Day 4

The gang arrived at our house at about 3:00pm. Here is a link to the photos they have taken so far photo slideshow

Jay

Hello everyone! The trip has been quite an experience so far. Early morning stars, not knowing the time, food rationing, bad thoughts,good thoughts, good laughs, beautiful landscapes,getting camp set up together, and cracker-&-peanut-filled burritos for dinner:) Yea it is hard work, but it's so worth the experience. It's a whole new world out here. Overall and so far, I love it. -Stephen p.s. We really appreciate the support!

Hey everyone brandon here. So were at the end of day 3 and were all alive and in good spirits. I just want to thAnk my friends and family for all the amazing support. I received a very encouraging text today! Unfortunately I haven't been able to take many photos because ive been paddling so much but we're making great progress. we should be arriving in debary
tomorrow so hopefully I'll get to see some familiar faces for New Years. Shalom Alchiem -Brandon

Wow what an experience it has been so far. I feel like I have done so much and it's only day 3! This trip definitely has it's ups and it's downs, however that is what makes it an experience. I've seen so much beauty that the st. Johns has to offer and we have only reached the middle basin. Tomorrow well be heading into river bluff so I'm really excited about that. Hopefully it won't be too tempting hahaha. Well, I'm off to slumberville, I'll talk to you guys soon!

-Jesse

Day 3

Today was crazy, but we did awesome! We passed through the southern labyrinth with hardly any navigational errors. We passed the jolly gator where we stopped last trip and are about half way through lake harney, on this sweet strip of beach. Tomorrow is gonna be about 33 miles or so, and we're hoping to be to riverbluff sometime tomorrow. Tired but in good spirits. -daniel

Day 2

Long day today! We ended up going 7and a half miles farther this day than we did on the last trip, so we're inside the southern labyrinth. Wind wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday, and we were able to cross washington, winder and poinsett without much trouble. Tomorrow We'll try to cross through the remainder of the labyrinth and end somewhere around the jolly gator marina. I'll text again from there. Goodnight!

Day 1

We made it! We got about 2-3 miles ahead of where we stopped last time, so that's good! Really rough day though, lots of wind! I an really beat but the whole crew did great, i'm really impressed. Big day tomorrow, I'll write more then. Goodnight! -daniel

Successful start of trip

I dropped off the guys this morning at blue cypress lake and they got on the water at about 6:30am. It looks like good weather for at least the next few days. Daniel is planning to post short entries daily from his cell phone.

Jay

Yikes

Hey everyone, Jesse here. I can't believe its finally here! All these months of planning will finally be put to the test. Am I ready for this? I'm not sure ha ha ha! I have no idea what to expect; however, I do know that this will be the experience of a lifetime. Being out in the Florida wild is going to be absolutely amazing! I'm so grateful for everything I have and I know that this trip will only make life much more fulfilling. These lads that I will be paddling with are a great set of guys and I'm sure we will have countless memories to share. Well folks, I must be heading to bed, I have to be up in a few hours. We will talk to you soon, adios! :D

-Jesse (Wing of Falcon)

Want to Leave Civilization...?

The time is upon us (hit the epic music)! Can't believe we've actually arrived at the last day before the trip! Today we'll be getting our canoes to Riverbluff and figuring out exactly how our gear is going to fit in these things; better to get a system down now than at 3am when we have to leave tomorrow morning, right? We'll also do some last minute consolidation with gear, for instance, if we all brought a big tube of toothpaste or everyone brought a large flashlight, we could purge some of that since we only need one or two. I'm hoping to at least shave a few pounds off our load by the time we're actually set to go.

I'd like to change the tone a bit now,if I may, and share a little something that's been on my mind lately. You know, we so often think of human civilization as being true reality; about it encompassing everything and everyone, the ALL IN ALL, but that's actually not true. Besides actual physical structures like roads and buildings, many of the fundamental pillars that drive civilization--a sense of security, a sense of power and control over one's life through money--aren't really there at all; they are illusions that we accept as truth. The key to keeping people believing these things is to impart the sense that human civilization is strong; that it has power over the natural world; that it's something that can be trusted.

But it's not. Look behind the scenes; look a little more carefully and you'll notice that the artificial world we have created must be constantly maintained to keep the natural world from engulfing it. Leave a house or road or car unattended for a few years and watch what happens; not only does the natural world swallow it but, given enough time, even the houses and roads and cars themselves crumble, fall apart, and eventually return to their natural state! The irony in this is darn near poetic! This civilization we have built is not strong at all! It's a flimsy curtain masking a single, certain truth; we DO NOT have control.

Want to leave civilization? It's actually quite easy: YOU GIVE UP CONTROL. When you boil everything down and get rid of all the fluff, that's really what civilization comes down to, right? CONTROL. Humans are not equipped--aren't wise enough, strong enough, big enough--for this task, no matter how you slice it. We aren't designed to carry that kind of burden. That being said, there's a very interesting thing that happens to a human being who finally surrenders that control over their life: they become truly free.

Think about it, cause it really makes sense: once you give up the rights to your very life, from the food you eat to the next breath you take; if you have literally faced and reckoned with your own death, what's left to worry about, what's left to fear? Nothing, folks; the answer is nothing. When you take each moment of your life, not as wages earned, but as a gift that's given, then you've arrived in a place where you can experience what life is actually about.

Hopefully this unveils the ultimate motivations that are driving me to take this trip, but more than that I hope it conveys that you don't need to row three-hundred miles to find peace with your life. That's found in surrender; an attitude and a way of being that can be manifested anywhere, anytime.

-Daniel

Farewell, farewell, my backwards world
For all your riches scrambling
I’m bourn away by River’s shore
My own life I am gambling
To wild places not confined
By cold and lifeless walls
Let water wash away your lies
Divorce me from your fall

Farewell, farewell, you heartless lot
Hard bound in slavery
Machines has money made of you
And stole humanity
I pity you well-civilized
For your reward has come
In concrete, plastic, steel and glass
You make your lifeless home

Farewell, farewell society
You cardboard prop of old
Behind you lie the countless killed
To line men’s chests with gold
Farewell you artificial world
I’m going to be free
In places where my heart finds rest
In places far from thee.

-Daniel

dried apricots

Greetings! This is Stephen, and this is my first post on here. This will be the first time ever that I grab the food and clothes that I can carry on my back and leave society for several days. From the family and friends I've talked to, most of them think of this trip as some kind of extremity. Even though we live in a time where it's common for people to rarely go camping, or even never leave the busy streets and shopping malls, I think that we should all be reminded, atleast every so often, that the natural world is probably the most beautiful thing that a human being can experience. I'm glad I have a canoe so that I can have the ability to go explore the natural world. And I'm glad that I'll be experiencing it with three friends who are ready to have a great time together. Surely I will learn a lot from this and memories will be made.

