Everglades Eco Adventure, Florida

The Trip

Everglades National Park was established as a national park because of the area's biological and ecological diversity -- unique to our planet.

This is the perfect time to visit since January is typically the dry season with highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s. You will experience a multi-modal introduction to the amazing diversity of the Everglades as we do a series of guided day excursions by vehicle, by kayak, and on foot into four of the Everglades’ distinct ecosystems. Our guides have been trained by the Florida Master Naturalist Program and will discuss conservation in and of the Everglades eco-system. Each day, our naturalist guide will point out and explain the flora, fauna, and ecology.

The Everglades is not all rainforest jungle. There are wetlands, grasslands (does “river of grass” ring a bell?), and islands in the Gulf of Mexico. The trip will be entirely within the Everglades, including our hotel.

Every day will bring a new adventure. A visit to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary will be the highlight of our first day. Not far from our hotel, we will do a short hike to a wetlands observation tower and travel a short distance to possibly see manatees in a favorite spot of theirs in Big Cypress National Preserve and have a ranger presentation on pythons or Everglades ecology as time permits. Our days will be full, so we will eat out at a local restaurant several times, which is not included in the trip cost.

Only beginner skills will be needed for our kayak day trips. In order to reach and visit some areas, we will be out or on the water some days for about six hours (with periodic breaks when possible). Of this, actual paddling time could be 3-4 hours. To avoid paddling against the tides, we will rise early on some days so that we will be going mainly with, not against, the tidal flow.

Starting from the freshwater ecosystem, we will paddle downstream on a river that flows through mangrove tunnels and goes all the way to the saltwater coastal estuary. There may be sightings of river otters, alligators, manatees, bottle-nosed dolphins, and many different bird species. Walking “wet” another day in the classic tropical marshland of the Fakahatchee Strand, we will search for rare epiphytic orchids and possibly see some alligators. Our trip will end with an unforgettable three-day, two-night, fully outfitted beach camp and tour in the coastal marine ecosystem and Everglades National Park’s 10,000 Islands area. We, along with our gear and kayaks, will travel by powerboat to a beach campsite. We will take interpretive beach walks and guided kayak day trips to natural attractions and cultural sites from our beach base camp.

It may be necessary to modify our schedule, plans and itinerary due to weather and other circumstances, so it is important to be flexible. We encourage you to consider trip insurance for instances of bad weather conditions or medical emergencies.

Day 1: Meet at Ft. Myers airport (RSW) late afternoon and shuttle to our lodging in Everglades City.  On the way, the trip will start with a working diner out (not included in the trip cost).

Day 2: (Corkscrew swamp) Manatee quest, hike, and python/ecology ranger talk) We will have breakfast and a briefing and depart as soon as we can. Then we will travel by van to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and tour it.  After lunch, we will hike a nearby trail.  If time permits, we will visit a wetlands observation tower or go to Big Cypress National Preserve to search for manatees in one of their favorite spots. 

Day 3: (Guided swamp walk) After breakfast, we will pack lunches and our wet shoes and board our van. We can change into/out of our wet shoes for the swamp walk part of the hike. Our guide will take us into the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve, which includes areas touted to be North America’s tropical rainforest. Conditions permitting, this will include an optional walk out into the swamp (for those so inclined with a suitable sense of adventure). The swamp walk will be a “wow” experience that you will never forget in a unique and enchanting place, home to over 40 species of epiphytic orchids (including the infamous Ghost Orchid). With over 30 years’ experience in the glades, our botanist guide will give us an experience had by few. Time permitting, we will visit the boardwalk over the swamp at the Big Cypress Bend natural area. Afterward, we can shower, relax, and enjoy a classic south Florida dinner.

Day 4:(Freshwater-to-saltwater paddle and ranger talk) After an early breakfast, we will pack lunches and head for the Turner River launch to begin our freshwater-to-saltwater paddle. Beginning in the Big Cypress National Preserve freshwater ecosystem, we will paddle in tandem kayaks into the mangrove forest and tunnels where the Everglades transitions from freshwater to saltwater. We will end up in the Everglades National Park in the marine estuary ecosystem. This is one of the few contiguous freshwater-to-saltwater ecosystems left. We may observe everything from frogs, turtles, alligators, and river otters to manatees, bottlenosed dolphins, loggerhead turtles, and a large array of wading birds.  After the paddle, we will have a ranger bring us up to speed on pythons or Everglades ecology. Ranger schedules, which are set in the fall, may have us move this to Day 3. This will be a full day, so we will eat out at a local restaurant, which is not included in the trip cost.  There will be time before dinner at a local restaurant (which is not included in the trip cost) to clean up and relax. We will need to pack our beach camp clothing, etc. that night to be ready first thing in the morning.

Days 5-7: (Guided beach camp and kayak tour) We will start early, load gear and kayaks into powerboats, and head to our base camp on a beach in the 10,000 Islands. This is a fully outfitted trip. You can bring your favorite PFD, beach camp chair, tent and sleeping bag, or -- like the leaders -- use our outfitter's. Our naturalist guide will route us among some of the Everglades’ thousands of islands as we cruise to our campsite. After setting up camp, we will paddle to another key or cultural attraction. Thursday and Friday will bring interpretive beach walks and more day trips by kayak. Dinner will be around the campfire each evening with good conversation and a reflection on each day’s events. With our selected dates and minimal light pollution in this remote area, we should have a spectacular view of the night sky and the stars of the Milky Way. We will have a waning gibbous moon to add another dimension to our memorable night sky viewing. By the time our campfire dies down, the moon will be casting some shadows on the white sand. There will be warm weather, warm water, campfires on the beach, great food, and varied wildlife, which could include dolphins, manatees, and many bird species. It will be quite a tour, but we will have to bring it to a close after lunch and return to the mainland mid to late afternoon on Friday, check back into our hotel, and have dinner at a local restaurant (not included in the trip cost.)

