and then the reality sets in
Watched Marks latest vid last night. And I feel for him.
Seems he is finding the coastal peeps not as accomadating as the inland waterway peeps were. As he was traveling through Canada and into the US, he was welcomed warmly by most everyone, even invited in, unknown that he is, and his travels gave me hope for things at large.
Now, he is on the Gulf Coast and finding that people are uptight, protective and not so warm or open. He has had trouble finding campsites, even having to paddle nearly into the night one eve to find a spot suitable for camping (only to find out he was sharing the beach the disembodied head of a cow,,,,)
I was afraid that his earlier experiances were going to get broadsided when he hit the coast, but I was not expecting it so soon. I thoroughly expected it on the Atlantic side.
I am trying to reach out to kayak dealers/outfitters along Floriduh, Georgia and the Carolinas to reach out to him. I don’t know the areas, but they do and they may be more able to point him to places that are friendly, or at least more friendly than he has seen since starting out of Mobile earlier this week. I would really hate to see his journey spoiled by uptight Americans when I know most Americans are NOT as he has been privy to this week. I know a lot of the coastline of North and South Carolinas are high dollar ocean front ‘estates’ that won’t welcome some lone sailor/kayaker, any more than they would welcome some homeless drudge,,, (and in their ignorance, not knowing just how expensive his trip IS, let alone the gear that he is running, Homeless, he ain’t!!!) If only they knew how far he has paddled SOLO, they might be a little more accommodating, even if only to let a guy camp on the shore for a night.
(and note, I didn’t make the observation of political leanings,,,, I know the coast lines tend to be more blue than red, but I have seen that same attitude from both,,,)
Dio's Workshop 
Don’t understand why folk hafta be like this. If I wasn’t so fad South of the panhandle, I’d tell ya to send him my way. Dayumm, always gotta be somebody.
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January 19, 2023 at 8:10 pm
He’s managed to make 50 miles the last two days. Just past Panama City tonight. I think he’s been looking at the maps and realized that he is nearly to massive amounts of nat-forest/preserves and will be able to relax a little about where to settle in for the evenings.
think about this Mike. He’s paddling between 25 and 30 MILES a day, and he just turned 65 in September,,,, (and if you watched that last video, he had pics of him and his dad from his Christmas break, who is 94 (and doesn’t’ look it))
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January 19, 2023 at 8:19 pm
Dammit man! Don’t even know the man, and I’m envious!! But yer right, he’s not far from a whole buncha green stuff – and not the $$ kind either😁 I doubt anyone will give him a hard time there. Bless him and his Dad! Love to hear ’bout these kinda folk!
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January 19, 2023 at 9:50 pm
One of the prime reasons we stopped doing the intercoastal waters here in Floriduh was lack of hospitality for boaters that lived on their boats.
Sure if you’re rich , have a large “new” boat, welcome to park here for the night.
Don’t even think about just anchoring in front of my McMansion tho.
Even going ashore on many places on the intercoastal is difficult and won’t allow a dinghy ashore. Let alone a kayaking camper.
However there are places such as the Okeechobee waterway that has plenty of wild spots . Or get south of Marco Island in the ten thousand island area ?
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January 20, 2023 at 7:43 am
near as I can tell, his entire route is intercoastal. Trying to stay in the protected waters. not that I can blame him: mitigate your risks sort of thing. and his route shows him crossing Florida somewhere in the middle, but I haven’t found a route there on the maps (and mine aren’t very good for that sort of thing, half the time they don’t show rivers below 1/4 mile width) that may be the Okeechobee that you mention, dunno
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January 20, 2023 at 8:06 am
Dammit man – if’n he gets (way) off course and winds up around these parts somehow (I know he’s already far away), I’ll not only give him a bed for the nite, but some groceries and some purty dam good bourbon (his choice of %)!
Mike.
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January 22, 2023 at 5:53 pm