-Chief Sacajawea

Hey everyone, it's Brandon! Just wanted to say hey, and let everyone know that we're merely just over a week away from our launch and we're all getting really excited!! Today me and the guys went grocery shopping together to get most of the rest of what we need to complete our packing. Daniel has immense experience packing, as well as the rest of us being (former UPS employee's, Boy Scouts, and minimalists), so we take great care and detail into packing our gear into the smallest space possible. I posted this poorly done video to show everyone Daniel's gear being packed, and to see kinda what's going on in our heads right now. We will be updating almost daily soon, so keep checking back!

Normal guys...

The four of us all had a meeting this past Friday to go over the last gear that we had left to buy. This coming Friday we'll go out together and grab all of our food for the trip (I'll give a break-down of what we're bringing when I bring it all back home). I haven't written in a while because I am SUPER busy at work! On that note, I want to really drive home the fact that all four of us are regular guys; we don't spend our every waking hour out on the River doing extreme kayaking/canoeing feats. We go to work, we've got bills and commitments just like everyone else. But that just goes to show you what people are capable of when they put their minds to something.

I haven't had too much time to really think about the trip at all this last week, but I can't wait for it to get here. After all the hussle and bussle of the Christmas season, it's gonna be so awesome to leave all the noise behind and loose myself in nature once again!

I've also had some interest from a few people concerning what kind of gear we are bringing, so I think that as the trip gets closer, I may just go ahead and list everything that we're bringing along, to give you all a good idea of what we've got to work with. Stay tuned!

-Daniel

Salutations...

Hi friends and readers! This is Brandon and this just happens to be my first posting on the blog. I’ve been canoeing with the Riverbluff League for some years now, and it’s about time I stepped it up and started talking about why I ride the waters. Today I really just wanted to come on here and express the sheer excitement and anticipation I have for this upcoming trip. After witnessing one of my closest friends Daniel, cross the entire St. Johns in 9 days, and mostly by himself it got me to thinking… What are the limits of a person? Physically and mentally? Is it really possible that someone in the right shape and mind set can accomplish such a feat? None of the four of us going are Olympians by a long shot, but I believe we all possess the spirit of adventure and determination to do something as daunting as this. Just this summer I had arthroscopic surgery on my right shoulder and was pretty much incapacitated for over two months. Looking back, just the preparation for this canoe trip has made me a better person. Just a few months ago I could hardly lift the groceries, but through training and the help of my friends I feel like I can climb a mountain. My mind is sharp and these have been some of the best months of my life. That being said, this voyage is going to be easily the most difficult thing I have ever been crazy enough to see through. Canoeing might seem like fun recreation to many, but if you’ve been on the water for more than a day or two, you know what the risks are. Considering the time of the year and distance we’re traveling there’s plenty of time for the elements, hardships, accidents, and the fear of death. The benefits of completing such an adventure far outweigh the possible downsides though. No matter the cost, the experience to be completely immersed into nature, just me, the paddle, and the earth we come from, are alone tugging at my heart until the day we depart.

-Brandon

Goodbye, David

Just yesterday, my good friend and one of Riverbluff's greatest canoers/kayakers, David Heath, left for the Marines. As most of you know from our previous trip, David wasn't able to travel the entire St. Johns with me in March due to a shoulder injury. He was hoping to finish up the four more days he missed on the River before he left, but didn't get the chance. But who knows? Perhaps he'll have the opportunity again in time. Good luck, David; you'll be missed, my friend!

Elements...

Today is exactly the kind of day we're hoping we won't get on the trip coming up: cold and rainy. There is a worse kind of day, though, which all kayakers and canoers know; cold, rainy AND windy. This triple combo can really mess up your day! Traveling on the water cold and wet all day, plus being chilled by wind, can get you sick, so we're taking some precautions.

We're all getting a rainsuit (jacket and pants) that is completely waterproof and windproof, and as a plus just also happens to insulate. Triple-threat clothes for triple-threat weather! I picked mine up for $10 the other day, and gave it the best run-through test I could at the time: I put it on over my clothes and went in the shower with the water turned all the way cold! I only had a t-shirt and shorts on under it, but still stayed quite warm and dry. Oh, and this particular rain jacket has a waterproof hoodie as well; BIG PLUS!

One other waterproof item is a must; rubber boots. Good ol' cheapo rubber boots will work great to both keep out the cold and the water around our feet, and the rainproof pants can pull right over the tops of them. An extra item that I'm still debating on is waterproof gloves of some kind, though I wouldn't say that they're an absolute necessity.

Now, one problem with cheaper waterproof gear is most of the time they tend to insulate too much. The plasticy material that they're made our of keeps water and wind out because it pretty much keeps everything out. It also keeps everything IN on the inside, including your body heat, so that after a while it can feel like a sauna! Why not just buy some breathable waterproof gear, you might ask? There are two reasons: 1) all four of us are pretty much totally broke, and 2) we enjoy doing stuff with everyday, "average Joe" kind of gear, just to prove that the gear doesn't make the man, the man makes the gear. We might get a little sweaty,sure, but if we do end up putting on the gear mentioned above, then chances are that the weather is pretty nasty, and sweating would be preferred as opposed to facing the elements directly.

Quite honestly, I can't wait to be back on the River again! We've been planning this trip since summer of this year, and now that we're within a month of the start date, I'm definitely getting antsy!

Nature...

What is it about nature that draws us so much? This is a question that I ask myself almost daily. Maybe it's because in nature we find something very similar to ourselves; something that is living, moving, striving to grow to its full potential. In nature we find the unpredictability that is so characteristic of life, and with that unpredictability a sense of newness, of fresh beginnings, of freedom. These are things that many times are completely opposed to the artificial world in which we live. In our artificial world that we have created, everything is lifeless. TVs, microwaves, toasters, computers, cell phones; these things can't grow, they can't improve. Yet these are the things that we now use--that we now RELY ON--to exist.

Humans were made from the earth, and so they belong with the earth. I think that being out in nature connects us to something greater and more transcendent than ourselves; to that Source of life from which all life stems, from each blade of grass to every human. By our very nature, I believe we long for nature, because it reveals to us a part of ourselves.

-Daniel

The Blind, Deaf Stone...

There is a quote that I heard from Primo Levi, which says, "I also know how important it is in life...to measure yourself at least once, to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing blind, deaf stone alone, with nothing to help you but your own hands and your own head..." When I first heard this quote, I didn't really think much of it, but in light of the many adventures I have had in the last several years, the true depth of these words has begun to sink in, and I think now I am beginning to understand them. There is a reason Levi chose the specific descriptions that he used. A stone is blind and deaf; in short, completely inanimate. How can you put on a show for such an audience; how can you make up some clever story to cover up mistakes or shortcomings? How can you reason your way out of a challenge, to get your audience to agree with you that, yes, there was nothing more that could be done on your part? You can't.

