How to Photograph from a canoe or kayak in the The Everglades
The location
The area of the Everglades that I am most familiar with is the 10,000 Islands. In particular, I’ve spent
the better part of the last three summers with my canoe on or near Chokoloskee Bay (see map below).
During the summer I don’t camp; rather, I take mini day trips with my canoe. In south Florida, most
days are marked by afternoon thunder storms that come in quickly before you know it. To avoid these,
I'm on the water by 6-6:30 am and off by noon. Afterwards, I sometimes head to Havana Café, a
local diner on Chokoloskee Island where you can get the best (always fresh) grouper. They serve it
Cuban-style with the classic rice and black beans. For something new, stop in to Smallwood’s
museum, the old Ted Smallwoods store that sits on the edge of the water at the southwest corner of
Chokoloskee Island. You’ll find a rich display of history and it’s only a few bucks to get in. It’s worth
about an hour of your time if you have never been.
Come November, the temperatures begin to drop to a comfortable level, the bugs are more tolerable
and the summer storms disappear. This is when I begin the camping season. From November until
April, I spend entire weekends on the water in my canoe or kayak. In between these trips, I come out
here for day trips. It is from the canoe that I do most of my photographing. In fact, I learned to use my
SLR cameras on the water. The kayak is different from the canoe in many ways concerning the
logistics of camera equipment use, convenience and maneuverability. Traveling with the kayak on
camping trips has presented different challenges for photographing and I will talk about those in a
different story.
The Everglades is vast and it has two main entrances approximately 100 miles apart. The southern
entrance (head south on the Turnpike toward the keys) near Florida City and Homestead is on the
Ingraham Highway that leads into Flamingo and Florida Bay. The Ten Thousand Islands of the
Everglades, which is my topic here, can be accessed from the northern entrance off Highway 29.
Highway 29 intersects the Tamiami Trail (Highway 41) about 65 miles from Miami. From the Tamiami
Trail you travel about 5 miles into Everglades City, where you will find the park's ranger station. If you
continue past Everglades City and the park's ranger station, you'll cross a bridge into Chokoloskee Island.
The boat
I use a solo canoe for my photography. The advantage of a solo over a tandem canoe is it is easier to
maneuver and it is much lighter (especially when the tandem is holding two people). I've had only one
experience photographing in a tandem while sitting at the bow and frankly, it just doesn't work. The only
way it could work is if the other person is serving only as your engine; but still, you do not have total
control of the boat. Having total control of your boat is essential to photographing from a canoe and the
solo canoe is the only way to do that. You could go out by yourself in a tandem, but you have a
cumbersome boat that is much more difficult to control and maneuver around tight spots.
The other advantage of a light solo canoe is that you can get into very shallow water without getting
stuck. This became very clear to me on Florida Bay near Flamingo, which is essentially a big mud
hole. The mud is like quicksand and you can sink in it up to your hips. This is why you never want to
get stuck. If you do, you have only the option of waiting for an in coming tide, which can take hours.
While on Florida Bay, I drifted along in 1-in water, allowing me close access to a large group of skimmers
and wading birds that were hanging out on a mud bar.
My canoe is a Wenonah Vagabond, made from lightweight Kevlar material. It is 15 1/2 ft in length and
at its widest, it is about 29 inches. This provides me lots of room in the hull for my large pelican case
and other essentials. Not only is the vehicle important but your paddles are crucial to good
photographing as well. I use a very light weight (Kevlar) bent shaft ZRE paddle. When I am
photographing, I sometimes have to paddle some distance to get to my destination, so for that I use a
larger wooden paddle that provides me more power in the stroke. But for easy paddling and when
maneuvering into a position for a photograph, the light weight paddle is perfect. The best part is that it is
silent when passing through the water. This is key to getting close to your subjects.
Accessing the bay from your canoe or kayak
Currently, the best place to launch your boat is from Smallwood's museum on Chokoloskee Island.
There are other locations, however. You can access the 10,000 Islands and Chokoloskee Bay from
either the ranger station in Everglades City or from three locations on Chokoloskee Island. For my day
trips, I never put in at the rangers station for two reasons; it is a mud hole at low tide (which is when I
prefer to get out there) and it is not conveniently located to the areas that I want to explore. I would
have to paddle a couple miles to get to the Chokoloskee Island area of the bay, which is where I find the
best photo opportunities. On the other hand, putting in at the rangers station is free, so if you want to
save ten dollars, this would be the best location. There are oyster beds near the put in, around the
opening of the Baron River and I bet these are good locations for bird photography.
For these day trips, I launch at one of the sites on Chokoloskee Island. There are two marinas
available; Chokoloskee Island Park or Outdoor Resorts. ( By the way, Island Park is the only place for
tent camping in Chokoloskee and Everglades City.) Outdoor Resorts is the first marina you come to
when you get on the island. You can put in on either side of the road. The gulf side (the right side as
you come in) is the best location for getting out into the bay during the morning hours for the best
lighting. The disadvantage of this launch site is that it is a mud hole at low tide. If you put in on the
other side (where you will see a sign for the Wilderness Waterway), you will not have the best lighting
except for shooting pelicans on the docks and you will have to paddle around the south end of the island
to get to the other side, where you will find the best photo opportunities. Outdoor Resorts charges $10
per car for launching from his marina.
Chokoloskee Island Park is further down the road a few hundred yards; make a right just past the
Havana Cafe and another right at JT's restaurant (it is no longer a restaurant; it is now the home base
for Everglades Area Tours). You can't miss it. Chokoloskee Island Park is a great location for launching
and it easy to do even at low tide. The launch charge is $15 per car. In the winter, you'll have to
muscle your way in among the line of powerboats. We sometimes camp here or rent a trailer in the fall
or winter just so we can stay on Chokoloskee for a weekend. It's a fun get-a-way and there are plenty
of places to eat dinner in Everglades City (not on Chokoloskee Island, however). During stone crab
season, we stayed here and bought a couple pounds of crab for dinner at our campsite. If you like to
eat crab, Chokoloskee Island and Everglades City are known for excellent stone crabs.
Recently, the Ted Smallwood's museum has offered it's grounds for canoe and kayak launching. There
is a bit of disagreement among the owner's on the cost of canoe access and/or whether to make it
accessible to canoes and kayaks, so I am not 100% certain as to whether this will continue to be a
launch site or not. It's a bit confusing because it depends on which owner you talk to, but just recently
(February, 2008) we came down here for the day and wanted to launch from Island Park. There were
probably 15 powerboats waiting in line so we decided to check out Smallwood's. It was too early for the
museum to be open so no one was in sight. We left a note on the door to let them know we would be
off the water later that day and would pay them at that time. When we got back, we went inside the
museum to pay and one of the owners was there. After telling him that the other marinas only charge
$10 per car, he decided that was a fair price and did the same for us. We came back in April and the
museum owner again charged us only $10 for our car and 2 canoes. At this time, I would highly
recommend this launch site for a day trip. It is a very easy to get to the water and it does not have the
low tide mud issues the other launch sites have. Plus, it is much closer to where you want to be.
A description of Chokoloskee Bay and the photo opportunities
Below is a map of that area and where I spend almost all of my time. The bay has a couple channels
for powerboats, one coming around the island from the east side toward Rabbit Key and Chokoloskee
Passes and the other coming around the west side of the island toward the passes. The channels are
marked and while in the summer you don't get much boat traffic, always be aware of them. Rarely will
you see a powerboat venture out of a channel; if you do, it's because the driver is unaware of the
numerous oyster bars that make Chokoloskee Bay inaccessible. The fact that power boats cannot
access the bay most of the time is a good thing for a canoeist or kayaker because you pretty much
have the bay to yourself. Of course you must be mindful of the oyster beds. Always be aware of the
tides (in coming or out going). As the tides goes out, a passable area soon becomes one big
unpassable oyster flat.
