October 2nd, 2007 tobey
Florida stands out as having one of eight National Scenic Trails but we’re about to have an absolutely unique asset, the Florida Circumnavigation Trail. For a long time people have been taking extended paddles around Florida. I’ve paddled most of the coast from Appalachicola to Ft. Lauderdale at one time or another and two of my brothers paddled from Georgia to Key West one summer. Going “freelance” added to the adventure but our trips and others would have been easier and safer with a more established path.
Starting in 2004 Doug Alderson and others began scouting routes for a trail running from Pensacola on the Gulf, around Florida to Ft. Clinch on the Atlantic. That team has put together some fantastic documentation on the effort at the Florida Greenways and Trails site. The effort is off to a great start but it needs a support network with a passion for a saltwater trail. On land, the Florida Trail Association fills that role. Doug and others will be meeting Monday, October 15th, 1-5 pm, at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park to inaugurate the Florida Circumnavigational Trail Association (FCTA) (proposed name) for the water bound folks. There’s talk about doing some paddling in the Chassahowitzka NWR on Tuesday so it should be a good time. I’ll be in Washington, D.C., but the effort has our full support.
If you would like more information, please contact Doug Alderson at dougalderson at comcast.net. If you’re luck enough to attend, drop us a line or comment here on how it went.
Tobey
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September 14th, 2007 tobey
Kayak launch site wanted. Kayaks are great cause watch them from unsual locations if you have a favorite drop us a line at Adermann(?) at tobysguide.com and will post them here. In the mean time will put up a few alarm(?) favorite starting with ftansell patch(?) right there in Palm Harbor Florida well hidden out of the way but great to kayak but to the main groove.
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September 14th, 2007 tobey
Some Sea Pearls (sailboats) will gather unofficially at the Dunedin Cup on September 28th, 29th, and 30th done Dunedin in Florida. Some of those will be participating in the Everglades Challenge 2008. If you are interested, drop us a line and we will send you more info as we get it.
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September 2nd, 2007 admin
The Barnacle State Historic Site in Coconut Grove is one of my personal favorite places. While I lived in Miami and worked at nearby restaurants, the Barnacle was a great escape right in the middle of Coconut Grove and the story behind was fascinating. Commodore Munroe bought the after visiting Florida looking for a place for his first wife to recover from an illness. She passed away but the Commodore stuck around and built his Sharpie lifeboats for use in South Florida.
He soon met another woman who declared she could not raise children in the small bachelor house the Commodore built on the property. Commodore Munroe borrowed some railroad jacks from his friend Henry Flagler, raised the house and built another story underneath and then lowered the house again. Didn’t touch the roof at all. He certainly knew something about living in South Florida. When Andrew blew through, the walls of his boat house came entirely off but the frame held strong. He designed it that way and simply had to reattach the walls.
So, around to Schmap. It’s an online city guide and their third edition just came out featuring our photos of the Barnacle.
If you’re ever in Coconut Grove, please check out the Barnacle and leave a few bucks in the donation box. It’s a truly great urban oasis.
The Barnacle Web Site
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August 4th, 2007 admin
We’re always looking for great places to put in that respect private property. Some of the best we’ve found are “hidden” public access spots. Places that adjacent property owners treat as their own, but that actually belong to all of us.
California does a fantastic job of this. As California faced the problem of more of the coastline being developed into private homes they developed the Coastal Commission to protect public rights and right of way. We’re lucky enough to still have a substantial portion of Florida coast in natural or semi-natural states but that won’t stay. Check out the California Coastal Commission for ideas.
To kick start this we’ll kick it off with a great public access for kayak launch or fishing in Tarpon Springs. great public access for a kayak launch or fishing in Tarpon Springs. This one’s right down the street from where I grew up and we’ve used it since before the adjacent homes were developed.
It’s a great launch point for kayaks. The homeowner recently was kind enough to add some new sod, but the entire asphalt area and all the grass more than 10 feet from his pool deck is public access. There’s a great fishing hole with deep water and rock structure created by some freshwater seeps. Especially good at extreme low tide because the fish concentrate in the very broad (100 ft. wide) hole. Historically, this was the location of the “colored” beach when Sunset Beach was the only beach in Tarpon Springs.
Please go check it out. They only way to ensure public access remains public is to use it and tell people. If you have a great “hidden” public access point, let us know and we’ll post it here.
Thanks,
Tobey
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