American Victory Tour

The American Victory Tour

LOCATION:
Moosehead Lake, ME

MESSAGE:
May 14, 2008

Spent my first night out on my own.

Broke down my camp yesterday and evicted all the six and eight-legged critters who had moved in during the last eleven days.

The morning was warm and bright and the wind was light and out of the north.

Jan gave me a beautiful T-shirt and I finally shook off my inertia and was pumped to go. Blue water sailors often suffer from inertia. Especially after a bad passage. They are unable to cast off lines and leave a safe harbor.

I can appreciate their lack of mobility. Icy cold water, unfamiliarity with traveling under paddle and questionable rivers all had me a bit intimidated.

But, on May 13th, I left. The 13th has always been good to me. I married Cathy on the 13th.

Bill Reeves drove me to the Northeast Carry to launch the canoe.

My charts warn of rough waters in the wind. Since most of the lakes here were formed by glaciers, they run north to south. The winds where I come from blow out of the west. How bad could it be?

Well, in this part of the world the prevailing winds are out of the north and they are prevailing most of the time. Sometimes it blows without warning and for no apparent reason.

From a dead calm, I hear a sound like a rushing train and a 20-30 mph gust comes roaring through, followed again by a dead calm.

Sometimes it is a single gust. At other times, it will last for several minutes. And at still other times, it will last for hours.

With thirty-mile per hour winds charging down a fifty-mile long lake, it can get a bit bumpy.

I launched in a light breeze and immediately found I had very little control over the wind using a kayak paddle. After switching to a bent-shaft canoe paddle with a blade the size of a barn door, things went better.

I quickly learned that I can't push too hard with a following breeze. If the wind starts to turn the canoe, the forward momentum makes it almost impossible to correct.

It seems that in a tailwind the best technique is to let the air move me and just use the paddle to maintain course.

I paddled about 4 miles to my first campsite. It was a spectacularly beautiful location. Whoever selects and maintains these campsites is doing a marvelous job. I hope this is a sample of what I can expect. If so, it will be a great trip.

The camp was on a point of land. This was not wilderness by any stretch. There was a building no more than a hundred yards from the site.
It did not look as if I would have to worry about furry nocturnal visitors. I was located on the tip of a peninsula with houses along both shores. Wind will carry any odors from the camp out over the lake. I didn't see any signs of forage for hungry animals at the site. Just birch trees of rather questionable health.

I didn't even see any squirrels, only birds and the ubiquitous bugs.

Choosing caution, though, I looked for a place to hang my food bag from a tree. The branches were either too high, too low or too fragile.

Coming up with a brilliant alternative. I secured my groceries in the canoe. There was a small cove on the south side of my camp. I tied the canoe fore and aft to trees at the outer points of the cove, holding the canoe in deep water about fifty feet from shore.

Around 2:00 a.m., I was awakened by the sounds of stiff winds coming out of the south. South winds indicate bad weather in this neighborhood.

The canoe was on the south side of my camp and being pounded by waves on her starboard beam.
I pulled on my clothes and stumbled out into the night, tripping over rocks and roots and scrambling along the edge of the water.

After releasing the stern line, I dragged the boat ashore. My food sacks would have to survive the rest of the night like the rest of us.

At dawn, a red sky and clouds all indicated bad weather. I stuffed my aching muscles back into the sleeping bag.

Four hours later, I awoke to clear skies and a dead calm. It was now too late to start for my next camp. I spent the day soaking up sunshine.

2008-06-07 18:33:37 est

LOCATION:
Chesuncook Lake, ME

MESSAGE:
May 10, 2008

Another cold front. I haven’t even gotten underway and I am already experiencing equipment problems.

My cheap stove was barely putting out any heat. So I called on the technical skills I have amassed over a lifetime to solve the problem. I turned the stove upside down and banged it against a rock. Then I turned it sideways and hit it against a rock. Finally, I turned it upside down again and shook it.
It is still not 100%, but it is much better than it was.

My self-inflating sleeping pad is now self-deflating. While it still provides a little cushioning, it has lost most of its insulation value. I layered all my clothes to provide me with some protection from the frozen ground. If I move during the night the clothes have a tendency to bunch up and my bed becomes pretty lumpy.

I'm now up to six miles on my daily walks. Had company yesterday, B.U.S.s (Big Ugly Suckers) or, as they call them around here, moose.

2008-06-07 18:28:11 est

LOCATION:
Chesuncook Lake, ME

MESSAGE:
May 7, 2008

Cold front came through. God always knows where to find me.

Will leave on Monday. Mr. Reeves will transport me to the Northeast Carry at the head of Moosehead Lake. There I will finally get the bottom of the canoe wet.

Have been going to bed with the sounds of Canadian geese, owls, loons and a symphony of other creatures.

With the incredible variety of wildlife, the deep forests, pristine lakes and wild rivers it is no wonder so many people vacation in Maine.

With the harsh climate, forbidding terrain and hostile environment it is no wonder so few people choose to live here.

The North Woods does not tolerate the lazy, the incompetent or fools. To live here requires attention to details, hard work, and preparation.
It is no wonder that America's best often come from its toughest neighborhoods: the North Woods, the Appalachian Mountains, the Rockies, the northern Plains and the Gulf Coast Bayous.

2008-06-07 18:26:04 est

LOCATION:
Lake Chesuncook, ME

MESSAGE:
May 4, 2008

I have gone from late spring to mid-winter. Nighttime temperatures are dropping into the 20's.
I brought just enough gear to handle this weather. Any colder and I would have to stay awake at night and keep my tent stove going and sleep in the daytime.

Every day, I take a walk, hoping to work my way into some kind of shape. I’m doing 5 miles a day, up and down hills, with a 20 lb pack. Not great, but not awful.

There are fresh moose tracks on my little hikes.

Had planned on breaking camp on Friday but Mr. Reese advised me the river may be unrunnable for some time. My Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT) map showed a logging road running alongside the river. I thought I would just use my portage wheels and take the road.