Typically, summer is not considered an optimal bird photography season for south Florida because
many birds have migrated north for the summer. To the contrary, I was pleasantly surprised in the
months of July and August when I found that Chokoloskee Bay had plenty of birds to choose from;
roseate spoonbills, yellowcrown nightherons, cormorants, brown pelicans, sandwich terns, various gulls,
various shorebirds, osprey, little blue herons, great white egrets, and ibises. With great delight one July
morning when the tide was at its lowest, I found a very large flock of roseate spoonbills on an exposed
oyster bed near Rabbit Key pass, south of Chokoloskee Island (see map). On other days with higher
tides, they could be spotted roosting in nearby mangrove canopies.
I also had the pleasure of learning where I could easily find a great white heron, a rare bird. The white
heron is distinguished from the great white egret by its gray or yellow legs; the egret has black legs. To
spot one of these birds is a treat and I learned after a couple visits to Chokoloskee Bay where this bird
liked to hang out. At low tide, it could be found among several oyster beds and small mangrove trees
that would otherwise be standing in 3-4 ft of water at high tide. This area was behind one of the
mangrove islands that borders the west side of the bay directly west from Chokoloskee Island. At high
tide, the bird could be spotted in a nearby canopy of mangroves.
Come November and December, I found several new bird photo opportunities. The best one being the
flock of white pelicans that reside on the oyster islands where the roseates hang out in the summer. My
best estimation is that there are at least 200 white pelicans that reside here. At low tide, you can get
quite close to them from your boat. Among the white pelicans are some brown pelicans and
cormorants, usually hanging out on the periphery of the large white group. Also in the winter and spring
months I have found oyster catchers on the oyster beds. But my biggest thrill was seeing a couple bald
eagles on the bay. My first photograph of them was when I spotted them on an oyster bed; one of
them was eating a fish. Since then, I have spotted them flying overhead on a few occasions.
I find that the best time to photograph is at low tide when you will find several birds and raccoons
feeding along the exposed oyster beds. Ibises, great blue herons and egrets stick close to the
mangroves, while blackcrown nightherons, oystercatchers, gulls, terns, and roseate spoonbills can be
spotted in the open water areas. You may also see a raccoon out and about feeding on the oyster beds
along the mangrove shorelines. At low tide, you must be very mindful of your surroundings; it is
impossible to pass through some of the islands between the bay and Sandfly Pass which makes
paddling in the area a bit dicey if you don’t want sharp oyster scratches in your hull. To get inside the
labyrinth from Chokoloskee Bay, I prefer an outgoing tide when the water is still high enough. I’ll explore
this area first before the oyster beds get in the way and later head back out into the bay where by now,
several oyster bars will be exposed.
All year long, there are several osprey living near the bay and I could count on seeing them often in the
mangroves and fishing early in the morning. Brown pelicans are also there all year round. In August, I
found several dozen of them residing in a mangrove island near Rabbit Key Pass. August seems to be
the time when many birds come back; that’s when I started seeing more terns, shorebirds and gulls.
Dolphins are also a common sight here, and you can count on them feeding with the tides. On one
occasion, we had just finished loading our boats at Outdoor Resorts on the gulf side of the road. The
tide had gone down considerably by then and it was shallow enough water that one could walk out
several hundred feet without getting their knees wet. All of a sudden, we spotted a couple dolphins that
were working the shallow areas near shore. They would move like torpedoes toward the shore line, and
then suddenly make 180 degree turns. There was a great deal of thrashing and splashing from the two.
If I ever have a day where the birds seemed to be few and far between, I use my time to explore the
area a bit more and spend time drifting closely along the mangroves. I try to challenge my navigational
abilities by trying to identify specific mangrove islands. I've noticed since photographing that I pay
closer attention to my surroundings, like branches hanging over the water, bare canopies or other
landmarks that help me to distinguish one mangrove island from another. This is useful when orienting
yourself in the maze of 10,000 Islands. The mangroves offer some interesting photo opportunities if you
can get past the monotony and pay closer attention to them. In the morning, the sunlight casts golden
tones on the water and the reflections of the mangroves are brilliant. If you allow yourself to move in as
close as possible to the mangroves, you’ll spot little mangrove crabs scuttling along the roots. They are
extremely shy and they seem to like shade better than sunlight, making them very difficult photo
subjects. I have managed to capture some nice shots of the larger red crabs in the creeks along
Biscayne Bay, but not here in Chokoloskee.
The keys to successful photography in this area of the Everglades are patience and a certain skill level
for canoeing or kayaking. If you are mindful of weather conditions, even the most novice canoeist or
kayaker can come out here and photograph. For water conditions, summer mornings are perfect
because there is usually little wind and the power boat traffic is not a problem. If the water does get too
choppy in the bay, you can always head into the labyrinth where there is more wind protection. The
winter months can offer many photo opportunities, but you can have a greater number of windy days
than calm days. While you don’t have the summer storms to contend with, you have some systems
coming down from the north that bring rain and wind for a couple days in a row.
The area of the Everglades that I am most familiar with is the 10,000 Islands. In particular, I’ve spent
the better part of the last three summers with my canoe on or near Chokoloskee Bay (see map below).
During the summer I don’t camp; rather, I take mini day trips with my canoe. In south Florida, most
days are marked by afternoon thunder storms that come in quickly before you know it. To avoid these,
I'm on the water by 6-6:30 am and off by noon. Afterwards, I sometimes head to Havana Café, a
local diner on Chokoloskee Island where you can get the best (always fresh) grouper. They serve it
Cuban-style with the classic rice and black beans. For something new, stop in to Smallwood’s
museum, the old Ted Smallwoods store that sits on the edge of the water at the southwest corner of
Chokoloskee Island. You’ll find a rich display of history and it’s only a few bucks to get in. It’s worth
about an hour of your time if you have never been.
Come November, the temperatures begin to drop to a comfortable level, the bugs are more tolerable
and the summer storms disappear. This is when I begin the camping season. From November until
April, I spend entire weekends on the water in my canoe or kayak. In between these trips, I come out
here for day trips. It is from the canoe that I do most of my photographing. In fact, I learned to use my
SLR cameras on the water. The kayak is different from the canoe in many ways concerning the
logistics of camera equipment use, convenience and maneuverability. Traveling with the kayak on
camping trips has presented different challenges for photographing and I will talk about those in a
different story.
The Everglades is vast and it has two main entrances approximately 100 miles apart. The southern
entrance (head south on the Turnpike toward the keys) near Florida City and Homestead is on the
Ingraham Highway that leads into Flamingo and Florida Bay. The Ten Thousand Islands of the
Everglades, which is my topic here, can be accessed from the northern entrance off Highway 29.
Highway 29 intersects the Tamiami Trail (Highway 41) about 65 miles from Miami. From the Tamiami
Trail you travel about 5 miles into Everglades City, where you will find the park's ranger station. If you
continue past Everglades City and the park's ranger station, you'll cross a bridge into Chokoloskee Island.
The boat
I use a solo canoe for my photography. The advantage of a solo over a tandem canoe is it is easier to
maneuver and it is much lighter (especially when the tandem is holding two people). I've had only one
experience photographing in a tandem while sitting at the bow and frankly, it just doesn't work. The only
way it could work is if the other person is serving only as your engine; but still, you do not have total
control of the boat. Having total control of your boat is essential to photographing from a canoe and the
solo canoe is the only way to do that. You could go out by yourself in a tandem, but you have a
cumbersome boat that is much more difficult to control and maneuver around tight spots.
