that I'm an addict so when I had a surplus I would blow through it and have to resupply again before the storm hit. I'm so grateful I don't have to live like that anymore. I retuned back to my boat and paddled a half a mile out into the gulf to an island to camp for the evening. Tomorrow I will have to paddle back to town and try and find a ride an hour back to Panama City to wait for my flight to safety from the storm on Friday.
September 4
Well, it's unofficially official. I have now seen an alligator. I didn't get a definite look at one but I'm pretty sure I saw one, and I would be quite alright if I don't see anymore. While paddling down the Intercostal Waterway I kept thinking that it looked like a prime gator territory. Every movement in the water or log I saw I figured was a gator. When I got close and they didn't sink, I confirmed it wasn't one. At one point something popped up near me then went under. With no visual I thought it could have been a manatee. It kept surfacing and going back under about every 10th of a mile. I chalked it up to a manatee for personal well being. I was cruising at almost 5 mph for the first 14 miles today. But it took me about 6 hrs. It was so hot that I had to pull over in the shade about every 15 minutes. After 14 miles I stopped and walked to the gas station for something cold to drink. When I returned I thought I had an easy 2 hour paddle for the 8.5 more miles since the temperature had broken. I was wrong. The tides had changed and it was like I was paddling up stream. It was 6 miles to a bay then 2.5 across to the camp site. The sun was dropping fast but it was breathtaking. When the light gets right on the intercostal, the reflection of the trees on the black water is indescribable. It's like a perfect mirror. As I paddled out into the bay the sun was setting behind me. I couldn't help but stop to notice the amazing sunset. But only 2.5 miles to go I didn't enjoy it that much. I pressed on across the bay to a point where the map said was a camping spot. When I hit there the sun was down and the moon was up. I couldn't find any dry land. I noticed a small break in the weeds and paddled in to see if it would work. It would but the ground still looked a bit marshy. I backed out to see if there was a better spot. I decided I should put on my head lamp to see better. I really wish I hadn't done that. When I clicked it on my heart stopped. I saw about 4 sets of eyes start glowing in different spots. I might not be the most knowledgeable about Florida wildlife but I'm pretty sure there is only one thing they could be. I didn't find a better spot so I went back and paddled as hard as I could through the weeds onto the shore. If I could I would have liked to launch my boat all the way onto the shore. I didn't want to even put my pinky toe in the water. I pulled my boat out of the water and went to work. Not setting up camp, but making a fire. I don't think I have had a fire in over a month. I found an old palm tree with dead leaves. I started torching them. I kept breaking off branches to build the fire up hoping it would scare off anything close by. I kept hearing things move in the woods around me. When I investigated I found it was mutated grasshoppers. They were the size of my fist. I decided with the glowing eyes and all the bugs that there wasn't any chance ever I was going to be sleeping on the ground. I put my hammock up to at least make the gators have a challenge if they want to eat me. I keep hearing something splashing in the water, I'm hoping it was just fish but my mind thinks different. So even though I didn't get a visual confirmation of seeing a gator today I think it's safe to say that I am unofficially officially in gator country.
September 3
I woke up even more confused as to how the suitcase full of trash got there but I didn’t have time to figure it out. I had several miles of large bay paddling before I hit the next ditch section. The sun was in full force today. I had to take cover a few times to stay sane. I made good time across the bays to the ditch. When I hit the ditch it was smooth sailing. I passed a few boats that you could tell they were taken by surprise to see me. It was hard to find a place to camp but i finally found a break in the bank that I was able to climb up and set up my tent. I was forced in early due to the bugs. They were in full force and I wanted nothing to do with them.
September 2
It was up and at em this morning. My host wouldn’t let me leave with out breakfast. He offered bacon, sausage, eggs and several other options but I choose cereal. It’s funny the things I crave now. We ate and packed up. We stopped at a grocery to get a few more supplies to last me extra days. Now that I have a plan on when and where I am going to be extracting before the storm it’s easier to plan. We got back to the Angel's house where my boat was and went across the street and said our good byes. I paddled out into the bay and wasn’t too far off shore when I heard a voice calling and waving to me. It was the nice lady that I had met yesterday when I reached the beach. And yes she had the dog with her! I paddled back over just to show her that I had a full boat this time. We chatted some more and I was off. It was a pretty smooth paddling day. I was making decent time when I decided to pull over and take a pee break. When I got about 20 yards from the point I saw a fin pop out of he water and dart in front of me. It was fast moving and steady. It definitely wasn’t a dolphin. It was a shark. I didn’t know what to do. Do I paddle away and stay in the water where I could become a scene from Jaws? Do I try and get to shore and paddle over it and risk becoming a scene from Jaws? I decided the latter. I rammed the shore and climbed out onto the beach. With my adrenaline pumping I only had to step into about a cm of water to get out. And you are damn sure that only my pinky toe touched the water. I scanned the water to try and find Jaws but he was long gone. I also realized that it was probably only 3 ft long and was more scared of me than I of him. It made me laugh and gave me a good reason to call some of my friends who are obsessed with Shark Week. My heart was still pumping when I got back in the boat but knew I was fine. I was getting further away from civilization enjoying the nice day of paddling when a guy on his dock waved me over. He asked several questions without saying “what are you doing out here”. He thought I was a new neighbor but sure enough when we got talking I found out he had “reached his quota” of drinking a few years ago as well. It’s still an awesome feeling when I run into someone else who knows what I’m going through. And it has made me realize that there are more people than you think that have made the decision to take back control of their lives and continue to live life. He offered me about everything under the sun but I was full on everything since I was just leaving town. I hated to cut him and his wife off but I had to get moving to get to a good spot to camp for the night. I made it to the camp spot. A nice beach with a beautiful view. The only downfall besides ants was a suitcase full of trash. Still not sure how it hit there but very odd.
