November 9

FullSizeRender.jpg

I was up early this morning and about to load the boat when the bugs started breakfast. Instead of just loading up and getting out of there I decided to make a fire to fight them off. As I was sitting there I heard a boat coming up. I thought it was a crab fisherman picking up his pods but he came over and pulled right up to shore.  Not that I was doing anything wrong, but it’s always a weird feeling when some one just pulls up when you are in the middle of nowhere. He asked if I was camping and staying all weekend. Not knowing what day it was I said no I only camped last night and was about to leave. We got to talking and he said he was a 14 year veteran and always camps out here every year for Veterans Day weekend. He was just coming out to drop off and set up then would be back with his wife and daughter after they got off work. He had the whole set up. Grill, rake, tiki torches, even brought his own fire wood. Which was good because I think I used the last twig on the island to make my fire this morning. I was kind of jealous that he got to spend all weekend on this amazing island with tons of supplies. He said he had roughed it and camped enough in the military and with the wife and kid it was nice. I agreed. When I’m not doing a long expedition and car camping, I take the kitchen sink. No need to rough it if I don’t have to. I thanked him for his service and went on my way. It was an easy paddle out to the ocean as the tide was going out. I made the turn and went by the light house that I had been following yesterday. I could tell the tide was dropping so I had to continue to go further out. When I got close to the river I needed to turn up, it was tricky finding enough water to get to the river. I could see the crab traps half out of the water. I finally had to just get out and pull my boat and hop back in every few feet. Finally I was pulling it 100 yards and got back in right at the mouth of the river. Sure enough I got stuck again. I knew it wasn’t much longer till low tide so I decided to just wait it out instead of sinking in the muck and exhausting myself. I clipped on to an old crab trap that was barnicled over and told myself that when the boat moves I would be good to go. About an hour into sitting there I could see the water still dropping on my carabiner. If I wasn’t going anywhere before I definitely wasn’t now. And to add sugar on top of it, the temperature dropped and it started raining.  I grabbed my tarp and just threw it over me in the boat and stared at the blue tarp wall. Luckily the storm was quick and light but the temperature was chilly now so I just kept wrapped in the tarp like a burrito for warmth. After sitting there for about 3 hours freezing, I figured I better do something. I was trying to gage the levels off the crab traps around me when I noticed a marker ball not too far from me floating in the water. That meant there was probably a trap under the water which means it was more than a  foot and a half deep. I could have been free three hours ago and napping in my dry tent by now. I fought through the muck and finally got my boat free and had an easy mile paddle up the river.  I did have to get out every so often but no where near as bad as earlier. Checking the map to avoid making the same mistake as yesterday, I made it right to the camp site. The camp site is shared with the Florida Trail. This section of the Florida Trail runs down a dirt road that is built up in the middle of the marsh. I got the tent set up and went for a hike. I was able to hike the entire width of the 1,300 mile long Florida Trail. It was gorgeous. Some people complain about long road walks when hiking long distance trails but with the sun setting I would have just kept walking the extra 7 miles to the next campsite no matter how many miles I had done that day.  Even though it’s kind of windy and it’s chillier, I left the rain fly off my tent to star gaze since I am so far from a city. I can see about four little areas of light off from civilization off in the distence but I know that I am only going to be getting further and further away.

November 8

IMG_7571.JPG

Interesting day. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous about today’s route. I had a few miles out of the bay then about 11 across open Gulf then up a river to camp. When I turned the point to head into the Gulf I was staring into open water. Part of the reason for the long crossing is shallow water. I found it pretty quickly as the tide was dropping. Considering I only need about 12 inches of water for my boat to float I was stuck on the bottom. I got out and started walking. I hooked my lead lines on to my life jacket and was literally walking out into the ocean. I got a good laugh thinking I was walking to the end of the earth and might fall off ( I know the earth is flat for the record). I finally made it to deeper water. I hopped in and took off. It was only a few feet before I was paddling over the shelf and the water turned from light green with being able to see the ocean floor to staring down at a dark blue abyss.  I couldn’t see where I was going, I just knew I needed to paddle north east.  The water was as flat as glass when I started.  The weather report was good but it’s a bit of a rush  when with each paddle stroke knowing you are another paddle stroke away from solid ground. Humans were not created to be on water. I just put my head down, cranked my music and took off. I planned on paddling for about 30 minutes then checking the gps to see if I was on track. When I checked, I was doing pretty good. About 2 hours in I saw some white spots in the distance. I figured they were condos or town homes on shore. The closer I got I noticed they were closer than I thought and they were birds. They were just chilling on a sand bar. I looked down and noticed that I could see sand below me. I reached my paddle down to see how deep it was. It wasn’t that deep at all. I decided to get out and stretch my legs. I made sure to clip my boat on to myself. Probably not the best place to have your boat float off. I looked around and couldn’t see any land. It was a pretty amazing feeling. A little intense but more amazing.  I decided to take a little break because why wouldn’t you?  I sat on the front of my boat with my feet on the sandy floor just soaking it in. I realized how lucky I was to have such perfect weather. I ate a can of lasagna while sitting there simply because I could. I also did some dancing just because it seemed like a perfect place to and I figured no one was watching. I could have just chilled out there all day but figured I should get closer to shore just to be safe. I caught my bearings and headed northeast. It wasn’t long before I could see a little shore in the distance but I had no idea if that was where I was supposed to be heading but I kept going towards it. Every time I would look away from the far off shore I would lose it and spend a few seconds trying to locate it again.  Finally I was able to get a land mark. It looked like a giant water tank so I just headed for it.  I didn’t know if it was the right spot but I figured if I hit that water tank I would be alright. I could paddle up the shore to where I needed to be when I got closer. I just kept pointing the tip of my kayak at the tank and would go. The closer I got I could see it wasn’t a water tank. It was a light house doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. Serve as a land mark. The seas started picking up and I just wanted to get to shore by this point. I know the lighthouse was a little further east than the river I needed to go up so I corrected. This is where the day took a turn. I won’t say for the worst but just got longer. For the next 2 weeks I will basicly leave camp, paddle a few miles out to the ocean. Paddle some miles, then head back up a river to dry land and camp. Repeat. I had been good about using my gps all day to make sure I was on course so I decided to steer away from it and trust myself. I ended up paddling 4 extra miles around the bay getting lost in random sea grass fields before I found the campsite right before dark. Thank goodness it wasn’t a good sunset or I would have been really upset. The campsite is amazing. It’s a rock island with what I think are cedar trees.  At least that’s what it smells like when I got a fire going. I climbed to the top of the tallest rock hill to look out over the water and sea grass fields. Pure peace. I enjoyed my night by the fire feeling accomplished for the big paddle today but not getting cocky knowing these next 2 weeks I will be pretty remote.  