Mr. Reese informed me that the "logging road" was just a foot path and it had become overgrown. If I could find it, I would find it impassable.

I was going to try anyway, but after serious consideration I decided that on this leg of the trip there would be many opportunities to be stupid.

No sense in rushing it.

2008-06-05 12:56:30 est

LOCATION:
Chesuncook Lake, ME

MESSAGE:
May 1, 2008

Cathy and I finally got underway. When we arrived in Maine, and were heading north to Fort Kent, we were still considering the options for my initial launch of the season. God made the decision for us.

The night before we arrived, Maine had 5 to 6 inches of rain. The rivers were unrunnable. Fort Kent was under several feet of water. Many of the roads were impassable. Others were gone completely.

Cathy had to return to Tennessee because she had flight reservations for California. We desperately needed a place for me to put in. Cathy studied the map and noticed that Chesuncook Lake was accessible at the southern end and there was a campground there.

We drove through the town of Millinocket and followed the Golden Road, bypassing Baxter State Park. We were treated to a view of snow-capped Mt. Katahdin.

The road then took us parallel to the west branch of the Penobscot River. It was roaring off the charts.
At many places the road was no more than an inch or two above the water. At other spots there were trickles of water running across the road. Conditions grew worse as we approached the Ripogenus Dam.

Lake levels were dangerously high. A dam had failed on the Salmon River, a tributary of the Aroostook. The Aroostook was also one of my launch choices.

To prevent more failures, dam operators had opened gates hoping to lower lake levels to relieve the pressure. This resulted in extremely wild rivers.
We saw a sign for the Allagash Gateway Campground that said “Open May 1st.” When we entered the grounds, the owner, Bill Reeves, informed us the camp was still closed. Because of the harsh winter he was late in opening. After hearing my plight, he agreed to let me stay.

Bill and his wife, the lovely Jan, were excellent hosts. The campground is located on a peninsula where the Ripogenus, Caribou and Chesuncook Lakes join. The setting is incredible and the location is way off the grid.

Because the lakes were still ice-bound, I planned on staying there for at least a week. Cathy and I drove back to town where I purchased some canned goods, a couple of books and we spent one last night together.

The next morning we drove back up the Golden Road. About 7 miles from the camp, the road was flooded. Another gate had been opened on the dam, raising the level of the river even higher.
I was pulling on my Mukluks to test the depth of the water when a dump truck came up behind us. He went through first and we were able to see that it was no more than 8 to 12 inches deep.
I took the Yukon through using 4-wheel drive, in dead slow. I didn't want to throw a bow wake that would drown the engine.

At the campground, I said good-bye to my beautiful bride.

I was on my own again.

2008-06-05 12:53:28 est

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LOCATION:
T

MESSAGE:
As I sit here in Tennessee, watching weather reports and repacking my gear for the fifty-third time, I feel the self-doubt creeping over me.

2008-04-28 17:15:00 est

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LOCATION:
Tennessee

MESSAGE:
I had planned to launch a few days after Easter. Unfortunately, Maine has gone through one of its coldest winters on record. Unless I wanted to launch...
2008-03-29 12:10:15 est

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LOCATION:
Eastport, ME

MESSAGE:
Before starting out in the summer of ’06, I had to upgrade some equipment.

My U.S. Marine Corps tent was pretty badly worn. I replac...
2008-03-25 11:15:31 est

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LOCATION:
plymouth, Mass

MESSAGE:
To all of you who have been following my journey, forgive me for the long absence from the keyboard. I have no excuse to offer except procrastination...
2008-03-10 16:12:11 est

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LOCATION:
Beach Haven, NJ, 6/1/05

MESSAGE:
The tide was out when I broke camp. About a hundred
yards of mud flats separated me from the water.

I had to pull all the gear o...
2005-06-19 18:41:28 est

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LOCATION:
Brigantine, NJ, 5/31/05

MESSAGE:
From Trumps, I bounced across the choppy Absecon inlet
to the town of Brigantine and loaded up with supplies.
I had rowed fifteen miles ...
2005-06-19 18:40:21 est

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LOCATION:
Atlantic City, NJ, 5/30/05

MESSAGE:
It is Memorial Day. I have been camping on landfills,
under bridges and on piles of dredge spoil. I am
ready for a hotel.

...
2005-06-19 18:38:42 est

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LOCATION:
Cape May Courthouse, NJ, 5/27/05

MESSAGE:
Progress has been slow and campsites scarce. I am
sleeping in a bed again. I pulled into the Avalon
Point Marina. Once again, I was trea...
2005-06-19 18:37:08 est

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LOCATION:
Cape May, NJ, 5/23/05

MESSAGE:
Hutch's Marina allowed me to keep my canoe on their
property during my stay in Cape May. The young lady at
the desk ran herself ragged t...
2005-06-19 18:35:20 est

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LOCATION:
Cape May, NJ, May 22, 2005

MESSAGE:
I am finally warm and dry in a motel room.

Yesterday at Moores Beach, the storm had continued through the day.

A ranger...
2005-06-19 18:31:38 est

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LOCATION:
Moores Beach, NJ, 5/20/05

MESSAGE:
Â As I write this, I am lying in my tent just 15 milesÂ north of theÂ Cape May Canal. From the start of this year,Â I have been seeing a lot of simila...
2005-06-03 20:48:35 est

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LOCATION:
Salem, NJ, 5/15/05

MESSAGE:
After leaving Essington, I crossed the Delaware and made a short hop to Bridgeton, NJ. The people at Sub Sea Inc. let me keep my boat there. They even...
2005-06-03 20:44:53 est

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LOCATION:
Essington, PA, 5/11/05

MESSAGE:
It took me two days to reach Essington from Delaware City. At the West End Boat Club I was treated like visiting royalty.
Â
The club wa...
2005-06-03 20:42:30 est

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LOCATION:
Delaware City, DE, 5/8/05

MESSAGE:
I returned to the canoe early Sunday morning. The tide was in full flood and running hard. Rich Ostlander gave me his card and suggested I put in at t...
2005-06-03 20:40:02 est