September 1
Woke up to a comfy bed and a home cooked breakfast. My host was voted the "Trail Angel of the Year" last year for the Florida Circumnavigation Trail and so far I can't argue it. He printed off a map of my day with possible extract points and we headed for the water. It was interesting paddling an empty boat and took me a while to get used to it. My first challenge was a large bay crossing. I got off course because I underestimated exactly how big the bay was. Once I was back on track it was rather easy paddling except it was overcast all day. A brief pause under a bridge gave me a good opportunity for some bird watching. I couldn't see under the water but there must have been hundreds of fish. The pelicans were dive bombing and didn't seem to care that I was there. I decided to stop for a break at a marina. The timing worked out perfectly as the afternoon storm hit while I was eating lunch. After the rain had passed, I passed a ship from Peru. It still amazes me how far some of these ships travel but then again I'm not on a short distance myself. The waves were picking up after the storm in the bay and I decided to pull into another marina for a break. While I was pulling up I saw a news truck interviewing some people fishing. I felt it was a perfect opportunity to get some media coverage. But by the time I docked they were pulling out and I didn't feel like chasing the truck down to offer them a great story. I called my host to let him know I was going to be heading to extract point #2 but the line was busy. I had a rough idea of where it was so I paddled for it. When I reached the area I decided to pull off early so I didn't pass the spot. When I called him we realized I was in the exact correct spot. I waited for him to arrive and sat on my boat enjoying the view. I saw a lady walking down the beach with her dog. The closer she got, she put him on a leash. I asked her when she got close if I was the reason she leashed her dog. I think I have scared a few dog owners along the way because I just want to pet their dogs. We got talking and had a really good conversation. My ride showed up and he helped carry the one bag of gear I had. I carried the boat across the street to the house of one of the ladies we had dinner with last night. Then it was back for another shower, laundry and a home cooked meal.
With the threat of one of the worst hurricanes ever and the opportunities for networking and fundraising I decided to book a flight out of Florida to wait for the storm to pass.
August 31
I got a call last night from the Trail Angel from Panama City Beach to confirm that I would be arriving today. I said that was the plan and he told me he would be following my tracker and meet me at the bridge. I paddled back out into the bay and entered the intracostal waterway also known as “the ditch”. It’s just a canal that cuts through the land connecting bays. Its about 30 yards wide and about 20 miles long. It is great to paddle through and feels like a river except no current. The tides can play a factor sometimes but mostly it is just flat water. Well, except when a boat comes through. If they don’t slow down then the wake will bounce off one side and kick back. As nerve racking as it can be to see a big boat coming down the channel, I think I scare them more than they scare me. They have no idea how I got 10 miles deep in the ditch. I kept an eye on the radar and a storm was looking like it was gonna hold off but only time would tell. I exited the ditch and saw the bridge. It started misting and I figured that it was just my luck that when I could see the take out it would start raining. It didn’t. When I got closer to the bridge, sure enough there were two gentleman standing there waving at me. I pulled up and met my new best friends. We talked for a bit and felt each other out. We both felt comfortable with each other and decided to load up and go get something to eat. We pulled the boat out by a restaurant named B.F.E. (Best Food Ever) and went across street to a restaurant called Boondocks. I got a good kick out of that. They treated me to lunch and good conversation. We finished up and said goodbye to one of the guys. The original Angel who called me and I headed to his house with my boat. While we were in the car he started saying things that caught my attention. I found out that he was retired military. He specialized in addiction counseling. It all made sense now as to why what he was saying caught my attention. We got to his house and I got a shower and put on my clean clothes. We then went out to eat dinner with the other Panama City Angels. He was still full from lunch but of course I could still eat and got a full meal. It was nice getting to see what close friends these people were because of water. We discussed my plans for tomorrow and decided that I would paddle my boat empty 15 miles from where I left off to one of the angels' house. It seemed like a good plan to me.