November 7

FullSizeRender.jpg

It was hard to leave the beauty of Tate’s Hell and the Crooked River but there is plenty more country to see. As I paddled out of the river into the bay I took a look back. It’s always important to look back at where you have been. As beautiful and fun as it was doesn’t mean I was going to paddle back up the river. I have to keep going as I don’t know what’s around the next bend. The same thing as my recovery. It’s important to look back at where I was. I had a lot of great times drinking and drugging.  But I had a lot of bad times too. I can sit here thinking about the past and what I should have done differently. What if this, what if that. Instead I have to look back to remember the bad times and keep paddling forward around the next bend in life to see what it holds. I’ll never know what’s around that next bend if I don’t push forward. I made it across the bay to a RV campground to stay for the night. I had to pay for a spot but figured it was worth it to be able to shower and charge batteries. Plus they had WiFi so how could I pass?  They gave me a spot right on the water next to large campers. I set my tent up and started charging my devices. I made some small talk with my new neighbors but had to cut it short because the shower was calling me. There were only restaurants near by and one of them was a pizza place. I have been craving pizza for a while now so I started walking. Just my luck it was closed so I went to a little seafood restaurant. I stopped by the gas station to get a few other snacks before this next remote section. The clerk noticed my shirt and asked if I’m from Ohio. We made small talk and he said he had lived over in the RV park where I was staying. I asked what brought him down here. He said treasure hunting. He had me hooked. He said he drained all his life savings and came close to identifying it before he ran out of money. He said he has the manifest and captains logs for the old civil war ship. I asked a million questions except where it was since I know that’s the only thing he wouldn’t tell me. I walked back to the campground thinking about all the treasure I was paddling over and hoping that I could some how get my hands on it. When I got back to my tent the neighbors apologized for not offering to cook me steak and shrimp for dinner. I told them it was alright and that led to several hours of sitting around talking like long lost friends. It was like we knew each other for a long time. I truly believe the people I “randomly” meet along the way are the best part of the journey. We talked about everything under the sun and moon. We could have talked all night but I had to get some sleep. But if you have any question if there are any good people left in the country, just spend time at an RV Park.

November 6

IMG_7535.JPG

Jumbo Shrimp. Great Depression. Calling a big guy Tiny. These are all examples of oxymorons. You can add Tate’s Hell to that list. Today was one of the pretties natural areas I have ever experienced. I’m sure the weather and time of year had something to do with it but I kept finding myself stopping paddling and just looking around. When I first put on the water at 8:30 am (that was kind of hellish) the trees were reflecting off the glassy water. A slight fog rolled in early and everything seemed like it had a black and white filter on it. The rays of light were beaming through the trees and fog. After the fog lifted it was amazing. The trees were changing for the season. Not like I am used to in the mountains since it’s a completely different ecosystem. They reflected perfectly off the black water for a picturesque look. It felt like I was paddling on a mirror. I had the entire river to myself. A few miles in I came to a bridge. It was only the second one I have encountered that I couldn’t fit under. It was due to my flag pole. I was able to pull over and lower the pole to get under the bridge but I could still touch the bottom of the bridge while sitting in my kayak. I was fighting the current all day but still making good time, when I was paddling and not enjoying the views. I would pass a random dock every so often but that was it out there. I figured I wouldn’t see another boat for the next few days since if I struggled getting under the bridge there was no way a motor boat would. I cranked up my speaker, partly to scare off any alligators, but also just to jam out. When the song ended you could hear it echoing all around. I was singing along to every random song that came on my diverse playlist. I was singing at the top of my lungs when I came around a bend and saw 2 kayaks. I killed the music hoping they only heard it and not me singing. There was a younger couple in a double kayak and a man and a dog in the other. I said hello thinking I was in the clear. The man asked if I was a member of the Grateful Deadbecause he heard some one singing Fire on the Mountain. I admitted that the beard threw people but I wasn’t a member. The man was the Uncle of the guy in the other kayak and had a place just up the river. The young couple was from the west coast but had been living in Canada farming and going to school. They were getting ready to head to Columbia for a few weeks then were going to try and hitch a ride on a sail boat and travel. They were impressed with my trip but I was impressed with the idea of getting to travel on a sail boat. I could carry so much more gear and use the wind to move. We talked for a while and I answered a lot of questions. We discussed different trails and rivers.  The whole time the dog just sat in the boat with her owner. I think that was the most impressive thing of all. I had to get moving. I only had about half a mile to the next camp site I had hoped to be at Saturday night. And it was 12 Miles to the next camp site I originally planned on getting to Sunday. I’m not really on a time schedule but I figured it would be nice to put in some miles. I ate a quick snack and took off. A few miles in I saw what looked like a piece of wood shoot across the water like a remote control boat. Then the water around it splashed and it was gone. I can say for sure that it was an alligator.  Probably 7 feet long. I screamed of course and took off looking over my shoulder every 3 seconds to see if it was following me. I saw one more maybe 3 feet long a little later and that was it for the day. When I was getting close to the campsite the sun was down and it was pretty much dark. I could see the cut out of trees where the camp site was and refused to turn on my headlamp for fear of seeing several eyes reflecting at me. I pulled into camp and was very impressed again with the set up. It was a large flat clearing under pines with a grill and picnic table. Having a picnic table is like staying at a Ritz Carlton. Being able to spread out my bags and sit down with out getting my chair out is a true luxury.  And with barely any bugs is like staying in the presidential suite. I kept hearing something in the woods but wasn’t able to locate it.  Even though I’m in Florida I am in the part that has bears and they have been seen around here quite a bit.  I decided not to risk it and to make a fire but there wasn’t a lot of downed wood. But there was a ton of pinecones so I used those to ignite the larger logs left in the fire ring. As I was sitting at the picnic table writing this I turned off my head lamp to save battery. It is completely dark. With only the fire I can probably only see 15 - 20 feet in front of me. But the stars are blazing in the sky. I think the moon cycle is over now or it is rising later, because the past 4 nights it has been like sleeping under a street lamp with the amount of light it puts off. I have been told I am going to Hell before but if it’s half as nice as Tate’s Hell then sign me up.  