The other advantage of a light solo canoe is that you can get into very shallow water without getting
stuck. This became very clear to me on Florida Bay near Flamingo, which is essentially a big mud
hole. The mud is like quicksand and you can sink in it up to your hips. This is why you never want to
get stuck. If you do, you have only the option of waiting for an in coming tide, which can take hours.
While on Florida Bay, I drifted along in 1-in water, allowing me close access to a large group of skimmers
and wading birds that were hanging out on a mud bar.
My canoe is a Wenonah Vagabond, made from lightweight Kevlar material. It is 15 1/2 ft in length and
at its widest, it is about 29 inches. This provides me lots of room in the hull for my large pelican case
and other essentials. Not only is the vehicle important but your paddles are crucial to good
photographing as well. I use a very light weight (Kevlar) bent shaft ZRE paddle. When I am
photographing, I sometimes have to paddle some distance to get to my destination, so for that I use a
larger wooden paddle that provides me more power in the stroke. But for easy paddling and when
maneuvering into a position for a photograph, the light weight paddle is perfect. The best part is that it is
silent when passing through the water. This is key to getting close to your subjects.
Accessing the bay from your canoe or kayak
Currently, the best place to launch your boat is from Smallwood's museum on Chokoloskee Island.
There are other locations, however. You can access the 10,000 Islands and Chokoloskee Bay from
either the ranger station in Everglades City or from three locations on Chokoloskee Island. For my day
trips, I never put in at the rangers station for two reasons; it is a mud hole at low tide (which is when I
prefer to get out there) and it is not conveniently located to the areas that I want to explore. I would
have to paddle a couple miles to get to the Chokoloskee Island area of the bay, which is where I find the
best photo opportunities. On the other hand, putting in at the rangers station is free, so if you want to
save ten dollars, this would be the best location. There are oyster beds near the put in, around the
opening of the Baron River and I bet these are good locations for bird photography.
For these day trips, I launch at one of the sites on Chokoloskee Island. There are two marinas
available; Chokoloskee Island Park or Outdoor Resorts. ( By the way, Island Park is the only place for
tent camping in Chokoloskee and Everglades City.) Outdoor Resorts is the first marina you come to
when you get on the island. You can put in on either side of the road. The gulf side (the right side as
you come in) is the best location for getting out into the bay during the morning hours for the best
lighting. The disadvantage of this launch site is that it is a mud hole at low tide. If you put in on the
other side (where you will see a sign for the Wilderness Waterway), you will not have the best lighting
except for shooting pelicans on the docks and you will have to paddle around the south end of the island
to get to the other side, where you will find the best photo opportunities. Outdoor Resorts charges $10
per car for launching from his marina.
Chokoloskee Island Park is further down the road a few hundred yards; make a right just past the
Havana Cafe and another right at JT's restaurant (it is no longer a restaurant; it is now the home base
for Everglades Area Tours). You can't miss it. Chokoloskee Island Park is a great location for launching
and it easy to do even at low tide. The launch charge is $15 per car. In the winter, you'll have to
muscle your way in among the line of powerboats. We sometimes camp here or rent a trailer in the fall
or winter just so we can stay on Chokoloskee for a weekend. It's a fun get-a-way and there are plenty
of places to eat dinner in Everglades City (not on Chokoloskee Island, however). During stone crab
season, we stayed here and bought a couple pounds of crab for dinner at our campsite. If you like to
eat crab, Chokoloskee Island and Everglades City are known for excellent stone crabs.
Recently, the Ted Smallwood's museum has offered it's grounds for canoe and kayak launching. There
is a bit of disagreement among the owner's on the cost of canoe access and/or whether to make it
accessible to canoes and kayaks, so I am not 100% certain as to whether this will continue to be a
launch site or not. It's a bit confusing because it depends on which owner you talk to, but just recently
(February, 2008) we came down here for the day and wanted to launch from Island Park. There were
probably 15 powerboats waiting in line so we decided to check out Smallwood's. It was too early for the
museum to be open so no one was in sight. We left a note on the door to let them know we would be
off the water later that day and would pay them at that time. When we got back, we went inside the
museum to pay and one of the owners was there. After telling him that the other marinas only charge
$10 per car, he decided that was a fair price and did the same for us. We came back in April and the
museum owner again charged us only $10 for our car and 2 canoes. At this time, I would highly
recommend this launch site for a day trip. It is a very easy to get to the water and it does not have the
low tide mud issues the other launch sites have. Plus, it is much closer to where you want to be.
A description of Chokoloskee Bay and the photo opportunities
Below is a map of that area and where I spend almost all of my time. The bay has a couple channels
for powerboats, one coming around the island from the east side toward Rabbit Key and Chokoloskee
Passes and the other coming around the west side of the island toward the passes. The channels are
marked and while in the summer you don't get much boat traffic, always be aware of them. Rarely will
you see a powerboat venture out of a channel; if you do, it's because the driver is unaware of the
numerous oyster bars that make Chokoloskee Bay inaccessible. The fact that power boats cannot
access the bay most of the time is a good thing for a canoeist or kayaker because you pretty much
have the bay to yourself. Of course you must be mindful of the oyster beds. Always be aware of the
tides (in coming or out going). As the tides goes out, a passable area soon becomes one big
unpassable oyster flat.
Typically, summer is not considered an optimal bird photography season for south Florida because
many birds have migrated north for the summer. To the contrary, I was pleasantly surprised in the
months of July and August when I found that Chokoloskee Bay had plenty of birds to choose from;
roseate spoonbills, yellowcrown nightherons, cormorants, brown pelicans, sandwich terns, various gulls,
various shorebirds, osprey, little blue herons, great white egrets, and ibises. With great delight one July
morning when the tide was at its lowest, I found a very large flock of roseate spoonbills on an exposed
oyster bed near Rabbit Key pass, south of Chokoloskee Island (see map). On other days with higher
tides, they could be spotted roosting in nearby mangrove canopies.
I also had the pleasure of learning where I could easily find a great white heron, a rare bird. The white
heron is distinguished from the great white egret by its gray or yellow legs; the egret has black legs. To
spot one of these birds is a treat and I learned after a couple visits to Chokoloskee Bay where this bird
liked to hang out. At low tide, it could be found among several oyster beds and small mangrove trees
that would otherwise be standing in 3-4 ft of water at high tide. This area was behind one of the
mangrove islands that borders the west side of the bay directly west from Chokoloskee Island. At high
tide, the bird could be spotted in a nearby canopy of mangroves.
Come November and December, I found several new bird photo opportunities. The best one being the
flock of white pelicans that reside on the oyster islands where the roseates hang out in the summer. My
best estimation is that there are at least 200 white pelicans that reside here. At low tide, you can get
quite close to them from your boat. Among the white pelicans are some brown pelicans and
cormorants, usually hanging out on the periphery of the large white group. Also in the winter and spring
months I have found oyster catchers on the oyster beds. But my biggest thrill was seeing a couple bald
eagles on the bay. My first photograph of them was when I spotted them on an oyster bed; one of
them was eating a fish. Since then, I have spotted them flying overhead on a few occasions.