August 30
When I looked at the weather at 8 this morning it was clear till 2. That was enough for me. I couldn't handle sitting in that hotel room any longer. I quickly packed up and ordered a ride to the marina. As I walked through the marina towards my boat I got nervous that my boat was gone. I realized I was looking at the wrong dock. It was still tied up just filled with water. It was sitting low in the water and about half full of water from yesterday's storms. I pumped it out, loaded up and was on the water by 9:30. The wind was to my back. I felt like I was moving pretty well. When I checked the tracker it confirmed that I was. I made the 7 mile crossing rather quickly. I started thinking I would be to where I planned on camping in no time. I decided to take advantage of it. I had heard that you could camp behind an old rowing club house right before the intracoastal waterway. With the fast pace I was making I got there earlier than expected which was nice since I had a board meeting call for the Seraph Fund. The area I pulled up to was amazing. Truly old Florida. Just a really cool vibe about the little neighborhood. People walking dogs, and kids riding their bikes down to the dock to fish. It was a great spot to sit on the end of the dock and call into the meeting. It’s always a good reminder about what I am doing out here when we have these calls. It’s also a good reminder that we have a lot of work to do.
August 29
My alarm went off at 6:45 AM this morning. When I grabbed it to shut it off, I noticed it was a phone call. I didn't have the number but it was a Florida call. I thought it was the marina calling to say my boat had been washed out to sea. Instead it was an older gentleman who said he was a trail angel for Panama City and heard I was in the area. Still about 99% asleep I told him my plans to be there in 3 days and where I was camping. He instead told me otherwise. He said I would paddle to a bridge and he would be waiting on the bridge waving at me. We would then put my boat on his car and go eat dinner with other angels. He would take me to resupply. Then I would stay in his spare room for the night. When I hung up the phone I was only about 98% asleep at that point. Still not sure what had happened I tried to figure it out. I went to the lobby and got some breakfast and checked the weather. It didn't look as bad as the night before so I figured I would go to the marina and see if there was a break and start paddling. I layed down for a few minutes and woke up to the housekeeper trying to clean the room at checkout time. I decided I should stay another day and rest up so I extended another night. I continued to lounge around most of the day watching the weather channel hoping it would pass and I could get out tomorrow. It doesn't look good but I'm going crazy cooped up in this hotel room.
August 28
Beautiful day to paddle into Destin. I got moving and was escorted by some dolphins along the way. A paddler who is down around the keys told me about a spot that I could camp that would set me up nice for tomorrow but it was a stealth spot. Meaning that I would need to be sneaky and setup after dark and get out early. It was my only real option. Plus it was under a bridge. I have been wanting to sleep under a bridge this whole trip to feel like how the world sees Alcoholics. I did plenty of drinking under bridges but never slept there. I planned on getting something to eat when I arrived in Destin. This would help kill some time. When I got closer I looked up restaurants on the yelp app. I try to find local and unique spots to get the full experience of the local culture. I saw a restaurant that was in the middle of the bay. It said it was on Crab Island. After looking into it I figured it was an error. I found a cool restaurant that I could paddle up to on the other side of the pass. I headed for it and was only a few miles away. When I got closer I started seeing boats parked in the middle of the bay. I kept paddling closer and closer and I saw more and more boats. Music was pumping. Come to find out, it is like party cove. The water is only a foot or two deep and people just anchor out and drink. There are floating restaurants and bars. There were probably 75 boats out there and it was a Monday. After talking with people I found out that it is insane on the weekend. I can only imagine. It is definitely a place that if I was drinking, I would have thrived. And I probably would have gotten so drunk that I would have slept in my boat floating aimlessly around the bay. I paddled up to one of the bars to get some food. I tied off and grabbed a bar stool. I bellyed up and ordered a coke. I found out that they weren’t serving food today because of how slow it was. I finished my coke and decided that it was probably a good idea if I got away from the bar. I paddled back through the boats to another floating “restaurant.” I really wanted to stay in my boat to order food but decided I would just hop out and walk up. I asked the guy what he recommended. Chili cheese dog it was. He got it quickly and I stood in the water and ate it on the deck of my boat. I got talking to a group of cousins that were vacationing from all over. They asked several questions about my trip. If I was drinking we would have definitely become friends quickly and hung out all day. I decided I had killed enough time and headed out to get closer to where I was planning on stealth camping. A few miles out I heard a boat coming up next to me. It was the crew that I had seen back at crab island. You could tell that they had enjoyed there time on the island. They asked if I wanted a beer. One girl kept yelling that they had plenty of Patron left. I politely refused. She kept offering the Patron. Finally one of they guys I was talking to asked if I wanted a bottle of water. I replied with my standard “is it cold?” They said it was and threw me a few bottles. I continued on my way and the sky started getting darker. The wind picked up a little more and things got choppier. I made it to the bridge where I was told I would find a spot to camp. I didn’t really see a good spot. Right next door to it was a marina and the other Lulu’s restaurant. Normally I wouldn’t have stopped because it breaks my "no more than one restaurant per day” rule. But since I was waiting for it to get dark I justified breaking that rule. I