The "most ancient of human conditions" that Levi is speaking of is that place where we are faced with a great trial, and must find the strength within ourselves to overcome. When your only audience is a blind, deaf stone, you suddenly realize that there is no one else to blame; no one else to manipulate or persuade. YOU either rise to the task, or YOU fail.

Interestingly enough, it seems that "success" is judged here, not so much in respect to one's ability to wholly complete or not complete a specific task, but rather in one's ability to come to terms with themselves; to release blame and guilt from their lives and discover who they truly are, what they are truly made out of. And usually this is done through a trial. I have faced that "blind, deaf stone" many times in my life, and through these trips out on the River, I hope to face it many more times, because these encounters have forever transformed the way that I see everything in my life. I truly believe, like Levi did, that everyone must measure themselves at least once: beyond what people say or how they react, beyond the labels that others put on us. To strive, at least once, to give everything that is within us to give, and find if it is enough. This is when life truly begins.

Erospaynes...

I've had several people comment on the canoe oars that the guys and I are holding in our picture out on the dock, so if you're one of those people, here's the tale:

For several years now, I have hand crafted "Erospaynes" (pronounced "Arrow-spain), the Adrean name for "Long Oars". These oars are a unique design found only among the canoers of the Riverbluff League, and are given to the most experienced of us. They are designed to be strong, fast, and able to take quite a beating. As I said above, every single one is hand crafted, so no two are alike. They each have their own look, their own feel and, consequently, their own name.

Let's start on the right with Popeye. His oar is Thwaindoom, "Dare Catcher", made in the spring of this last year. Brandon's oar is Erovais, "New Oar", which was actually reshaped out of an older oar which belonged to David Heath. Along the neck is the inscription "Sethvie ain Thrior", which means "Born of the Storm", since it was completed as a thunder storm rolled in. Jesse's oar Vaross, "Water Flame", is the newest out of them all, and sports a new kind of decorative style; that plant motif along the blade glows green and aqua in the dark. My oar is Rendesyon, "Night Wing", and is the first and oldest of all the Riverbluff oars. Along its neck is the inscription "Inoss ais Dar"; "Even in Darkness".

Why use these oars instead of buying some from the store, or borrowing some used ones from a neighbor, you might ask. Don't we have regular canoe paddles in Riverbluff? Sure, we have plenty of your everyday paddles to go around here, but these long oars are better on two levels:

1)standard canoe paddles often warp or bend somewhat when you take a hard stroke through the water, which in turn shaves off some of the effectiveness of every stroke you take. Over the course of three hundred miles, it can make a big difference. Ultimately they bend or warp because most store-bought canoe paddles are not made to really handle rough-and-tough, day-in-day-out canoeing. On previous Riverbluff trips, we have broken both wooden and non-wooden "store-boughts", and it's usually when we needed them the most. Erospaynes don't bend, and they don't break...period. They are specifically designed for the long distance, high-endurance canoeing that we do here in Riverbluff.

2)from a less technical side, canoers develop a connection with an oar that is uniquely their own, and it becomes stronger and stronger the more they travel with it. My oar, Rendesyon, has carried me literally HUNDREDS of miles through just about every condition of the River you could hope to see, and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

So there you have it, the story behind our oars. I must confess, however, that while I have the utmost confidence in my work, I have never put my oars to the kind of test that they'll face this December when we take our trip! I'm sure even Riverbluff oars have their limits; whether we'll discover them on this coming trip or not remains to be seen.

-Daniel

Good News!

Good news: for now at least we have a green light on water levels in the southern basin from Hector Herrera, the Basin Program Manager for the Department of Water Resources. Humorously enough (now, anyway), in his email to me he told me "If you are launching at Blue Cypress Lake, you will head north into M canal and come to your first levee which you will have to pull your canoes over. If you use the airboat jump, be aware that I ran into a nest of nasty African honey bees on the north side of the jump that stung my party and me pretty good."

Yeah, those are totally the ones that went after David and me on our trip in March (take a look back in the earlier posts to see the videos and posts about it)! The dang hive is STILL THERE! We'll have to be extra careful that we don't make the same mistake over again. What's that saying, again: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...I get the crap stung out of me a second time!"

-Daniel

Date Change...

Our starting date of December 11th won't work because of some conflicting school/work schedules, so we have pushed the date back to December 28th; three days after Christmas. Hopefully it won't be too much colder, since it'll be early January by the time we reach the northern basin, but we'll worry about that when we get there. There appear to be no conflicts from anyone in the group for this date, so it looks like this time is secure. Overall, it's probably a better starting time anyway, since the other three guys are going to have finals for college up to December 10 (Jesse even has an oddball one on the 14th!), so everything would probably be rushed and hectic before we left. With the Dec. 28th start date, everyone will have plenty of time to cool down, get into the holiday spirit, maybe get a few bits of free gear from Santa, and then go :)

Oh let me run the River free
Great Levren ending in the Sea

By narrow passes through the plains
And open skies of sun and rain
By palm and cypress, pine and oak
And eddies swirling with each stroke

By ancient mounds of shell and bone
With blooming grass to crown their own
By heron, red tail, osprey, kite
And those who stir in depths of night

By bear and gator, boar and deer
They come to see our passing here
By stars that blaze in virgin sky
And moon that bats her silv’ry eye

By wind and waves to challenge strength
O’er distances of untold length
Oh let me run the River free
Great Levren ending in the Sea

Through the Labyrinth of the South
The maze by which are few ways out
Through Poinsett, Harney and Monroe
The southern lakes by which we row

By Riverbluff where all began
And Delk her sister in that land
By Evensfold, the marshes wide
And Northern Islands do we ride

Across the Great Lake’s wat’ry face
As violent storms its tempers raise
By Seven Sisters northward bound
Which run where courage must be found

Through Caiden’s Reach against the wind
To the last great City at world’s end
By sandy shores and gulls in flight
To where all land drops out of sight

Oh, to have run the River free
Great Levren ending in the Sea

-Daniel

Soap box moment...

In April of this year--ironically less than a month after I finished my "Big Trip" across the entire St. Johns--Seminole County’s utility system was given permission to take up to 5.5 million gallons of water from the St. Johns River DAILY to supply water to the surrounding areas. If this really was a sort of "last resort" to literally keep people alive, perhaps I wouldn't be so against it. But this is no last resort, not anywhere close. Any one of us can walk down the street--or perhaps not even have to walk outside of our own homes--to see how much water is being wasted on a daily basis. A large portion of our drinking water from the aquifer goes into Florida's LAWNS, not into Florida's people.