I find that the best time to photograph is at low tide when you will find several birds and raccoons
feeding along the exposed oyster beds. Ibises, great blue herons and egrets stick close to the
mangroves, while blackcrown nightherons, oystercatchers, gulls, terns, and roseate spoonbills can be
spotted in the open water areas. You may also see a raccoon out and about feeding on the oyster beds
along the mangrove shorelines. At low tide, you must be very mindful of your surroundings; it is
impossible to pass through some of the islands between the bay and Sandfly Pass which makes
paddling in the area a bit dicey if you don’t want sharp oyster scratches in your hull. To get inside the
labyrinth from Chokoloskee Bay, I prefer an outgoing tide when the water is still high enough. I’ll explore
this area first before the oyster beds get in the way and later head back out into the bay where by now,
several oyster bars will be exposed.
All year long, there are several osprey living near the bay and I could count on seeing them often in the
mangroves and fishing early in the morning. Brown pelicans are also there all year round. In August, I
found several dozen of them residing in a mangrove island near Rabbit Key Pass. August seems to be
the time when many birds come back; that’s when I started seeing more terns, shorebirds and gulls.
Dolphins are also a common sight here, and you can count on them feeding with the tides. On one
occasion, we had just finished loading our boats at Outdoor Resorts on the gulf side of the road. The
tide had gone down considerably by then and it was shallow enough water that one could walk out
several hundred feet without getting their knees wet. All of a sudden, we spotted a couple dolphins that
were working the shallow areas near shore. They would move like torpedoes toward the shore line, and
then suddenly make 180 degree turns. There was a great deal of thrashing and splashing from the two.
If I ever have a day where the birds seemed to be few and far between, I use my time to explore the
area a bit more and spend time drifting closely along the mangroves. I try to challenge my navigational
abilities by trying to identify specific mangrove islands. I've noticed since photographing that I pay
closer attention to my surroundings, like branches hanging over the water, bare canopies or other
landmarks that help me to distinguish one mangrove island from another. This is useful when orienting
yourself in the maze of 10,000 Islands. The mangroves offer some interesting photo opportunities if you
can get past the monotony and pay closer attention to them. In the morning, the sunlight casts golden
tones on the water and the reflections of the mangroves are brilliant. If you allow yourself to move in as
close as possible to the mangroves, you’ll spot little mangrove crabs scuttling along the roots. They are
extremely shy and they seem to like shade better than sunlight, making them very difficult photo
subjects. I have managed to capture some nice shots of the larger red crabs in the creeks along
Biscayne Bay, but not here in Chokoloskee.
The keys to successful photography in this area of the Everglades are patience and a certain skill level
for canoeing or kayaking. If you are mindful of weather conditions, even the most novice canoeist or
kayaker can come out here and photograph. For water conditions, summer mornings are perfect
because there is usually little wind and the power boat traffic is not a problem. If the water does get too
choppy in the bay, you can always head into the labyrinth where there is more wind protection. The
winter months can offer many photo opportunities, but you can have a greater number of windy days
than calm days. While you don’t have the summer storms to contend with, you have some systems
coming down from the north that bring rain and wind for a couple days in a row.
Approaching animals
The key to getting close to animals is stealth, which is extremely difficult from a boat. Once you've spotted an animal from a distance, think about your
approach before heading toward it. Consider the lighting and your tide directions; the best way to approach your subject may not necessarily be the shortest
straight line. You may have to paddle away from the subject first, before coming back toward it in order to take advantage of the tide and/or get the best
lighting. Once you have your route figured out, begin by paddling slowly and silently. Use your paddle as little as possible in order to minimize movement and
sound. If there is no significant current, I usually drift awhile and watch the animal without moving in on it too much. In this situation I put the paddle down
and occasionally do nothing more than place it gently in and at a low angle to the water to maneuver the boat a little. If the current is moving you away from
your subject, it can be a bit tricky and frustrating. If you can anchor, that’s always the best alternative. The key is to be quiet and to minimize movement as
much as possible.
As soon as the animal notices you, it may fly or run away or it may not; this depends on how close you are. On many occasions, I captured yellowcrown
nightherons feeding on bait crab. They generally let me get relatively close (sometimes within 20-25 ft) without being bothered by my presence. Ibises are
similar in that way. To the contrary, the great blue heron that seems to spot a moving canoe a mile away. In the wild (off the boardwalks), the closest I have
been to a great blue heron is no less than 100 feet. I find that the amount of distance I have to keep between my boat and my subject depends on the
subject and what it is doing at the time. If wading birds are feeding, often times you can get relatively close if you stop on occasion and hang out without
moving. The birds will notice you and will move away from you, but often, they will get use to you and eventually come back. The key is to wait them out,
silently. They are hungry and will continue feeding as long as they do not feel threatened by you. If you approach a flock of birds that are simply resting on a
mud flat or oyster bed, one or two of them will notice you and will alert the others by flying away. You may find yourself approaching a flock of 200 white
pelicans but the closer you get, the fewer the number of birds in your sight as they begin to fly or swim away. On these occasions I paddle up to the edge of
the flock's comfort zone; as soon as one or two fly away, I stop and shoot from that position. Please, do not use fear as a means of capturing birds in flight!
Use an anchor when possible
I have been using a stake-out pole instead of an anchor. That seems to work most of the time, but sometimes, I cannot get enough ground to anchor the
pole because of hard oyster shells or it may be too deep for my 4-ft pole. When I can get anchored, the stake-out pole works well. I have a line from bow to
stern on the port side just under the gunnel. At the mid point of the hull, there is a padeye through which the line runs. I connect the stake-out pole’s line with
a carabiner either toward the bow or the stern depending on where I want the boat to drift. If I want to drift forward with the anchor behind me, I connect the
stake-out pole on the stern side behind me, and when I want to drift backwards leaving the anchor in front, I connect it on the bow side.
Although the stake-out pole seems to work well under most conditions, I may begin using an anchor. The reasons for this change is that the stake out pole
does not work under some conditions as mentioned earlier and it requires a fair amount of movement on my part to get the pole in place. Thus, to minimize
my movement and provide me more options, I think I will begin using the anchor. The point of using an anchor is to keep you in one place, whether it’s with
a stake-out pole or an anchor. Sometimes you don’t need an anchor and you can bank yourself in shallow mud or sand. This doesn’t work so well with
oyster bars though. Those sharp shells must be avoided as much as possible. In such cases, it’s often shallow enough that I can plant a foot to hold the
boat in place. If you do that, make sure you are wearing good shoes and are extra careful to avoid those sharp shells.
Keeping your equipment dry
When it comes to your camera equipment, there are several options for keeping it dry. In the canoe, you have plenty of space in front of you and sometimes
right below you (depending on your seating or kneeling position) where you can store your equipment when not in use. I have a 1200 Pelican case that is
only large enough to hold the A100 camera when it is attached to a small zoom lens (75-300mm). I can’t get the larger A700 camera inside the 1200 and the
300mm telephoto lens is twice the length of the case. So for the wide open shots, I bring the smaller camera and lens and keep them in the pelican case.
But, I mostly shoot using the 300mm lens with the teleconverter attached. While loading up the boat, I keep the camera attached to the telephoto inside two
dry bags, tightly sealed. Once I am on the water and ready to shoot, I get the camera out of the bag, and keep it on my lap at all times. For overnight trips,
I store my camera and lens in the dry bags as well.
For the day trips that I take, having the camera on my lap is no problem. As long as the water is relatively calm, my only concern is getting water from the
paddle on the camera. I carry a towel on my lap and use it when necessary. I also have the lens hood on at all times, which adds good protection against
the water spray. An advantage of using a canoe paddle over a kayak paddle is that less water drips on you and your camera. I also wear the neck strap at
all times. If I have to get out of my boat in shallow water, I remove the strap and place the camera back in the dry bag. I once had 15 knot winds with 1-ft
waves and I was carrying two cameras, the A100 and A700 with the telephoto. I had both out on my lap. As long as I perceived total control of my boat, I
did not worry about capsizing. On that day, I avoided the crosswinds and stayed close to the mangrove edges.
