a map app on your phone will work on all those rivers. None are complicated. I have paddled all of those on day trips in March and Feb. Homosassa is full of boat traffic. and Crystal too . Just follow the crowds Even on the Chassahowitzka ( which is far superior to even the Rainbow) you can’t get lost. I have a GPS but never use it till we get to the Everglades where it is quite easy to misplace yourself in the mangroves should you be using the inland route
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The track back feature can be very valuable on an out and back on a braided river. If you made it one way you know for sure how to get back. If you made a wrong turn, you can see it on the map and avoid it on the way back also.
Most of the rivers that I have been on in Florida are pretty uncomplicated.
Log jams on rivers like the Perdido are more of a problem. They are very dangerous to try and cross over dragging a kayak and in some areas they are very difficult to bushwhack around.
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Of all the places you mention, the salt below the Homosassa is the only place I would consider complicated. The tributaries are all small, so the main current can tell you all you need to know.
A phone will be fine and there is cell service in all of those areas. Any small braids come back out into the main current again.
The best side trips are on the Crystal. Lots of small springs down them.
Have fun, and if the weather is warm, stop and paddle the Wacissa. It is just eat of Tallahassee. Put in just south of the city by the same name, it is gorgeous.
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A GPS in a swamp/wetlands is indispensable. I would not trust that cell coverage would be available. Bring the watch; bring the phone, but don’t rely on them. Have a GPS. They’re easy to use. A used one may be found on Ebay for a song.
Bring the compass too. Always have a backup for the back up.
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There’s a feature in google maps that lets you download the maps in advance for an area where cell coverage is non existent. Do it before you leave home, and google maps will work like it always does.
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As kevburg mentioned, I’ll just reinforce pay attention to the current because the current will usually show you the route. Awareness of the current has helped me get back on track many times…when exploring off the main channel during floods or after taking a wrong turn.
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Agreed, as long as there aren’t strainers across the main channel. That should be a rare problem on well-traveled rivers, but if you’re bushwacking, be wary.
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Just be aware of ebbs and floods in rivers with tidal zones. If all else fails, compass and awareness of declination for the area. Then follow the tourists?
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So many great responses here! I’m still reading through them, and humbled by the amount of attention and support from this community.
Cell phone coverage is not required. Also if you are out of cell range you might as well turn on airplane mode to avoid having the phone search for a tower signal - battery lasts about 4x longer that way. I always bring a compass too.
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I would second turning on airplane mode… my phone battery usually lasts fairly well, but when constantly searching for a signal it will die very quickly.
However, note that turning on airplane mode turns off all of the radios, so if you want to use a connected smartwatch you may need to manually turn bluetooth back on. I am not sure if the phone’s GPS is affected or not (I don’t use it as my watch has a GPS). Maybe someone else could enlighten us on that.
Speaking of that, if you buy a smartwatch make sure you know if the watch has its own GPS or if it uses a connected phone for that.
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I can see getting misplaced on the Wacissa with the section of braided waters above Goose Pasture. But its a wonderful river.
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From personal experience the GPS works on a Galaxy S7 when in airplane mode. My assumption is that tracking by tower is turned off but tracking by satellite still works. People hike in the Brooks Range using cell phone tracking, you just have to pre-load the maps.
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So I live in the land of dinosaurs- really old school- meaning that I rarely take a cell phone with me on the water. After having my share of “adventures” I readily admit that I should invest in a gps that has detailed downloadable maps (think usgs quads). I do take a compass but rarely use it. It is an insurance policy in case I think I’m going in circles, or I might use it for a crude bearing. Honestly, I don’t know the last time I used it but I feel better taking it along. Sometimes I just skip the prep work and go with someone who is “knowledgeable”. That can be sketchy as well.
So here is how I navigate- I keep an eye on my surroundings I try to match that to some kind of map or description - I try to do a rough calculation of time and distance before I head out on the water. the more detailed the map and description, the better. I do use the phone a bit to navigate on roads to put ins and takeouts but like I said before, I rarely take it on the water. I will rely on road maps as well to get to starting and ending points (Delorme Guides, Gazetteer). What I use in wv are county road maps (they show all the creeks as well).
The less detailed the map, generally the more adventure occurs. So if your beta is thin plan a short day for mileage and time and keep retreat as an option. If I’m someplace new to me or a bit challenging I really try to focus on where I am- I know that sounds really basic but I’m always scanning the landscape, even looking back. In my mind, I will mentally rehearse what retreat looks like. How will the landmarks look like from the other direction? I think spelunking taught me this. So the old school expectation is that I got myself into this place so I’m going to get myself out (and I don’t need a cell phone to do it).