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LOCATION:
Chesapeake City, MD, 5/6/05

MESSAGE:
After a long night of shivering in the tent, I was slow getting started. A cold north wind was blowing a wicked chop down the Elk River. Even with a f...
2005-06-03 20:38:00 est

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LOCATION:
Chesterton, MD 5/1/05

MESSAGE:
Cathy dropped me off at the Great Oak Landing & Lodge. A new season begins.
Â Â
The Oak Landing Marina is located near Chesterton, Mary...
2005-05-15 16:13:08 est

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LOCATION:
Sassafras River, MD 5/3/05

MESSAGE:
The next day was clear and crisp. There was chillyÂ wind and a light chop. As I came to the Sassafras River, a heavy cloud cover came in and it starte...
2005-05-15 16:07:53 est

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LOCATION:
Elk Neck State Park, MD 5/5/05

MESSAGE:
The sun and wind rose together. I crossed the Sassafras and continued up past Turkey Point. Turkey Point marks the confluence of the Susquehanna and E...
2005-05-15 16:05:13 est

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LOCATION:
In Memoriam

MESSAGE:
After a decade-and-a-half-long battle, the worldâ€™s greatest canoeist succumbed to cancer. I had the opportunity to meet with Verlen once.

2005-04-28 21:00:27 est

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LOCATION:
An Apology

MESSAGE:
I would like to apologize to my readers for the long delay in the journal updates. I became rather distracted in the off-season. Cathy and I became th...
2005-04-28 20:55:56 est

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LOCATION:
Philadelphia, PA July, 2004

MESSAGE:
The next day, Cathy and I pulled the boat and headed back to Tennessee. I will spend the winter repairing my back. I will also modify the canoe and fr...
2005-04-28 20:53:08 est

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LOCATION:
Philadelphia, PA July, 2004

MESSAGE:
Having lost my weather window because of the spill, I rowed into Baltimore. I put the boat up at a marina in the inner harbor and checked into a motel...
2005-04-28 20:51:22 est

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LOCATION:
Baltimore, MD July, 2004

MESSAGE:
I had talked to a producer for HDTV who wanted to film me arriving in Philly. This created a logistical problem. The high definition cameras are few i...
2005-04-28 20:47:41 est

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LOCATION:
Potomac River July, 2004

MESSAGE:
I followed the north shore going downriver. This put me in Maryland, my 10th state. Finding campsites on the Maryland side was even harder than on the...
2005-04-28 19:42:57 est

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LOCATION:
Washington D.C. June, 2004

MESSAGE:
I arrived at the Capitol with no fanfare. It was rather anticlimactic after the long slog upriver. I notified the local press and media of my arrival ...
2005-04-28 19:41:19 est

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LOCATION:
Potomac River, June, 2004

MESSAGE:
From Mathews County, I continued up the Chesapeake. Years ago, I kept a sailboat on the bay. It seemed as if I could never find enough wind.

2005-04-28 19:39:58 est

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LOCATION:
Mathews County, VA June,2004

MESSAGE:
It was not with great regret that I departed what had once been a long anticipated destination. I left early in the morning from Norfolk, one of the w...
2005-04-28 19:38:10 est

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LOCATION:
Norfolk, VA< June, 2004

MESSAGE:
For years, when I worked on tugs and barges, the boats would arrive at Norfolk. There is a marina and hotel on the Portsmouth side of the Elizabeth Ri...
2005-04-28 19:35:55 est

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LOCATION:
Great Dismal Swamp, June 2004

MESSAGE:
The Great Dismal Swamp lies on the Virginia/North Carolina border. After the area was surveyed by William Byrd, George Washington purchased 20,000 acr...
2005-04-28 19:34:14 est

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LOCATION:
Elizabeth City, NC June, 20004

MESSAGE:
After crossing the Albemarle, I had returned to civilization and noise. I had been trying to replicate the experience on the Alligator River of perfec...
2005-04-27 14:09:58 est

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LOCATION:
Albemarle Sound, June 2004

MESSAGE:
The next day broke hot and clear with a bit of a breeze. I reached the Alligator River Highway Bridge. There was a Marina at the west end of the bridg...
2005-04-26 14:07:34 est

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LOCATION:
Albemarle Sound, June 2004

MESSAGE:
This was a day I had not been looking forward to. I was crossing the sound. The sound had a reputation for being unkind to small boats.

...
2005-04-26 14:07:05 est

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LOCATION:
Alligator River May, 2004

MESSAGE:
From the canal, I entered the Alligator River. The river ran east a short distance and then turned north where it widened to more than two miles acros...
2005-04-23 11:33:29 est

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LOCATION:
Alligator-Pungo Canal May, 2004

MESSAGE:
The next morning, I passed several good and easily accessible campsites less than a mile from where I had spent the night.

My next cam...
2005-04-23 11:24:25 est

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LOCATION:
Alligator-Pungo Canal May, 2004

MESSAGE:
I made a late-in-the-day launch following many fond farewells from the kind people of Bel Haven and hugs and kisses from my bride. Lots of hugs and k...
2005-04-22 00:20:04 est

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LOCATION:
Bel Haven, NC 22,May

MESSAGE:
I once again found myself at the tender mercies of North Carolina hospitality. I made arrangements to keep my canoe at the boatyard in Bel Haven. I ha...
2005-04-22 00:16:40 est

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LOCATION:
Belhaven, NC, May 20, 2004

MESSAGE:
Docked at the Belhaven Marina. It is a modest-sized boat yard that is impeccably maintained. The owners specialize in wooden boat repair...very fine w...
2004-09-01 17:05:56 est

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LOCATION:
Bel Haven, NC, May 18, 2004

MESSAGE:
It took me four days to go from Oriental to Bel Haven. My stomach has straightened out but my lower back is giving me a lot of complaints.

