Cumberland Island yak trip in June?

“Good tide timing, I shoulda said. Treat Brickhill water. Waterhose at CRSP boatramp for convience. Free too.”

“I didn't treat it last year.
You know something I don't, gojo?
Wish you could make it.

Yea, couldn't have asked for better tides.
I'll call the local kayak outfitter in St Marys before we go to make damn sure I have not read the tide charts incorrectly, ha ha.”

“You are supposed to treat all water in the cumberland backcountry. However my track record is at 30% for doing so.

If you get water from the faucets ATTACHED to the Plum Orchard mansion that water is treated. I tend to fill up there.”

“Awesome! Thanks Stove! I guess that means I will need to take off Friday and Monday/Tuesday... I can't wait!!! :D”

“I'm taking that Friday off for the drive.
We should be back to Crooked River St Park by early afternoon, Monday. I plan to drive back to MS that same day, Monday.

If you or trekkngirl wish to fly, I can get y'all to and from the Jacksonville airport. Smokygirl would need to rent a yak if she flys, that's doable, $40 a day from the rental place linked toward the first of this thread.
trekkngirl can use my 'old' Perception Carolina 14.5 if she wishes. I'll have my new WS Tempest 170 and the 'old' yak on a trailer by the time of the trip.

arclite is more or less 'local' and has a yak, so he's set.

All you 'maybes' get busy! ;-)

smokygirl - If the boyfriend comes along, be sure to make reservations for him. I'll have reservations prepaid for the four 'sures' only.


Boo Hoo, sure do wish om & rad would answer my emails about this trip.
Yea yea, I know, om has to save leave. :-(
last edited: 5/12/05 1:01:02 PM”

“Stove - I will be driving down with my yak cause I loves it and can't part with it. Not sure if boyfriend will come, but will make arrangements for him if he does. Thanks again for organizing!”

“Coolness....”

“Cool Mr.Stovie..going to trail days ..wish you were there.. ;)”

“I've always wanted to see a yak. Can I come?”

“trekkngirl - I hope you have a BLAST!!!!
Please get the biggest baddest water cannon you can carry and BLAST ol' Crash Bang/2scoops for me!

I'll be at my nephew's HS Graduation this weekend. He made it known he required me to be there, LOL.
last edited: 5/12/05 3:57:11 PM”

“yeah give him an icy cold shot for me too :) he probebly deserves it for something he hasnt done yet :D”

“Too bad Sea Camp isn’t available, but it books quickly. Rad and I didn’t use the carts to portage across the island. I don’t think you’re supposed to. It was a very easy walk.

I think it took an hour and fifteen minutes the last time I did the trip from St. Mary’s to Sea Camp. That’s the easiest way to get to the island. It makes for a great trip if you time it right. Rad and I went with the tide and it took us a little over an hour to get to the south end of the island. We had 2-3ft chop and 15 knot headwinds. The current of the river and the tide working in tandem really shoot you out there. There are some cool beaches on the south end. You go with the tide from St. Mary’s and stop at the south end of the island for lunch. You can roam around and explore there for a while. Then if you hit the incoming tide, you catch the express escalator up to Sea Camp.

From what I’ve heard, the cars are safer at St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s also has a lovely waterfront park where you can shower. And the restaurants are right there for the tired traveler.

I’m available to pick up trekkngirl at the airport as well. I’ll probably drive up Friday night and stay at a local hotel or B&B. Wherever I stay, it’s pretty close to the airport.




Om, I’m probably going to leave G’ville around 8:30 or 9am this Saturday. That puts me in Cedar Key at 9:30 to 10am. I’m going to stop at the Upper Crust (French bakery) and get a baguette and some cheese for lunch. I may get some pastries as well. I love their stuff.”

“We paid and parked inside Crooked River State Park last trip. The Rangers watch things pretty well.
Wasn't planning on parking at the public boat ramp.”

“That's good to know. At one point the area had a bad reputation. Maybe it was drunken sailors. Maybe it was rowdy locals. But one of my paddling books warned about parking there.

It was probably the public ramp area about which the book warned.

It'll be fun for me to paddle to Cumberland from a new place. I am looking forward to this.

I have some pretty good nautical charts of the area. I do not have topos of Cumberland. I'll bring my charts. I also have a nice VHF walky talky/weather radio.”

“My corporate meeting has NOW been cancelled...I may be back in. Dates 7/24/25/26 still...and is there a trip page for this I'm missing?”

“Not yet, carlete.
I've been lax in putting one up. Will do so soon......

I'll email you the details so far tonight if your address is in your profile.”

“my email is there....Glad the training is canceled...but gotta plan plan plan...excited”

“Hey - wait a minute... is it July or June??? I thought it was June 24 - 27???? Ack! Stove?”

“Friday will be a travel day for most.


June 25 Sat, meet that morning in St Mary's, get underway

June 26 Sun, dayhike, swim, ect...

June 27 Mon, catch low tide early and return
last edited: 5/17/05 1:29:30 PM”

“It's a done deal for me too! I've got vacation time already lined up for Mon. 27 and Tue. 28. I may just decide to drive up Sat. morning. I'm about 2hrs 15min away.

NOTHING will stop me from making this trip. NOTHING! Do you hear me, God?”

“I wouldnt challenge god like htat...he has a habit of winning the bet.”

“whoa arclite, I know god and I feel further Hawkeye wins should they ever meet the gators again.

:-)”

“good - cause I got that Friday and the following week off. I am going to hit Okefenokee Swamp after we hit land on Monday.

