Aardvark’s Kayaking And Self Defense Blog

While they have made some nice aesthetic additions to the area of the boat launch at the Chassahowitzka River Campground, when it comes to kayak access and functionality, they get an “f”, and I guarantee that it didn’t come cheap.

Any of you folks who paddle out of Chassahowitzka need to go take a look at what they’ve done to our access. If you feel like complaining, I’ll give you some targets later in the post. Please see for yourself and make your own judgments before blasting them.

While the previous access was limited to the area just west of the ramp, at least it was a hard sand bottom. That’s now gone and covered in concrete. The old wooden seawall has been replaced with a concrete monstrosity through which they have cut a ~5′ wide (~4′ usable width) by approximately 20′ long, single lane hardened concrete trench that they are calling a kayak launch. No plans to soften it according to the construction guys, who by the way are not local, but out of Monroe County. For those of you who use it regularly, this is all located in buzzard cove where the fish cleaning station used to be.

If you are lucky enough to hit a high tide, you can launch straight down the ramp and then make a hard right to avoid the other bank. Ramp isn’t wide enough to launch sideways, nor is it wide enough to swing a kayak paddle. At low tide, you’ll likely have to stand in the mud to launch. To add insult to injury, a very nice employee told me that they would be prohibiting kayakers from using the boat ramp once the launch is open.

I’ll be sending out e-mails asking questions and encouraging them not to model other access projects after this one. It would be prudent before spending this kind of taxpayer dollars to make sure it is actually usable and maybe let some local kayakers make suggestions.

The owner of the property is actually you the citizens of the State of Florida. The SWFWMD is actually the title holder, but Citrus County manages the campground.

You can e-mail the Land Office of the SWFWMD at Recreation@WaterMatters.org.

Citrus County Parks and Recreation Director rafael.delvalle@bocc.citrus.fl.us

Citrus County Administrator Brad Thorpe

$169.99

The SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger provides a vital line of communication with friends and family when you want it, and emergency assistance when you need it. Using 100% satellite technology, SPOT works virtually anywhere in the world, even where cell phones don’t – all with the push of a button.

SOS / 911: Use this function In the event of a life threatening or other critical emergency to notify emergency services of your GPS location and that you need assistance. The GEOS International Emergency Response Center alerts the appropriate agencies worldwide – for example contacting 9-1-1 responders in North America and 1-1-2 responders in Europe.

HOW IT WORKS:
Once activated, SPOT will acquire its exact coordinates from the GPS network, and send that location along with a distress message to the GEOS International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until cancelled or until the batteries are depleted. The Emergency Response Center notifies the appropriate emergency responders based on your GPS location and personal information – which may include local police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard, our country’s embassy or consulate, or other emergency search and rescue teams – as well as notifying your emergency contacts about the receipt of a distress signal.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Even if SPOT cannot acquire its location from the GPS network it will still attempt to send a distress signal – without exact location – to GEOS, which will still notify your contacts of the signal and continue to monitor the network for further messages.

9-1-1 EMERGENCY SERVICES POWERED BY GEOS Search and Rescue

Help: In the event of a non-life threatening emergency, you can use this function to notify your personal contacts that you need assistance. Additional SPOT Assist services can be purchased and programmed to your Help button as well. When activated with SPOT Assist, the Help button will notify professional services either on the land or water. SPOT has partnered with national service providers to offer non-life threatening assistance.

HOW IT WORKS:
Once activated, SPOT acquires your location from the GPS network and routes it along with the HELP message through the SPOT satellite network every five minutes for one hour or until cancelled. Your contacts will receive an SMS text message including coordinates, or an email with a link to Google Maps™ showing your location.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Even if SPOT cannot acquire its location from the GPS network it will still attempt to send a HELP message – without exact location – to your personal contacts.