had quite a difficult time getting to the dock with the waves picking up. I tied off and headed to the resturant. It was rather busy so I took a seat at the bar. I ordered a coke and some shrimp tacos. I took a sip of the coke and something seemed off. My mind started racing. Did she give me a whisky and coke instead? I didn’t think she had but wasn’t sure. I know if didn’t taste like just coke. Every sip I took I tried to figure out what was different. I am pretty sure that if it did have booze in it I could tell. And if it did have booze in it then she definitely wasn’t getting a tip because it was the weakest mixed drink I had ever had. When I bartended I poured them like I liked to drink them. Lots of booze, little coke. With my mind racing I thought it was because of the coke but I realized it was because of the weather. Still having some PTSD from the Mobile Bay incident, the weather coming in was messing with my mind. I looked over the radar and forecast. It was the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey that put a major hurting on Texas. I kept debating back and forth on what to do. There was a small possible campsite a few miles further but I didn’t even know if I could make it to it with the way the water looked now. I made the decision to just get a hotel for the night since the weather didn’t look good at all. I went back next door to the marina to see if it was alright to leave my boat tied up. The office was closed but the security guard said it shouldn’t be a problem, just call in the morning. I started unloading my boat and booked my hotel and uber. While I was waiting I got talking to the other security guard about my trip. When I told her the reason for it she told me about how her family had lost members both physically and emotionally to this disease. It was a great conversation. At one point she asked to give me a hug and thanked me for what I was doing. To be honest it helped me probably more hearing her story. Also if it wasn’t for this storm forcing me off the water I would have never met this lady. My original uber came across on the app as a truck. I was so excited that I would be able to just throw my gear in bed and go. But he canceled and now I got a compact car. I was a little worried till it arrived. I noticed he had a NC license plate. He was probably the best uber driver in the world. He had cold bottles of water and more candy then you could ever want. We got talking and he had lived in Tennessee as well. He was just going through some life changes and moved down to the beach to regroup before figuring out his next steps. Even though he isn’t paddling across the country, it was nice to talk with someone else who is in a transition stage. I got to the hotel and stayed glued to the weather channel.
August 27
Some things can't be unseen or forgotten. You are just in the right place at the right time and time seems to stand still. The image is put into the memory vault and stays there forever. I have already had a couple sunsets, sunrises, and views on this trip that will be with me forever and I hope they never leave. Then again there are some images that can never be unseen no matter how you try. And that was the case today. I was paddling along with a personal escort of dolphins through the bay. Boats were scattered around through out the day. I saw a larger boat anchored about half a mile away. As I got closer I saw a guy walk to the back of the boat and go half way down the ladder and squat in the water. It is usually your standard move for women when they use the bathroom off the back of the boat. Something seemed a little off. I couldn’t tell if the guy had a white bathing suit on or was really pale. Or if he was naked. I continued closer. Normally I enjoy kayaking up near boats because since I don’t have a motor they don’t usually hear me and I can sneak up on them. This was the case today. I thought about turning on my speaker to announce myself but I didn’t have time. I was going to have to deal with what the cards dealt. I got closer and could tell that it definitely wasn’t a white bathing suit. He was naked. 100% naked. And I saw another man on the boat who was 100% naked. The two men were probably 45-50 years old. Then I saw a woman in her 20’s on the boat too. I figured that if she was naked too and I saw that, it would help with the image that I had just seen. She must have seen me. She sat down on the boat so all I could see was her face. I kept looking to see if she was going to give me a sign for help but I didn’t get anything. Since I didn’t get a sign that she was kidnapped, I figured that drugs or money was definitely involved. There was a moment when all parties saw each other and a slight acknowledgement was made. I don’t remember how it went down but I just kept paddling as quickly as possible with out making it look too obvious that I was trying to get far away. I think that I would have been able to recover from that situation but it was what happened next that will have me in therapy for years to come. The sunlight must have been just right that the gentleman wanted to have a photo session on the front of the boat. The one guy walked to the front of the boat and stood there 100% naked. Well they might have had sunglasses on so maybe not 100% but close enough. The other guy came out and was taking pictures of him doing the Titanic pose on the front of the boat. Then he was doing just straight on photos. They definitely knew I was there but didn’t care at all. I am all for self confidence but from what I was seeing, I am still trying to figure out where the self confidence came from to stand on the front of the boat in the middle of the bay naked. I turned on the after burners to get away as fast as possible and try to erase the whole experience. I continued paddling till the sun was falling, I found a dry patch of land to camp on. I got camp set up and was doing pretty good coping with today’s trauma. As I was finishing up my chores, listening to some music as the sunset, about to climb into my tent for the night, the worst possible thing happened. I heard flutes. Not just any flutes, the very distinct sound of flutes at the beginning of the song My Heart Will Go On. The theme song for Titanic. The image of the naked guy on the front of the boat burned back into my brain. I crawled into my tent and cried myself to sleep.
