Boot ‘n’ Paddle: Spring Break in the Everglades

And on the fifth day, the Lord decided that the Boot ‘N’ Paddle should come back, because it was Friday, and another issue of The Hill News was out. And it was good. Oh yeah, it was good.

Of course, I’m not just talking about the fresh feel of a newspaper in your hands, or the scent of new ink, but rather Spring Break! We in the Outing Club like a good time as much as the Average Joe (and decidedly more so than the Average Fuddy-Duddy) and made sure to have some pretty sick trips over the vacation. Let’s get right into one of ’em: an oceanic tour of the Everglades.

While most know the Everglades as a swamp, home to alligators, Burmese pythons and skunk apes, 12 outdoorspeople decided to explore a robust section of the national park located on the Gulf of Mexico.

Departing from St. Lawrence University on Thursday, March 14, the group travelled throughout the night and following day, arriving to Florida late Friday night.

The following Saturday was spent in Collier-Seminole State Park, near scenic Naples, Fla. Trip leaders and participants split up, with groups preparing gear, buying food and collecting permits from the nearby Ranger Station at Gulf Coast.

Of course, time was made for a quick beach trip, and participants enjoyed a sunny, traditional Spring Break for about an hour. Then, everyone agreed they were far too clean and normal-appearing to the rest of society, so the group resolved to paddle into the Everglades Gulf archipelago as early as possible the next day.

Starting off around 7 a.m., the 12 sped their canoes into the brackish, brown bay of Chokoloskee. Boats loaded with food, tents, gear and an entire week’s worth of drinkable water, our heroes paddled hard under the hot sun, reaching the Lopez River campsite at a crisp 1 p.m.

With the day still young(ish), crews went out to fish, bird, paddle and explore. A hearty, home-cooked dish of Swamp Pasta was cooked up (we tried it so you don’t have to), and sleeping bags were rolled out for the night. Tomorrow was to be a big day.

Again waking early, the canoeists quickly breakfasted and broke camp. Heading further out to sea pulled by the tide, intrepid explorers navigated a maze of marshy islands by map and compass. The sky was dark, but the ocean soon greeted the six vessels.

But the paddle was only half-over. Skirting the open ocean, each boat surmounted white-cap waves to finally reach the desert island of Pavilion Key. Tarps, tents and boat shelters were carefully erected. They had to be, for a storm was on the horizon.

Amidst the conch shell beaches and seashore prairies of the Key, trip members explored the island. Enormous horseshoe crabs littered the beach, brought by the ocean tide. Huge stands of mangroves stood barren of leaves, evidence of a recent windstorm. A few participants sought to seek out a hidden Seminole fort rumored to be in the bush.

However, the arrival of rain stopped most exploratory activities, at least for a morning. The rain beat on the shelters crafted by the dozen explorers, but could not topple the spirits of the crew. The sun finally came out again, causing celebration. “Ra himself could not have smiled upon us more,” says participant Jack Pattison ’20. Under the newly opened skies, all the Everglades seemed to smile at the crew.

For two more days, the group paddled the Gulf Coast. The return to Lopez River and Chokoloskee was shepherded by several bottlenose dolphins, a showboating lot who loved to surface near the boats. The mangroves were green, the waters friendly and birdsong ever present.

For a brief while, there were no cell phones or deadlines, the only care the stroke of one’s paddle. Eden did not lie in the Everglades—rather, the Everglades allowed each SLUzer to grow their own, and to bring it home.

Want to get on the OC listserv to hear about and participate in cool trips like this one? Email pceckh16@stlawu.edu for more information.