November 5

IMG_7466.JPG

With the time change, my alarms went off earlier than the sun did. Daylight savings and time zones don’t really matter to me. It’s all about sunrise and sunset. It will probably take me a few days to change the time on my watch due to the fact that I know what time I need to do things based on the time my watch says. Doing the math and subtracting an hour is just too difficult. I soaked in the beautiful beach island views this morning since I only had a few miles to get across the bay to town and had all day to do it. I figured it would take me 2 hours or so to do the 5 Miles across. When I got moving, the current was pushing. I was making good time, I just didn’t know exactly where I was going. I tried to see where boats were going up river on shore when I saw a channel marker about 2 Miles off shore.  It looked like it had a light on top of it but it also looked like a bird. Sure enough it was a North American Bald Eagle. Out in the middle of the water like a war ship keeping guard of our coast line. They always fly off before I can get close enough to get a quality picture but still a neat experience. I made it across in a little over and hour thanks to the current. When I was paddling up the river a guy and his dog were heading out on their boat. He asked if I was fishing or just paddling. I told him just paddling and where I came from. He said your arms must be pretty big. I laughed and asked him where the best place to eat was. He told me about a raw bar that had “the best fish tacos and hot girls”. I told him that I had been out to sea for a while and that most women were hot in my eyes at this point. I made the mistake of checking Facebook on my way in and saw a guy I know that is about to finish the entire Mississippi River had his phone stolen while he was charging it the other night. After three months of paddling and only 60 more miles, someone stole his phone. I have been lucky not to have anything stolen, but my paranoia was in full force. I paddled up to the raw bar and tied up and went to see about these amazing fish tacos. I told the bartender that they were recommended and she told the cook to put pressure on him. I have to admit they were in the top of what I have been calling the “Taco Tour of 2017”. I asked if I could charge some devices and plugged them in on the stage. After finishing my tacos I told the bartender I was going to head into town and asked if it was alright to keep charging. She said “what town”? I clarified that I was going to go to the gas station and Dollar General. While walking through “down town” I passed the “Worlds Smallest Police Station”. It was just a phone booth but I knew if I was still drinking I probably would have ended up there for the night.  When I came out of the gas station to go to the DG I saw two guys on bikes stop under a tree near my boat. I watched from a distance as the paranoia set in. I decided to go over and check it out. They were just chilling under the tree drinking Natural Ice Tall boys. The guy asked if I had anything to smoke. I said I had some cigars but I was saving them. He said he was wanting something a little different. I agreed with him. There was a time when I would have been sitting under that tree with them drinking and smoking having a great time. A little Sunday Funday action. But then I probably would have ended up in that worlds smallest police station. I hung out by my boat for a while. I realized that they were too busy drinking to steal anything and went to DG to get a few supplies. I probably didn’t need them but want to make sure that I have enough and don’t run out. I went back to the bar and decided to try the shrimp tacos this time. I struck up a conversation with the local good old boys and asked them about the river I was about to head up for a few days to bypass paddling in the open water. The maps say it’s all marsh land and did they know of a few camping spots. They told me about an old alligator farm that I could camp at. They said it closed down and they just dumped all the gators in the water. Sounds real peaceful. They said there were a few other spots too. One of the guys even gave me a hunting and fishing map he had in his truck. I had a few more hours till the sun dropped and if there were camp sites then I might as well go for it. When settled up, I looked at the cover of the map and the name of the area was Tate’s Hell Wildlife Management Area. With the name hell in it I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was beautiful. The Crooked River (actual name) winded through marsh land. The water was still on my side and I was cruising. I found where I thought the old alligator farm was but it had a big no trespassing sign so I decided to push on. I saw a place on the satellite map that looked like it had some dry land but if it didn’t turn out I was really up the creek. As the sun dropped the light was perfect creating a perfect reflection off the water of the shore line. When I rounded the bend I saw what looked like a log. When I got closer I noticed it was actually a small dock under a tree. It is probably one of the top 10 camp sites I have stayed at so far. It’s at the end of a dirt road which had me a little concerned that a drunk person could come flying down the road in the middle of the night and plow into my tent so I hung a rope across and put some glow sticks on it to hopefully prevent any of that. But as far out as I am I doubt any one will be coming down that road. After all I am in the middle of Hell! 

November 4

IMG_7402.JPG

Tides, they are a changing.  I knew paddling up to shore last night that if it was low tide it would be tricky getting off the beach this morning. I poked my head out of the tent this morning around 6 and all I could see was sand in the moon light. Once the sun started coming up I could tell that I was probably going to be on shore a while. One tide chart said low tide wasat 7:10and the other8:34. I rolled back over thinking I could sleep it out. I tried walking out to see if dragging my boat over the muck was an option. Finallyaround noonthe water was rising enough that I could drag the boat about 50 yards out to the water. Then I had to go back and get my gear and load it up. I then had to drag it across a few inches of water till it was deep enough to finally get in. With each step my body shook looking for jelly fish. Once I got paddling I was fighting current all day.  I noticed something floating in the water, when I got closer I could see it was a sea turtle. I turned off my music to hope to get a picture. All of a sudden he poked his head out of the water and looked at me and dove down. I made it about 7.5 Miles to Dog island. I still had about 5 Miles across to Carrabelle. I knew I could make it right before dark but wasn’t sure where I could find a spot to camp. As much as I wanted to push it I decided not to. I have been waiting for 2 months to get back out here and all I want to do is get further along. But I have to realize that my body isn’t in the same paddling shape that I was in when I left Florida. My calluses haven’t come back on my hands. They are just blisters right now. And I have counted 4 right now. That combined with how beautiful this beach is I decided to camp here for the night. It is an island with no roads, white sandy beach, beautiful blue/green water. I got set up and sat here just enjoying the moment in my rocking chair (the rockers keep the chair legs from sinking in the sand) watching the sun set. It was one of the most peaceful moments I have had in the last few months.  Watching the sun drop into the water as several schools of dolphins heads coming almost all the way out of the water. Birds running up and down the shore dodging the waves. Life couldn’t get any better. Well until that magical time of night when the sun is down and the mosquitoes come out. I couldn’t get into my tent fast enough and even had a few follow me in. So we played swat the skeeter for about 10 minutes. But other than that, an awesome end to the day. 