August 26
Pretty average day of paddling. Got started around noon due to wind and being lazy. Battled a head wind all day. Averaged a little over 2 mph. After averaging 4-5 on the rivers this is still frustrating to get used to. The last mile and a half were the worst. When I finally got to the campground I beached and went to see who was in charge. They were already closed for the night and the caretaker told me to square up in the morning. I didn't want to pay but the shower was how I justified it. I noticed the other day my clothes looked terrible. The salt stains were out of control. I think it was an equal mix of salt water and sweat. While unloading my boat I got talking to a family from Germany who was traveling the states for 4 weeks. It's always interesting to hear there opinions on the USA. I ran into another couple from Alabama when I was carrying my gear to my site. After several questions I gave them my card. When I went back to tie up my boat and get the last of my gear I heard them playing some music. It was Sweet Home Alabama. I didn't think anything of it at first since they were from Alabama, but then realized they were watching my video I made a few weeks back. I got a kick out of it and asked if they liked it. They did, of course. I got a shower and put on real clothes. It's still amazing how something as simple as a shower and cotton clothes can change your attitude. I ate dinner and got in my tent. I ended my night watching the Mayweather vs McGregor fight on my phone. A friend streamed it on Instagram live so it kept cutting out. I can't really complain since I'm camping and still got to see the "fight of the Century"
August 25
Pretty smooth day. I made it to the fort and walked around. It was pretty neat but I think if I wasn't worried about my boat being left alone by a pier full fisherman I would have enjoyed it more. I then had 10 miles to Pensacola Beach. After 1 mile I could see the bridge I needed to go under. That was probably the worst thing possible. I kept paddling and felt like I wasn't getting any closer. I still made it an hour faster than I had projected. I grabbed some drinks and headed on. Now that I am on an organized trail there are Ocean Angels. And the CT does not mess around when it comes to Angels. They have one for every section and I think they have all reached out to me to offer help. I am having trouble responding to them all. The local one said he wanted to meet me and bring me dinner. I didn't want to be rude so I accepted. I made the 6 miles to where I was going to camp and meet him. I parked my boat and walked over the sand dunes. When he arrived we talked for a while and then he brought out a big styrofoam cooler, taped shut. It was my dinner. We continued to talk then he had to go. I said I would take the food and he could keep the cooler. He insisted I keep it. Now it was a mystery treasure chest. I crossed the road and dunes back to my boat carrying the cooler. I loaded it in my boat and paddled around the point to a sandy beach. I kept the cooler sealed and the anticipation was killing me. I resisted till I had my tent set up and was ready to climb in for good. Once my camp was set I took a soak in the water to cool down then went after the chest. When I opened it up it was like opening a real treasure chest. Shrimp with cocktail sauce, baked beans, potato salad, fresh pineapple, candy, and a plate of sushi. I dove in and did my best to eat it all but there was so much I couldn't. But luckily the cooler was filled with ice so I can have shrimp for breakfast!
August 24
When I got on the water this morning I was cruising. Well so I thought. When I realized the head wind and current were pushing me back, I realized I probably wasn’t going to make it to Fort Pickins before it closed today. I have had several people tell me it's a must stop so I want to make sure to give it plenty of time. Since I was taking my time today I stopped at a marina to get something to drink. As I sat there enjoying the shade and a Gatorade I got talking to the dock girls. They looked confused because they couldn't find my boat. I explained it was a kayak and it was tied up, you just couldn't see it because the dock was too tall. After answering all the standard questions about my trip I gave them my card and told them why I was doing it. One of the girls got visibly choked up. When we kept talking about it, She said I would say something and she would get goosebumps. She told me about how addiction has affected her family in so many different ways. It was one of those conversations that reminds me why I am out here. It will keep me going for a week at least. As I continued on I could see an observation tower. I remembered reading about it and stopped. The park is the official starting point (or ending point) for the Florida Circle-navigation Trail. It's a 1,515 mile water trail around the state. I found the starting point and it had a log book. I am familiar with log books as they are one of the main forms of communication on the Appalachian Trail. It started raining when I grabbed the book so I went under a pavilion to give it a read. I only found about 5 people since 2012 who had tried to complete the entire thing. It was mainly filled with little kids talking about seeing dolphins and alligators. I composed my entry and made it official. I was starting the trail. Not sure how far I will be going, but it is nice to be on an organized trail. The online guide book is probably the best part. I have been on my own since I got off the Mississippi and it has been difficult to say the least. I paddled on 6 more miles to the west end of the Pensacola Bay and found a nice sandy beach to set up camp. It's about a mile across tomorrow to get to the fort then about 15 miles to where I would like to camp.
August 23
As much as I would love to stay and not paddle, it was time. I packed up and went to the marina. Even though I was fine to paddle, the thought and fear of the other day was on my mind. I sat on the dock staring at my boat for a good hour. I realized I could continue to sit on the dock or I could pick up the paddle, climb in the boat, and move forward. I would be lying if I didn't say the first few paddle strokes didn't make me nervous. But that soon passed and I was cruising down the channel. Pretty smooth day but hot. It felt good to be recharged and get back on the water. The highlight of the day was reaching Florida! Another moment that sometimes seemed like it would never come. The last section across Mississippi and Alabama have been the toughest one yet. Since very few people have paddled that section there are no guidebooks or really any information. You just have to go with it. But I survived and now I'm in Florida. That's state #11!