Think about this; recently the government has spent an obscene amount of money in bailouts, basically trying to keep afloat companies who, through careless business practices, should have gone under. The reasoning behind this was that these large companies represented so many jobs, and so many investments of the American people, that if they were to fall, chaos would ensue, right? I'm not saying that things wouldn't have been bad for a while if these many companies would have folded, but eventually what would happen? Smaller companies would begin to sprout up to fill the void left by these giant companies, and chances are they will promote better business strategies. Some day they might get complacent, but then they would go under too, and the process starts all over again. This system is a sort of "natural selection", which keeps companies responsible; keeps them being ASSETS to our nation instead of liabilities.

With these bailouts, however, we have essentially empowered companies who have been foolish with their resources to continue being foolish, at the taxpayers' expense. They have not been bettered by these bailouts, and we have not been bettered.

Think of this in terms of water conservation and our St. Johns River. Something like half (or close to it) of our potable drinking water goes into our LAWNS. These lawns use grasses that are not native to the area, and therefore they must have a plentiful supply of water to survive. Does that sound like good water management to you?

I'm not saying this is the sole reason why we are running low on ground water, but this is a great example of how we as Floridians are being complacent and foolish in our use of our precious water supply. Getting a "bailout" from the St. Johns River isn't going to make things better; it is only going to EMPOWER the faulty conservation practices that we already have in place. We will run into the same problem that is happening with our nation right now: because we continue this wasteful "spending" of our water, one "bailout" from the River won't be enough (a.k.a. this initial 5.5 million gallons a day). As the population grows, this amount won't be sufficient, and we'll need another, more extensive "bailout". Farther down the line, we'll need another, then another, and another.

Water is not our problem; our own lifestyles, our own perspectives are the problem. The way we currently use water is an UNSUSTAINABLE SYSTEM! We have to change how we USE the water to fix this problem. Our River should not have to suffer for the mistakes we are making today! We pooh-pooh the draining of the Everglades in the early parts of this century, saying "How could they do something like that; how could they destroy something so beautiful?" The answer is simple: they did it just like we are endangering the St. Johns today; in the name of "PROGRESS". In fifty years, what will our children say of us who lived along the largest river in our state; what kind of stewards will we be? There will always be a need for more for those who take everything, but maturity comes when one can faithfully care for what they have.

-Daniel

Canoeing vs. Kayaking...

I've had a bunch of people ask me what the big differences are between canoes and kayaks. Other than the whole thing of kayaks using double-bladed paddles and canoes using single-bladed, canoes tend to be a little wider and more stable, plus since they're mostly open they have the ability to carry more stuff. But remember that, whether you can carry more stuff or not, you're still going to have to move all the weight you bring along with every stroke you make, so you still want to strictly adhere to the "less is more" principle of kayaking. Ultimately, it's a matter of bringing the least amount of stuff while at the same time having enough stuff to be prepared for any possible problems you may encounter on the trip.

Looks like the starting date we set for December 11th is going to work out after all, so for right now that's what we're aiming for. This coming month there's going to be a lot of preparation going on, and I'll try as best I can to document our progress.

-Daniel

The Crew of Canoe Trip 17...

The crew of Canoe Trip 17--Stephen (Popeye) Terwick, Jesse Falcon, Brandon Dowling and myself--just successfully completed our second training day in preparation of our trip across the entire St. Johns in canoes.

The first training day was in late September, and consisted of a one-day trip from Riverbluff to the far (east) side of Lake Monroe and back; around 26 miles or so. Our trip to the lake was against the current, and our trip back to Riverbluff was against the wind, and yet we still managed to crank out a 3.4 mph moving average, which isn't bad. This was approximately what David and I averaged in our kayaks on our "Big Trip".

The second training day was just last weekend, the first one in October, and consisted of a one-day trip from Riverbluff to Orange Hill and back; closer to 31 miles, so significantly longer. Since Orange Hill lies to the north, we started out with the current, and were able to hold around a 4.0 mph moving average the entire way to Orange Hill. Our way back south to Riverbluff was quite a bit harder, and the opposing current brought our speed down considerably, but we finished off the day with a 3.5 mph moving average for the entire trip (31 miles in 8 1/2 hours), which is nothing to sneeze at, if you ask me!

Also, it is important to remember that we will be going WITH the current the entire way on our actual trip, so the 4.0 mph average is probably a more accurate prediction of our speed. We are all getting very excited as the days between us and our trip grow less and less, but there is a lot of preparation to do yet!

The New "Big Trip"

It is now pretty much official; on either December 7th, 8th, or 9th, a crew from Riverbluff will be setting out in an attempt to set a speed record for CANOEING the entire St. Johns River. To my knowledge, a couple people have made the trip this way, but it was either in segments or they were more or less taking there time, so there is no official speed record set yet. We are hoping that, by the time the year is out, Riverbluff will hold both the kayaking and canoeing records for traveling the entire St. Johns.

The crew is still somewhat uncertain, but it looks like we will have anywhere from 6-4 canoers coming along. I'll be sure to keep you informed as the trip planning progresses.

-Daniel

Levren Completed!!!

I received my first printed copy of my new book, Levren, in the mail today, and all the formatting of the book seems correct. Therefore, I hope to open it up to the public on lulu.com within the next few days. I must say that I am very, very pleased at how this piece of written artwork has come together over these last several months, and I hope that those who read it are able to feel the same awe and wonder that I myself felt while on my journey. Even more, I hope that in reading this some will begin to have their own adventures, and in so doing better understand what they have to offer the world.

Also, there is now talk about attempting to set a canoe speed record for the St. Johns sometime in early December, but that has yet to be decided. We are still in the processes of recruitment and training, but I will write more if this possible trip matures into something more certain.

Levren...

Yesterday, I ordered the first copy of my new book, Levren, which documents my trip through the entire St. Johns River that I took in March. I haven't officially put it up for sale yet, because I want to make sure the format of the book is right. Once I've checked my copy, however, I will let you know when I make it available for purchase.

I'm pretty darn excited about it! Ever since I finished my trip in March, I have really wanted to share my experience with other people, but it's so hard to remember all of the little details and everything on the fly. This book has allowed me to do that, and I am very happy with the way it has turned out. Hopefully the actual printed format of the book works out and I don't have to mess with it anymore :)

A Wee Adventure...

Hello everyone! Sorry it's taken so long for me to start writing again; I've been pretty busy, what with moving back down to Central Florida, getting married, finding a job, pretty much the whole nine yards. And...oh ya, we just got internet at our apartment :)

Since the "Big Trip", I've managed to draw up a complete map of the entire River, based on the course which David and/or I took along the way. I think it will be very useful, should we ever attempt another trip like that again, which doesn't sound that improbable. There are several people within the Riverbluff League who have shown a great amount of interest in accompanying me on a second trip; only this time in canoes. There has been no date set yet, but the Riverbluff Council should begin talking about it within the next several weeks. For such a long trip, we will, as before, have to plan the date well in advance, so that all those going will have adequate time to clear their schedules. But that is for another time.