November 3

IMG_7370.JPG

I woke up at 6 ready to go but the sun was no where near ready to get up. Neither was I. Yesterday’s combination of lack of sleep and full day of travel caught up to me. Its going to take me a few days to get re adjusted to the ways of the ocean.  And it is later in the year and the sun is rising later and setting earlier.  The water was pushing east to west pretty strong all day but I had no option but to push through it. I realized that I wasn’t going to make it the 20+ Miles to the next camp site that is pointed out on the rough guide I have.  Normally this wouldn’t be a problem except that there isn’t really anywhere to camp as a road follows the coast. I decided to take a detour and cross the bay to St George’s island. It looked beautiful, and came highly recommended.  Even with flat water, it was a struggle to get 15 Miles today. When ever I would stop I would float backwards from the current. I could see the spot I was going to camp about 10 Miles before I got there and that was the worst. While several miles off shore i kept noticing a lot of activity in the water. I couldn’t figure out what it was. I continued until I looked down in the water and could make out that it was a jelly fish. Big jelly fish. And they were everywhere. Probably over 300 in just a few miles. They didn’t seem phased by me. Every so often I would hit one with my paddle or boat. By the sound and feel I’m not sure where they get the name jelly. I debated reaching down to see what they felt like but didn’t want to risk getting stung. I started calling them land mines and got out of the way. When I finally made land fall I saw a bald eagle sitting on a tree above my camp. I had been thinking about how much the pelicans looked like bald eagles but thought for sure that I wouldn’t see one the rest of the way. Beautiful sun set tonight but I had to watch from inside my tent.  But I did find my bug spray in my boat which I thought I had lost. 

November 2

IMG_7415.PNG

It’s amazing how hard it is for me to get up basically every single morning except when I am going back to the water despite just a few hours of sleep. I got upat 4:50and headed to the airport. After a very thorough national security search of every single piece of my luggage, I had to figure out how to repack my bags. After a quick jog across the Atlanta airport I was the last person on my final flight to Panama City. While standing in the jet way, a lady asked me what was in my dry box. I told her what I was doing and that it was electronics. I should have come up with a better answer like I was a vet and it was an animal organ from a donor squirrel but I was still asleep. The flight attendants made an announcement welcoming all of the Florida Ironman competitors and wishing them good luck. Some people on the plane clapped. I just rolled my eyes. An Ironman is 140 Miles. That’s cute. Try doing over 2000!  I kept that to myself but was thinking how I think they are crazy for doing that many miles and how they probably think that I am just as crazy for what I am doing. My shuttle was waiting for me when I landed and the first thing she commented on was how much bigger my beard was. I explained that I won’t touch it until I finish. She made a stop at the local IGA to get food before dropping me off at the marina. I got quite a lot of food since I am unsure if I’ll have any options the next two weeks to resupply. This will probably be the most remote stretch I will encounter the entire trip. When I walked in the marina office and told them I was here for the kayak, a guy from the back of the store said “The River Weasel.  We were just talking about you yesterday.”  We caught up and I told them I needed to run into town but would be back to grab the boat. I started walking the short distance into Apalachicola. The town was buzzing. I figured it was because of my return. Since I was basically a local I headed to The Station for some seafood. When I walked in I saw a camera crew behind the bar. I thought I was about to have my first interview. They were filming one of the owners preparing oysters.  The Florida Seafood Festival was this weekend. As I was making my way to the bar to grab a seat, the other owner said “we were just talking about you earlier this week”. He slid a menu across the bar and I pushed it right back. I knew I was going for the shrimp tacos. We caught up and I ate. The guy next to me was from Cleveland and was traveling across the country for 2 months. He had caught some fish earlier in the day and brought them there and they cooked them for him. Since we were both from Ohio and travelers, he gave me some and it was delicious. I would have liked to hang out but felt I needed to get on the water. I went back to the marina and started organizing my gear. We then loaded my boat on the forklift and took it to the water. It took me a while to get everything loaded up. I seem to have more stuff than before with what I had brought with me and just ended up throwing it in the boat and going. It felt amazing being back in my boat paddling. Every time the paddle blade hit the water I felt like I was rocketing forward. The wait to get back here almost killed me but now that I was back, it felt worth it. I paddled down the channel towards the ocean. I decided to go back to the island just across from town and camp. As long as I got on the water today I felt it was a win. I pulled up on the beach and set up camp right before sunset. It was perfect. The sun was setting in front of me and the sky behind me was all different shades of pink with the moon rising. I was exhausted from the long day of travel but it was nice to be able to climb in my tent and finally be “Home”. 

September 28

Portsmouth Bridge over the Ohio. Second time I have seen it! 

Portsmouth Bridge over the Ohio. Second time I have seen it! 

I woke with 5 easy miles and plenty of time to do it. I planned on treating this as my victory lap. It will put me at 2,250 miles with 750 to go. I laid in the boat as barges passed by. It started getting dark and when I looked up buzzards were circling over me. I took that as a sign that I should get moving. I packed up and was ready to hit the water when I got a phone call. I lost track of time and was now behind schedule. My easy 5 Miles turned into a workout. I kicked it in gear and made good time. When I rounded the last bend I saw the bridge that I first crossed under months ago to symbolize the start of the Ohio River. I pulled up to the marina where I stayed the 4 th night of my trip and met my ride. The dock master remembered me and was impressed with my progress. But was a little confused with how I came from up river when he last saw me I was heading down river. We loaded the boat up and I took a quick sink bath and changed clothes. I knew there was only one place to celebrate and that was the steak house I went to when I was last in town. The Scioto Ribber. Their small steak is 16oz. And I ate the whole thing and it was delicious. Then it was a quick 2 hr drive back to Columbus to figure out what the next move is. 

September 27

IMG_6998.JPG

t's 2:33 AM. I just got in my sleeping bag inside my boat. I'm liking this boat bed idea. I always wanted one of those race car beds as a kid but my parents never got me one. But I have a boat bed now so it's cool. The temperature is dropping. I have paddled about 295 miles in the past 7.5 days. That's an average of 39 miles a day. I am only 5 miles from the extract point. I have put In a couple 17 hour days. Paddling well into the night most nights. Paddle till 2 AM, wake up a few hours later and do it all over again. Parts of my body hurt. My hands hurt from paddling. New calluses have formed. But Butt is killing me from sitting in the boat too long. But physically I feel strong. Mentally I feel determined.



