Frequently
Asked Questions
About the Everglades
Most Asked: What about the
alligators? Alligators are, primarily, a fresh water
species and avoid the brackish to salt water Ibis paddles through.
Alligators are visible in many places on the way to Everglades City.
On the road to Miami, Tamiami Trail, (US 41) there are many "Indian
Villages" that have Gator wrestling, and every airboat ride tries to
find an alligator for viewing. Alligators are also found along the
side of the road in the canals. Feeding or molesting alligators is
illegal and Florida's Game Wardens will happily give you an expensive
summons for feeding alligators or throwing rocks at them to incite
movement.
Where do I fly into? There are several choices of
airports. Everglades City Airport is about 50 yards from the put-in,
but this is only a "private plane" option. Naples is about 45 minutes
away, but will almost certainly requires a flight change to get
there. That flight change might make the best bet either Fort
Lauderdale, Miami, or Fort Myers; all are between one and a half to two
hours away by car. Fort Lauderdale has the easiest access to
Everglades roads.
What will the weather be like? Florida is called "The
Sunshine State" for good reason.
Everglades weather in the paddling season, is usually sunny and
warm (high 60s to low 80s) during the day and down to the 50s at
night. The night temperature does drop into the 40s and on rare occasions
the 30s. Luckily, the clear skies that accompany cold air allows a
fast warm-up. What's the weather
like now in the Everglades?
What do I need to bring? An equipment list will be sent to you
when you book a trip. Outside of your personal items, you will need
a flashlight and rain gear. Raingear needs to be a rain suit NOT a
poncho. Ponchos do not work in a windy paddling situation. The
rain suit does not need to be a $400 kevlar/hypertext material. An
inexpensive, plastic, two piece set will run about $50.
What kind of sleeping bag will I need? Ibis supplies
sleeping bags for you. It always seemed silly to Ibis that you
should have to go research, buy, and then carry a sleeping bag from
thousands of miles away when they could be supplied. These bags will be a modified mummy shape that is rated to 20
degrees. These have proven to be warm on even the coldest
nights. In addition, Ibis supplies full length Therm-a-rest pads and
even a pillow. To save you the next question; Yes, the sleeping bags are
washed after every trip.
Where do I sleep; and with who? Ibis also provides the tents
for you to sleep in and the who is none of Ibis' business. Generally, weather and equipment allowing, you
will only share a tent with a person you are traveling with. Guests
traveling alone will usually sleep that way. Ibis tries to
provide a three person tent for two people and a small two person for
singles.
How hard is the trip? Your physical condition combined with the
wind and tide determines the difficulty. Ibis uses over thirty years
of Everglades paddling experience to seek out the easiest route,
especially on the first day when we are loaded with equipment. If
you are in average physical condition, you should have no problems.
What if I have never paddled before? You will be in good
company, about half of the guests have never paddled before. We give
an introduction talk and then correct glaring paddling styles on the
water. If you wish critic or instructions, feel free to ask.
I'm afraid I can't handle a kayak by myself, what then?
Ibis has several doubles, and even one triple kayak. Two average
paddlers in one of these usually leads the fleet. One guest called
them "four-wheeled-drive kayaks".
Can my dog come along? No.
What's the food like? Ibis has developed a menu over the
years that tastes great and fuels the body for paddling. For
breakfast there is French toast, crabs benedict, and fruit pancakes and of
course fresh perked coffee. Lunches are built to travel; look for
cheese and crackers, pita stuffing salads and, of course; Pringles and Pepperidge
Farms cookies. Dinner serves up burritos, Black beans and
rice, tortellini, served with wine. Dinner usually comes with a
desert such as key lime pie or cheesecake. Being a modest bird, Ibis
has a difficult time calling the food gourmet, but many guests have called
it that. |
