TURNER RIVER , EVERGLADES CITY ,FL

by FRANCO VELASCO
(CLEWISTON,FL )

MY SON AND I STARTED BY DROPPING OFF THE TRUCK AT THE END POINT, JUST IN FRONT OF THE MOUTH OF TURNER RIVER AT CHOKOLOSKEE ISLAND. WE WERE SHUTTLED TO OUR STARTING POINT ABOUT 8 MILES OR SO AWAY AT HWY 41 AND TURNER RIVER BRIDGE BY NORTH AMERICAN CANOE TOURS. THE TRAIL IS NOT MARKED SAVE ONE MARKER FROM THE NATIONAL PARK HIDDEN IN THE MANGROVES. THE MAP SOLD BY THIS OUTFITTER IS A MUST AS THE TRAIL IS SOMETIMES TRICKY AND WHAT APPEARS TO BE IS NOT AND APPEARS NOT TO BE IS. THE TRIP STARTED BY GOING DOWN THE LUSH RIVER FLANKED BY BEAUTIFUL PLANTS AND TREES TO INCLUDE GORGEOUS WATER LILIES AND LOTS OF BIRDS OF ALL TYPES. AFTER A SHORT DISTANCE WE ENTERED A MANGROVE AREA AND WENT INTO A TUNNEL THAT LASTED AT LEAST 300 YARDS. NO PADDLING WAS POSSIBLE DUE TO THE LACK OF ROOM SO WE PULLED OURSELVES ALONG THE MANGROVE ROOTS AND BECAME QUITE GOOD AT IT SPEEDING ALONG UNTIL WE RE-EMERGED BACK TO A MORE TRADITIONAL RIVER MARSH. AFTER KAYAKING ALONG THE MARSH A BIT WE THEN ENTERED ANOTHER TUNNEL THAT WAS JUST AS LONG AS THE LAST AND AGAIN MINIMIZED THE PADDLE USAGE AS WE PULLED OURSELVES ALONG THE MANGROVE ROOTS. AFTER RE-EMERGING AGAIN WE WERE GREETED BY A WIDER RIVER WHICH WE PADDLED TO THE RIVER MOUTH AND TO THE TAKE OUT POINT. A MILDLY STRENOUS PADDLE AND NOT HELPED BY A STIFF INCOMING TIDE NEAR THE MOUTH OF RIVER. THE TOTAL DISTANCE WAS ABOUT 9 OR SO MILES AND IT TOOK US 6.5 HOURS. THERE WASNT ANY PLACE THAT SEEMED SAFE TO SWIM NOR ANY LANDING AREA TO PICNIC, WE ATE IN OUR KAYAKS.