It was an interesting day.  I got a call about the situation in Florida and had to make a decision that I would have to delay my trip back down indefinitely.  It was a gut shot.  Knowing that I have no control over it and just having to accept it.  I didn’t have time to think about it. I had to continue and get off the Ohio.  I had to stop several times to use the bathroom today.  And not the quick bathroom break kind.  This caused a problem because I was blowing through my supply of toilet paper quickly.  I was hoping to find a park or store on the river that had bathrooms that I could get some more TP.  The only park I saw was a few miles away.  I used up the last of my TP, said a quick prayer and made a dash for the park.  Sure enough the park didn’t have a bathroom.  I saw a gas station a little under a mile away and decided that was my best bet.  I started walking.  When I came over the hill I saw a McDonalds a little closer than the gas station and decided that was just as good.  I went into the bathroom and started rolling TP up around my hand.  It wasn’t the highest quality but it did the trick.  I figured that since I was there I might as well get some dinner.  I grabbed a sack of burgers and fries and headed back to the boat.  I shoved off and had a lovely dinner while floating on the water.  While I was finishing my second burger I realized that it probably wasn’t the smartest idea to eat McD’s when I have been having stomach problems.  My mind went into overdrive thinking about the consequences that could come from this decision.    Surprisingly it didn’t turn out as bad as I thought.  I made it to my final lock of the trip.  And of course it was dark out again.  The guy was concerned for me and said he was going to hold me in the chamber till the approaching boat was in the other chamber.  He was concerned for my safety.  Considering since I have been through every lock but the first one in Pittsburg on the entire Ohio River this summer, I figured I would be OK but decided not to argue.

September 26

IMG_6923.JPG


I was up before the sun and ready to roll. But with a thick fog I decided to hang out for a while. That tuned into an 11:30 start. The sun was blazing. I tried to hug what ever shore was providing shade. It wasn't enough to keep me cool. I had to take frequent breaks to prevent from overheating. Go figure the last week of September in Ohio and it's reaching 90. When the heat finally broke I was able to get moving. As the sun was setting I reached the east end of Huntington, WV. I was out of water and pulled up to a boat club and tied off. There were several boats but the restaurant and office were deserted and run down. I was getting ready to run up the hill to the store but realized that there was a gate on the walkway to land. I could go out but wouldn't be able to get back in. I asked the couple if it was alright to leave my boat. They said they would leave the gate open when they left. They said they had seen me out on the river. I explained what I was doing. It's hard to explain that I have paddled all the way across the country but am now here, then going back. I ran, literally ran, to the store in fear that the door would shut on its own and I would have to break in by swimming. Not something I wanted to do today. The gas station was pretty rough. The CC machine was down and that caused a line. I asked if I could use the water fountain to fill up my bottles. The guy had to think about it and finally said yes. After what I had just spent I thought he would have filled them for me. I walked back to fill them and the water fountain didn't work. Actually it looked like it had been broken for a while. I went back and asked if they had a bathroom where I could fill them.  No public rest rooms was all he said. Instead of walking him through all the other options of how we could fill them, I just bought 2 bottles. I ran back to the dock and actually beat the couple who were going to leave the gate open for me. When they were leaving the man offered me a couple beers. I declined and wondered if he had heard any thing I said earlier on why I was doing the trip. I think he was paying attention to securing his boat than me earlier. But I don't blame him. It was a very nice boat. They offered me several other things but all I took was water. Then I was able to use their hose to fill my other bottles. I threw the lights on the boat and headed into Huntington.   It was pretty with all the lights on. It was neat. I planned on doing just a few more since I got caught up with lastnights late paddle.  It was really neat paddling under the moon.  While I have been paddling at night the past few nights I have noticed the cycle has been changing.  It has gone from a new moon of no light to a small crescent and slowly filling in more and more.  As I was day (night) dreaming about the moon it got real intense real quick.  I was in the middle of an industrial corridor.   No place to camp and Tug boats moving containers across the river in no particular order.  Barges cruising down the river.  I decided to pull over hoping they would calm down and check the map.  It was a few miles before I had any option to camp.  I had stopped at a boat ramp that had giant steps.  Making the smart decision to stay for the night I pulled the boat up on the only step I could that was big enough and level away from the light and climbed into the boat to sleep.  About every 20 minutes when a boat would pass, the wake would crash on the steps spraying me with water.  As annoying as it was I figured it was better than getting run over by a barge in the middle of the night.

September 25

Another solid day of paddling. I am enjoying putting in the long days when the miles pay off. 41 today. That included a stop in Pomeroy for lunch. Light paddling during a board meeting call. A stop at Walmart for extra battery banks and a lock. I didn't feel as bad when I got to the lock at 12:30 AM. I was still a good hour earlier than last night entering the lock. There is something exhilarating about locking in the middle of the night. You pull up and the lights of the dam are burning. The air has a glow of a burnt manufactured orange color. You sit there waiting for these giant black steal doors to open. You actually hear them release before they open. You can see the light shining through as they open. You hear the steel slam against the walls. A loud industrial whistle blows and you paddle into the still chamber. One of the workers yells down giving you final instructions because they are more scared than you that you are locking in the middle of the night. And they have probably never seen someone in a kayak come through if they work 3rd shift. The gates close and the water drops. And drops. And drops. You hear random creaking of different parts of the chamber softly shout out. A random fish jumps. You can hear and see water spilling out around the back doors. You know that the only thing holding 40 miles of water for the second largest volume of river in the country is those doors. The water stops dropping and the black doors in front of you that are three times as tall now open. You see a little light coming in but mostly darkness down stream. The slam against the wall when fully open and the whistle blast again echoing in the still night air. You paddle out cautiously to avoid any whirlpools that have formed from the outside and inside waters meeting. You paddle past the monstrous walls with lights blazing. Almost instantaneous when you clear the last wall everything goes black again. Your eyes adjust and the stars fill the sky brighter than before. It's an intense moment but a great feeling. Once you are clear it's like it never happened. It all goes back to normal and you are paddling down the same river just a lot lower.