On Sunday afternoon, David Heath and I set out for a Riverbluff campsite several miles into the Wekiva River. As most of you will recall, he has a bad rotator cuff injury--the injury which prevented him from finishing the "Big Trip" with me--but he is having an operation that will hopefully fix that tomorrow. That being the case, we figured we would do a short, one-night trip, since he will be out of commission for several months after the operation.

Unfortunately, on our way there the short journey became more of an adventure than we had bargained for, as a huge Florida thunder storm moved in from out of nowhere. The forecast promised little chance of rain; I should have known we'd get it bad! We were forced to tie off under a tree overhanging the Wekiva for nearly an hour, waiting for downpour to quit. It was so bad that we were constantly bailing water out with a small styrofoam cup that we'd found floating on the River earlier, just to keep our canoe afloat!

After about an hour or so, the storm lifted and the sun shone through as if nothing had happened. We covered the last few miles to the campsite and spent the night there, the weather being surprisingly cool in the wake of the storm, making it much more bearable to sleep (something that is hard to do in the middle of a Florida summer).

All in all, it was a good final trip for David before his shoulder goes out of commission; our trips, regardless of how short, always seem to become a little more involved than we plan them to be!

New Book...

In my spare time these last several days, I have been writing down every tiny detail that I can remember from my trip. My hope is that I will be able to write another Riverbluff book which covers all the events of the trip. When it will be finished is anybody's guess, since I will be moving back to Central Florida next month and getting married in June. But who knows, maybe I'll finish it quickly :) Anyway, if you're interested, stay tuned and I'll let you know how I'm progressing on it!

-Daniel

Back Home...

Hi everyone! I'm back home at last! Like Jay said, I finished my journey around 1:30 yesterday and got to be on the news and everything! Keith Legette was there, too, which was awesome! It was weird traveling in a car after traveling for nine days at no more than 5.1 mph; I kept finding myself tensing up as the car approached red lights, still going at what seemed to me to be incredibly reckless speeds, but it was just normal driving :)

So, yes, I did it. Yes, I now apparently hold the record for the fastest time kayaking the entire St. Johns River. It's funny though, how little that kind of stuff matters by the end. Some of the things that have really meant to the most to me are the new friendships and experiences that I have developed along the way, and also realizing the devotion and determination of old friends. There are so many people that lent a helping hand or a word of encouragement that I am so grateful for. Here is just a short list:

David, Jay, Jimmy, Nicole, Lauryn, Carl and Danny at Holly's Marina, Zach at the Astor Bridge Marina, John and Bubba, Dan and Jenny, Eli, Lane and John, Matt, my dad (Carl) and my mom (Cheri), Sarah, Beebs and Noah, and the whole rest of my family, Big Country and the whole UNF environmental group for the warm clothes, and specifically Captn. David for all his help with Lake George info, Pat Hatfield, Dinah Pulver, and all the other news guys, Pat and Dennis, Josh, (the other) David, Katie, Jessica and Emily, that guy with the old tin boat and the NOAA radio 7 miles south of Lake George, the father and son that I met on that windy Sunday who offered to let me stay on their dock if I couldn't cross the River, plus all of the other families along the St. Johns that opened their homes to me as possible stopping points along my trip.

My deepest thanks to all you guys; you not only helped me to complete my trip, but you became a part of it.

I also learned a lot about myself from this trip; especially when it was just me the last four and-a-half days. I am positive that wilderness requires something from us for us to successfully pass through it. It has a way of stripping away all of the superfluous and trivial aspects of our selves through relentless tests, trials and obstacles until our deepest intents are brought to the surface.

To pass through wilderness, one must find a cause and a purpose deeper than "breaking a record" or "just to say I did it". Wilderness shows us that we are the one that must be conquered; we who so often hide behind sarcasm, fads and empty pursuits. Wilderness leads us through those veils to what we truly are. When you can come to terms with that, you find the strength, the discipline and the endurance you seek. I will never, ever be the same because of the way God has changed me through wilderness. He began years ago with the very first Canoe Trips, and has continued up to this very day. And I am confident that I will continue to be transformed, being washed ever cleaner by our wild River, the St. Johns.

Day 9 - Successful Completion

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Daniel completed his voyage today at 1:30pm with a big welcome from family, friends, and the media. Hopefully he will post/edit this blog with his personal observations of the trip. Here is a link to more media coverage: Firstcoast News I am very proud of both Daniel and David. They showed tremendous determination and resolve. This is truely a great accomplishment and I'm sure one they will remember for the rest of their lives. Thanks to everyone who gave them encouragement and a helping hand. - Jay

The Last Few Miles

daniel is just a few miles away and the plan is to finish by 1:30 pm.

Day 8 - Getting Close

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Daniel has stopped for the day after completing about 33.5 miles. Only 26 miles to go. I spoke Daniel at 7:30pm and he is tired but in good spirits. He is camping on the property of a St. Johns Riverkeeper supporter/member. Thanks to Jimmy Orth for setting it up. He is planning on reaching his final destination - Huguenot Memorial Park between 2pm and 3pm. Please come out and welcome Daniel as he completes his journey. David and I will be there cheering him on. - Jay

A Special Thanks

Daniel and I would like to thank Jimmy, Jenny, Dan, and Eli for their gracious hospitality. Jimmy spent a good bit of time trying to find a place for Daniel to camp. There was some uncertainty on how far he was going go today so it made finding a place to camp a little difficult. At first we thought he was going to camp at the Riverdale boat ramp. Eli drove to the ramp to meet him and bring him a hot meal only to find out that Daniel was going a little further down river. Jenny and Dan offered to have Daniel camp on their property. Eli found out and drove over to Jenny and Dan's. So thanks to all of you, Daniel got a hot meal, hot shower, dry clothes and great companionship. The River really does bring out the best in people. - Jay

Day 7 - A Battle Against the Elements, Again

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Daniel gutted out another tough day of high winds and waves completing 35 miles. Only 59 more miles to go. Daniel said the morning was OK, but later on the wind kicked up with gusts over 30mph causing 4 foot swells. Near the end of the day Daniel said he was getting cold because the temperature dropped and he was getting soaked by the wind and waves. He said today was the hardest day of his life. He needed a place to camp where he could warm up and dry out. See next post. - Jay

Another Story in the Media

From the Deland Becon River quest — kayaking all 310 miles of the St. Johns River

Saturday Night

Getting ready to go to sleep. Lake George was pretty hard, but even the rest of the day was rough: big winds and waves. A couple of times I was afraid old orange wouldn't make it, but I'm still on schedule. Got a big day tomorrow, hopefully the wind will calm down a bit. - Daniel via text message at 8:30pm:

