By Johna Till Johnson and Vladimir Brezina
Photos by Vladimir Brezina
We completed the 2014 WaterTribe Everglades Challenge in 7 days and about 14½ hours. We set no records—in fact, we were among the last to finish. But in a race in which many worthy competitors don’t finish, simply completing the course within the 8-day time limit felt like a “win”. (Plus, we got snazzy sharktooth necklaces to commemorate the event!)
As expected, it was quite an adventure: Bright sunshine, dark nights, wind, rain, laughter, tears, friendly and scary creatures, sleep deprivation, hypothermia, hallucinations… and water, 300 miles of it. We made friends and discovered many things that worked, and quite a few that didn’t.
Our writeup is forthcoming, but meanwhile, here are some of the photographic highlights (click on any photo to start slideshow):
Tension builds in the predawn darkness
Dawn over Tampa Bay
There’s a sandbar just offshore that we have to drag our boats over
… on a windsurfer
Backlit by the sun
A lovely morning to be out on the water
Approaching Anna Maria Island
Friendly WaterTribers
Out in the Gulf with the sailboats
The wind dies and we overtake them (later they will overtake us)
A friendly sea creature
In the afternoon, the wind (fortunately, a tailwind) picks up
Sparkling in the sun
A mass of silver
Today, we paddle on the “inside”… But what’s this??
A swimming sea hare
We paddle down the Intracoastal Waterway
We stop for dinner on North Captiva Island. Then we continue…
Dawn hunt among the highrises
… just big enough for one tent
… precious hours before we have to get going again
We paddle on
… we are still paddling
A brief nap on the beach
We land on one of the Ten Thousand Islands
We paddle on down the line of the Ten Thousand Islands
A marker…
Another evening on the water…
High clouds catch the last rays
Dawn in Chokoloskee Bay
We glide over the still water
We paddle down the line of the Ten Thousand Islands
Whale skull at Highland Beach
This is worse than The Nightmare! :-)
Out in broader waterways again… but the storm front overtakes us
Dinner and boat repair on the Harney River chickee
Dawn in the Joe River
Dead calm, for the moment
We surf the last few miles across Whitewater Bay and, soon, Flamingo
The passes are well marked
Markers mark the passes
And he’s got a fish!
We chat… before he moves ahead
Shoals grow new mangroves
It’s not all blue and green
Last evening over the teal waters
We watch the last sunset of the trip
We paddle on into the deepening colors
After 300 miles, the finish is just a couple of miles away!
Update March 17, 2014: Our writeup begins here.
Great job !!!
Ciao ragazzi !
Max
LikeLike
Thanks, Max!!
LikeLike
Wow, what an adventure! Congratulations to both of you. It was cool that you did it within the limit, now you have an adventure with you in your heart.
The pictures speak for themselves, they are absolutely amazing :-)
All the best,
Hanna
LikeLike
I worry that the pictures make it seem a bit too pretty—they don’t show the dark moments ;-)
Thanks, Hanna!!
LikeLike
:-) I know it all too well. Where tasks are difficult you are busy with other things than shooting.
LikeLike
Congrats! That really is quite an epic journey :-)
LikeLike
After all the anticipation, the trip itself went by in a flash. It’s strange to realize that now, suddenly, it’s over…
LikeLike
Thanks again for sharing another of your amazing paddles. Jeanie and I followed your progress every day. Google Earth showed us where you were. We got a little nervous for a while. You took our minds of the sub zero weather here in Maine.
Congratulations! to you both.
George and Jeanie
LikeLike
Thanks for following our progress, George! But don’t get the idea that we were basking in balmy Florida weather—cold was actually one of the biggest problems…
LikeLike
Congrats
LikeLike
Thank you!!
LikeLike
You are welcome
LikeLike
Congratulations on finishing. You have shared some stunning photos with us. Love the one of the windsurfer.
LikeLike
I was taking photos when I should have been paddling flat out like everyone else ;-)
Thanks, Colline!!
LikeLike
Good Job!
LikeLike
Thanks!! You can best appreciate it—you know all about that part of the world! :-)
LikeLike
Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your journey in beautiful photos.
LikeLike
You are most welcome, Robin—thank you!!
LikeLike
Very impressive!
LikeLike
Thanks, Lyn!!
LikeLike
Amazing!
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Melissa!
LikeLike
Woohoo! What an adventure, well done you two. :)
LikeLike
Thanks, Ailsa!! I knew you, with your adventurous spirit, would appreciate it! :-)
LikeLike
Fantastic you completed, and within the time too! :)
LikeLike
We had to get in within the time limit as everyone at the finish was going to go home. As it was, we missed the barbecue :-(
LikeLike
congrats!!!!!