Recently, I purchased a Sigma APO 70-210mm lens. I wanted to bring both the Sigma lens and the Minolta 300mm prime lens (with a 1.4X teleconverter
attached) out on the boat. To do that, I needed a larger Pelican case. I purchased the 1500 which is large enough for both cameras and attached lenses,
and not so large that it cannot fit in front of me in the boat. Preferably, I want both cameras set up with their lens hoods in shooting position, but the case I
needed for that was too large for the boat. I compromised and bought a case large enough for both cameras and lenses, but the lens hood cannot be set up
for shooting when inside the case What I do is keep the camera with the Minolta lens on my lap for quick wildlife shots, and keep the other camera and
Sigma lens in the case until I am ready to use it. I just bought a 2X teleconverter for the Sigma lens, making it a 150-420mm zoom. I've been out only one
time with it and will try it a couple more times before I decide if that is the lens I am going to use from now on. I decided a zoom lens with some significant
focal length would make shooting from a canoe easier than the prime lens. Often, I am moving closer to a subject and have gotten too close for a 420mm.
Having a zoom lens will allow me to adjust that length as I move along the water.
One last word, I’ve been to Ft Myers and St Petersburg beaches with my cameras. These are wonderful areas for photographing birds. On the beach, I was
firmly planted on ground but I was more concerned about my camera and lenses than I ever have been in my canoe or kayak. The sand is lethal to a lens
and camera and extra caution must be taken when crawling in sand at eye level with the birds. I’d much rather deal with an occasional salt water droplet than
the amount of sand you come in contact with while photographing on the beach. Of course there is risk of falling into the water from a canoe or kayak, but
the risk is so minimal, I hardly ever have a concern about that. If the water gets rough, I simply put the camera away in safe keeping.
Use continuous focus, getting the right exposure and compositions
Most of the time, you and your boat are moving. When I am spot focusing on a subject, within a half second it will be out of focus as long as my boat is
moving. Using continuous focus takes care of that problem. In continuous focus mode, I am also ready for those frequent flight shots that seem to come out
of nowhere. The disadvantage of using continuous focus is that you must take an extra step to lock your focus when composing a photo. When I am in auto
focus mode, it will automatically lock the focus where I want it and then I can compose the photo. In continuous focus mode, I cannot lock the focus unless I
switch to manual. When I am not moving, I will switch to auto focus. This happens occasionally in shallow waters when my boat is on ground or when I can
put a foot on the ground to steady the boat.
Exposure is a bit tricky when you are on the move. The first step is getting positioned into the right lighting, which requires some paddling finesse and a lot of
patience. I use aperture priority rather than manual when shooting on the water. It's easier for me because I am almost always on the move. Rarely do I
photograph birds that do not have white feathers, so I typically compensate about 2/3 stop and leave it there. Some people believe the only way to
photograph on the water is to use a polarizing filter. My only experience with the filter is with my point & shoot, the Canon Powershot S3. I didn't see any
great advantages with it and it seemed to make my photos go soft as you tend to lose a stop or two with them. Using a lens hood helps prevent glare and I
simply compensate with my exposure. I prefer the water to come out a dark blue while keeping the birds well exposed, so underexposing the surroundings
seems to work well.
The other challenge is getting a straight horizon. This can be corrected with software, but I prefer to minimize the amount of cropping and try to get that
straight line while shooting. When you look on the horizon and you have mangrove shorelines to your left and right converging toward a middle point, it is
quite difficult to make the photo look right when there is really no straight line in front of you. This is one of the challenges when photographing the Ten
Thousand Islands, sometimes, there is no clear horizon line to work with.
Stay comfortable while out there
I already mentioned the type of clothing I wear and that the goal is to protect my skin from bugs, sun and heat. I also like to stay relatively dry, so nylon
clothing is essential for that. My feet will not stay dry for obvious reasons but I always wear rubber-soled water shoes that cover my toes. I do that for 2
reasons; to protect my feet from the sun and to protect them from the oyster shells on the occasion that I step out of the boat. The last thing I want is a
laceration from a nasty sharp oyster shell, it's painful and its full of infection-causing microbes.
I bring a small cooler with me and have a liter or two of water, Gatorade and soda. I eat a couple times throughout the morning and like to have a peanut
butter and jelly sandwich about mid-morning and a Clif bar or TLC granola bar prior to that. Staying hydrated and maintaining your blood glucose are two
important considerations when you are out there paddling for several hours in the hot sun. Remember, low blood sugar and dehydration can cause you to
shake, not conducive to sharp focusing! Remember to reapply your sun screen every couple hours and keep the lip balm on at all times.
One last point, I wear polarized sunglasses, which protect my eyes from the sun but also allows me to see into the water. I have to remove them when
shooting and looking at the LCD screen on the camera; but otherwise, having them is another essential to my comfort while on the water.
This has been my experience thus far. I’m sure I’ll continue to learn many new things with more experience and learning from the experts. There are many
experienced photographers in their canoe or kayak that have exponentially more experience than me. Some of the photographers whose websites that have
been helpful or inspirational to me are:
Bryan Hansel
James Shadle
David McNeely
Philip Tulin
Mike Zurawski
Marek Uliasz (mountain wayfarer)
Mitch Muraski
The key to getting close to animals is stealth, which is extremely difficult from a boat. Once you've spotted an animal from a distance, think about your
approach before heading toward it. Consider the lighting and your tide directions; the best way to approach your subject may not necessarily be the shortest
straight line. You may have to paddle away from the subject first, before coming back toward it in order to take advantage of the tide and/or get the best
lighting. Once you have your route figured out, begin by paddling slowly and silently. Use your paddle as little as possible in order to minimize movement and
sound. If there is no significant current, I usually drift awhile and watch the animal without moving in on it too much. In this situation I put the paddle down
and occasionally do nothing more than place it gently in and at a low angle to the water to maneuver the boat a little. If the current is moving you away from
your subject, it can be a bit tricky and frustrating. If you can anchor, that’s always the best alternative. The key is to be quiet and to minimize movement as
much as possible.
As soon as the animal notices you, it may fly or run away or it may not; this depends on how close you are. On many occasions, I captured yellowcrown
nightherons feeding on bait crab. They generally let me get relatively close (sometimes within 20-25 ft) without being bothered by my presence. Ibises are
similar in that way. To the contrary, the great blue heron that seems to spot a moving canoe a mile away. In the wild (off the boardwalks), the closest I have
been to a great blue heron is no less than 100 feet. I find that the amount of distance I have to keep between my boat and my subject depends on the
subject and what it is doing at the time. If wading birds are feeding, often times you can get relatively close if you stop on occasion and hang out without
moving. The birds will notice you and will move away from you, but often, they will get use to you and eventually come back. The key is to wait them out,
silently. They are hungry and will continue feeding as long as they do not feel threatened by you. If you approach a flock of birds that are simply resting on a
mud flat or oyster bed, one or two of them will notice you and will alert the others by flying away. You may find yourself approaching a flock of 200 white
pelicans but the closer you get, the fewer the number of birds in your sight as they begin to fly or swim away. On these occasions I paddle up to the edge of
the flock's comfort zone; as soon as one or two fly away, I stop and shoot from that position. Please, do not use fear as a means of capturing birds in flight!
