G
Guest
Guest
I have never been to Hog Key, but have paddled into the 10,000 Islands and camped. Always in winter, although one trip as late as mid-March.
I spent the summer of 88 in the Chihuahuan desert southeastern Arizona and even that was not as enervating as mid-August in DeMarVa cypress swamps. We did a yearly weekend of rivers trip there for decades. Timed for the Perseid meteor shower peak, ie August 12.
Plenty of tree shade, but think high 90s with humidity to match and zero breeze. On a couple of really brutal trips it never got below the 80s at night. People would try to go to bed in the post-midnight uncool and give up after 20 minutes of sleepless sweat drench.
Sleep was only possible upon total exhaustion, and was short lived even then. I lost any urge to do that trip 10 years ago. I think I will watch the Lyrids or Geminids instead.
BTW, my first trip to Florida, back in the 70s, I drove nonstop from Maryland to Collier Seminole. On arrival I was aghast at the cost of a campsite and decided to paddle in the same day, despite having been awake for 20+ hours.
I paid insufficient attention (OK, none) to the tides, and got stuck in the middle of Mud Pond when the tide went out. Immobilized in two inches of water with four feet of pluff mud bottom. I know how deep the pluff mud was because I got out and tried to push the canoe across Mud Pond. Not recommended.
The result was the worst sunburn of my life, and some lessons learned the hard way.
I spent the summer of 88 in the Chihuahuan desert southeastern Arizona and even that was not as enervating as mid-August in DeMarVa cypress swamps. We did a yearly weekend of rivers trip there for decades. Timed for the Perseid meteor shower peak, ie August 12.
Plenty of tree shade, but think high 90s with humidity to match and zero breeze. On a couple of really brutal trips it never got below the 80s at night. People would try to go to bed in the post-midnight uncool and give up after 20 minutes of sleepless sweat drench.
Sleep was only possible upon total exhaustion, and was short lived even then. I lost any urge to do that trip 10 years ago. I think I will watch the Lyrids or Geminids instead.
BTW, my first trip to Florida, back in the 70s, I drove nonstop from Maryland to Collier Seminole. On arrival I was aghast at the cost of a campsite and decided to paddle in the same day, despite having been awake for 20+ hours.
I paid insufficient attention (OK, none) to the tides, and got stuck in the middle of Mud Pond when the tide went out. Immobilized in two inches of water with four feet of pluff mud bottom. I know how deep the pluff mud was because I got out and tried to push the canoe across Mud Pond. Not recommended.
The result was the worst sunburn of my life, and some lessons learned the hard way.
Didn't get stuck but could see the potential. Lots of birds. There is supposed to be a camp site on high ground just south of Mud Pond. But I hear that route is entirely impassable now due to Irma. 
It was high tide so there should have been plenty of water. Offshore winds blew all the water out of the bay, so water levels were falling even as the tide was supposed to be coming in. I was trying to get closer to a flock of white Pelicans. Paddling mud to get out. 