Day 6 - Big Wind and Swells

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Daniel finished a litte early today getting to his camp site by about 5:00pm. He had an extremely productive day by doing about 32 miles in pretty rough conditions crossing both Lake George and Little Lake George. According to my calculations he is about 96 miles from his final destination. If he can stay on schedule the last 3 days he will finish on Tuesday. There is no doubt about it, Daniel is a kayaking machine. BTW, there is a good article about this trip in today's Daytona Beach News Journal Pair aim to kayak St. Johns in record time - Jay

Daniel Crossed Lake George Safely

I just got off the phone with Daniel and he has safely crossed Lake George despite the strong wind and swells. Congratulations to Daniel. - Jay

Bummed out... =(

well today is my first day at home and im pretty worried about daniel crossing lake george alone. he called this morning and said that the lake looked like an ocean and the day before when i was with daniel at astor landing we were talking to a couple gentlemen about the lake, and what they had to say wasnt very comforting. they pointed to motor boats between 16 and 25 feet long and they said right now if you were to take that boat in the lake you better be prepared to sink. with the small 16 foot kayak that daniel has he wasnt looking forward to entering the lake.

march in florida is known for having lots of wind and the wind is what did me in for the trip. i have had a torn rotator cuff in my shoulder now for about three years now and paddling with the wind in my face for many miles and trying to keep an average of about 4 miles an hour in my kayak was just to much. daniel and i both knew that my shoulder was going to be an issue for the trip but we both had hope that it wouldnt be. after the second day on the river my shoulder had become aggravated with the constant stress i was putting on it. the next two days after that i was fine. which is really weird because once my shoulder begins to ache the pain slowly but surely gets worse. but as i was saying day five took its toll on me. i would still have to say that the third day was my hardest but the fifth day was just the most painful. we only had about 32 miles that day which is normally cake for us. about 5 miles away from lake george i couldnt take anymore. every stroke i was taking for about 3 miles i was practically grinding my teeth because of the pain.

i have to say that personally i didnt think i was going to make it as far as i did and for me to surpass that im very proud of myself even though i didnt make it the whole way. but as soon as i get my appointment to get my shoulder worked on im going to be planning to take four more days off to finish what i started. i feel like i have to complete what i started and thats what im going to do. i made it to far to just stop completely. but jay and i are talking about dong it together as soon as im well enough to take on the river once again.

i would like to give lots of props to seth and kieth for giving us the inspiration to even attempt the entire st. johns and for them to complete it is even more mind boggling. for the record im not out of commission yet and soon enough im going back to make sure next time that im standing on the beach in jacksonville staring at the ocean.

to everybody thats reading our blog please just say a short prayer for daniel as he completes this journey alone.


- David Heath

Day 5 - The Team Takes a Hit

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I am posting for the guys again tonight. There was some saddness today as David reported that he was unable to continue the trip due to a shoulder injury. He has had a torn rotator cuff for some time now and the team was aware that he might not be able to finish. It took a lot of guts for David to attempt this trip with his injury. While his shoulder may have given out the rest of his body and attitude is still strong. He has vowed to finish the trip after his shoulder is repaired. He completed over half the trip (appox. 160 miles). It is now left to Daniel alone to complete the trip.

Daniel reported via phone and text messages that he made camp at the Astor Bridge Marina this evening. He unexpectantly met a group from UNF at the Marina (Daniel is a recent UNF grad). He is planning a very early start for Saturday in order to cross Lake George before the NE winds pick up. He plans to make camp along the river about 4 miles north of the Ocklawaha River. - Jay

Day 4 - Another Good Day

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I am making the post for the guys today. They got an early start from the Jolly Gator Fish Camp and made it all the way to our home on the river near Highbanks Marina by 5:00pm. They had a home cooked meal and are camping on our property. They plan to make camp near the south end of Lake George tomorrow. They were interviewed by a reporter from the Daytona Beach News Journal this evening. - Jay

Day 3 - 43 MILES LATER....

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today daniel and i woke up outside of lone cabbage fish camp, hurriedly we packed up our stuff and left. shortly after leaving we made up the 7 miles that we couldnt finish the day before. with such a strong current and wind to our backs most of the time made us go pretty fast for a while with a top speed of 6.5 miles per hour. i dont care what anybody says. thats hauling butt for a kayak! today was nothing more than cows and a windy river. sounds pretty boring right? but with all the grass going on for miles and palm trees off in the distance it made the river much more exciting. kayaking into the night was very exciting after all. going through puzzle lake with nothing but a flashlight was pretty risky. but when you turned your light off there's millions of stars everywhere. in my whole life ive never seen as many stars at once than i did tonight. but we only made one mistake throughout our whole night time expedition. after we got to jollys gators i called jay to tell him about the trip. i stated that we had only gone 37 miles today. but once i checked the reliable source ( gps) it said that we went a whopping 43.7 miles today! well tomorrow im comin home only to say hello and goodbye within minutes of each other. but its ok because the hardest day is over now.

DAY 2. the "ouch" day

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this morning me and daniel packed everything up and hit the river again. going through lake washington was pretty darn exciting. we got to paddle right into a cold front which had winds strong enough to push on your face and make your cheeks flap. all the sudden the temperature dropped like a rock and the wind blew hard all day because of the front. after lake washington we got a little surprise, shallow shallow and i mean shallow water. we nearly had to walk our kayaks a half mile down this crazy gator infested river. then lake winder happened to sneak up on us with gail force winds right in our faces. we eventually pushed through it and headed toward lake poinsette. and there better not be another lake as rough as poinsette for the rest of the trip. after that lake i noticed i wasnt going as fast anymore only to notice that my kayak was swamped from the waves in the lake. now me and daniel are posted up on a little beach right across from lone cabbage fish camp. once we actually got to the camp we were burnt out. we still had another 7 miles to go today but we wouldve never have made it in time. we wouldve been lost and worst of all, in the dark. but anywho were super tired and were about to eat some tylenol like candy. not really but you should be able to catch my drift. tootles
- David Heath

DAY 1

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well this morning jay erndl dropped daniel and i off into blue cypress lake which surprisingly we crossed very quickly. after the lake we came up to a very long and straight canal that merely resembled a never ending runway. after the first canal me and daniel came up to our first portage. unaware of what dangers that lurked on the other side. daniel and i pulled our kayaks over to the other side when daniel stopped and said calmly, "bees." which the next words that came out of his mouth was" BEES!!!!" daniel was standing over a huge colony of bees then suddenly every last one of them wanted daniels blood. i turn around and see daniel hootin and hollerin and dancing around like a chicken with his head cut off when suddenly, they came for me. after seeing what torture dainel was enduring i bolted! running nearly a quarter mile to get away from these things i turn back to find them right on my tail. suddenly i noticed myself doing the same dance daniel was. finally after running around and swatting wildly for about a half an hour the seemed to calm down. me and daniel werent scared of them anymore, we were P.O.ed. we ran back to the kayaks to pull them away from the underground hive and hopped in then took off! we had to portage over 3 areas today, kayak through 3 lakes, counted 440 alligators, and then to top it off we got chased by bees. tomorrow is going to be our hardest day on the trip. going 37 miles through a labyrinth of small rivers, big rivers, and also dry rivers. this place is not traveled very often anymore due to how shallow it is. the only thing we can do is pray and hope that tomorrow will go according to plan. ( chances are that it wont) but we'll stay in high spirits and hopefully get the job done. - David Heath

The Voyage Has Begun

At 7:15 this morning March 16, 2009 Daniel and David have begun their voyage. I dropped them off at Middleton's Fish Camp on Blue Cypress Lake and hope to pick them up by the mouth of the St. Johns in Jacksonville 9 or 10 days from now.

