Six sea kayakers on six different chickees for six nights???
We have paddled the Everglades several times…took 10 days to do the coastal route from Everglades City to Flamingo last year. This year we are up for doing the chickees in Whitewater Bay…never been there…chickees are small…kayaks hard to load & unload…
Any suggestions as to how to make it work so the six of us are still friends when the trip is over???
WaterBug
WOW
– Last Updated: Dec-20-07 6:04 PM EST –
The subject seemed like a XXX movie but I still haven't figured out the question and the chickee thing.
Move up to swans? But seriously -
what’s a chickee? As I look out at the frozen over river I suspect it is something that wouldn’t work up here, but that is all I can figure.
Hang Gear
Hang up as much gear up as possible so it doesn’t take so much floor space.
Everyone would need very small tents, or maybe share tents
Permits…
– Last Updated: Dec-20-07 6:39 PM EST –
They may give you a hassle permitting that many on one chickee... and you DO want proper permits.
Good luck..
I'm wrong.. looks like they all allow 6 on all the chickees.
http://www.nps.gov/ever/upload/WildernessTripPlanner.pdf
awfully tight quarters
plan on celibacy
You should have no problems, unless
You are trying to use six separate tents.
Most of the Chickees (maybe all of them) in Whitewater Bay are double ones with a outhouse between them.
Some have a ladder, while others not only have a ladder, but a docking station where you come in between a few piers and then climb a ladder.
I am guessing at the size, but I would estimate each of the double platforms to be about 15 feet by fifteen feet.
Our hardest thing was getting the gear out of the compartments and up to the platform, but that is where a very agile, 5’-2" female comes in handy.
She is the first person that I have ever seen turn around in her cockpit, then while kneeling facing aft, take off the rear hatch cover, and pull the junk out of the compartment and hand it up to me.
There is one other way and it takes some strength.
Have a painter attached to the bow of the boat.
Then pull the bow up onto the platform and haul the yak full of the gear up and on to it. Then unload it.
We found this out by trial and error, and would usually load up in the morning that way.
I would only advise doing it that way with a strong plastic yak, (not kevlar or fibreglass)
Don’t forget the bug spray and plan on being inside your tents prior to dusk or get eaten alive by the no-sse-ums.
With six of you, there should be a lot of laughs.
Just make sure no one sleep walks!
Cheers,
JackL
Chickee=Platform Camping in Everglades
Chickees are platforms…10x10 or 10x12 feet in size that allow you to camp in the “river of grass”…the Everglades…where there is not much solid ground, lots of water & mangroves
and it is BEAUTIFUL!!!
Chickees have a porta-pottie, maybe a ladder…not a lot of room for six sea kayakers…
WaterBug
not fun
the most we have had on one platform is 5 people. Using a couple of small backpacking tents with 2 people in each and one person using a hennessy hammock above both tents. I guess you can use a 4 person tent but remember you need room for cooking and walking space to and from the porta john. So a larger tent might be “dangerous” for those late night calls.
If you go during the week and not on a holiday, you could probably get both platforms if you are lucky. Still, try doing the outside cape then come in via shark river and start using the ground sites.
do not put tents up
till after dinner. Otherwise you will have no room to cook and move around.
I would go with six bivy bags and put a couple of tarps up if it rains in. With that many people I would not even think tent. Even two tents need to be secured and that takes more room than you want or have. either guying lines to the corner posts or dropping short lines with cross anchors (like toggle bolts) through the floor of the chickee. Or if the bugs are the problem just put your sleeping bags in a bug shelter.
I get claustrophobic on chickees and there is only one of me. The nights are loong.
