I have been looking forward to this trip for a while, kayaking the Everglades NP. Having been on the UNESCOs List of World Heritage in Danger from 1993 to 2007, it goes slowly but surely better with this subtropical wetland at the southern tip of Florida. But the growing city of Miami nearby might change this soon again. It almost feels like a now or never deal to me.
There are only these things in the Everglades that make me a little bit nervous. And with my friend bailing on me, its going to be me, me alone and that needs some courage building to face these things. And so I drive to Key West to win myself some time, to get this confidence. I ride around on my bike in the little way to touristy town, but my head is in the Everglades. I went from Dead Horse to Key West and if I can do that alone, I can do the Everglades too, I tell myself. And so I drive back and continue to the West side of the park and plan myself a nice 6 day trip out on the ocean and back through the inside marsh lands along the Wilderness Waterway. Lets face them.
The trip starts through the ten thousand island area and all the little islands exist out of mangrove forest. It looks all the same to me. The little brochure I read back at the Oto told me not to go on a long first trip in this area, while navigation through these islands might be very confusing. And indeed with a new map, a new paddle, a strong wind and a tide in my favour, I get lost real quick. This can't be true, I consider myself as a good map reader and have a compass on hand. But I have no clue already where I am at. It might be this little nervousness that rushes through my blood. 
I take another look at the map and look for clues in the surrounding. Nothing. And then it gets to me. This map and the easy paddling have brought me way further then I expected and I am almost at the campsite already. The campsite is on this little island on the edge of the ocean and I set up camp on a little white sandy beach. They won't be here, right. I relax... 
The next day I wake up with a fierce wind and waves crashing into my island. Luckily my routes goes in front of the wind and I head out with confidence. When I leave the shelter of some island, I see even bigger waves moving perpendicular to the street I want to cross. Quickly I paddle back into the lee. Wow, this is kind of intimidating to cross and with this danger looming beneath the water surface, I do not want to swim. One thing is clear I have to tack against the wind first, before steering in front of the wind to safety on the other side. This will even take longer, then straight across. I am not really sure what brings me to do it, but I go for it. The waves are crushing on me and the tip of my kayak drills itselves into every other wave. I make progress, but slow and feel far from in control. A little touristy boat comes full speed along. It keeps it throttle full open to beat the waves head on. When its wake hits me, its interference pattern with the wind waves forms a crazy knot and valley pattern. Its one thing to know whats going on, its a whole different thing to be in the mids of it. My kayak is surfing down a wave and I can barely steer it straight again for the next wave. Keep paddling, keep the speed up, don't get in the water is all I can think of. I make it save and sound to the other side and the rest of the day, I cruise in front of the wind between the mangrove islands. Also this time there is a little island waiting for me at the end of the day. 
Tomorrow however I have to go out on the ocean the whole day, to get to my next destination. With this wind, there is no way I will make that, its just to dangerous. I look on the map for alternatives. Back to the Oto is the only solution I can come up with and then continue the next day in and out along the waterway. The whole night I sleep restless. I want to continue this trip...I looked so forward to it. Its only 1 more day and then I will head inlands. But be wise Iris, its plainly to dangerous and especially with these things around.
When I wake up the wind has died. The ocean lays calm in front of me. I spot all kind of birds, many dolphins are surrounding my kayak and pelicans are crashing from high above into the ocean for fish. A sea turtle swims within 1 meter from my kayak and fish are jumping out of the ocean all around me. I love it. 
Then its finally time to head inwards. I ride the tide on a big river deeper into the Mangrove forests. Also here dolphins are playing around me, and I become a spontaneous birder. Spotting white ibis, huron, aninga, snow egret, pelicans and what more. 
I setup camp at my own Chikee at my own lake. Its a beautiful silent evening. I make some coffee and sit down with my feet dangling of the plateau. Somehow it doesn't feel very relax and I pull my feet back in. Its probably not real, but somehow it makes me feel better. In the evening the noises take over the silence of the evening. The fish are still jumping around, birds crash in the water after the fish, mosquitoes are buzzing and I watch the stars from the save inside of the tent. Suddenly I hear a thing rustling through the mangroves behind me. It makes it way to the water edge and with a loud splash throws itself in the water. The thing plays or feeds or what ever it is doing for a long time just underneath my tent. What the heck is this things underneath me, is it on of them? 
I still haven't seen any and its time to get more serious about it. I am scanning the surface, looking for the two eyes. I drift along a little creek also keeping an watchful eye out on the banks. Thats another place where they might be. 
The little creek is about 10 meters wide and I keep to the middle. Where are they, I wanne see them, thats the whole point of this trip. The water, the banks, the water, the b.... HOLY SHIT! Is this what they are talking about, not the 2 meter long once, who you might loose a foot maybe a limp to. They are talking about this one, only a meter shorter then my kayak, some 4 meter long and which will swallow me in 1 heart beat. Well maybe a couple more beats, because my heart is pounding inside my chest at a crazy rate. I have seen them before, a couple days ago and have even been swimming in the same pond where they lived (well I was in the water for 10 seconds more afraid of the piranhas then the alligators) years ago. But this big, this close up, this being alone out here. Jesus, alligators are the scary shit.
The rest of the day I keep an eye out, but with a different intension now. I really don't wanne see any alligator anymore. Besides raccoons and some wild boars, I see big vultures, but no alligators. With the cold spell from a couple weeks ago, all the other alligators are more south or more inland. I don't see a single other one. From the car cruising through the park I have seen many, but here deep in the everglades they have disappeared. What hasn't disappeared are the dolphins. With water only 1.5 meter deep, I see one coming straight at me. Instead of taking action, I freeze like a rabbit caught in headlights. Please don't hit me I can only think. I do for sure know now, that I don't want to swim. A meter away from me, it comes up and we look each other in the eyes. Then with some vigorous tale wiggling it just avoids hitting my kayak. Thank you.
In the evening I have again my own Chikee, a platform in the middle of a lake. I enjoy the beautiful evening. The silence, the being alone. Life is so so good. When the mosquitoes are coming out, I am sitting in my tent for many more hours to watch the almost full moon lighting up the world around me. Again I am living the life the way it should be. 
Dag,
Iris (Everglades City, 31079 miles)
