I'd forgive you if you don't know where Chokoloskee is, it's off US41, past Everglades City. Compared to nearby Marco Island, it's a quiet mariner's paradise! It's a common set-in point for people looking to go fishing in the Ten Thousand Islands area, a natural maze of mangrove islands on the Gulf Side of South Florida. We set out from the boat launch on the west side of the island ($5 launch+parking fee, paid to a box next to the ramp) on July 23, 2015, weather was partly cloudy with winds around 10 knots coming from the West. This paddle would be good in most weather conditions, the islands form a pretty good barrier for wind, we didn't feel much of a breeze until the last mile or so, as we were paddling across open water. Total distance (To Jewell Key and return) is about 15 miles. After the paddle we stayed at the Ivey House in Everglades City, and paddled south from Marco Island to Cape Romano the next day.
Paddling through the islands: The Ten Thousand Islands are a natural maze of mangroves, so navigating can be tricky. There is a well-marked channel through them to the south of Chokoloskee, we opted not to use it to avoid boats and to see more of the islands. We navigated using a map available for download with the Gaia GPS app. You could spend days just paddling around these islands and hardly bother anyone, it's idyllic. At some point you'll get out of the dense labyrinth of mangroves and you can see the outermost islands, here there be sandy beaches! |
Jewell Key: The name is what attracted us the most, there are tons of gorgeous, sandy beached islands on the gulf coast. Jewell Key is interesting, as it has a sand bar between two mangrove islands. Because it has a beach on both sides we didn't have to worry about waves at all, we just parked our kayak on the eastern side and walked around the island for a few hours. The sand on the beaches have a wonderful pink color, and are made up of marine worm tubes. They can be pretty sharp, so shoes are a must if you want to do any walking. |