Alvarez is near the Gulf

[vanders]

Some of you may remember posting about Carlos' son Dan and his quest to go down the entire Mississippi to Key West...

He is still on this task.

http://www.wwltv.com/eyewitness-morn...183970471.html

[vanders]

If you would like to read more about his adventures...
https://www.facebook.com/PredictablyLost?fref=ts


Godspeed Daniel~ paddle on. You are one of the BEST GATORS in the world.

[northgagator]

This is not an easy journey. The upper Mississippi is very dangerous. There are many sand bars, rocks, snags, and rapids from the headwaters in Minnesota down to Cairo. Also, the entire river down to New Orleans has cross currents from tributaries (like the the Ohio and the Red rivers) and barge traffic.

[vanders]

Originally Posted by northgagator

This is not an easy journey. The upper Mississippi is very dangerous. There are many sand bars, rocks, snags, and rapids from the headwaters in Minnesota down to Cairo. Also, the entire river down to New Orleans has cross currents from tributaries (like the the Ohio and the Red rivers) and barge traffic.

his story is filled with adventure... check out his FB page

[northgagator]

Originally Posted by vanders

his story is filled with adventure... check out his FB page

I read the 11/29/2012 entry.
I like his writing style.
Sort of like bullet points.
Descriptive but brief and to the point.

He is one of the few guys who is living the life of Huck Finn.

Makes me think of how I use to boat/canoe on the St Johns and it tributaries.

[Speedofsand]

I've been keeping up with it on fb. Great blog. He quit screwing around when it got cold and paddled south pretty fast. I've zoomed in on google map and followed along the river. I do that alot myself when scouting kayak fishing trips. I really need to figure out how to register/log in and make some positive comments.

[StrangeGator]

I've crossed the Mighty Mississippi from St. Paul to Minneapolis, from Galena to Dubuque, from Rock Island to Davenport, from East St. Louis to St. Louis, from Memphis to West Memphis and from Baton Rouge to that God forsaken land to the west of there. (Lived in St. Louis during the great flood of '93) It's a different river everywhere you cross it and different in every season. Can't imagine what it would be like to travel the entire length of it.

[northgagator]

Originally Posted by StrangeGator

I've crossed the Mighty Mississippi from St. Paul to Minneapolis, from Galena to Dubuque, from Rock Island to Davenport, from East St. Louis to St. Louis, from Memphis to West Memphis and from Baton Rouge to that God forsaken land to the west of there. (Lived in St. Louis during the great flood of '93) It's a different river everywhere you cross it and different in every season. Can't imagine what it would be like to travel the entire length of it.

I bet that your most dangerous crossing was at East St Louis.

A friend of my had too much to drink one night and pull off the lane on the Interstate onto the grass. From there he passed out. The next morning the cops woke him up. The only reason that they did not run him in was because his car got stripped down and was on four concrete blocks. They told him that he was lucky because the last guy that did that got the same treatment, except that he got his throat cut too.

[StrangeGator]

Originally Posted by northgagator

I bet that your most dangerous crossing was at East St Louis.

A friend of my had too much to drink one night and pull off the lane on the Interstate onto the grass. From there he passed out. The next morning the cops woke him up. The only reason that they did not run him in was because his car got stripped down and was on four concrete blocks. They told him that he was lucky because the last guy that did that got the same treatment, except that he got his throat cut too.

Done that one more times than I can count, either leaving town or heading over to visit my friends in Belleville. There are some nice little towns on the east side. East St. Louis isn't one of them, though it's a little better since the casinos opened up.

My favorite crossings are the ones further north. Spent a week at the Nicolette Island Inn in Minneapolis, literally in the middle of the river just above St. Anthony Falls. That was in mid December and it was almost entirely frozen over. Spent a couple of nights in a hotel in Dubuque overlooking the river. That is a lovely little city. The ski slopes in Galena overlook the river. Never skied there, but it's supposed to be a very dramatic view.

[northgagator]

Strange, my father was from St Louis and Bellville. My wife is from Bunker Hill (just north of Alton). I played a round of Golf at the Olin course. Climbed the Cahokia Indian mounds, cross the Mississippi at the old Eads Bridge in St Louis and the old McKinely bridge at Alton. Saw the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi (impressive sight), seen Lock and Dam 26, saw the Piasa Indian cliff drawings, and took the Great River Rd up to the Illinois River (a real scenic route).

[outbackjack]

I am just finding out about this from this thread.

Is it me, or is this one of the most amazing accomplishments ever done?

4000 miles, outside, fighting water, fatigue, food, animals, shelter....everything we take for granted.

I surely hope he writes a book once this is complete.

That, and I pray for his safe completion.

I assume he's going to stick to the shoreline in the gulf?

[northgagator]

There are two stretches of the Intercostal that they can use.

[toon66]

Originally Posted by northgagator

There are two stretches of the Intercostal that they can use.

He will still have to contend with Florida Bay, though, and that could be a challenge.

[northgagator]

Originally Posted by toon66

He will still have to contend with Florida Bay, though, and that could be a challenge.

Just being out there is a challenge and most likely more.

[toon66]

Originally Posted by northgagator

Just being out there is a challenge and most likely more.

I guess he would hug the coast from Naples around Chokoloskee and past Flamingo to Key Largo. Then connect with the intercoastal there and make his way down. The intercoastal through there is pretty dang cool. Did that on a 17 ft flats boat once. Case of beer and good to go.

[northgagator]

I use to fish the Intercostal from fro Fernadina to almost Daytona. I also fished it around Coco to San Sebastian. This was back in the 60's to the early 80, before the developments moved in. It was like being out in the frontier. The little fish camps resembled outpost out in the wilderness.

[outbackjack]

This is one of the coolest threads I've ever seen on GC. Never has a thread moved me as much as to want to try something, but this one does.

I would never even think of this, but now I want to start planning....even to do a short trip somewhere.

[vanders]

updates from Dan 1.8.13

It may be a bit before I can get to a computer and log onto gatorcountry, so I will tell you that I'm basically going to follow the florida saltwater circumnavigational route the rest of the way. It's going to be a bit of intercoastal and a bit of exposed stuff, then the everglades, then the keys. I don't plan far in advance so that is about all I know! Dan

[gatorsfa]

Saw him at Carlos' pig roast on the first. Daniel is in great spirits and spent most of the night salsaing.

This is his first kayak voyage. He previously hiked major trails. Daniel's greatest prior hike was a solo of the continental divide from Mexican to Canadian border.

Daniel is a kind and decent young man. I hope my own son follows his dreams and is as good a man as Daniel. Good luck to Daniel in this and his many adventures.

[vanders]

^^^^ concur, well said He is a wonderful young man