My ankle was sprained badly at the end of April with a chipped bone - partial tear on ligaments. Thought I would answer you here instead of the other thread. I will be good to go by the Cumby trip. Really excited!”

“Private Trip page is up.
Trip invites have been sent out to those that showed interest.

carlette, you will need to call the park and make a reservation for yourself, June 25-27. Explain to the Rangers you will need a backcountry permit and you will Kayaking over from Crooked River State Park to Brickhill to camp. I have reservations for trekkngirl, myself, smokygirl, & arclite.

Any of you other slacker's will need to make your own reservations also.”

“DANG! Smokygirl!
Heal!!!!”

“Stove you should stop by the crazie's house :D”

“I've been looking at flights
You did say Jacksonville,FL. Right?”

“Carlette - hope you can make it! It was good meeting you at T DAZE!”

“Yes ma'am.
I'll probably be passing thru Jacksonville in the late afternoon Friday June 24.
Say 6-8pm”

“Thanks Smoky it was good meeting you too! (although we met last year at TDays as well! LOL) Yo Trekkngirl...HEY! :D

I can't seem to get to the trip page...somebody help!!!”

“Crap - I don't remember last year T DAZE very well?”

“carlette, read the trip invite email. On it is a password for the trip and a trip number below the link to the page.
This is a private trip so you may need those numbers and password to view the page.”

“me either...but we tented across from Cross and you were beside him...we were neighbors...inibriated.”

“I click the link then the page says this...
Warning: main(./includes/trip_private_login.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /var/www/thebackpacker.com/htdocs/trips/trip.php on line 93

Warning: main(): Failed opening './includes/trip_private_login.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:./includes/:../includes/') in /var/www/thebackpacker.com/htdocs/trips/trip.php on line 93”

“Go to the main trip page
http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/

At the bottom left, you will see

Trip Id Number:

Password:


Type in 702 for the Trip Id Number
Type in the password sent with the trip invite email.

Making this private may be more trouble than it's worth, but I didn't want some unknown 12 yo showing up to go Saturday morning.”

“good thinking...yeah you never know about that hyway.”

“is everybody so far flying?...I'll be driving from NC if anyone is interested in carpooling. If not... :P”

“Lord, I hope everyone's not flying. ;-)

I'll be driving a little Toyota Corolla with two kayaks.”

“Even if I/we can't go I can help get those who fly into Jax to Cumberland Is.

It's very close to me.”

“Hey Carlette..you're a blast. Ha!”

“I sent you and e-mail after getting the invitation for this trip. I just saw the thread and it answered my question about when it is. Would you believe I've already put in for vacation for that whole week. I was just trying to get my plan together for what I wanted to do.

My kayak is only about 9 feet (Heritage Featherlite". Do you think it would be good enough to make the trip? It's very stable on flat water and in gentle rapids but I've never had it on any real choppy water.

Where do you plan to camp on the island?”

“Richdude, did you change names??? ;-)

A 9 foot yak would not be a very good one for this trip. You need a 'touring' kayak capable of carrying you and camping gear at a fair speed. We'll be paddling about 11-12 miles one way and camping at Brickhill Bluff. Last year, om did this trip in a 12' Necky Santa Cruze. That's about the smallest I would think of going with.

What I would suggest is renting a touring kayak from the rental place in St. Mary's that Sat morning. It's about $40 a day.
I have a link to them on the 'private' trip page or go way back in this thread to find it.
last edited: 5/17/05 11:11:52 PM”

“Yep, new name.

I was affraid of the Heritage not being big enough.”

“Maybe I'll get a bigger boat.
What would you recommend the min. length of the yak be on this trip? I'm hoping to be able to just toss it in the back of my Ranger.”

“Last year, om did this trip in a 12' Necky Santa Cruze. That's about the smallest I would think of going with.
That's a very nice boat.

I'll be in a 17' Wilderness Systems Tempest 170, trekkngirl in a 14.5' Perception Carolina. Not sure about the others.”

“"Last year, om did this trip in a 12' Necky Santa Cruze. That's about the smallest I would think of going with." SS

richdude..
ya, and if i were taller and stronger, i would probably have gotten a longer boat, but i have the boat I am willing to handle alone, hauling and lifting etc.....and it has served me well in many types of water.....last year was actually my third trip to cumby with the santa cruz...one year, i went solo against the tide in choppy waters from crooked river to sea camp...took me forever, but, i never rush anyway....no spray skirt or anything...and still no problemo for that boat i think because of the upward curve of the bow..but i am no expert on the technical terms, just know how it behaves ..., i cannot speak for other shorter ones as i have not had any direct experiences with them.

ok niters”

“I have a 15'9" Cobra Tourer. It's a sit-on-top.

Spirit C, you are absolutely right. It was more of a plea than a challenge. Life never happens the way I plan it. Sometimes it’s better, sometimes it’s worse. But it a guarantee that it will always be different from the way I plan it.



Lizs, you may be right. The Hawks have been looking great the last few years. You've got a great coach. HOWEVER… Our new coach is better than your coach... nyah nyah nyah-nyah nyah.”

“Are you going to try to make this trip? I dig being on trips with you!”

“Arclite lives! Good to see ya, buddy... but your heel-chompin' gators would go down. LOL!

WHO is (or was) Richdude???”

“Carlette - I will be coming from Knoxville - would carpool, but I am going to hit the Okie swamp and kayak an overnighter on my way home. Otherwise, I would pick you up... You're welcome to join me if you can get Tuesday/wed off..”