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Most of the crew ended up at the Crane Patch
Hammock on Saturday the 24th for a picnic. The weather has been so cold
that the mosquitoes were non-existent! All of these people fit into 4-5
dinghies. It was about a 6 nm ride by dinghy for us to this patch of
ground - saw LOTS of alligators along the way. This patch has a couple of
fire rings for campsites and a small dock to pull up. It sits alongside
one of the alligator ponds here in the Everglades. Banana trees - Papayas
- and lots of tropical foliage. This small patch of ground even has one of
the NOAA Geodetic markers here! |
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Cdr Absten's Barke "Creative
Touch" lying ahull while waiting for P/C Jack Mahew on "Seavonne"
to depart Fanny Keys.
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Mike
& Dixie Danzis, with Nancy Miller (hidden behind Dixie) in the dinghy
approaching the Cane Patch. |
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(Below) Some of the crew coming up the
Little Shark River: Ron & Linda Geipe on "Sharkbyte", Jack
Sheahan from the Harbor Cay Club on "Puffin", and one of the Key
West members on a Parker.
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P/C Jack Mayhew silhouetted at the helm
of "Seavonne" as they approach Shark River. |
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Jack Sheehan aboard the Puffin is from Harbor Cay Club with
Jack Mayhew. Seems he had a good time & is interested in joining the
squadron -- but his onboard Parrot kept beckoning him back to his ship!
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The famous Cane Patch Hammock back up
Avocado Creek off Tarpon Bay. From Right, Phil Arcuni, Jessica & Lisa
Absten, Linda & Ron Geipe.
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On the deck of Seavonne porking out from left - P/C Jack
Mayhew, Nancy & Carl Miller, Cdr Gregory Absten (standing)
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Crew of the "Seavonne" before leaving the dock
in Marathon, from left: Bill Green, P/C Jack Mayhew, Nancy & Carl
Miller. |
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Yes, the alligators are a major reason we all come up here.
This year there were dozens all around - but everything seemed to be way
up in the upper forks of Tarpon Bay - the alligators, catfish and crabs.
We think the drought has caused the lower portions to become so salty that
everything has moved upward into the more freshwater parts of the
everglades.
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Raft of 4 Marathon Boats from left "Sharkbyte",
"Creative Touch", "Seavonne", and "Sea
Spirit". Courtesy of Lois Arcuni. - About 20 miles up into the
Everglades. |
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Phil & Lois Arcuni (Key West) got a brand new boat
"Tandem Express" shown here. Great Boat!
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Rafting partyers aboard Creative Touch
above, and aboard Seavonne below - rafted together. |
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Below - Aboard Creative Touch from left: Dixie
Danzis, Carl & Nancy Miller, & P/C Jack Mayhew.
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The "Thorn between the Roses" - P/C
Jack Mayhew between Dixie Danzis and Nancy Miller.
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