September 24

IMG_6883.JPG

Thank god my boat didn't float away again last night. I got moving around 10. Later than I would have liked but still alright. After about 12 miles of the sun heating up I came to a lock. I had just enough service to call and let them know I was there. The small chamber was broke so they put me in the large one after a paddle riverboat came out. When I entered the lock master yelled down and asked if I needed anything. I said I was good. He insisted on giving me ice but i didnt have anywhere to put it. He asked if he could fill my water bottles. I took him up on that offer. He threw down a rope with a hook on it. I clipped them in and up they went. The water started dropping and when he returned he had to get a longer rope to reach me. We had a good chat and I was on my way. I was cruising along and feeling good. I made the decision to night paddle. The guy at the last lock said it was 34 miles to the next lock and they are open 24/7 365. I thought it would be pretty funny to pull in there in the middle of the night and see what they said. Plus I have to call in to a board meeting for The Seraph Fund tomorrow (subliminal plug to donate if you haven't) so I knew my day would be cut short. Well short for me since I do my best paddling when the sun is going down. I made the decision to push through to the next lock. I was running in a pretty dead cell service area so I couldn't really tell exactly where it was but I knew if I kept paddling I would hit it eventually. When I came to a bridge I didn't need a map to know where I was. I have driven over that bridge a couple times a year when I take that way to go to my parents' house. I also knew there was a gas station at the bottom of it. I parked and hustled to the store to get some drinks. I am even more nervous about getting this boat stolen than mine since, well, since it's not mine. Around 1 AM I came up on tons of lights. It was like rounding a bend and coming up on an accident in the middle of the night. I had to dodge a up river heading barge to get to the left side to hit the lock. I still didn't have service to call and let th m know I was coming. When I arrived I pulled the chain that sounds the horn to notify them. It was the wimpiest horn I have ever heard. It's like when you beep the horn in a rental car and it's not what you think. I sat there hoping they heard it. After about 10 minutes I checked and I had just enough service to get a call off. I think they thought I was a pranking them. When the gates opened and I paddled in, it was a great feeling. I hit my goal of 2 locks in one day. One of the workers yelled down and asked if I had locked through before. I said basically every lock on the river.  Well all but 3. I have 2 more on this section, and the Pittsburgh one at the beginning that I haven't been through. I asked if he had ever seen a kayak this late. He said no I have the record!  Wow. I'm a record holder!  I tied off and they started lowering me down. Two other workers came over to see what I was doing. I tried to explain that I had already paddled 2000 miles to Florida, and was back, then going back down. He asked if I was trying to set a record. I said nope, just trying to get miles in. Every time I tried to talk the floating pin I was tied off to would grind and make a fingers on a chalk board noise. I tried to time my words but it was no match for the noise. I had an audience as I paddled out at 2 AM. They wished me luck as I paddled off into the darkness. I did a few more miles to hit 50 for the day and called it quits. I found a dirt/mud beach among the steep banks near a power plant and parked the boat. I pulled it up on shore and readied it to sleep in for the night. As I lay here, in a loaner kayak, on the banks of the Ohio, under a full sky of stars after paddling 50+ miles while being on the water for 17 hours, I couldn't be happier. Life is good.

September 23

IMG_6873.JPG

The barges aren’t the biggest problem.  The personal boat wakes are what you have to look out for.  And being a Saturday they are most likely going to be quite a few today.  Some of the captains are respectful and some simply feel that I shouldn’t even be on their river.  I felt one of the boats coming up behind me today.  He was going probably as slow as possible for his boat would go so not to throw a wake my way.  It was a nice gesture.  When he was right next to me we locked eyes.  I decided to give him a the hand signals that I was good and he could go ahead and open it up.  I gave him a Thumbs up (im good) forward chop (go ahead)  salute (thank you).  He waved and threw it into gear and was gone out of eye sight in a matter of minutes.  I hoped that all of the pleasure boaters were as nice as that guy.  They weren’t.  About an hour later I had a large boat come flying up from behind me.  He was only about 30 ft away and didn’t slow down at all.  I gave him hand signals as well but a different one.  It was only one finger (thanks buddy, your number 1)  I positioned my boat to take the hit and minimalism the water I was going to take in my boat.  I managed to only get a little bit but was still baffled that the guy didn’t even give me the courtesy of giving me more space.  Towards the end of the day I decided to set up camp on an island and instead of paddling into the night.  And it was still early enough that I could try and repair my hammock.  I pulled up to the shore and pulled my boat up on the bank and climbed up to the flat part.  Besides the ground cover there were plenty of trees to hang from.  I grabbed my paddle to use as a machete to clear a spot under the hammock.  All of the sudden I got a weird feeling like something was off.  I turned around and saw my boat slide off the shore into the water and start floating away.  There was only one way I was going to get it back and that was go for a swim.  I luckily thought to empty my pockets and take off my shirt before I got in.  I climbed down the bank and into the water.  About 5 feet in the bank gave out and I went in over my head.  It was definitely shocking but quite refreshing.  I grabbed the boat and pulled it to shore.  I secured it this time and had no other option but to laugh realizing that could have turned out really bad.  I did my best to fix the hammock and called it a night.

September 22

I felt surprisingly well waking up in the kayak. I think with some work I could make my kayak a pretty comfy bed. The fog was heavy again this morning but I was up and wanted to get moving. I creeped through the fog listening for barges. I hugged the shore and would have to dodge a dock every so often. When the fog finally lifted it was a beautiful day. I realized that my 37 miles a day probably wasn't realistic with no current in the river due to the locks. I still have to decide if I want to cut this section short or delay my return to Florida. I am leaning towards delaying my return and enjoying the change in scenery. I made it to the lock about an hour earlier today than last night. I called the lock to let them know I was there. Good news is that I already had the number in my phone from yesterday. I was nervous to call after basically prank calling them yesterday. I thought about using my southern accent to throw them off. The guy just said he would get it ready. I figured I was in the clear. The door opened and I paddled in. Once I tied off I heard a voice from above say "I have been waiting for you since yesterday". Busted. I apologized over and over. He said it was no problem. They had the spot lights out looking for me hoping I wasn't under one of the barges. I asked if he called the coast guard. He said he was almost at that point. And I noticed he didn't tell me till I was locked in the chamber with no where to go. Actually he was really nice but I kept my life jacket on in case of any hostel feeling he had towards me. He even gave me a good tip for camping and food recommendations for when I get to Marietta. I took off as the sun was setting and headed towards the campsite he recommended. When the sun was down and the light was fading I decided to just take the next spot that was doable. Since sites without overgrown bushes are hard to find, I took a spot that worked. I fired up the two spot lights I bought for the boat and set up my hammock. I did the repairs needed to my hammock the best I could. I decided to just sleep sideways in it to avoid sleeping on the tear. It worked out well.



