Following the great kayaking challenge of 2012, my friends invited me to join them on a paddling day-trip in Manatee Bay, not far from Key Largo.
![nice shoes! nice shoes!](https://chicagoboyz.net/wp-content/uploads/20121007_IMG_7041.jpg)
This time I brought a map, compass, large supply of food and drink, sunscreen, bug spray, extra clothes, toilet paper, etc. Also a more comfortable kayak.
Here is the route. We started at South Dade Marina (a great place to leave your car for a day’s paddling), went SE down the Glades/Aerojet canal, and then followed the dotted lines NE through the shallow lakes and then down to the beach at Short Key.
We hung out at the beach for a few hours and then headed straight back across Manatee Bay with a tailwind. The day’s trip was about 7 miles and one of our group recorded most of it on his GPS.
It was a fun day. Aside from a period on the beach when I ate too much and had to lie down for a while, there was much less adventure on this trip as compared to the last one. This could be good or bad depending on how you look at it.
![mangroves mangroves](https://chicagoboyz.net/wp-content/uploads/20121007_IMG_7038.jpg)
![shallow lakes shallow lakes](https://chicagoboyz.net/wp-content/uploads/20121007_IMG_7039.jpg)
![beach beach](https://chicagoboyz.net/wp-content/uploads/20121007_IMG_7052.jpg)
![crossing Manatee Bay crossing Manatee Bay](https://chicagoboyz.net/wp-content/uploads/20121007_IMG_7084.jpg)
What day was this? I went sailing today in Tampa Bay and there was a breeze — about 16mph steady, gusting a touch over 20. Dark looking clouds in that last picture. Makes me nervous looking at them.
Last Sunday, 10/7. Wind maybe 6-10 from the SE. The dark clouds were a few miles away.
Nice. Last year was an awesome read though.