The Chickees
– Last Updated: Dec-21-07 11:06 AM EST –
South Joe, Double Chickee, well away from vegitation , never had to many nosseum’s. Easy sheltered paddle from Flamingo and very heavy use. Joe River, Double Chickee, close to mangroves, noseeum’s can be brutal . Sheltered from South Joe exposed coming from Shark River or Oyster Bay, trust your compass if coming from North. Oyster Bay, Double Chickee, although not to close to vegitation have had bad Noseeum’s. Seems taller than most chickees and lots of oysters growing on the supports to scratch boats. Pay close attention navigating here. Shark River, Single Chickee. One of my favorites, Tucked into huge Mangroves, Noseeum’s can be awful. Watch for resident pest alligator,( not there last 2 times I was there). At lower tide levels mud is exposed way out past the chickee and can be difficult to reach it. Last month I had to get a running start and slide my bow up under the chickee, grab it and hold tight while climbing to keep the kayak from sliding back into creek! Try to time with medium or high tide when coming or going. The paddle in the small creeks between here and the Watson River is wonderful and challenges navigation skills. Topo maps recommended. Watson River, Single Chickee. Remote, low use, wind has been a problem here, don’t know about bugs but is in vegitation. North River. Single Chickee. Remote, low use although bioligists use frequently and John Buckley empty’s his chemical toilet there. To far up in fresh water for noseeum’s, some mosquitoes but good breeze’s from NE keep them down. Mangrove rats can climb on from the small mangrove island its attached to. Not actually on the North River. John and Donna Buckley anchor their houseboat near here by the North River most winters. Donna does research and John helps the rangers,( when they get stuck or lost), and clears trails. No one knows this area better! Roberts River, Double Chickee. Medium use. Never had bug problems here. Great for exploring, (Mangrove bashing) up the Roberts and North Rivers into freash water and saw grass. Lane Bay, Single Chickee, Medium use. Not had noseeum’s here but mosquitoes are shielded from N winds. With Topo maps there are lots of back routes to test navigation. It is very easy to get confused in the mangroves so pay attention to where you are at all times and be very careful. Roberts river to Lane river is very straitforward. Lane Bay to Hells Bay trust your compass! Pearl Bay. Double Chickee. Handicap access. Easy to load and unload. Never had bug problems. Hells Bay, Double Chickee. Heavy use. One of my favorites. Some noseeums and mosquitoes Great sunrise and sets. Has had for years a resident Alligator named Old Snaggletooth although I did not see him last month. Don’t try back ways to Hell’s Bay Canoe route. Most do not go through . Hells bay Canoe route is a great way to access this area of Whitewater Bay if high winds. Follow the markers and if not sure go back to the last marker. H B canoe route is an aboslute maze and is harder in a sea kayak due to the constant sharp turns and is a blast. Use those edges! Harney River. Double Chickee. Last month this Chickee was leaning badly and was one of the scariest nights I’ve spent on a Chickee. I could picture myself in the water wrapped in a tent and sleeping bag. Every time I rolled over it shook. It is in a beautiful place with thousands of Ibis roosting at night on the island near it in the Harney. The noseeums are always bad here without wind. Expect dolphins, manatees and alligators as, tons of birds from here but I would ask for Tim when getting your permit and see if they have shored it up. Cane Patch. Ground site. Go here if only for the paddle up to it. Take the back way to or from Harney River Chickee, its beautiful. Get the tides right. Its hell if you don’t. Fisherman use this one a lot. Bugs can be epic, (deerflies, stable flies and mosqitoes). The fisherman often cause problem gators by feeding them here but do kill off the rats and racoons. Have done 6 people on a chickee many times. With that many folks Double kayaks would be much easier. Use a 4 man tent and a 2 man tent. Loading and unloading is easier in a double while standing in the boat but is doable in a single. Don’t be to afraid of hopping out and standing in the muck. Don’t wear any footwear that could get sucked off and don’t worry, nothing will attack you…. At least nothing has ever attacked me.
I had this in paragraphs
– Last Updated: Dec-21-07 11:01 AM EST –
and neatly done and the site will not let it come out that way. ARGG! Why the hell won't it post it like it looks in the post message!
Don’t eat beans and make sure
there are no snorers in the group.
How’s this?
– Last Updated: Dec-21-07 4:47 PM EST –
South Joe, Double Chickee, well away from vegitation , never had to many nosseum’s. Easy sheltered paddle from Flamingo and very heavy use.
Joe River, Double Chickee, close to mangroves, noseeum’s can be brutal . Sheltered from South Joe exposed coming from Shark River or Oyster Bay, trust your compass if coming from North. Oyster Bay, Double Chickee, although not to close to vegitation have had bad Noseeum’s. Seems taller than most chickees and lots of oysters growing on the supports to scratch boats. Pay close attention navigating here.
Shark River, Single Chickee. One of my favorites, Tucked into huge Mangroves, Noseeum’s can be awful. Watch for resident pest alligator,( not there last 2 times I was there). At lower tide levels mud is exposed way out past the chickee and can be difficult to reach it. Last month I had to get a running start and slide my bow up under the chickee, grab it and hold tight while climbing to keep the kayak from sliding back into creek! Try to time with medium or high tide when coming or going. The paddle in the small creeks between here and the Watson River is wonderful and challenges navigation skills. Topo maps recommended.