2004-06-03 18:19:08 est

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LOCATION:
Oriental, NC, May 14, 2004

MESSAGE:
Crossed the Neuse River in a flat calm. I landed on a small beach behind the docks at The Oriental Harbor Marina. The people seem to just keep getting...
2004-06-03 18:05:51 est

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LOCATION:
Neuse River, NC, May 13, 2004

MESSAGE:
Best campsite yet. Much of the woods had been cleared for development, right down to the bare sand. Just enough trees left to pr...
2004-06-03 18:02:44 est

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LOCATION:
Bel Haven, NC 22,May

MESSAGE:
Decided to take an extended layover in Bel Haven. Cathy is supposed to pick me later in the week and we will go to DC for Rolling Thunder, a Viet Nam...
2004-05-22 23:37:02 est

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LOCATION:
Adam’s Creek, NC, May 12, 2004

MESSAGE:
My stomach kept me awake most of the night and I missed the last of the morning tide. I decided to make it another short day.

...
2004-05-20 16:19:26 est

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LOCATION:
Mile 195, ICW, May 11, 2004

MESSAGE:
I did another short day. I am tiring too easily. I must be in worse shape than I thought. If the rowing was tough, ma...
2004-05-20 16:18:47 est

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LOCATION:
Bel Haven

MESSAGE:
Belhaven, NC

Docked at the Belhaven Marina. It is a modest-sized boat yard that is impeccably maintained. The owners s...
2004-05-20 15:41:33 est

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LOCATION:
Morehead City, North Carolina, May 10, 2004

MESSAGE:
I rowed 16 miles today. I am still struggling. Pulled into Spooner’s Creek Marina and, although the people were very nice, the d...
2004-05-16 17:24:05 est

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LOCATION:
Emerald Isle, North Carolina, May 9, 2004

MESSAGE:
Because of sunburn, back pain and powerboats, I decided to take Sunday off.

When I arrived on this island, I was greeted by a sign that...
2004-05-16 17:22:36 est

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LOCATION:
Bear Inlet, NC, May 8, 2004

MESSAGE:
I got underway early. I found myself engaged in a number of conversations with people on shore and in other boats. A light breez...
2004-05-11 08:01:59 est

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LOCATION:
Camp LeJeune, NC, May 7, 2004

MESSAGE:
Departure Day. I got an early start and left at the crack of noon. As usual on departure day, my canoe was overloaded. &nbs...
2004-05-11 07:59:57 est

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LOCATION:
Eastern Tennessee, May 5, 2004

MESSAGE:
A brand new canoe is sitting in my garage. It is sleek and sexy. Cathy painted red, white and blue bunting across the bow and she lettered ...
2004-05-05 08:38:59 est

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LOCATION:
Lansing, MI

MESSAGE:
After a brief visit with a couple of family members, I saw my brother Teddy, his wife Janice and my sister, Stephanie. I had hoped to see my sister, F...
2004-02-11 15:12:15 est

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LOCATION:
USMC Ccamp Lejeune, NC

MESSAGE:
We moved to Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base. Our site was just off the beach, behind a wall of sand dunes. I was interviewed by two sharp young marines...
2004-02-11 15:09:26 est

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LOCATION:
Oak Island, NC

MESSAGE:
I crossed the Little River Inlet into North Carolina, my eighth state. I was closing in on three thousand miles. It seemed I wasn’t going to reach tha...
2004-02-11 15:06:34 est

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LOCATION:
Myrtle Beach, SC

MESSAGE:
The ICW passed through a canal that connected the Waccamaw with the Little River. It ran along the west side of Myrtle Beach.

I left t...
2003-09-09 21:13:17 est

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LOCATION:
Waccamaw River, SC.

MESSAGE:
Our next move was to the Huntington Beach State Park. It was a large and beautiful park that was packed with amenities and things to do. There were sw...
2003-09-08 14:03:04 est

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LOCATION:
Francis Marion National Forest, SC

MESSAGE:
I rowed the length of Wadmalaw Sound to the Stono River. With fair winds and tides, I felt as if I were nearly airborne. The open waters of the sound ...
2003-09-07 15:09:41 est

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LOCATION:
Charlesron, SC

MESSAGE:
From Beaufort, we moved to a campsite near Charleston South Carolina. If our last campground was a model of attention to detail this gave the impressi...
2003-08-30 14:45:09 est

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LOCATION:
Beaufort, SC

MESSAGE:
We moved from Hilton Head to Beaufort, South Carolina. Beaufort is a small waterfront city. Like many of the towns we have visited along the southeast...
2003-08-27 11:55:57 est

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LOCATION:
Hilton Head, SC

MESSAGE:
Cathy next moved us to a very upscale campground on Hilton Head Island. From Savannah, the ICW ran alongside the western shore of Dafuskie Island and ...
2003-08-23 13:08:01 est

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LOCATION:
Savannah, GA

MESSAGE:
Fort Stewart was our base while in the Savannah area. Fort Stewart is the home of the Third Infantry Division. The Third has been deployed to Iraq. Se...
2003-08-13 15:20:30 est

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LOCATION:
Brunswick, Ga

MESSAGE:
We crossed into Georgia in time for Independence Day. Our campsite was just outside Brunswick, Georgia, near Jekyll Island. Also located nearby, was a...
2003-08-07 14:36:03 est

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LOCATION:
Jekyll Island, FL

MESSAGE:
I had a long jump from Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island to Jekyll Island and I planned on spending at least one night camping out.
...
2003-08-07 14:33:50 est

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LOCATION:
Mayport, FL

MESSAGE:
I was coming to the end of my long odyssey around the state of Florida. We moved camp to the Mayport Naval Station near Jacksonville.

