CAYO COSTA CURRENTS!!!!

Hey Everyone ,

Its been a while since I have done a Blog, been really busy since coming back from THE KEYS PADDLE #2!!!! Not to mention working ,working, working!!!!  Well have finally left job # 2 and am down to 1 Job only!!! YEAH!!!

Which is why I was able to do an advanced paddle this past weekend(02/28/09) to Cayo Costa which is located 3/4 of a mile South of the southernmost tip of Gasparilla Island( BOCA GRANDE)!  I paddled with KayakKev and the lovely Peggy-Kev’s BETTER HALF!!  Now to most people including myself – 3/4 of a mile is nothing when your use to 20-25 miles a day.  But, let me tell you when you are up against a strong current, it seems like THE LONGEST RACE!! HAHA.  Not to mention facing the fact that you could be blown into the Gulf of Mexico.  Which is a daunting scenario especially since we just lost 3 Boaters here in the Gulf that very same day!!

It took us 2 1/2- 3 hrs to paddle only 3 miles. The water was GREAT on Saturday, with the exception of the CURRENT- estimated at 7-8 knots; maybe stronger-don’t know really.  Amazing how GOOD weather ,BAD current can equal REALLY challenging paddle!  Anyway made it to camp for Saturday night. Wonderful camping, Florida at its BEST!!  Plus I was with 2 great people, and we had PICA DILLO for dinner, courtesy of Shelly,my wife.

As Kevin mentioned in an earlier BLOG on his site( Kayakkev.wordpress.com ) we even ran into a Fellow Paddler-Tracy and her son Bay. Good times, until I woke up and worried myself about the coldfront & storm headed our way with 40 knot winds and possible 10 to 14 foot seas & the paddle back to Boca Grande in the morning.

Got Peggy & Kevin up around 6 a.m. and we folded up camp as quickly as possible.  Although, we still managed to fire up the MSR & Coleman Stoves to get a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee in us before we bolted for the pass and back to Boca Grande.  The crossing was fairly quick unlike the paddle the day before against the CURRENTS!!  We had wind at our backs which was good, unfortunately it also caused Moderately BIG Following Seas.  Which made for more challenging paddling as you had to use Low/High braces about every 4-6 strokes to keep yourself from breaching and rolling over in your kayak.  We finally made it to Boca Grande Dry Land with 3 fairly successful surf landings!  All in All what a GREAT trip and total skills builder!!  As we were loading the kayaks on the truck THE FRONT arrived!!!!  CAN’T WAIT TO GO BACK!!  DEFINITELY AN ADVANCED TRIP!!!

MAHALO TO PEGGY & KEVIN FOR INVITING ME!! See Ya on THE WATER!!!!!!             GOD BLESS THE OTHER 3 BOATERS WHO ARE MISSING & THEIR FAMILIES!!!!!                                Sean  “Topa Honu” Fitzgibbon