August 22
I woke up with all intentions of getting back on the water once my tracking device was delivered. But between the incredible hospitality of the hotel and just plain not wanting to get back out there I decided to stay another day. I have become good friends with the hotel staff by now and when I told them the rate I found on line they matched it. The general Manager even bought me several thousand Marriott Rewards points for a future stay to help the cause. Once my package arrived I called tech support to make sure all my previous tracking points wouldn't be lost if I activated the new device. They confirmed that I was all right and we activated. Even though I wasn't on the water it was a good feeling knowing I had the extra safety/support if needed. I spent a large portion of the day replying to people who have donated or reached out. It's hard to keep up with all of the comments and messages of support that I have received but I try my best. I was able to get mostly caught up but decided to take advantage of the fact that there was a movie theater right behind the hotel. I made my dinner of a large bucket of popcorn with cheddar cheese and I smuggled in! And it was amazing!
August 21
I don't know if there is anything much better than the bed I slept in last night. I was up early on the phone and computer calling Garmin and local places to see what could be done about getting a new tracking device. With no luck my dad offered to drive from Tennessee to Virginia to get me a new one and over night it to the hotel. The things parents do for their children. With the tracking device problem handled I started checking some other things off my list. I went to Target and did some retail therapy in the form of a new waterproof speaker, earbuds with microphone, and bug spray. Then I hit the grocery store to resupply my food. I was able to get all this done before noon. I would consider that a successful day so I decided to lounge by the pool and work on my tan. Well, even out my farmer/lifejacket tan. I was enjoying the warm sun when all of a sudden the sun stopped shining. It was the eclipse that everyone and their brother had been talking about for the past few weeks. I have to say I was kind of disappointed. It didn't get dark. I didn't see a burning ring in the sky. The funniest part about it is that I have spent almost every day in nature for the past few months. And the one day that there is a natural phenomenon I'm not on the water. In the eclipse defense I wasn't in the totality path. But at this point I have seen so many other natural beauties that most people would never see that I feel like I am winning. I also started thinking about the black out and I feel like I have been in a black out from society the past few months.
August 20
I woke up several times throughout the night to check the water level. It got close so I decided to get up early before it hit high tide. I packed up and headed into the intracoastal waterway. I only had 4 miles to go but the pleasure boat traffic was ridiculous. Some people are respectful of a kayaker and slow down not to throw a huge wake at me but probably 4 out of 5 like to see how close they can get to me and watch me struggle. This is the first day since I started that my body is sore. Not just the cuts but my muscles. Really my entire body. As I paddled down the waterway it was lined with houses. Right after a bridge crossing was a marina and Lulu's. It's a large restaurant/bar owned by Jimmy Buffett's sister Lucy. It's been a few years since I have been so excited to see a bar. I asked the guy at the gas dock where to tie up. He said to paddle around back. I tied up and headed in. I have gotten used to responding "just 1" when the hostess asks how many. They usually ask if I want to sit at the bar. After working in the service industry for a while I would rather do that then take up a whole table, especially when it's lunch time at a busy restaurant. Sitting at the bar is difficult for some alcoholics, but it doesn't really bother me. And I always seem to tip the same as if I was drinking. I figured that since I was at a Buffett's restaurant I should get the Cheeseburger in Paradise. But with pimento cheese on it. It truly was paradise. After scarfing it down and starting to feel more human like I headed to the marina office to see if I could leave my boat for a few days while I went into town. Usually when I explain what I'm doing they don't have a problem. I tied up and pulled my gear out of the boat. I decided to treat myself to a nicer hotel than normal. Usually I get the cheapest one that is one step above my tent. I found a Marriott that was about a mile and a half away. I booked it and called a cab and they said about 20 minutes. The driver called me and said he was on his way. Then he text me saying he had a flat and if I wanted to get someone else I could. It was the only company who answered so I told him I would wait. Not like I had many options. About an hour later I finally arrived at the hotel. I was exhausted from the sun and yesterday's events. I took an hour long shower and passed out in the magical Marriott bed.