I do try to look at the map periodically and assess my progress. I look for landmarks like streams coming in, turns in the river, points on a lake, etc. Retreat is always an option, especially on the first half of a trip. When up and back paddling, I do the upstream portion first. If it is tidal, I do try to consult a tide chart since I’m usually in a short boat not designed for a marine environment. Local beta is key but not always right. Like others, I try to follow the current but sometimes there is no current.
It is okay to get a bit “bewildered” or befuddled. Enjoy it. When paddling cedar creek at flood in sc and the blackwater swamp in va I made sure I kept the high ground on my left. We met the ranger after the trip in sc and he told us he got lost a bit the day before. So I felt like I did pretty well getting out before dark on a short winter day in a flood zone. In Okefenokee (ga) at night on a closed unmaintained trail I looked up for the notch in the treeline. From Gore landing (fla) I used retreat. In la I followed the flow when things didn’t go as planned and then paddled up the georgia cut to get back. On the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NY) I overshot campsites and had to paddle back, got blown off of lakes in the dark, and picked easier portage routes. In ok we couldn’t find the takeout, in tn and me I put in on the wrong stream. I guess what I’m saying is: stuff happens. I don’t expect things to go smoothly.
Manage your expectations. Build in extra time in your plans if you are going to a “new place”. I build in additional time to explore. Take extra snacks, water, and a flashlight. There have been days that I haven’t even found the put in or the take out or even gotten on the water because of navigation or conditions. That’s okay. Exploration is a flexible mind set. I’m not saying don’t prepare. Just change you expectations to include a bit of “adventure”. A successful day isn’t just making it to your planned destination. It is getting out in one piece and making some memories. The amount of wood, water levels, weather can all change a trip. I try not to rush but keep things moving. Better to finish in the daylight than the dark when you can. Loading boats in the dark ain’t much fun. Putting in on the right stream is the norm. Putting in on the wrong stream, well that’s just an adventure… but it’s better to bite off too little than too much if you want to keep your paddlin’ partners. I’ve got my share of one and dones- ahhh but what memories!
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Tdaniel. I basically follow your example. I always have a chart and a compass. GPS leaves a course track and my phone app backs it up. When the phone stops tracking due to poor reception, messed up settings or battery saver mode, it connects the gaps with a dotted line. Other times I’ve had batteries die.
The Chesapeake Bay is pretty much a no brainer if you know the towers and landmarks, but from five miles, all the inlets look alike. I’ve been out with people new to the area, and they have no idea which inlet to take. Fortunately, errors typically only result in a few miles deviation. Easiest option if you crossed to the opposite shore and become disoriented is to return straight back and follow the coastline.
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yeah wide open spaces are tricky- points blend into the rest of the shoreline, hard to discern landmarks, feel like you’re not moving, Tricky especially on lakes and swamps that fluctuate and have different shorelines. Features on the map may look very different due changes in water level. The scale and distance becomes real important on the map or chart when you are unsure of your location. Always good to have an exit strategy, even if it means going longer and following the shore line, retreating, or just getting off the water because of wind or weather.
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Absolutely. I believe you always plot manually and use electronics to document and log. Good training and it locks details in your head. Too late once electronics fails.
One paddle partner always veers about 300 yards to the right. Following the wrong river inlet, passing within 50 yards of a greeen channel bouy. That means a 300 yard paddle back on course, a quarter mile deviation.
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In areas with potentially complicated navigation, like Maryland’s Blackwater Refuge, I find that bringing along a printout from Google Earth, in addition to the usual GPS, maps/charts, compass, etc. is useful.
In addition, areas that appear to be wide open water, but in truth have only a narrow channel that is navigable at low tide or low water will often be clear on Google Earth and can keep you out of trouble with a falling tide. You can easily see features that may show up on charts, which are based on mean low water, that are submerged at high water, potentially changing what you see from what you expect.
Jug Bay on the Patuxent River in Maryland is a prime example. It is almost a half mile wide and the channel is marked. However many kayakers and canoeists assume that the channel markers are just for larger boats. . Not so, as much of the bay is only 1-2" deep at low tide and the bottom is sticky black odoriferous deep mud. On Google Earth, the deep water is obvious.
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Speaking of watches, I always wear an analog watch because with that and the sun I have a compass.
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If using a digital watch it is not difficult to draw a picture, either real or imagined, of a clock face with an hour hand to use with the sun for indicating rough direction
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