...
2003-08-07 14:27:00 est

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LOCATION:
St. Augustine, FL

MESSAGE:
It had been a particularly pleasant day of rowing. The sun had been a bit softer and the seas smoother; the traffic almost non-existent. I ...
2003-08-07 14:24:45 est

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LOCATION:
daytona, Fl

MESSAGE:
The ICW left the Indian River at Titusville and crossed through the Haulover Canal into the Mosquito Lagoon. In the Haulover Canal, I had my closest l...
2003-08-07 14:21:31 est

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LOCATION:
Daytona, FL

MESSAGE:
By morning, my right shin had mostly stopped leaking blood. I covered the wound with a waterproof bandage and set out. My leg, which hadn’t hurt...
2003-08-07 14:18:43 est

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LOCATION:
Daytona, FL

MESSAGE:
The ICW left the Indian River at Titusville and crossed through the Haulover Canal into the Mosquito Lagoon. In the Haulover Canal, I had my closest l...
2003-07-26 12:57:10 est

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LOCATION:
Patrick AFB

MESSAGE:
I left the Indian River and entered the Banana River which ran alongside Patrick AFB. The Banana River is separated from the Indian by Merritt Island....
2003-07-26 12:52:52 est

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LOCATION:
Patrick AFB

MESSAGE:
Patrick AFB is located a few miles south of Cape Canaveral. That Sunday, a rocket with a Mars mission was scheduled to be launched. Cathy and I visite...
2003-07-26 12:50:40 est

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LOCATION:
Patrick AFB,

MESSAGE:
The relatively open water of Lake Worth gave me no problems and actually provided a bit of respite from the wakes of the power boats. I avoided the ma...
2003-07-26 12:47:56 est

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LOCATION:
West Palm Beach, FL

MESSAGE:
While rowing along one day, I did some mathematics in my head. I was roughly 1500 miles from New York. With more than seventy days of rowing to go, ev...
2003-07-14 16:43:29 est

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LOCATION:
Boca Raton, FL

MESSAGE:
My vacation to DC cost me a week of rowing time. I decided to make up for it by breaking one of my own rules and rowing on a weekend. ...
2003-07-14 16:40:36 est

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LOCATION:

MESSAGE:
...
2003-07-14 12:01:05 est

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LOCATION:

MESSAGE:
...
2003-07-14 11:59:50 est

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LOCATION:
Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

MESSAGE:
May 2003

We took a break after reaching Key West. It was nearly time for Rolling Thunder, the Viet Nam Veterans’ Rally held ...
2003-06-25 16:04:21 est

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LOCATION:
Key Largo, FL.

MESSAGE:
May 2003

After more than a year of anticipating my arrival here, a year of fighting wind and sea, a year of searing heat and bitter col...
2003-06-25 16:02:28 est

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LOCATION:
So. Miami, FL

MESSAGE:
May 2003

If driving around Miami was an ordeal, rowing was anti-climatic. I never ran into the extremely heavy boat traffic I expected....
2003-06-11 12:56:08 est

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LOCATION:
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

MESSAGE:
May 2003

Cathy had found a campground on the New River. It was the Yacht Haven Campground and Marina. I was interviewed there by report...
2003-06-11 12:50:35 est

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LOCATION:
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

MESSAGE:
April 2003

The charts showed three canals going from Lake Okeechobee to the Miami-Ft.
Lauderdale area. After talking to as many ...
2003-06-11 12:30:35 est

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LOCATION:
Belle Glade, Fl

MESSAGE:
April 2003

Cathy had found a campground on Lake Okeechobee. It was a county park located on Torry Island on the south shore of the lake...
2003-06-11 12:15:57 est

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LOCATION:
Lake Okeechobee, FL

MESSAGE:
April, 2003

I continued up the river toward Lake Okeechobee. There was another lock at Ortona. This time I was allowed to lock through....
2003-05-30 12:34:29 est

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LOCATION:
Labelle, FL

MESSAGE:
April, 2003

At its mouth, the Calloosahatchie River was broad from one and a half to nearly two miles wide. There were a series of narr...
2003-05-30 12:32:28 est

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LOCATION:
Cape Coral, FL

MESSAGE:
April, 20003

We relaunched the canoe from a marina at the end of Tortuga Road. I came out of Jug Creek through Shell Pass and turned we...
2003-05-19 13:26:54 est

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LOCATION:
Big Pine Island, FL

MESSAGE:
April 2003

I was nearly finished with the west coast of Florida. Cathy moved the camp to Big Pine Island at the southern end of Charlot...
2003-05-19 13:22:49 est

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LOCATION:
Venice, FL

MESSAGE:
April 2003

Our next campsite was at the Oscar Sherer State Park In Venice, FL. While Cathy moved the camp, I continued down ...
2003-05-18 12:01:17 est

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LOCATION:
MacDill AFB, Tampa, FL

MESSAGE:
April 1, 2003

MacDill AFB II

I put the boat in on the east end of the Cross Bayou. This put me at the northwestern
...
2003-05-07 13:51:43 est

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LOCATION:
Tampa, FL

MESSAGE:

The Tampa-St. Petersburg area is the largest metropolitan center I have arrived at so far. Tampa and St. Petersburg lie across Tampa B...
2003-05-07 13:45:31 est

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LOCATION:
Tarpon Springs, FL

MESSAGE:
ur next campsite was at Tarpon Springs. This town is America’s sponge fishing capital. The people of Greek descent who came here to harvest the vast s...
2003-04-26 14:21:47 est

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LOCATION:
Hudson, FL

MESSAGE:

Cathy moved the camp to the Winter Haven RV Park in Hudson, FL. Rather than find a new campground every night, we had decided that ...
2003-04-26 14:19:57 est

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LOCATION:
Chassahowitzka, FL

MESSAGE:

I continued on the canoe trail to the Chassahowitzka River. It was a peaceful and beautiful ride through salt marshes and tidal swamps. The co...
2003-04-26 14:15:54 est

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LOCATION:
March 25, 2003 Chassahowitzka. FL

MESSAGE:
Another day was spent winding down the “Nature Coast Canoe Trail”.
The wind had laid down; it was my best day yet for rowing. I turned into the...
2003-04-10 11:52:09 est

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LOCATION:

MESSAGE:
...
2003-04-10 10:37:08 est

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LOCATION:
March 24, 2003 Homosassa, FL

MESSAGE:
Tom, the manager of the Encore park supplied me with a map of a canoe trail that would allow me to cover the distance from Crystal River to Chassahowi...
2003-04-10 10:35:18 est

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LOCATION:
March 19, 2003 Crystal River, FL

MESSAGE:
In the morning, I untied from the trees and began finding my way back through the labyrinth of waterways to the open Gulf. The wind had died and in t...
2003-04-10 10:32:45 est

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LOCATION:
March 18, 2003 Crystal River, Fl

MESSAGE:
After about an hour of slogging though the mud, I finally broke free into the Gulf of Mexico. The boat felt light and fast as I rowed through light w...
2003-04-09 10:39:41 est

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LOCATION:
March 17, 2003 Cedar Key, Fl

MESSAGE:
We had finally returned to Cedar Key. It was time to resume the journey.