Use an anchor when possible
I have been using a stake-out pole instead of an anchor. That seems to work most of the time, but sometimes, I cannot get enough ground to anchor the
pole because of hard oyster shells or it may be too deep for my 4-ft pole. When I can get anchored, the stake-out pole works well. I have a line from bow to
stern on the port side just under the gunnel. At the mid point of the hull, there is a padeye through which the line runs. I connect the stake-out pole’s line with
a carabiner either toward the bow or the stern depending on where I want the boat to drift. If I want to drift forward with the anchor behind me, I connect the
stake-out pole on the stern side behind me, and when I want to drift backwards leaving the anchor in front, I connect it on the bow side.
Although the stake-out pole seems to work well under most conditions, I may begin using an anchor. The reasons for this change is that the stake out pole
does not work under some conditions as mentioned earlier and it requires a fair amount of movement on my part to get the pole in place. Thus, to minimize
my movement and provide me more options, I think I will begin using the anchor. The point of using an anchor is to keep you in one place, whether it’s with
a stake-out pole or an anchor. Sometimes you don’t need an anchor and you can bank yourself in shallow mud or sand. This doesn’t work so well with
oyster bars though. Those sharp shells must be avoided as much as possible. In such cases, it’s often shallow enough that I can plant a foot to hold the
boat in place. If you do that, make sure you are wearing good shoes and are extra careful to avoid those sharp shells.
Keeping your equipment dry
When it comes to your camera equipment, there are several options for keeping it dry. In the canoe, you have plenty of space in front of you and sometimes
right below you (depending on your seating or kneeling position) where you can store your equipment when not in use. I have a 1200 Pelican case that is
only large enough to hold the A100 camera when it is attached to a small zoom lens (75-300mm). I can’t get the larger A700 camera inside the 1200 and the
300mm telephoto lens is twice the length of the case. So for the wide open shots, I bring the smaller camera and lens and keep them in the pelican case.
But, I mostly shoot using the 300mm lens with the teleconverter attached. While loading up the boat, I keep the camera attached to the telephoto inside two
dry bags, tightly sealed. Once I am on the water and ready to shoot, I get the camera out of the bag, and keep it on my lap at all times. For overnight trips,
I store my camera and lens in the dry bags as well.
For the day trips that I take, having the camera on my lap is no problem. As long as the water is relatively calm, my only concern is getting water from the
paddle on the camera. I carry a towel on my lap and use it when necessary. I also have the lens hood on at all times, which adds good protection against
the water spray. An advantage of using a canoe paddle over a kayak paddle is that less water drips on you and your camera. I also wear the neck strap at
all times. If I have to get out of my boat in shallow water, I remove the strap and place the camera back in the dry bag. I once had 15 knot winds with 1-ft
waves and I was carrying two cameras, the A100 and A700 with the telephoto. I had both out on my lap. As long as I perceived total control of my boat, I
did not worry about capsizing. On that day, I avoided the crosswinds and stayed close to the mangrove edges.
Recently, I purchased a Sigma APO 70-210mm lens. I wanted to bring both the Sigma lens and the Minolta 300mm prime lens (with a 1.4X teleconverter
attached) out on the boat. To do that, I needed a larger Pelican case. I purchased the 1500 which is large enough for both cameras and attached lenses,
and not so large that it cannot fit in front of me in the boat. Preferably, I want both cameras set up with their lens hoods in shooting position, but the case I
needed for that was too large for the boat. I compromised and bought a case large enough for both cameras and lenses, but the lens hood cannot be set up
for shooting when inside the case What I do is keep the camera with the Minolta lens on my lap for quick wildlife shots, and keep the other camera and
Sigma lens in the case until I am ready to use it. I just bought a 2X teleconverter for the Sigma lens, making it a 150-420mm zoom. I've been out only one
time with it and will try it a couple more times before I decide if that is the lens I am going to use from now on. I decided a zoom lens with some significant
focal length would make shooting from a canoe easier than the prime lens. Often, I am moving closer to a subject and have gotten too close for a 420mm.
Having a zoom lens will allow me to adjust that length as I move along the water.
One last word, I’ve been to Ft Myers and St Petersburg beaches with my cameras. These are wonderful areas for photographing birds. On the beach, I was
firmly planted on ground but I was more concerned about my camera and lenses than I ever have been in my canoe or kayak. The sand is lethal to a lens
and camera and extra caution must be taken when crawling in sand at eye level with the birds. I’d much rather deal with an occasional salt water droplet than
the amount of sand you come in contact with while photographing on the beach. Of course there is risk of falling into the water from a canoe or kayak, but
the risk is so minimal, I hardly ever have a concern about that. If the water gets rough, I simply put the camera away in safe keeping.
Use continuous focus, getting the right exposure and compositions
Most of the time, you and your boat are moving. When I am spot focusing on a subject, within a half second it will be out of focus as long as my boat is
moving. Using continuous focus takes care of that problem. In continuous focus mode, I am also ready for those frequent flight shots that seem to come out
of nowhere. The disadvantage of using continuous focus is that you must take an extra step to lock your focus when composing a photo. When I am in auto
focus mode, it will automatically lock the focus where I want it and then I can compose the photo. In continuous focus mode, I cannot lock the focus unless I
switch to manual. When I am not moving, I will switch to auto focus. This happens occasionally in shallow waters when my boat is on ground or when I can
put a foot on the ground to steady the boat.
Exposure is a bit tricky when you are on the move. The first step is getting positioned into the right lighting, which requires some paddling finesse and a lot of
patience. I use aperture priority rather than manual when shooting on the water. It's easier for me because I am almost always on the move. Rarely do I
photograph birds that do not have white feathers, so I typically compensate about 2/3 stop and leave it there. Some people believe the only way to
photograph on the water is to use a polarizing filter. My only experience with the filter is with my point & shoot, the Canon Powershot S3. I didn't see any
great advantages with it and it seemed to make my photos go soft as you tend to lose a stop or two with them. Using a lens hood helps prevent glare and I
simply compensate with my exposure. I prefer the water to come out a dark blue while keeping the birds well exposed, so underexposing the surroundings
seems to work well.
The other challenge is getting a straight horizon. This can be corrected with software, but I prefer to minimize the amount of cropping and try to get that
straight line while shooting. When you look on the horizon and you have mangrove shorelines to your left and right converging toward a middle point, it is
quite difficult to make the photo look right when there is really no straight line in front of you. This is one of the challenges when photographing the Ten
Thousand Islands, sometimes, there is no clear horizon line to work with.
Stay comfortable while out there
I already mentioned the type of clothing I wear and that the goal is to protect my skin from bugs, sun and heat. I also like to stay relatively dry, so nylon
clothing is essential for that. My feet will not stay dry for obvious reasons but I always wear rubber-soled water shoes that cover my toes. I do that for 2
reasons; to protect my feet from the sun and to protect them from the oyster shells on the occasion that I step out of the boat. The last thing I want is a
laceration from a nasty sharp oyster shell, it's painful and its full of infection-causing microbes.
I bring a small cooler with me and have a liter or two of water, Gatorade and soda. I eat a couple times throughout the morning and like to have a peanut
butter and jelly sandwich about mid-morning and a Clif bar or TLC granola bar prior to that. Staying hydrated and maintaining your blood glucose are two
important considerations when you are out there paddling for several hours in the hot sun. Remember, low blood sugar and dehydration can cause you to
shake, not conducive to sharp focusing! Remember to reapply your sun screen every couple hours and keep the lip balm on at all times.
One last point, I wear polarized sunglasses, which protect my eyes from the sun but also allows me to see into the water. I have to remove them when
shooting and looking at the LCD screen on the camera; but otherwise, having them is another essential to my comfort while on the water.