I realized it was the 11 year anniversary of completing my Appalachian Trail Thru-hike. A journey that changed me forever. The past 11 years I have dreamed of a trip like this but could never make it happen. I usually try and go camping on this day to reflect. Now I am camping everyday and finally doing the trip I thought I would be doing a year or two after I completed my first one. I caught myself thinking what it would have been like if I could have done a trip like this back then. Back when I was drinking and drugging. It would be completely different.  I would be lying if I said there aren’t times on this trip where I wish I could have a cold beer sitting on the shore after a long day.  Definitely times I wish I could smoke a joint and watch the sunset.  But I wouldn’t change the choices that I have chosen for this trip.  Just as I wouldn't change a thing about my Appalachian Trail journey.

IMG_6988.JPG

September 21

IMG_6890.JPG

I don't know if it's the area or the time of year, but the fog has been thick the past 2 days. I waited till about 9:30 to get on the water when the fog started to clear up. I don't know how thick it had been since I was in my hammock till 9. I was afraid to move in fear that my hammock would tear in half. It has a rip in the bottom that doubled from 3 to 6 inches over night. I realized that it is almost 12 years old and has had over 300 nights of use. They just dont make them like they used to. It was foggy most of the morning. Once the fog cleared the water was perfectly clear. Everything reflected off the water. It was like paddling on a mirror. I was moving at an alright speed but I definitely wasn't making up the miles I needed to get back on pace. I just did the best I could. I was worried about my hammock. The last thing I want to do is fall out of the bottom while I'm sleeping. After being woken up last night by a critter playing with my dry bag directly under me, I will prefer to hang out above. I saw there was a Walmart basicly right on the river just past the 30 mile mark for the day. It is right after a lock. When I was getting close to the lock. I noticed barges waiting a few miles out. I paddled past them to the small boat side at the lock. I called the number and they said they could get me through. The sun had just tucked behind the mountains so I still had a while before it was completely dark. I saw a guy come down and stop in the gate house so I knew it wouldn't be long. Then I waited, and waited. I paddled around in circles. After an hour and 20 I was giving them 10 more minutes then calling back. By this point it was dark. The lights from the lock lit under the sky but I knew it was going to be dark if I ever get through. Right before my nasty follow up call the lock worker came over to the railing and yelled down. He said that I must have missed the pull cord or something. I informed him that I had called and talked to someone. He said they must have gotten busy. I let it slide. He told me that the incoming barge had radioed and asked if they were going to let me through. I asked which barge. The one that was waiting or the one in the tank. He said he thought the one waiting. I thought it was the same barge company I had stayed on near the end of the Ohio. If it was I was going to send a message thanking them. I yelled over to one of the guys on the boat and asked what company they were. When he told me it was I got excited. I asked his name. When he said it and I said its Andy.  That's when he yelled out "The River Weasel!!!"  He said he had been wondering if they would ever see me again.  I told him I was in a different boat that’s why he probably didn’t recognize me.  He said he didn’t see my homemade flag pole.  We caught up for a while then they got the go ahead to enter and I wasn’t far behind.  I told him to thank the captain again for me.  I got in the chamber and the worker said no one had talked to me on the phone.  I jumped to the conclusion that they were lying.  I didn’t say it but was definitely thinking it.  He asked what number I called and I told him just to prove the point.  He informed me that was the number for the next lock downriver.  I felt like an idiot but if I hadn’t have called the wrong number and got stuck waiting I wouldn’t have run into my old barge friends so it happened for a reason.  I paddled out of the lock and made a quick cut across the river to the WV side of the bank to head to Walmart.  I parked the boat and climbed the hill, through the park, across the railroad tracks into the parking lot.  I knew I needed some tape to fix my hammock.  I decided to get some extra lights to continue paddling at night to make up the lost mileage from today.  I started filling the cart with lights.  Two big spot lights, and several glow sticks.  I grabbed some additional food so that I wouldn’t have to stop later on down river.  When I got to the check out I realized I had left my wallet in the boat.  Not much I could do but leave my cart and go get it.  I headed back out and sure as my luck would have it a train was crossing the tracks between me and the river.  The train decided to stop and there was no way around it.  I tried walking down the tracks to see if I could find the start of it but no luck.  It finally started moving again after about 10 minutes.  I hiked back to the boat, grabbed the wallet and back to check out.  By this point I was fired up.  I grabbed a Red Bull and decided to put in some work.  I strapped a spot light in the front and back of the boat.  I then added glow sticks all over.  When I finally pushed off shore in the dark of the night I looked like a UFO.  It was a pretty cool feeling glowing down the river.  I cranked up my speaker and was in my own world.  Since I couldn’t see any land marks it was just pure paddling.  Around midnight I wanted to call someone to tell them how cool it is paddling at night, luckly the friend I first thought of lives in California so it worked out well.  He didn’t answer so I decided to call several other west coast friends.  No luck there either.  Around 2:30 AM I decided that I should probably stop and set up camp.  I chose a bank and started looking for a camp site.  As I was scanning the shore for trees, I saw a large shape.  I thought it was a raccoon but it was a little larger.  Plus I didn’t see any eyes reflecting off my head lamp so I chalked it up to a stump.  I quickly changed my mind when that “stump” left the shore and started running towards the water.  It didn’t go into the water but instead was moving so fast that I was running on top.  It headed towards the front of my boat and sunk about 10 ft from me and disappeared.  And I can guarantee that any cat in a 50 mile radius heard my shriek.  My guess is it was a beaver but my eyes were shut so tight that I didn’t get a good look at it.  That kept me paddling for another 30 minutes on pure adrenaline and fear.  The banks were steep and I couldn’t find a spot that had two trees I could hammock between.  I finally decided that I would have to climb the bank to find a spot.  When I pulled over I was on the cusp of someone’s property.  Instead of trying to repair my boat in their yard at 3 in the morning and risk waking there dog and being greeted by a shotgun I decided to just sleep on the shore.  I then got the idea to sleep in my boat.  I got into my sleeping bag and slid down in the boat.  It was surprisingly very comfortable.  It was like a cocoon.  But after the long day that I had I would have probably slept in the water.