I was interviewed by Maureen Landress for the "Cedar Key Ne...
2003-04-05 10:42:39 est

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LOCATION:
Keaton Beach, FL

MESSAGE:
Our last stop before Cedar Key was the Old Pavilion RV Park in Keaton Beach. Spiridon Aberjeris and his mother, Lynn, were my most gracious hosts. Thi...
2003-04-05 10:26:20 est

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LOCATION:

MESSAGE:
During these times of conflict, I am reminded of the word of a patriot who lived two centuries ago.

He was a citizen of England and was...
2003-04-05 10:03:42 est

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LOCATION:
Panama City, Fl.

MESSAGE:
March 2003

Finally, it was time to go to Panama City to pick up my new FrontRower. It was early evening when we arrived at the home of...
2003-03-31 15:57:55 est

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LOCATION:

MESSAGE:
For the past several months, the press has been lost in a Bacchanalian orgy, heaping criticism and derision on the current administration while drunk...
2003-03-31 15:53:54 est

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LOCATION:
Pensacola, FL

MESSAGE:
One of my favorite towns was Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. We camped at the Waveland State park and dropped in at the yacht club in the morning. The Wav...
2003-03-31 15:50:44 est

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LOCATION:

MESSAGE:
A question I am often asked as I row by people standing on the banks is “Do you have a motor for that thing?”

My smiling reply is inva...
2003-03-31 15:45:06 est

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LOCATION:
Harvey, LA

MESSAGE:
March 2003

It had been nearly a year since I had last seen Gracie O’Malley. She had been my companion when I first started on my ventu...
2003-03-31 15:42:26 est

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LOCATION:
Ellender, LA

MESSAGE:
March, 2003

The Intracoastal Park is just a short distance across the Louisiana state line from Texas. It is the place where...
2003-03-25 12:31:52 est

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LOCATION:
Galveston, TX

MESSAGE:
February, 2003

By late February, I was chomping at the bit. The perimeters of Port Aransas seemed to be shrinking by the day...
2003-03-25 12:12:59 est

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LOCATION:

MESSAGE:
...
2003-02-07 15:11:45 est

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LOCATION:
Paradise

MESSAGE:
In Gainesville, I boarded one of those great contributors to the sum of human pain and misery known as a Greyhound Bus. It took me two days to backtr...
2002-10-03 12:08:15 est

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LOCATION:
Cedar Key, Fl

MESSAGE:
From Suwanee, I travelled upriver. It was raining as I left, with a pronounced threat of thunderstorms. At the point where the river split into two b...
2002-10-03 11:12:59 est

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LOCATION:
Suwanee Fl.

MESSAGE:
Suwanee, Fl

With no tent, I was required to draw upon my resourcefulness to build a shelter. I stretched a line between two posts. I t...
2002-10-03 08:50:52 est

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LOCATION:
Horseshoe Beach, FL

MESSAGE:
I left my tent that morning to find that the air boaters had blown my canoe up unto the rocks. My flagstaff was bent and the flag was lying in the mu...
2002-09-30 08:41:55 est

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LOCATION:
Cow Bayou Fl.

MESSAGE:
It was a long jump from Steinhatchee to Horseshoe Beach. I couldn’t find any likely camping spots on the chart. I set off hoping for the best but pep...
2002-09-30 08:33:58 est

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LOCATION:
Cow Bayou, Fl.

MESSAGE:
Cow Bayou, FL

It was a long jump from Steinhatchee to Horseshoe Beach. I couldn’t find any likely camping spots on the chart. I set of...
2002-09-30 08:30:23 est

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LOCATION:
Steinhatchee Fl.

MESSAGE:

The afternoon thunderstorms continued to arrive in the mornings and last all day. I made my way to Steinhatchee, Fl. There was another RV par...
2002-09-30 08:28:37 est

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LOCATION:
Keaton Beach, FL

MESSAGE:
I contacted the builder of my rowing machine, Ron Rantilla, and explained my problem. He shipped me replacement parts as well as a set of the new han...
2002-09-07 21:10:06 est

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LOCATION:
Keaton Beach, FL

MESSAGE:
I left Adam’s Beach to head for Keaton Beach. The morning sunlight refracted into a complete rainbow that stretched its legs across the western sky. ...
2002-09-05 13:18:17 est

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LOCATION:
Adams Beach, FL

MESSAGE:
Rock Island is a small piece of land with a copse of scrub oak and palms covering one end. It provided a sheltered campsite. I needed it.

2002-09-04 16:57:29 est

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LOCATION:
Rock Island FL.

MESSAGE:
Heading down the Econfina River, I quickly discovered my repair didn’t hold. Another solution would have to be found.

I felt re-energ...
2002-09-04 15:30:09 est

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LOCATION:
Econfina River, FL

MESSAGE:
In the morning, I found I was camped illegally. I guess I had experienced one of those very happy days when all the officials had chosen not to see...
2002-09-04 15:16:49 est

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LOCATION:
St George Sound, FL

MESSAGE:

Underway again, I left Carrabelle on the 4th of July. I had only gone a couple of mile before towering thunderheads persuaded me to make camp....
2002-08-11 18:31:56 est

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LOCATION:
Aucilla River, FL

MESSAGE:

Fear is a problem and problems have solutions. Fear is caused by ignorance. The way to conquer it is through knowledge.

