3/14/08 (Friday) - Dallus Creek. Located in a remote hammock at the mouth of Dallus Creek, one must reach the campsite by walking down a cleared trail through needlerush. Camping is in a grassy area beneath weathered live oaks.

Even in these conditions, we could make slow progress.  Because the area is so shallow, the waves were never able to build to any height, staying at two to three feet through most of the day.  I’ve certainly been in worse wave conditions.  But they were very close together, regularly washing over the length of the boats.  The 40 mph gusts however, would stop us dead in the water and momentarily steal our breath away.  Occasionally these gusts would grab the bow and push it off downwind.  There was nothing I could do but ride it out until I could bring the boat back into the wind again.

Scott set out across the open water of the Gulf toward some islands about five miles away.  We kept up a steady pace – 50 strokes to the minute, 3000 to the hour.  The wind was relentless, holding us back the way gravity holds a runner back when running uphill.  It took two hours to paddle the five miles to the islands.  We had a short rest in our boats in the lea, then headed out toward an island marking the Dallus Creek campsite, another five miles away. 

After another two hours of paddling, we were near the Dallus Creek Campsite.  We were concerned because we knew it would be a relatively open site, and we badly needed shelter.  Scott had a back-up plan if Dallus Creek did not give us the shelter we needed.  But first, we needed to check out the campsite itself. 

The description of the campsite given in the brochure does not adequately convey its openness.  After coming ashore and following a short trail through the needlerush, we found ourselves in an open space surrounded by a few short trees.  The wind was blowing hard, with the rain coming sideways through the area.  We could see no viable way to rig tarps for protection from the wind and rain at this site.  A group decision was made to make a run for the Dallus Creek boat launch area, a little more than a mile away up Dallus Creek.  We believed we would be far enough off the gulf to get some shelter from the wind there, and best of all, there were likely to be pavilions to give us some cover from the rain. 

    The sky was overcast as a light rain continued.  Dark came early.  Everyone was exhausted.  We were in our tents shortly after seven o’clock. 

I had learned some important lessons that day.  First, have a back-up plan.  Scott had two, both involving a run up a creek to a powerboat launch site.  And if necessary, we could have holed up at the first island we had reached on our journey across the Gulf.  Second, if the conditions are difficult, but not beyond your capabilities, persistence and consistent effort will get you through.  Scott had correctly bypassed the first back-up point early in our trip because he judged John and I to be strong paddlers, which in fact we are.  However, if we had had to go much further in those conditions, or if we were unable to get warm and dry, things might have gotten more serious.  Finally, it is important to make decisions based on weather and the condition of your companions and not on rules or technicalities.  We never would have survived on Dallus Island.  It was the correct decision to run for the launch point and shelter.  As Scott said, “We’ll stay here.  If there’s a fine, I’ll pay it.”  I’d like to meet the bureaucrat who would fine someone for acting to protect the people he is responsible for. 

So now I sit here in my tent.  Even with the rain, it is the warmest night so far.  I can hear crickets all around me.  In the distance a heron calls.  High in the trees I can hear the wind, much softer than before.  A crescent moon shines through my doorway.  All is quiet and peaceful, so different from a few hours earlier.  Life is good!  I write a bit, think about home and Lisa, then turn out the light and go quickly to sleep.  Tomorrow it’s Steinhatchee, a motel and best of all, a shower and a shave!