Watson River, Single Chickee. Remote, low use, wind has been a problem here, don’t know about bugs but is in vegitation.
North River. Single Chickee. Remote, low use although bioligists use frequently and John Buckley empty’s his chemical toilet there. To far up in fresh water for noseeum’s, some mosquitoes but good breeze’s from NE keep them down. Mangrove rats can climb on from the small mangrove island its attached to. Not actually on the North River. John and Donna Buckley anchor their houseboat near here by the North River most winters. Donna does research and John helps the rangers,( when they get stuck or lost), and clears trails. No one knows this area better!
Roberts River, Double Chickee. Medium use. Never had bug problems here. Great for exploring, (Mangrove bashing) up the Roberts and North Rivers into freash water and saw grass.
Lane Bay, Single Chickee, Medium use. Not had noseeum’s here but mosquitoes are shielded from N winds. With Topo maps there are lots of back routes to test navigation. It is very easy to get confused in the mangroves so pay attention to where you are at all times and be very careful. Roberts river to Lane river is very straitforward. Lane Bay to Hells Bay trust your compass!
Pearl Bay. Double Chickee. Handicap access. Easy to load and unload. Never had bug problems.
Hells Bay, Double Chickee. Heavy use. One of my favorites. Some noseeums and mosquitoes Great sunrise and sets. Has had for years a resident Alligator named Old Snaggletooth although I did not see him last month. Don’t try back ways to Hell’s Bay Canoe route. Most do not go through . Hells bay Canoe route is a great way to access this area of Whitewater Bay if high winds. Follow the markers and if not sure go back to the last marker. H B canoe route is an aboslute maze and is harder in a sea kayak due to the constant sharp turns and is a blast. Use those edges!
Harney River. Double Chickee. Last month this Chickee was leaning badly and was one of the scariest nights I’ve spent on a Chickee. I could picture myself in the water wrapped in a tent and sleeping bag. Every time I rolled over it shook. It is in a beautiful place with thousands of Ibis roosting at night on the island near it in the Harney. The noseeums are always bad here without wind. Expect dolphins, manatees and alligators as, tons of birds from here but I would ask for Tim when getting your permit and see if they have shored it up.
Cane Patch. Ground site. Go here if only for the paddle up to it. Take the back way to or from Harney River Chickee, its beautiful. Get the tides right. Its hell if you don’t. Fisherman use this one a lot. Bugs can be epic, (deerflies, stable flies and mosqitoes). The fisherman often cause problem gators by feeding them here but do kill off the rats and racoons. Have done 6 people on a chickee many times.
With that many folks Double kayaks would be much easier. Use a 4 man tent and a 2 man tent. Loading and unloading is easier in a double while standing in the boat but is doable in a single. Don’t be to afraid of hopping out and standing in the muck. Don’t wear any footwear that could get sucked off and don’t worry, nothing will attack you…. At least nothing has ever attacked me.
Thank you
That looks much better!
Thanks for the info. !!!
Thanks for the info.!!!
Looks like we better definitely bring the headnets and bug dope…
How bad are the bugs at Flamingo in early January???
We wondered about hanging two Hennessey Hammocks from the chickee…think the supports will hold it???
WaterBug
Hennessy Hammock
works great on chickees you can get two on one platform. Great shelter if bugs are bad.
Make sure - Make absolutely sure-
that your tent is not an el-cheapo with out the fine No-see-um proof netting.
In the past we have watched people getting driven out of Flamingo, (in December and Jan) because they didn’t have the fine mesh netting.
Cheers,
JackL
The bugs in jan at Flamingo
depend on the weather. Noseeums, Evenings in the upper 50’s or windy no problems. Evenings in the 70’s usually no wind be prepared to go in dawn and dusk. Use headnets and long sleeves or slather with oil, (they drowned), deet insect repelents are ineffective. Also paddling over open water keeps them away. Have a great trip, Joel
Hey Joel…
I figure by now you would be immune to all thos nasty biting critters.
When we were up in Arctic on a guided trip our guide, (a guy like you) told us to feel free if we wanted to squash any mosquitoes that were sucking his blood.
We had head nets and full protection, while he would be in short sleeves and no head net, and be covered with those large northern mosquitoes and they wouldn’t bother him a bit.
cheers,
JackL