This has been my experience thus far. I’m sure I’ll continue to learn many new things with more experience and learning from the experts. There are many
experienced photographers in their canoe or kayak that have exponentially more experience than me. Some of the photographers whose websites that have
been helpful or inspirational to me are:
Bryan Hansel
James Shadle
David McNeely
Philip Tulin
Mike Zurawski
Marek Uliasz (mountain wayfarer)
Mitch Muraski
Map and compass
There’s a reason why this area is called The Ten Thousand Islands. Not only are there 10,000 islands
(give or take), one mangrove island doesn’t look much different from the next at first glance. I
recommend you don’t even try coming out here without a map and compass if you want to do any
amount of exploring. You could get away with staying in the bay and always being in eye shot of
Chokoloskee Island, but you may miss some great opportunities if you confine yourself to that. If you
use GPS, that’s fine. I recommend studying a marine map before going out there to get your bearings
and to make notes of shoal locations, certain landmarks or areas that you might explore. The hurricanes
of 2005 have shifted some shoals around, so it's always a good idea to have an updated marine chart
handy. It’s also a good idea to get compass bearings on routes you may take. Since the evolution of
GPS, more people are out there exploring the 10,000 Islands than ever before (for better or worse), but
it still takes preparation to avoid the easy opportunity of getting lost. Purchase #41 waterproof chart
from the website: http://waterproofcharts.com/florida.html.
Know your tides
The best time to be on Chokoloskee Bay is at or near low tide. I particularly like a low tide about 1 hr or
so after I launch, meaning there is an outgoing tide for about an hour. This gives me the time to explore
inside the mangrove islands before too many oyster beds are exposed making some of the openings
impassable. At low tide early in the morning, the birds will be out feeding on the oyster shells like
clockwork. You can check the tides beforehand by going to the following website: http://www.
saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/floridagulfsites.html. From this website, look for Chokoloskee on the
Florida gulf coast list. Here’s an example of what you will find:
Tides for Chokoloskee starting with October 10, 2007
Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon
/Low Time Feet Sunset Visible
W 10 High 2:10 AM 3.3 7:22 AM Rise 6:49 AM 1
10 Low 9:41 AM 0.3 7:03 PM Set 6:39 PM
10 High 2:54 PM 3.4
10 Low 9:57 PM 0.7
There’s a reason why this area is called The Ten Thousand Islands. Not only are there 10,000 islands
(give or take), one mangrove island doesn’t look much different from the next at first glance. I
recommend you don’t even try coming out here without a map and compass if you want to do any
amount of exploring. You could get away with staying in the bay and always being in eye shot of
Chokoloskee Island, but you may miss some great opportunities if you confine yourself to that. If you
use GPS, that’s fine. I recommend studying a marine map before going out there to get your bearings
and to make notes of shoal locations, certain landmarks or areas that you might explore. The hurricanes
of 2005 have shifted some shoals around, so it's always a good idea to have an updated marine chart
handy. It’s also a good idea to get compass bearings on routes you may take. Since the evolution of
GPS, more people are out there exploring the 10,000 Islands than ever before (for better or worse), but
it still takes preparation to avoid the easy opportunity of getting lost. Purchase #41 waterproof chart
from the website: http://waterproofcharts.com/florida.html.
Know your tides
The best time to be on Chokoloskee Bay is at or near low tide. I particularly like a low tide about 1 hr or
so after I launch, meaning there is an outgoing tide for about an hour. This gives me the time to explore
inside the mangrove islands before too many oyster beds are exposed making some of the openings
impassable. At low tide early in the morning, the birds will be out feeding on the oyster shells like
clockwork. You can check the tides beforehand by going to the following website: http://www.
saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/floridagulfsites.html. From this website, look for Chokoloskee on the
Florida gulf coast list. Here’s an example of what you will find:
Tides for Chokoloskee starting with October 10, 2007
Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon
/Low Time Feet Sunset Visible
W 10 High 2:10 AM 3.3 7:22 AM Rise 6:49 AM 1
10 Low 9:41 AM 0.3 7:03 PM Set 6:39 PM
10 High 2:54 PM 3.4
10 Low 9:57 PM 0.7
The distance of the perimeter is about 4.8 miles. Outdoor Resorts marina is at the north end of
Chokoloskee Island where the road from Everglades City enters the island. Ted Smallwood's museum is
near the far south corner of Chokokoskee Island, near the Piles. Rabbit Key pass runs south between
the brown pelicans and the roseates.
Chokoloskee Island where the road from Everglades City enters the island. Ted Smallwood's museum is
near the far south corner of Chokokoskee Island, near the Piles. Rabbit Key pass runs south between
the brown pelicans and the roseates.
Using a stake-out pole as an anchor is a useful technique when
photographing. The canoe is a Wenonah Vagabond, a 15 ft'
plastic solo canoe , about 29 inches at its widest point, perfect for
photographing.
photographing. The canoe is a Wenonah Vagabond, a 15 ft'
plastic solo canoe , about 29 inches at its widest point, perfect for
photographing.
In 2005, hurricane Wilma destroyed much of Chokoloskee Islands
man-made structures, including a dock in front of Chokoloskee
Island Park marina overlooking the bay. These pilings are
commonly covered with pelicans and gulls.
man-made structures, including a dock in front of Chokoloskee
Island Park marina overlooking the bay. These pilings are
commonly covered with pelicans and gulls.
Navigating through the mangrove islands can be fun and a bit
tricky. Carry a map and compass with you.
tricky. Carry a map and compass with you.
The numerous oyster shell beds challenge your canoeing skills but
can also provide you many photo opportunities when the birds are
feeding at low tide. Watch for those sharp shells sticking out of
the water!
can also provide you many photo opportunities when the birds are
feeding at low tide. Watch for those sharp shells sticking out of
the water!
A yellowcrown nightheron and human fishing the oyster beds.
Chokoloskee Bay is a popular fishing area for kayak/canoe
fishermen.
Chokoloskee Bay is a popular fishing area for kayak/canoe
fishermen.
In the summer, storm clouds began to form
before noon. Always keep an eye on the sky.
before noon. Always keep an eye on the sky.
The roseate spoonbill island, near Rabbit Key pass. In the winter,
white pelicans reside here. At higher tides, the birds can be seen
in the mangrove canopies, shown here in the background.
white pelicans reside here. At higher tides, the birds can be seen
in the mangrove canopies, shown here in the background.
In the morning, osprey can be spotted flying over the water hunting
for food. You'll notice at least 2 or 3 resting in the mangroves on
any given morning.
for food. You'll notice at least 2 or 3 resting in the mangroves on
any given morning.
Brown pelicans are a very common site on Chokoloskee Bay; they
offer many flight shot opportunities and will pose in interesting
ways for you when resting on the dock pilings.
offer many flight shot opportunities and will pose in interesting
ways for you when resting on the dock pilings.
| All Rights Reserved. Copyright Constance Mier, 2007-08 |
Summer storms, the no-see-ums and the heat
It always feels cooler when you are on the water but the summer days can be very hot and humid
here. Subtract any amount of breeze and it can be miserable by late morning, even when you are in
the middle of the bay. If you are doing this in the summer, plan on getting out on the water at sunrise
and be off the water by noon. As often as I have been coming here in the summer, I have never been
rained on because I watch the sky closely and head back when I see the storm clouds getting closer
and darker. Likewise in the summer, you typically have less of a breeze which means more opportunity
for no-see-ums. You generally don’t have a problem with them while on the water, but get close to the
mangroves and they will be there more often than not. Rarely have I run into them on the open water.