LikeLike
Thanks!!
LikeLike
Never had doubt you would finish. Your determination is legend. Like to hear more about your thoughts about using a sail next time?l
LikeLike
Yes, definitely! I think this experience may provide the motivation for us to begin to get into kayak sailing more seriously…
LikeLike
bravo . . . the water iditarod of the keys . . . and you did. am eager to hear the account.
LikeLike
Thanks, tugster! Account coming up very soon, we hope!
LikeLike
What an accomplishment!
LikeLike
Thanks!!
LikeLike
Love that swimming sea hare, by the way. Have never seen one of those!!!
LikeLike
Sea hares (genus Aplysia) are pretty common round the world; only some of them swim. We’ve seen a few during our trips to the Gulf coast of Florida. This one was presumably Aplysia fasciata / brasiliana.
LikeLike
Your photos were some of the BEST yet!…the colors…the sea life…the water…and the “aventurous kayakers”
LikeLike
Glad you like them! Thanks, Marilyn!!
LikeLike
That.Was.Awesome!
LikeLike
:-) Thanks!!
LikeLike
Phenomenal adventure – Can’t wait for the write-up. Great pictures. Was thinking of you last week, standing at water’s edge in Caxamus Park, Marco Island, “Ten Thousand Island” in view. (A brief Fla get-away with our dog from NJ snow!)
LikeLike
We passed right past there, at sunrise on Tuesday (March 4)! :-) And we took a brief nap on the beach just across the channel from there—
LikeLike
We were there Monday, 2/2 in the afternoon. !!!
LikeLike
Just missed each other :-)
LikeLike
What a feat you have done! It is the experience, adventures and memories that counts. Congratulations!
LikeLike
We certainly have plenty of those now! Thanks, bebs!! :-)
LikeLike
Congrats on a major accomplishment! Quite the adventure…. So glad you guys were able to finish the entire distance and in good time… Cheers to your success!
LikeLike
Thanks so much!! I know you are well able to imagine what it was like… :-)
LikeLike
I have paddled enough to know what arms and torso feel like after a 3 full days of paddling and sleeping on the ground. I cannot fully appreciate what I would feel like after 7.75 days of paddling with minimal breaks. You the Man! She the Woman!
LikeLike
If we had done it right, 7.75 days should have felt no different, really, from 3 days. But we didn’t do it quite right, and so sleeplessness and the little accumulated cuts, bruises, and insect bites started to take their toll…
LikeLike
Looks like a great adventure!! Congrats on finishing.
LikeLike
Thanks!!
LikeLike
LOVE the dead calm shot and the myriad of blues!
LikeLike
Blue and green were certainly the dominant colors! :-)
LikeLike
CONGRATULATIONS! 300×2…that’s one congrat per mile for each of you…sensational. Can’t wait to read the stories that are waiting to be told.
LikeLike
Thanks 300 x 2!! Stories coming up! As we discovered in talking to other WaterTribers, stories are a major currency of exchange in the tribe—everyone is eager for stories… :-)
LikeLike
Pingback: Two Colors or Hues Only - ROBIN'S REAL LIFE
Congratulations to both of you! Really looking forward to upcoming posts about the adventure!
LikeLike
Writing them all up will certainly keep us busy for some time :-) Thanks!!
LikeLike
Welcome Home. Congratulations!
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Robert!! :-)
LikeLike
woo hoo – congrats – and thanks for the many photos – :)
~y.
LikeLike
You are most welcome. Thank you!!
LikeLike
*glass raised in toast* Congratulations on an adventure well earned!
LikeLike
We did have some celebratory champagne on the plane back to NYC :-) Thanks!!
LikeLike
What a great accomplishment.
LikeLike
Thanks so much, Gayle! :-)
LikeLike
Fantastic photo documentation! Congrats- what an adventure!
LikeLike
Many more photos to come… Thanks!!
LikeLike
Pingback: Travel Theme: Tempting | Wind Against Current
Congratulations — quite an achievement! The Valley boat a surprise, a Nordkapp no less, guess I was expecting an NDK reprise.
LikeLike
Thanks, Michael! I think Johna wanted something a little faster and more lithe this time, and more like her own boats back in NYC, although with the degree to which the boat was loaded up, it probably made little difference…
LikeLike
Finishing is a win. Great photos, but love that last shot!
LikeLike
:-) Thanks!!
LikeLike
Well done! And splendid pictures, as always!