Day 8: We will have a quick continental breakfast and shuttle back to RSW. Return flights should not be scheduled before 1 PM.

It may be necessary to modify our schedule, plans, and itinerary due to weather and other circumstances, so it is important to be flexible. We encourage you to consider trip insurance (and carefully read the provisions and exclusions) for instances of bad weather conditions or medical emergencies.

Getting There

Our base is about 75 minutes from Ft. Myers airport (RSW). This is an easy airport to negotiate, but Ft. Lauderdale and Miami are only about 90 minutes away. While the leaders cannot organize carpooling, it is encouraged for those who might want to drive, and we will provide contact information so that participants can make arrangements if they wish. There is ample free parking for those who drive. However, the trip leaders will provide one shuttle from Ft. Myers airport Saturday late afternoon and one shuttle to Ft. Myers Saturday morning after the trip. We will finalize the Ft. Myers shuttle times later this year as travel plans firm up. Participants should not make travel arrangements until accepted on the trip by the leader and shuttle times have been determined. As of 2020, those without national park passes may need to register before the trip and pay a $15 pass fee to NPS.

Accommodations and Food

The trip price includes double occupancy lodging in recently built spacious “adventure suites” that were built higher than the recent hurricane surge levels from Saturday night before the trip through Tuesday night. Couples will be together and others will have a roommate. The trip is priced based on double occupancy. Those wishing to pay the extra cost to have their own single room should contact the leader. This may not be available at our hotel but remember that we will have full days, so we will not be spending extended time in our rooms. For the fully outfitted guided beach camp tour, we will move our base to a key in the 10,000 Islands for Wednesday and Thursday nights and camp on the beach. Individual tents will be available for all who wish Starting with breakfast on Sunday and ending with breakfast on the last Saturday, all meals are included, except three dinners out at excellent local eateries Sunday night, Tuesday night and Friday night. Plan to work together to make camp, prepare, and clean-up meals. The trip leaders really like to cook and to eat, so count on interesting, varied, and nutritious meals. There will be plenty of food. If participants wish, they can bring their own additional between-meal snacks for the three to four hours between meals. The trip leaders will do their best to accommodate vegetarians and medical dietary restrictions. Those with challenging restrictions may be asked to bring or prepare some of their own food, cookware and utensils to supplement group food.

Please contact the leader if you require accommodation.

Trip Difficulty

This trip will be moderate in difficulty, mainly because we will be doing activities that last more than two to three hours. While not technically difficult, this trip will be suitable for advanced beginner paddlers, i.e., beginners with some paddling experience. There will be a review of paddling techniques. We will be out and on the move for about six hours per day but there will be breaks roughly every 45 minutes or so (although we may not be able to get out of the boats) and, of course, great lunches. Hikes will not be long or difficult or steep. Remember that a hill in Florida is something 1-2 feet tall. We will aim for a relaxed pace and a little free time to relax each day.

Equipment and Clothing

We will travel different ways on different days. Our van will take us to and from our activities. At various times, we will be on foot, and in tandem kayaks, solo kayaks and power boats. The trip price includes kayak rental, individual tents, inflatable pads and sleeping bags for the beach camp, all group camping gear. The weather will be mild, but evenings and early mornings could feel cool, especially at the beach camp. You will need normal street clothes for some days, hiking clothes and footwear some days and shoes and clothing that can get wet for our “wet walk” and appropriate paddling attire when we paddle. For our camping trip, you can bring your own PFD, beach camp chair, tent, sleeping bag, and ground pad, or -- like the leaders -- use our outfitter’s. If you bring yours, you will want a backpack-style tent, light sleeping bag, ground pad, etc. Participants will receive a detailed equipment and gear list after they are accepted for the trip. With advance planning, most gear can be obtained from our outfitter on an individual basis; and a few items may be loaned by the leader. Please contact the trip leader if you have any questions.

References

Websites:

• www.EvergladesAreaTours.com
• http://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm
• http://www.nps.gov/bicy/index.htm
• http://www.floridastateparks.org/fakahatcheestrand/
• http://www.evergladesfoundation.org/
• http://www.evergladesplan.org/

Books: 

• Grunwald, Michael, The Swamp.
• Smith, Patrick, A Land Remembered.
• Matthiessen, Peter, The Killing of Mr. Watson.
• Douglas, Marjory Stoneman, The Everglades: River of Grass.
• Molloy, Johnny, A Paddler's Guide to Everglades National Park.
• Whitherington, Blair and Dawn, Florida's Living Beaches.

Conservation

Throughout the week we will talk about the many aspects of the Everglades that we will be experiencing. While keeping us safe and helping us have a good time, our interpretive guides will focus on educating us about the Everglades. We will regularly touch on the topic of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program (CERP). Though racked with politics and misdirected funding, it is a model for environmental restoration...for the world. 

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies. This trip is being offered through Everglades Area Tours, an authorized permit holder in Everglades National Park.