August 19
I almost died today. I honestly don't feel like that is an exaggeration at all. I'll get to that. I should have known the day was gonna be bad by the way my launch went this morning. I had to slide my boat down some steps then release it off the rocks. A guy from Texas, I had been talking to, helped out and once I had it in the water I went back to give him one of my cards. In the time it took me to hand him a card, my boat was getting pounded with water and turned sideways. I dove in and paddled out. After a quick pump and sponge job I had a dry boat. It was 15 miles to the intracoastal. 5 miles to a point then 10 miles across to a half mile wide clearing in the shore that is the intracoastal. Nothing I couldn't handle. The wind was blowing me off course but I made it to the point and took a break. There was a small beach that I could land on but the sand in the water was mucky so I couldn't really wade out to cool off. This didn't help my mental state since heat can be a major factor. I sat there for a while not wanting to paddle but knowing that the boat wasn't going to move itself. About a mile in I was barely moving in the direction I wanted. In fact I was moving in every other direction. I still couldn't see where exactly I was heading just paddling into the bay. My mind kept getting worse. It has been 80 days since I started this journey. I will be honest. Paddling is not fun anymore. I knew that this point would come. When I was hiking the Appalachian Trail I remember getting to the half way point and being excited that I had completed half of the trail. Then realizing that I still had half to go. It was the same thing. I started getting frustrated with myself more and more. The worst place you can be is in your own head. And I was deep. I started questioning why I was even out here. What's the point. I kept paddling a stroke at a time and felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. The wind kept blowing and I could see a storm starting to form on the north end of the bay. I was heading west to east. It didn't seem to be coming towards me. I checked the radar and it didn't show it coming towards me either. I could finally see the break in the trees I needed to get to camp before the intercostal. As the storm rumbled in the distance it only made me more upset than I already was. At one point I yelled at it to shut up. This was in the middle of me yelling at my self and everything else I could think of. I was aware enough to know that I was in a bad mental place but being about 6 miles from where I needed to be, if I could just make it there everything would change. All of a sudden I knew something was changing. The wind shifted. The water got choppier. About 30 birds, sea gulls, pelicans, and others flew over me at the same time coming from the north. It was like something out of a movie. I knew this was not a good sign. But in the state I was already in, I was not surprised. I looked north and could see a wall of rain and clouds coming towards me. It started sprinkling. The sprinkling lasted less than a minute before I was in a complete downpour. I had to make a decision and fast. Fight out the 5 miles east and stay on course or tuck tail and head 2 miles south to shore. I thought about it and if I did the 2 miles to shore I would still need to them paddle the 5 miles to get where I needed to be. As I pondered the decision a lightning bolt and heavy thunder made the decision for me. Get the heck off the water. And as fast as possible. I made a 90 degree turn and pointed towards shore and dug in. By this point I was in the middle of the storm. The waves had no rhythm to them. They were throwing me up and down and all around. Every 5 feet I would paddle towards shore I would get pulled back 3 feet. I was catching a rough wave every so often that would soak me. Not that I wasn't already wet but it was filling my boat. By this point I could barely see he shore. I focused on a cell tower that had a flashing light and went for it. The waves were increasing. They were about 6 feet from top to bottom. At one point I was paddling air because I was on top of a wave then paddling with my arms as I was in the bottom. My hands we burning from gripping the paddle. I kept my eye on the flashing light of the tower and I would be to my right one second then on my left the next. The closer I got to shore the stronger the waves got. They were picking me up and surfing me towards land about 30 yards at a time. As much fun as this was I knew the outcome that would happen if I got turned slightly. I braced my paddle with everything I had to keep the boat straight. I had to catch myself a few times to prevent from over exhausting my body to the point where it would shut down. When I could finally see land and knew I was close enough that I wasn't going to die, I had to figure out how to land. The whole shore line was a sea wall and docks. There was about a 5 foot gap in the wall that had collapsed and was sharp rocks. There was a larger wall about 3 feet behind that. It was my only option. I knew it wasn't going to be an easy landing and the real work would start then. I struggled to get my sandals on. I paddled like hell towards it and slammed into the rocks. I jumped out. When I splashed into the water I felt a sharp rock dig into the ball on my ankle. There wasn’t time to feel the pain. I crawled over the rocks on my hands and knees and tried to pull my boat up. It was about 3/4 full of water and with all my gear impossible to lift. I got the nose up on shore as the waves kept crashing into the boat filling it more and more. I realized I needed to lighten it if I was going to have a chance of getting it out of the water before it completely sank. I pulled the knife off my life jacket and cut the strap that holds my bags in the boat. I started chucking my gear over the wall to solid ground. First a bag or two. Then a water bottle. My speaker, drybox, Spaulding my Basketball, the tire from my cart and so on. I would love to have a video of all this random stuff flying over the wall with no person in sight. Some random stuff in my boat was washing out of to sea. I kept digging my hand down in the water looking for my tracking device but couldn't find it. I didn't care at this point, I just needed to get the boat out of the water and secure. I was able to get it emptied of gear and flipped over to get most of the water out after a 15 minute struggle. While I was making a last effort to pull it up on the rocks I felt my foot slip between the rocks and get trapped. I felt that pain now. I finally got my boat secured and climbed over the wall. I laid on the ground exhausted. When I was able to pull myself off the ground I limped over to a covered dock and looked out in the water to see if I could see my tracking device. All I saw was debris from my gear. About 15 tangerines, my bug spray and a few random items. I walked the shore looking to see if I could see the tracking device but no luck. The last point that uploaded showed in the middle of the bay where I started taking on water. I realized it was gone but was grateful that was the only thing missing, including my life. As I sat there collecting myself I realized that I was still alive and that when I looked at the whole situation it was kind of fun. Even though it was scary and intense at the time and I wasn't sure how/if I was going to get out alive, I made it out the other side. And surprisingly I was in a lot better place mentally. It made me realize all those small things I thought were a problem weren't problems at all. With a new outlook on everything I climbed back down the wall to the rocks and started loading my boat. You would think the last thing I would want to do is get back in the boat. And it was. But I knew I had to and not just because I had dumped all my gear all over someone's back yard. I had got knocked down and had to get back up again. I made one last look around for my tracker and pushed off to continue to where I had planned on camping. It was perfectly calm seas. The sun was setting and the sky was as pink as I have seen in 80 days since I started. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't a little timid with every stroke. I pushed on as the sun went from setting to set. I was still a little ways away so I turned on my light and got out my headlamp. But of course the headlamp shut off after a few minutes. When I finally got to the sand bar where I was camping it was low tide. I had to pull my boat quite a ways to get it to a safe place when the tides came up. I started putting up my tent and was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. And since my bug spray was floating in the water there was nothing I could do about it. I finally got in my tent and had a moment to relax and treat my wounds. As I rubbed alcohol wipes over my legs and arms, they burned constantly. I had cuts and scraps all over I wasn’t aware of. I know it is only 4 miles to Gulf Shores, AL. I decided that it would be best to get there tomorrow and pull my life back together. I laid down and could feel my body aching and feeling like I was still on the water. It had been a long day and I was still wide awake. But the key thing is that I'm alive to tell about it. Thank you River Gods, or Mobile Bay Gods in this case.