If Flo...
2002-08-11 18:25:18 est

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LOCATION:
St Mark’s Light, FL

MESSAGE:

Once again, I had a late start and early thunderstorms forced me to seek shelter after only a few miles.

I camped at the mouth...
2002-08-11 18:19:51 est

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LOCATION:
St. Mark

MESSAGE:

A long day's rowing took me from Panacea to St Mark. Although the town is only a short distance from Tallahassee, it shows no sign of ...
2002-08-02 18:43:49 est

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LOCATION:
Panacea, FL

MESSAGE:

I woke up early and broke camp with little sleep. Someone set off fireworks for about an hour after dark.

My camp was n...
2002-08-02 18:41:21 est

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LOCATION:
Panacea, FL

MESSAGE:

I crossed the mouth of Alligator Bay and rowe...
2002-08-02 18:34:07 est

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LOCATION:
Turkey Point, FL.

MESSAGE:

Heavy rain delayed my departure in the morning. When I finally got underway, I felt sluggish and clumsy.
I hadn't done any ser...
2002-08-02 18:26:50 est

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LOCATION:
Carrabelle, FL

MESSAGE:
I spent my last full day in Carrabelle. First, I brought the website up to date. Then I went to visit Eric at Marine Diesel. I was told, by reliable s...
2002-07-11 22:32:02 est

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LOCATION:
Carrabelle, FL.

MESSAGE:
In Carrabelle, there is a brand new library which allowed me virtually unlimited access to a computer. I am able to bring the website up to date.
2002-07-11 22:28:15 est

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LOCATION:
Carrabelle, FL.

MESSAGE:
Carrabelle is a small waterfront community. It is not as trendy as Apalachicola and I believe quite a bit less expensive.
The Harbor Master at...
2002-07-11 22:26:16 est

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LOCATION:
Yent Bayou, FL

MESSAGE:
I continued eastward down St George’s Sound in near perfect conditions, a light northeast wind and almost dead- calm seas. I think Cathy brought...
2002-07-11 22:24:19 est

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LOCATION:
East Point Fl.

MESSAGE:
With my makeshift replacement oar blade, I resumed my journey. I crossed Apalachicola Bay to East Point and rounded into St. George Sound.
I d...
2002-07-11 22:21:30 est

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LOCATION:
Apalachicola, FL

MESSAGE:
I drove, with Cathy, back to Panama City, so she could catch her bus.

Returning alone to Apalachicola was the hardest thing I have don...
2002-07-10 09:09:38 est

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LOCATION:
Apalachicola FL.

MESSAGE:
Apalachicola is a beautifully restored town with an actual working waterfront.
I still needed to make a replacement oar blade. We went to the A...
2002-07-10 09:06:39 est

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LOCATION:
Apalachicola River, FL

MESSAGE:
We traveled the length of Lake Wicomico and entered the Apalachicola River. A large sport fisherman came up on us. He immediately cut his speed and st...
2002-07-10 09:03:56 est

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LOCATION:
Lake Wimico, FL

MESSAGE:
In the morning we went into town for breakfast. I bought Cathy a small bouquet to replace the rose that I had given her at the bus station.
Lea...
2002-07-10 09:00:15 est

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LOCATION:
Port St. Joe, FL

MESSAGE:
Since we were ahead of schedule, we made a side trip to Port St. Joe. I was glad we did. A half-mile into the cut, a bald eagle flew out in front of u...
2002-07-08 13:51:10 est

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LOCATION:
Jackson River, FL

MESSAGE:
The third day we entered the sheltered water of the ICW canals. We were following the same routine. Cathy rowed first until I thought she had had enou...
2002-07-08 13:47:20 est

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LOCATION:
East Bay, FL

MESSAGE:
The next morning, I woke at daybreak and began clearing camp while Cathy slept.

She woke very early and pitched in to help. I let her r...
2002-07-08 13:40:35 est

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LOCATION:
Panama City, FL

MESSAGE:
Finally, it was time to go to the bus station and meet Cathy. Despite a grueling 18 hour trip, she wore her patented, brighter-than-sunshine smile. We...
2002-07-05 16:55:26 est

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LOCATION:
Panama City, FL

MESSAGE:
I rowed hard to reach Panama City. I knew I had planned a fairly soft schedule for Cathy’s portion and could rest up then.
My campsite was abou...
2002-07-05 16:50:37 est

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LOCATION:
Destin, FL

MESSAGE:
I was supposed to pick up a passenger in Panama City, a beautiful, intelligent and vivacious redhead by the name of Kelley.
Unfortunately she h...
2002-07-05 16:47:40 est

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LOCATION:
Destin, FL

MESSAGE:
I did an inventory of the gear I had with me. I found a floating cushion and a paddle. My rowing machine was lashed to the boat. I rolled it over and ...
2002-07-05 16:44:37 est

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LOCATION:
Destin, FL

MESSAGE:
A south wind was blowing when I left the park. Ahead of me lay 17 miles of Choctawhatchee Bay and no good options.
I could follow the north sho...
2002-07-03 15:36:05 est

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LOCATION:
Ft Walton Beach, FL

MESSAGE:

I rowed into the Ft. Walton Beach Yacht Club, where I was turned away by the club manager.
One of the members told me of a beautiful s...
2002-07-03 15:30:33 est

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LOCATION:
Pensacola, FL

MESSAGE:
After crossing Perdido Bay, I was in Florida. I fell instantly in love with the water. Pure white sand shone through crystal clear water under a deep ...
2002-06-28 23:30:51 est

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LOCATION:
Perdido Bay, AL

MESSAGE:
After a day of uneventful rowing, I was nearing Florida. (The notes for this portion of the trip were lost, so I may have events out of seq...
2002-06-28 23:28:37 est

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LOCATION:
Mobile, AL

MESSAGE:
On this day, I would leave Mobile Bay. My chart for the area had melted, so I was reduced to navigating by a large-scale roadmap. It looked as if all ...
2002-06-28 23:25:12 est

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LOCATION:
ICW AL.