September 20

IMG_6812.JPG


After 2 weeks of no paddling I was as ready as I would ever be to get back on the water. I loaded up the boat and hopped in the truck and headed for the Ohio River. 2 1/2 hours later we arrived in Steubenville, OH. While trying to figure out where exactly to start, logistically Steubenville seemed like it would work. It's about 300 miles to Portsmouth where I first entered the Ohio back on June 4th.



I got on the water about 10:30. It feels like I am cheating on my boat using another one. I also feel like I am forgetting so much with the little amount of gear that I have in this smaller boat. I turned over my truck keys and said my good byes and shoved off. When I first got the boat fully in the water it felt weird. This boat is noticeably smaller and rockier. It felt amazing every time the paddle blade hit the water. I felt like I was going incredibly fast. After paddling in the ocean for the past month, it was a nice change. It took me a while to get the feel for the new boat, but after awhile I had it under control. I took in the change in scenery. Calm water winding through the foot hills of the Appalachians. It wasn't long after I got moving I passed my first barge in a while. It was like a flash back to the first time I saw one. I soon remembered that they aren't as bad as people hype them up to be. The whole day was a giant flash back. Barges, driftwood, trash and even a lock. I forgot the feeling of paddling into a lock chamber. While locks don't bother me, I always think about what would happen if the down river door broke and I went flying out with all the water. I compare it to being on a raft in an above ground pool and it breaking. When I was getting close to Wheeling, WV I noticed some young teenage girls swimming in the river. The yelled for me to come over and let them try the boat. I kindly declined as the sun was setting and I needed to get more miles in. They then asked me if they could tag the boat as if we were playing a game. I knew they were just wanting to flip me. The reason I knew that is because that is what I would have done when I was their age.  I continued to paddle further out away from them. The three of them started swimming towards me but I got away. They then yelled at me and called me a "faggot" several times. I'm not quite sure why they chose to call me that simply because I would not let them use the boat but I kind of got a chuckle out of it as I continued into Wheeling. It is a great feeling seeing the town from the water. The old buildings with murals. The town was putting off a feeling that I could only describe as "American". They had a concert of some sort set up in the park. I'm not sure what was going on but I could see and hear a marching band warming up down town. Instruments playing and color guard flags flying. A group of boys down by the water fishing. All I could think of was small town USA but in a larger setting. I took in the sunset realizing that it is getting earlier and earlier now. And with the mountains surrounding the river it gets dark quick. I found the best spot possible and set up camp. I had to do some brush clearing to be able to set up my hammock. I tried to make a small fire to fight off the bugs. I didn't make it as far as would have liked today but still a great first day back on the water. I'm 7 miles behind on my daily average to reach Portsmouth on time. But I think I can make some of it up tomorrow, that is if I can get up at a reasonable time!

September 12

After being on Hurricane watch for the past week the storm finally hit.  Unless you are living under a rock you know it hit the entire state of Florida.  Lucky it wasn’t as bad as they predicted but still the damage has been done.   I have been checking with friends who live on the gulf coast and they are all ok.  Power is being restored slowly but clean up will take a while.  With all the rainfall and winds, the whole state is flooded and beaches washed out.  Almost every National and State Park is closed.  Even though I have everything I need to survive it is no place for me at this time.  I’m sure the last thing people who are trying to rebuild their lives want is some hairy, smelly, drifter passing through town.  The airlines have let me change my flight free of cost to the end of the month.  Now I just have to wait to see when the best time to return will be.  And waiting might end up being the hardest section of the entire trip.

September 8

Another bit of panic this morning waking up in a weird place but I knew it wouldn’t last since I was heading out today.  Since I had already packed what I needed to take with me, this was probably the fastest that I have ever gotten out of a hotel.  I grabbed an Uber to the airport which was in the middle of nowhere.  It’s a tricky game trying to figure out how early to get to the airport.  It is recommended to get there 2 hours before the flight.  I used to follow this suggestion to the T.  I always told myself to get through security several hours early is to play it safe.  But the real reason is because I wanted to drink at the airport bar.  I had a whole system.  A few beers in the car, put a couple in my carry on to drink in the bathroom before I went through security, then a few at the bar once past security. And don’t forget the $20 beers on the plane.  I also used to choose longer layovers on purpose to give me more time to drink.  My only concern now is if security will think I am a terrorist with my beard and weird looking luggage.  Its such an easier way to travel.  I still have to find something to do with my self during layovers.  And since most flights I take east of the Mississippi transfer through Charlotte or Atlanta, I make it a mission to see how fast I can get to Bojangles for a chicken biscuit.  Then throw in some people watching and the time flies by.  Thank goodness I booked my flight several days ago before Hurricane Irma changed course because the airports are packed.  People are evacuating trying to get out of the state since the latest reports show the hurricane is going to hit the entire state.  A lot of the flights are overbooked and they are offering vouchers to take a later flight.  Unfortunately none of my flights have been offered because I would be the first to volunteer. 
I was welcomed in Columbus with a professional sign on a napkin that said “River Weasel” in pen by a friend who picked me up.  I felt like a real celebrity.    It was great seeing a familiar face.  The welcome party was larger when I got to my brother’s house.  I was almost tackled by my niece, nephew, and dog.  I’m not sure which of the three was more excited to see me.  But it defiantly felt good to be home.  Well my home away from home since my home feels like my kayak and tent.

September 7

I woke up to about 5 texts telling me to get out of Florida or asking if I was safe. I have responded with "I have decided to stop running from my fears and face them head on. I am going to keep paddling". That is usually followed with telling me not to be stupid. I enjoyed a cup of coffee and eggs with bacon on the porch as I soaked in the B&B experience. I finished packing what I needed to take back with me in my carry on and walked back to the marina to drop off my bags. I got a good laugh again at seeing my little boat among the large boats in the storage bay. At noon my shuttle arrived and we headed the hour west to Panama City. It was a beautiful drive along the coast and interesting to cross over some of the bridges I paddled under a few days ago. My room wasn't ready at the hotel so I went for a walk to get something to eat. All I could think about was that it was a nice day and I could be paddling. I finally got in my room and lounged for a while and then went outside later to get something for dinner, the sky was lit up with amazing colors of the sunset. It made me kind of upset that I wasn't on the beach to see it in it's entirety I returned to my room and got to watch the first NFL game on TV. That might be one of the top 5 things I will miss the most about living out of a kayak for so long. The other 4 are ice, family/friends, A/C, and Cheese.