| Trip Photo Album 11.17.04 We spent 3 days 2 nights out at Graveyard Creek in the Everglades National Park on the 14th-16th this month. Weather forecast were for 20-25 knot winds with gusts at 30 knots. Most of the wind was blocked by our position on the bay and the real forecast winds never showed up. Major tides caused us to miss out on some fishing because the creek dries up at low tide. The many hurricanes which passed by this summer pulled a lot of sand off the mainland and filled in many creeks; while washing many downed trees into the bay. We were lucky enough to arrive during the incoming tide and saw all the new dead trees deposited around the mouth of Graveyard Creek. We had to wait about a half hour or so, anchored up while the tide filled in enough for us to get back into the Creek. Once we did, we met the swarms of mosquitoes, and they were bad. But Steve quickly got a fire pit dug while Everett and Baker got the mosquito coils going. Pretty soon we had most of the swamp angels smoked out of the woods. After we got camp set up, it was time to try and get out to fish. We each caught and released a few trout, but didn't see any other fish. Back at camp, we had a nice surprise. Scott's Action Craft was sitting on dry land due to the extreme low tide. Well, wasn't a complete surprise, with all of the good trees downed from the hurricanes it was very aggravating trying to keep the boats afloat. After getting over the situation and relaxing a bit, we cooked a 5 star Everglades steak dinner along with some camp mash of rice and veggies. Had a few cold ones, re-tied the boats 10 times and called it a night. The next morning the tide again was low, but Scott Baker had stayed up all night thru high tide in order to make sure the Action Craft wouldn't be dry in the morning. So with dead low tide and no way of getting out to fish, Baker went to sleep. Meanwhile, Steve and Everett went out on a crab mission. They gathered some giant blue crabs which Steve cleaned up for dinner that night. The previous evening, Baker's sunglasses somehow managed to slip off and in to the water they went. Well while out crabbing, sure enough at low tide Steve walked back to the point where we push poled the skiff the previous night and found them. When they got back to camp they had plenty of crabs and a very expensive pair of muddy sunglasses. Once we were able to get a skiff out of the creek, we were off towards Harney River. Steve recently put a trolling motor on the Mitzi Skiff so we were able to work the edges and thru the river mouths with relative ease. We only caught a few ladyfish, jacks, small snook and a tough 3 1/2 foot black tip shark. The birds were diving hard on baitfish, and surely spanish mackerel were present. So back to camp before the tide started to fall too far. That night we ate blue crabs and grilled snapper on the barbeque, broke open the rum and put a couple lines out in the creek. We tore up the catfish and the mosquitoes gorged themselves on us. The next day we spent packing gear and waiting for enough water to get out of the creek and head home. Early afternoon we idled out of Graveyard Creek and headed back towards Flamingo, about 27 miles. It's always something when we go camping. This time it was the tide that really got us....photo gallery...more pictures added, and more to come.... S.R.B |
| Graveyard Creek E.N.P 11/17/2004 |
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