MESSAGE:
It was fairly calm when I left Fairhope in the predawn light. I had to backtrack the three mi. to the hotel before I could start seeing n...
2002-06-25 15:35:20 est

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LOCATION:
Fairhope AL.

MESSAGE:
The wind had picked up for the morning passage. I took advantage of the lee afforded by the south shore of the island. As I cleared the eastern end a...
2002-06-25 11:56:32 est

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LOCATION:
Mobile Bay

MESSAGE:
I laid up through a day of beautiful weather. I felt guilty not rowing, but I didn't want to tackle Mobile Bay in less than I00% condition...
2002-06-24 14:29:37 est

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LOCATION:
Mobile Ala.

MESSAGE:
Memorial Day the wind was blowing SE. I started back up the bay to find I was only three miles from the Mobile Yacht Club. I pulled into ...
2002-06-21 16:44:59 est

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LOCATION:

MESSAGE:
If any readers have messages that contain information they may feel uncomfortable posting on the website, they may also contact me by e-m...
2002-06-13 16:54:51 est

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LOCATION:
Mobile Bay, Al

MESSAGE:
My campsite was at a popular fishing spot. I had little quiet and less privacy. At the first glimpse of light in the eastern sky, I passed under the ...
2002-06-13 16:49:40 est

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LOCATION:
Southeastern Alabama

MESSAGE:
I set out to travel the last of the Mississippi Sound the next day. As I rounded one grassy point, the boat was boarded by a large number of voraciou...
2002-06-13 16:24:19 est

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LOCATION:
Southeastern Al

MESSAGE:
I was headed for Alabama. My first stop was at a waterfront house to ask for information on local camping.
The owner offered me use of his ...
2002-06-13 16:15:34 est

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LOCATION:
Ocean Springs MS>

MESSAGE:
I left Deer Island in a north wind and crossed the channel to Biloxi. By hugging the north shore, I passed through the city marina. A man came runnin...
2002-06-13 16:08:52 est

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LOCATION:
Biloxi MS.

MESSAGE:
From the beach at Biloxi, I rowed a few miles to the lee of Deer Island. It is an uninhabited strip of land about two miles long that is a favorite f...
2002-06-09 08:22:08 est

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LOCATION:
Biloxi MS

MESSAGE:
There was a south wind blowing when I left Gulfport. I was taking seas on the beam for a wet ride. As more water collected in the bottom, the boat be...
2002-06-08 22:09:28 est

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LOCATION:
Ocean Springs MS.

MESSAGE:
Reading back through my postings, I realized I have been trying very hard not to leave out anyone who has assisted me during my trip and I completely...
2002-05-20 17:29:16 est

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LOCATION:
Gulfport MS.

MESSAGE:
On Tuesday, My daughter drove me to the bus terminal. It was time to resume my journey.
At the bus station my opinion of Greyhound bounded u...
2002-05-16 15:15:29 est

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LOCATION:
Syracuse NY

MESSAGE:
I reluctantly climbed into another one of those torture chambers known as inter-city buses ...
2002-05-14 14:38:43 est

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LOCATION:
Syracuse NY

MESSAGE:
I reluctantly climbed into another one of those torture chambers known as inter-city buses ...
2002-05-14 14:38:11 est

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LOCATION:
Philadelphia PA.

MESSAGE:
I had intended to fly to Syracuse for my daughter’s graduation. However, finances or to be more accurate, the lack thereof, dictated I travel b...
2002-05-10 10:02:16 est

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LOCATION:
Gulfport MS

MESSAGE:
I returned Wally’s where I tied up the canoe. I considered continuing on to Biloxi, but I had to purchase signal flares before the Coast Guard would ...
2002-05-05 09:09:15 est

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LOCATION:
Gulfport MS

MESSAGE:
The next port-of-call was Gulfport. That morning the calm held almost until I reached the harbor. My luck didn’t. First, I dropped in at Bob’s Bait a...
2002-05-05 08:52:59 est

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LOCATION:
Long Beach MS.

MESSAGE:
I left Pass Christian in a near calm. After rowing about two miles, I saw dorsal fins on the surface. At first I thought they were dolphins but after...
2002-05-04 09:18:26 est

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LOCATION:
Pass Christian, MS

MESSAGE:
It had been my plan to fly out of Mobile for my daughter’s graduation. After having a good look at the Mississippi...
2002-05-03 18:31:01 est

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LOCATION:
Pass Christian MS.

MESSAGE:
Among the Cajuns of Southern Louisiana, I found a kind of casual courtliness. It was not the good man...
2002-05-03 13:45:06 est

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LOCATION:
Bay St. Louis MS.

MESSAGE:
Diddly-Bopping down the streets of Bay St. Louis, I feel the desire to set anchor. The idea of lounging in a hammock on a cool porch while sipping a ...
2002-04-30 13:12:44 est

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LOCATION:
Bay St.. Louis MS.

MESSAGE:
The following morning, I went to the Library only to find their computers were down. Then I did what any woman would do and I went shopping.
I...
2002-04-27 16:28:22 est

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LOCATION:
Bay St Louis MS.

MESSAGE:
Left Ainsley early and rowed down the pipeline to Lake Bourgne. The wind and sea had picked up and I started taking a beating. After rounding a point...
2002-04-27 15:53:58 est

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LOCATION:
Ainsley MS.

MESSAGE:
Rowed through the bayous to Ainsley Ms. I saw otters and about a dozen alligators swimming. I got to within about ten feet of a small one...
2002-04-27 15:09:49 est

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LOCATION:
Bikini Beach On the Pearl River MS.er

MESSAGE:
My left shoulder has been giving me a great deal of pain, I must have pulled a muscle. Sunday morning, Paul told me about a sand beach on...
2002-04-27 14:58:18 est

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LOCATION:
St Catherine LA.

MESSAGE:
I camped that night at the west end of the Industrial Canal Lock. A few local came by to talk. In the morning, I locked through. On the East side I w...
2002-04-27 14:31:58 est

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LOCATION:
New Orleans LA