August 18
Someone once said it's not about the miles, it's about the smiles. I always wanted to punch that person in the face. But I realized today that is actually true. It wasn't all smiles, but in the end it's always a great day if you are doing some thing that makes you happy. I only made it 7ish miles but got to talk to a lot of amazing people. I started off at my campsite talking to a couple about their tiny camper. We talked about how more is sometimes just more. They did point out that they had AC so in that case more was better. I'll give them that. I packed up my gear and started pulling my boat back to the ramp. Nothing like a nice warm up to get my muscles sweating in the morning. As I was organizing my boat to launch, a young woman came over and said she had to ask what kind of adventure I was on. She worked for a local marina and was monitoring fish counts and the fisherman came in. We chatted for a while about my trip and the ocean life. When I gave her my card and told her my reason she said her father had died from alcoholism. He had some sober years but still it ended up taking his life. It still baffles me that you are never cured from this disease. It's also uplifting that people are comfortable enough with me to tell me their experience. Good or bad. That is one of the main reasons I'm out here, to try and make it alright to talk about addiction and not have a huge stigma about it and think we need to hide it. When I got moving I had a 4 mile open crossing of Billy Goat pass of the Mobile Bay. I have been told that once you cross the bay it gets a lot easier. It looked calm so I went for it. I dug in and headed for the east point. I couldn't see the land for about a mile but about half way I checked my tracker and I was 3 miles from land. I wasn't a math major but that didn't add up. The current was pushing out of the bay and sending me out to the Gulf. I corrected my direction and headed to shore. The sun was beating down on me. When I finally beat the current and made it to shore, I was fried. I ripped off my life jacket and shirt and dove in the water to cool down. It was a great feeling knowing that I made it across safely. One of the interesting things about the pass is that there is an old fort on both points. I could see a storm coming from the mainland so I continued around the point. I got around one of the points and beached to go check out the fort. Actually I went to see the bathroom and fill up on some water. After running out yesterday I am trying to fill up at any possible point. When I got back to my boat, the storm started hitting. I sat on the steps by the water under my tarp. It started coming down harder so I retreated to the bathroom to take cover. Lucky for me it was a clean bathroom. After the storm passed I walked into a stone tunnel in the wall that led into the fort. It was amazing with underground stone passages. I wish I would have thought to wait out the storm in the fort but who has ever thought of going to a fort for protection. I got back to the boat and pushed on to the other side of the fort park by the ferry stop. There was a spot they let Paddlers camp. It was at the top of some steps above some rocks. I parked my boat on the rocks and climbed the steps. I met Leroy, a maintenance man for the park and we started talking. And talking and talking. We talked about everything from my journey, the weather, the bay, confederate statues, and everything in between. It was nice just sitting there watching the sunset while talking to this complete stranger. When he took off I waited for the last ferry to take off to set up camp so no one saw me and messed with me at night. I did have permission to stay but any time I camp near civilization I take caution. Right before bed I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I saw headlights pull up. When I looked out I saw 2 guys get out of a truck with guns on there hips. I hoped they were cops and I set off an alarm or something. I walked out and said that I was just using the bathroom. They said that's what they were doing too. We got talking and they were wildlife officers. They kept asking all sorts of questions about my trip. One of the officers said you must have strong arms. They asked if I carried protection. I said just my 2 guns (and flexed). They gave me some cold bottles of water and I went back to my camp. As I was getting ready to climb in my hammock I heard someone coming down the trail. I looked and had a flashback. It was one of the officers, he had his flashlight out walking towards me. A sight I am way too familiar with. My heart skipped a beat. When he got closer he said he found some other stuff that I might need in his truck. It was bug spray and toilet paper. I laughed and said thank you but I was all good. Those 2 things are like gold out here but I was already stocked up. I got into my hammock and started thinking about the day. I didn't cover very many miles but had several great conversations with people I would have never met if I had been doing big miles.