Calusa Blueway Expedition
Historical Calusa Blueway Expedition planning, trip reports, and reflections. These records describe the original journeys; verify current access, conditions, and regulations before planning a trip.
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Kayaking the Caloosahatchee: W. P. Franklin Lock and Our 2011 Portage
An expedition-tested look at W. P. Franklin Lock, the 2011 Great Calusa Blueway portage, and what paddlers should verify before navigating the Caloosahatchee River.
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Paddling for a Cause 190 miles on southwest Florida’s Great Calusa Blueway
Editorial correction (October 2026): The departure month in the reproduced 2011 account has been corrected from October to September. The expedition departed September 19, 2011. The original account…
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Mission Accomplished
At 1pm we completed our goal of being the first kayakers to paddle and explore all of the ancient trails in Southwest Florida’s Lee County where Calusa Indians…
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Onto Big Hickey Island and then Home
Team Sweetwater (Jeff and Sean) spent most of yesterday, Wednesday the 28th, exploring the sights, sounds of Koreshan State Park. Today we find them back on the water…
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Koreshan State Park
They arrive at Koreshan State Park early this afternoon. The plans for tomorrow include staying at Koreshan State Park for second night. This does not mean a day…
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Turning South and on to Sanibel Island
They are on the move again and heading south. A special thanks to the park service on Cayo Costa for transporting Team Sweetwater (Jeff and Sean) back to…
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Day Off
Today was a planned day of rest with an extra day on Cayo Costa. This is their fifth day on the water and of promoting the Clinic for Rehabilitation…
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Bad Weather But on Schedule
Heading off around 9:30 a.m. this morning from the Sun and Moon Inn, Jeff and Sean were headed for their next destination, Bokeelia Island by way of marker…
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They’re Off
Day One on the Caloosahatchee: Hickey Creek and Franklin Lock Editor’s introduction, added in 2026. The original September 19, 2011 dispatch by Chad follows unchanged. Sean Fitzgibbon and…
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Let the Journey Begin!!
LEE COUNTY- Two men are to begin their expedition tomorrow to raise money for the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail and Clinic for Rehabilitation of Wildlife. (From http://www.fox4now.com/news/local/130064938.html) Sean…
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The Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail expedition
The 2011 Great Calusa Blueway Expedition: The Journal Editor’s introduction, added in 2026. The dated reports and original photographs below remain part of the 2011 archive. On September…
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Tribal Tides 4 : Lost Thoughts!
This post is to inform our readers on the final updates before Jeff and Sean leave for the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail Expedition as TEAM Sweetwater on…
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Tribal Tides 3 : “Native Gear, well not quite”
In this post Jeff and I will discuss what gear we are taking on our expedition to the Great Calusa Blueway and the reasons for what we are…
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CROW the Chosen ONE : TEAM Sweetwater Charity!!
Here it is Everyone! TEAM Sweetwater has formed a unique partnership with CROW as our Chosen Charity for the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail Expedition: Floating on Tribal…
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We have a Name!
Its official Jeff and Sean are doing the Calusa Blueway Expedition as TEAM SWEETWATER after the shop we work for! That means that we will be Team Sweetwater…