LikeLike
Thank you so much!!
LikeLike
Wow amazing photographs of your travels, congratulations on making your destination. Very cool!
LikeLike
Thanks, Mary!! :-)
LikeLike
Congratulations for finishing and beating your record from last year! It looks like quite an adventure and I can’t wait to hear more about it.
LikeLike
This was actually the first time we’ve done it—the previous trips were just little informal explorations of the territory. More coming up soon, we hope. Thanks, Milka!! :-)
LikeLike
Bravo! I look forward to the write up on what worked and what didn’t work so well. Thanks for taking me along on your expeditions vicariously.
LikeLike
Thanks, Taino! We’ll definitely try to provide a fairly thorough analysis of our successes and failures—very important for us to think about!!
LikeLike
Oh T… we thought of you so many times!! (Particularly when the sharks went under our boats….I bet you had plenty of sharks in PR!) Update to come, thanks for posting!
LikeLike
Super that your completed the course. Congrats. Thanks for sharing the wonderful photographs, too.
LikeLike
You are most welcome—thanks, Ruth!!
LikeLike
WOO-HOOOOO!!! Fantastic!!! Can’t wait to hear all about it!!
LikeLike
And hear all about it you shall! :-)
LikeLike
Congrats.. Wonderful pictures… Blessings, Lor
LikeLike
Thanks, Lor!!
LikeLike
CONGRATULATIONS! Knew you would do it. Great journey wonderful photos.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Francine!! :-)
LikeLike
I’m impressed. I went to Florida over the weekend, to dive rather than paddle, but made sure to tell everyone I knew two people doing this. Most were impressed.
LikeLike
Thanks, Julie!
Most people we met were impressed too, but really had no clue. “Tampa to Key Largo? Can you do that in a day?” was the usual question… :-)
LikeLike
Glad you got some sunshine in, Julie! Word is that it has been dark and cold up here… but in a few more days we’ll be at equinox. Can’t wait until summer comes!
LikeLike
Congratulations! I’ve been following all the preparation posts (and stunning pictures that went with it). That’s really quite the achievement!
LikeLike
Thank you! It’s still sinking in… (and we’re still catching up on sleep)…
LikeLike
That is some achievement – especially when you consider the preparation also.
LikeLike
Thanks, Scott! Yes, personally I was so psyched just to be at the starting line that the race itself was almost an afterthought…. ALMOST!!
But seriously, back in April 2013 we had no idea how we were going to do any of it: Get my boat, handle transport home, camp in heavily-settled Florida, paddle at night, etc. It took a lot of time, thought, and (yes) money to get everything sorted out, and that was a majority of the work. By the time the race started all that was left to do was paddle… and paddle…. and paddle…. and paddle some more. :-)
LikeLike
I love the passion you guys have for your paddling – as I have already said to Vladimir my experience is river racing in a GP canoe then I moved on to a K2 and my best experience of all was an Open Canadian in the Boundary Water Canoe Area unsupported for 10 days inland lakes and the OMG sea lakes – health and safety would not stomach it now – ha ha – follow your dreams follow your passion – not all of us get the chance so we must grab it with both hands – when we do – thanks for responding :-)
LikeLike
Got to do it while the opportunity is there—it might not be there next year, or even next week…
Thanks, Scott!!
LikeLike
Congratulations! Completing the Watertribe event is a remarkable achievement. Love the photos. So proud to be a part of your water tribe!
LikeLike
Thank you, Randy! Without you and NY Kayak Company, it would literally not have been possible. I cannot tell you how much I love the gear I got there, particularly the Watershed drybags! (Actually, we have an upcoming post called “gear we love” that will talk about them in greater detail.)
Thanks again for the congratulations, and for your help and support with everything!
LikeLike
great photos of an amazing journey! congratulations!!!
LikeLike
Thank you!! :-)
LikeLike
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside | Wind Against Current
Great pictures, again! What an adventure…I live vicariously through your photos and descriptions! We just flew home from Tampa this morning after half a week in Naples and half in Indian Rocks Beach. The closest I got to native creatures was during my visit to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary! Can’t wait to read more about your trip/race…
LikeLike
We were in the same part of the world! And, actually, if you were anywhere close to the water, you were close to the native creatures, whether you were aware of it or not. What always strikes us about that part of Florida is how adaptable to coexistence with humans the animals are. The birds, turtles, dolphins are doing their thing right next to the highrise condos—
LikeLike
Very true. I did watch a pair of dolphins from a 5th floor condo balcony!
LikeLike
:-)
LikeLike