This is a 300 mile unsupported race from St. Pete to Key Largo for small boats. The real challenge is to do it in a kayak.
Our own Greg Stamer is registered in “class one/no sail”. His watertribe name is “kayakvagabond” and you can track Greg and others at this link.
All boats carry a “SPOT” tracking device.
From Greg: The Everglades challenge requires you to paddle 20 or more hours a day if you want to be a front-runner. I’m usually planning for around 3 hours of sleep per day at best, with some short “power naps” to take the edge off, but you suffer and need an attitude of “embrace the suck”. For a longer effort you would need more sleep to be sustainable. The EC is starting soon, on March 7. Knowing that someone is rooting for you always helps, so I hope that folks here follow it!
Strong winds have made EC2020 a very difficult and challenging race so far, with many dropouts due to equipment failures, 20-30 kt winds, exhaustion, and hypothermia.
One Hobie TI took on so much water it called a Mayday and was rescued by county marine patrol. There’s a current SAR by the USCG for a solo sailor in a Core Sound 17 who was last tracked 33 miles offshore. Think the SAR started over 10 hours ago but there’s been no news posted. Hoping that ends well.
Good news is that the paddlers are doing well. Greg checked in at CP2, Chokoloskee, Everglades National Park about 30 minutes ago. Great training and flawless technique, plus a load of experience.
I visited CP2 Chokoloskee today at very low tide and there was about 100 yds of mud between the beach and the water.
The north end of the nearby Turner River was much better…