- Jay

This is it...

The time is finally upon us! David and I are getting ready to get some sleep before we head out at 4:00 am tomorrow. I think that we both feel about the same way. You know when you're on a roller coaster, and you're climbing up to the really big drop, and you get to the very edge, and you can see down, but you haven't gone down yet? You know that feeling you get in your stomach; that nervous, excited sort of thrill? That's what we're feeling right now.
We know that, above all else, such travels as these require humility. The River has a way of squashing the ego, confounding logic, and casting doubt in the proud. While these attributes of the River may not at first appear favorable, it leads us to get ourselves from the center; from the driver's seat, if you will. We find peace in our lives, not when we put ourselves first and foremost, but when we see ourselves as part of a much bigger and grander story. The vastness and wildness of the River gives us a much bigger, transcendent sort of perspective; one that I have always tried to retain, on it and out in everyday lives.
If you try to take on the River in pride, you'll get beat down. I've always felt that wilderness is a sort of gateway; an experience that one can truly take in only when they have entered in humility. Humility gives us the eyes to see; the ears to hear, and the inspiration that draws us back again and again.

Ais dar ain rend, lie ruin saifyae foldaez usyen lore; sin hedel lae holel; sin hedel lae oday-el; sin hedel lae wan

"In the dark of night, and through the far lands under the sun; we travel to see; we travel to feel; we travel to be."

The Cell Test

well daniel and i (david heath) have finally after 30 minutes of messing with my cell phone, fgured out how to access the website. so now we are able to document our events that have happened throughout the day on our trip. well anywho were about to crash. hope you all enjoy the posts. please comment!!!


- David Heath

The Deeds of Riverbluff

Since we've started getting ready for this trip, I've had several people ask me a lot of questions about the neighborhood of Riverbluff and our previous Canoe Trips. To those of you reading this who have questions of your own, you may be interested to know that I have written a book which sort of chronicles our previous trips, starting from the very first one. The title of the book is called "The Deeds of Riverbluff", and you can find it by simply clicking this link:

http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?search_forum=-1&search_cat=2&show_results=topics&return_chars=200&search_keywords=&keys=&header_search=true&sitesearch=lulu.com&q=&fSearch=the+deeds+of+riverbluff&fSearchFamily=0

It's only $15/$16 or something like that (that includes standard shipping). I originally wrote it thinking that only the actual canoers of Riverbluff themselves would find it interesting at all. But a bunch more people have gotten their hands on it since then, even people who have never canoed/kayaked in their lives, and they still really enjoyed it. If you do purchase it, I'd love to know what you think!

Heading Home...

Finally, we are in the final days before the Big Trip! I'm hauling all my stuff down to Riverbluff tonight. Technically, I've never actually lived in Riverbluff, but it has always felt like home to me, and it has been way too long since I've been there. Jacksonville's got some cool stuff and all, but I was born for wilderness, and all the manicured lawns and occasional palm trees up here just aren't cutting it.
The middle basin of the St. Johns River is Riverbluff territory; that's where the party's on! The River is larger than the upper basin, but not too large like in the lower basin. Plus, this area has a bunch of other rivers like the Wekiva and Little Wekiva, Black Water Creek, the Brocco, Destin Pass, etc. that connect up with it. If you want to explore, the middle basin is your ticket to paradise!

"K" to the "I" to the "L" to the "T"

A wise man once told me, "only the bad wear plaid". You better believe it; those words are all too true. The kilt is the all-purpose garment, I don't care how you feel about it. You can't beat the ventilation, and it's incredibly compact for easy storage. You can use it as an umbrella over your head, a jacket, a blanket, roll it up for a pillow...the list goes on. You can't beat the kilt...period!

Packing up...

It's time. I went to the store a couple of days ago and bought all the stuff I need for the Big Trip. It took me about all day to get everything in it's proper place, but I think it's ready. First light on Monday, March 16, is still "go". This coming Wednesday night, I am driving down to Riverbluff to meet with David, and together we'll load up our kayaks and have them all ready to go for Monday.
Just yesterday, I had the priveldge of meeting a whole room full of legends at the St. Johns River Revival Conference: Bill Belleville, Keith Legette, Seth Dent, Michelle Thatcher...WHOA! My head's still spinning! I am hopefull that my and David's experiences in Riverbluff have adequately prepared us to follow in their footsteps, but I suppose that now only time will tell.

Dang!

Bad news on the wonder kayak; it's not actually so wonderful. I drove over to the house to check it out yesterday, and realized that it was, in fact, not 16ft, but 12ft long (I must have misheard my stepdad). On top of this, it ended up being one of the those rare kiddie kayaks that are only made for kids. I could barely fit my legs down into the opening! I think it's safe to say that I definately won't be taking that thing on the trip. Looks like it's back to the orange one, but that's okay. In a way, it's kind of fitting that we should bring "Old Orange", because we took it on the very first Riverbluff Canoe Trip; just that and a canoe. Old Orange is the wonder kayak now!

Lucky...

I don't believe in luck. I believe in perseverance, discipline and strength, but luck; no. There are, however, many things that I have taken on the Canoe Trips so many times, and I am so used to having them with me that I have given them the title "lucky". I have become so used to having them handy that if I didn't, it could throw off my groove. Now, I know that David and I are taking kayaks, not canoes, but it doesn't make any difference (a trip in both a kayak and a canoe is simply called a 'canoe trip' in Riverbluff); you still need your lucky stuff. To illustrate, I've put together a little video.

The Kayak Paddle...

So the kayak paddle is coming right along. I burned some black bands along the neck, and for the very first time have mixed color with my wood burning. The vine-like designs are actually colored with average colored pencils, but it turned out surprisingly well. I just used my wood burner to burn the outlines. I still need to engrave something into it, but after that it's ready for the polyurethane finish! No bad, eh?

-Daniel

The Wonder Kayak...