Where they do let their presence known is at the launch site, so be prepared when unloading your boat
and gear. I use Deet, but I never spray directly on my skin. I always wear long sleeves, a bandana to
cover my neck, long pants and shoes to cover my feet. I wear quick drying nylon clothing and always
have a couple of pockets to stash lip balm and a lens cloth. The nylon (fishing clothing) keeps me
cooler, and protects me from the sun and the bugs. Likewise, I always wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Sunscreen is essential and I usually am good about re-applying after a few hours. The lip balm also
offers sun protection. I also am in constant communication with my fishing partner. We both carry VHF
radios. The drawback to having the radio on at all times is the occasional noise that comes out of the
speaker. This has been a cause for scaring a photo subject or two.
Work the currents or let the current (and the wind) do the work for you
Be mindful of the direction of the current and the wind, and set up your photo opportunities accordingly.
This is a bit tricky to describe, but I’ll use one example (see diagram below). After putting in I
immediately head south along Chokoloskee Island toward Rabbit and Chokoloskee passes. I spot the
oyster bed where the white pelicans are residing. I know that the tidal current is heading west so I stay
about 200 ft east of the pelicans. Before getting directly in line with the birds I stop paddling and get my
camera ready. By the way, the morning sunrise is perfectly located to my back as I direct the bow of
my canoe in the direction of the pelicans and start drifting forward with the current. I’ve allowed myself
enough distance so I have time to get my camera ready as the current brings me closer to the birds. I
line up the canoe so that I don’t drift directly toward the skittish birds, but off about 20 or so feet so that I
can drift at a comfortable distance. As soon as I am close enough, I start shooting while the canoe
continues to move. When possible, I anchor. The entire time I am drifting, I don’t use my paddle
except for changing directions ever so slightly.
When you are working with the current, always get into a position that provides you the best lighting.
Using the diagram below as a reference, what would I do if the current was heading in an easterly
direction? Because I want the sun to my back when I am shooting birds on the water, this time I would
line myself up north by northwest of the bird and paddle directly south until I reach a comfortable
distance. Then I would allow the current to drift my boat backward, not an ideal situation. This is when
anchoring would be the best option. As a rule, if the tide current is taking me away from my subject, I
anchor if possible.
Sometimes you have the wind that overrides the tidal current. If that’s the case, you will likely have
choppy water as well, making photographing very difficult. My Sony cameras have excellent built-in
image stabilizers and this has been a godsend for these conditions. I typically avoid those days when
the wind will be greater than 10-15 knots. Except for one or two occasions out of about 15 trips this
summer, wind has not been an issue or concern.
It always feels cooler when you are on the water but the summer days can be very hot and humid
here. Subtract any amount of breeze and it can be miserable by late morning, even when you are in
the middle of the bay. If you are doing this in the summer, plan on getting out on the water at sunrise
and be off the water by noon. As often as I have been coming here in the summer, I have never been
rained on because I watch the sky closely and head back when I see the storm clouds getting closer
and darker. Likewise in the summer, you typically have less of a breeze which means more opportunity
for no-see-ums. You generally don’t have a problem with them while on the water, but get close to the
mangroves and they will be there more often than not. Rarely have I run into them on the open water.
Where they do let their presence known is at the launch site, so be prepared when unloading your boat
and gear. I use Deet, but I never spray directly on my skin. I always wear long sleeves, a bandana to
cover my neck, long pants and shoes to cover my feet. I wear quick drying nylon clothing and always
have a couple of pockets to stash lip balm and a lens cloth. The nylon (fishing clothing) keeps me
cooler, and protects me from the sun and the bugs. Likewise, I always wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Sunscreen is essential and I usually am good about re-applying after a few hours. The lip balm also
offers sun protection. I also am in constant communication with my fishing partner. We both carry VHF
radios. The drawback to having the radio on at all times is the occasional noise that comes out of the
speaker. This has been a cause for scaring a photo subject or two.
Work the currents or let the current (and the wind) do the work for you
Be mindful of the direction of the current and the wind, and set up your photo opportunities accordingly.
This is a bit tricky to describe, but I’ll use one example (see diagram below). After putting in I
immediately head south along Chokoloskee Island toward Rabbit and Chokoloskee passes. I spot the
oyster bed where the white pelicans are residing. I know that the tidal current is heading west so I stay
about 200 ft east of the pelicans. Before getting directly in line with the birds I stop paddling and get my
camera ready. By the way, the morning sunrise is perfectly located to my back as I direct the bow of
my canoe in the direction of the pelicans and start drifting forward with the current. I’ve allowed myself
enough distance so I have time to get my camera ready as the current brings me closer to the birds. I
line up the canoe so that I don’t drift directly toward the skittish birds, but off about 20 or so feet so that I
can drift at a comfortable distance. As soon as I am close enough, I start shooting while the canoe
continues to move. When possible, I anchor. The entire time I am drifting, I don’t use my paddle
except for changing directions ever so slightly.
When you are working with the current, always get into a position that provides you the best lighting.
Using the diagram below as a reference, what would I do if the current was heading in an easterly
direction? Because I want the sun to my back when I am shooting birds on the water, this time I would
line myself up north by northwest of the bird and paddle directly south until I reach a comfortable
distance. Then I would allow the current to drift my boat backward, not an ideal situation. This is when
anchoring would be the best option. As a rule, if the tide current is taking me away from my subject, I
anchor if possible.
Sometimes you have the wind that overrides the tidal current. If that’s the case, you will likely have
choppy water as well, making photographing very difficult. My Sony cameras have excellent built-in
image stabilizers and this has been a godsend for these conditions. I typically avoid those days when
the wind will be greater than 10-15 knots. Except for one or two occasions out of about 15 trips this
summer, wind has not been an issue or concern.
These oyster shell-encrusted dock pilings serve as a resting spot
for brown pelicans and royal terns. These are located a few
hundred feet from Smallwoods museum.
for brown pelicans and royal terns. These are located a few
hundred feet from Smallwoods museum.
A view of Ted Smallwood's Store museum, located on the south
west corner of Chokoloskee Island. It's also a great place to
launch a canoe or kayak.
west corner of Chokoloskee Island. It's also a great place to
launch a canoe or kayak.
The great white heron in its usual feeding area. Notice the oyster
shells sticking out of the water, typical scene at low tide.
shells sticking out of the water, typical scene at low tide.
Chokoloskee Outdoor Resorts has several docks along the
eastern side of Chokoloskee Island. In the morning, you have the
best light to capture close ups of the brown pelicans. On the west
side of the island, Chokoloskee Island Park marina has several old
dock pilings where you can find gulls, terns, and pelicans.
eastern side of Chokoloskee Island. In the morning, you have the
best light to capture close ups of the brown pelicans. On the west
side of the island, Chokoloskee Island Park marina has several old
dock pilings where you can find gulls, terns, and pelicans.
The white pelicans reside on the oyster islands near Chokoloskee
Pass. At best guess, there are at least 200 of them living in the
bay from November until March.
Pass. At best guess, there are at least 200 of them living in the
bay from November until March.
The size difference between white and brown pelicans are not
evident until you see them together. I use to think brown pelicans
were imrpressive in size.
evident until you see them together. I use to think brown pelicans
were imrpressive in size.
White ibises are commonly found feeding along the shallow
shorelines of oyster beds and mangroves. This is a juvenile white
ibis.
shorelines of oyster beds and mangroves. This is a juvenile white
ibis.
Raccoons can be spotted on the oyster beds where they dig for
marine edibles.
marine edibles.