Good news concerning the Big Trip. My step dad was over in the New Smyrna area going fishing in some pond in the woods, when suddenly he came across a 16ft touring kayak, sitting submerged in the water! It was covered with algae and everything, apparently having sat there for many months to a year, but my step dad hauled it up on land and brought it home to wash it out. He sent me a picture of it once it was clean, and this thing is awesome! What are the chances of just finding a kayak like that sticking out of a small inland lake, and only a few weeks before our trip? It must be a sign :) So it looks like David is going to be taking the fast blue kayak while I may be taking this new 16ft wonder kayak! Apparently it's purple but, heck, if it gets me from A to B as quick as I need it too, I don't care if the thing's neon pink! It seems that the stars are aligning :)

-Daniel

Hardcore Paddles...

I've made a bunch of canoe paddles. The very first one I made was pretty lame by my standards now, but that things was a tank! I slammed it into logs and hacked down underbrush with that sucker and it held up the whole time. I eventually retired it, replacing it with a broader bladed paddle, with the burned image of a coiled snake running up the blade and the shaft. My brother has one with a blade resembling the head of an alligator. David has one with the Tree of the League on the blade and vines wrapping around the shaft. I've made several others, but I've never made a kayak (double-bladed) paddle. That changed last week. I spent five and-a-half hours carving a 8 1/2 foot long kayak paddle out of a 2X6 plank of pine from Home Depot, especially for "The Big Trip". In a few days I should be done with the burning on it, and it'll be ready for a few good coats of polyurethane to seal it up. I'm still trying to think of a good inscription to burn into it, though. Every paddle I make has a unique inscription that is specific to the conditions under which it was created or a unique quality about it or something. I'm still thinking of an inscription for this one, but it'll come to me soon enough. I'll try to put a picture up when I'm finished with it.

-Daniel

Food and Water

Food and water. They are the two most important things in a canoe/kayaking trip. No matter where you get your water from, it's gonna weigh roughly the same, and you can't help that. Neither is water something you can ration on a long distance expedition like this. David and I will need to be drinking water out of our ears to make sure we stay hydrated the whole time. We'll need to stop at the marinas every couple of days to refill our water jugs. Food is different. The kind of food you choose can make a difference, both in your energy and in the weight you're carrying. In the early days before the League, trips from Riverbluff would bring canned beef chili and crackers for pretty much the entire journey. But not only did this give us terrible gas (my intestinal tract has never been the same since that first trip!), but it was also incredibly heavy and took up a lot of space. Over the last several canoe trips we have taken, I have been experimenting with my food supply, bringing different items and testing which ones are the most lightweight and yet still deliver a huge amount of energy.
This is the conclusion I've come to: tuna fish and salmon in those little packets are awesome! Almonds and peanuts are also low in weight but pack a punch energy-wise. Whole grain oats (you don't need to cook them; just chew 'em around in your mouth for a while and, BAM, instant oatmeal!), fruit cups, dried fruit, some Clif energy bars. These are all parts to a well-balanced kayaking diet.
Many of the canoers/kayakers of the League have developed the peculiar but defining habit of eating all our food cold; without heating it up. This began on the very first trip, basically because we didn't have anything to heat the stuff with. Over time, though, it became almost a matter of pride. Given that we are part of the long and glorious tradition, David and I will probably be saving the weight of a camping stove :)

-Daniel

The Great Journey

"The Big Trip". That's what we're calling it in Riverbluff. Over the years, many of us in the League have canoed and kayaked hundreds of miles of the St. Johns River. We have traveled to remote, secret places, and covered great distances faster than most would believe. But "The Big Trip" is the ultimate test. It is the ultimate journey; a trip across the entire St. Johns River, from the shores of Blue Cypress Lake to the beaches of Jacksonville. I have never felt this way about any other trip before; I feel like it is something that I have to do, like all the years I have spent canoeing and kayaking have all been for this single journey. Is that weird?
All this time, the Riverbluff League has strived to instill a deep respect for the River, and also to find others that share in our desire to be out on the water. This trip could be our chance to do both. For David and I, this trip is not only a personal challenge, but also a golden opportunity to speak to people, young and old, about what a precious gift we have in our St. Johns River.
As of right now, David and I are really beginning to bring in all of the supplies we need from others in the League. We are borrowing the two fastest kayaks in all of the neighborhoods, and are being lent a GPS by someone else. Things are slowly coming together.

-Daniel

The waters are a second eternity; the world above captured under rippling glass. Look into it, and you will see that the normal constraints of space and time do not apply here. Massive trees are warped and bent as you pass over them, and at night the stars dance in their black sky beneath. It is the world that we travel to in our dreams, where what is seen defies explanation and reason; where the impossible becomes possible. It is an experience too big for the mind to wrap around, and so the heart takes over, hearing and touching things that were silent and invisible before. It is a gateway; a deep passage to the mystery and awe of the Creation.

-Daniel Robison

The Riverbluff League means much more than just rowing in a canoe or kayak. It's also more than the places we go or the things we build along the way. The League also has an impact on our everyday lives in a very real way. A person can much more easily find who they really are when they are in the midst of something difficult; something that tests them. The Canoe Trips fit that bill pretty well, with trips that average anywhere between 20 to 40 miles in a single day. Many times the ones that have a big ego find that they aren't all they thought they were, while others who didn't believe they could make it find a new strength that they didn't know existed. Regardless of the conclusion a person first comes to, the Canoe Trips eventually teach us three basic principles: DISCIPLINE, HUMILITY and CONFIDENCE--many times in that order.

DISCIPLINE is the main key for making it successfully through a Canoe Trip. Physical strength is not nearly as important as willpower and mental determination. There are a range of factors--heat, cold, storms, wind, insects, alligators, fatigue, sheer distance--that will inevitably overwhelm the canoer/kayaker that is going on simple brute strength. The true battle is in the mind. When you learn to bend your mind to a single purpose, even in the midst of doubts and fears, you gain the most important tool needed on a Canoe Trip.

HUMILITY comes almost hand-in-hand with respect. While discipline allows us to cross the great distances of the River, traveling these great distances gives the traveler a greater sense of just how small they are in the broad scheme of things. The realization that there are so many places that still exist and even prosper without the interference of man squashes one’s ego. We realize that, just beyond our manicured cities and houses, nature is still just as beautiful and dangerous as she ever was. We realize that we are not the center of anything, but rather a small part in a larger story. This not only gives us humility and respect for nature and others around us, but also a grateful appreciation of all that life offers us.

CONFIDENCE develops in it’s true sense; not as a puffed up ego but rather as a true understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, and where our talents and abilities are. We develop confidence because we understand our true place in the world; how we fit and what role we play.

These principles are certainly not limited to activities within the League. To the contrary, these principles are essential to everyday living; in school, in work, in relationships with others, in our view of the world. This is the deeper meaning and purpose of the Riverbluff League, to not only offer adventure and excitement, but also to serve as an opportunity for people to find who they truly are.

-Daniel Robison