Check-in/OK: This feature allows you to let your friends and family know that all is OK with a pre-programmed message along with your GPS location. With a push of a button a message is sent via email or SMS to up to 10 pre-determined contacts and your waypoint is stored in your SPOT account for later reference. Your stored waypoints can be easily integrated into a SPOT Shared Page or SPOT Adventure account.

HOW IT WORKS:
Once you have activated your SPOT Messenger and set up your account, you can change your contacts and customize your message at any time. When you push the Check-in/OK button, you send one pre-programmed message to your contacts. Your contacts will receive an SMS text message including coordinates, or an email with a link to Google Maps™ showing your location.

Custom Message: This feature allows you to let your friends and family now receive a custom message along with your GPS location with a push of a button. Use this feature as a secondary OK message or transfer your personal help alert to this message function if you are using a SPOT Assist service on your Help button.

The Custom Message functions exactly like your Check-in/OK message You can also have access to your waypoints in your SPOT account so you can review your route at a later date. Or link your SPOT account to SPOT Adventures and save a map of your adventures using your SPOT waypoints, and enhance the story with photos and a blog.

HOW IT WORKS:
Once you have activated your SPOT Messenger and set up your account, you can change your contacts and customize your message at any time. When you push the Check-in/OK button, you send one pre-programmed message to your contacts. Your contacts will receive an SMS text message including coordinates, or an email with a link to Google Maps™ showing your location.

Track Progress: This feature allows you to send and save your location and allow contacts to track your progress in near real time using Google Maps. With your SPOT account you have the ability to set up a SPOT Shared Page which allows you to show your SPOT GPS locations to others on a Google Map.

We have 10 units in stock now.

By now it seems pretty inevitable that Florida is going to see some effect from the spill. The Gulf is full of complex currents and wind patterns and exactly where, when, and how bad is anyone’s guess at this point. This demonstrates that the real cost of our energy consumption can go well beyond the price at the pump. Here are a few ways to get ready.

1. Monitor the Citrus County Emergency Operations Website

2. Volunteer if the need arises. Volunteer Florida is the volunteer coordinating agency.

The closest local event I can find as of 4/7/10 is in Dade City.

Class #1

The PHVMA is hosting a HAZWOPER Awareness course through a cooperative effort with community partners and BP contracted trainers. This course is 5.5 hours long and will satisfy the HAZMAT requirement for responders to the Deep Horizon Incident. This course is free of charge. It will be held Saturday, May 8, at the DOH building in Dade City on the second floor. Two class slots are available – 8A-2P and 3P-9P. Please sign up for only one.

Dade City Department of Health: 13941 15th Street, Dade City, FL 33525

Class #2

The PHVMA is hosting a training seminar and wetlab for Oiled Wildlife Response particular to the Deep Horizon Incident. This training is appropriate for all level of responders – DVMs, CVTs, and non-trained personnel. All currently active Medical Reserve Corp/SART/Vet. Corp. members are free of charge. All others are welcome for $25/person. Applications for all 3 organizations will be accepted on site. This exercise includes a live animal wetlab and will be held at the fairgrounds in Dade City on May 16. The time of day is TBD and all registrants will be notified by email. If you are not a confirmed volunteer with any of these 3 organizations, you are still welcome to attend the training for the $25 fee. If we cannot verify your membership in these organizations, you will be considered inactive and subject to the fee or rejoining on site.

Pasco County Fairgrounds: 36722 State Road 52, Dade City, FL 33525

For more information, call the Florida State Emergency Information Line at 800-342-3557. Other important numbers include:

* To report oiled wildlife, call 866-557-1401
* To discuss spill-related damage, call 800-440-0858
* To report oiled shoreline, call 866-448-5816
* To request volunteer information, call 866-448-5816

It’s time to turn over our rental/demo fleet and to freshen our inventory. All kayaks are as is unless otherwise noted.

Hurricane Tampico 135 L Red Hull Repaired $450
Hurricane Tampico 135 S Yellow Rim Repaired $500
Hurricane Tampico 140 S White Front Hatch Repaired $600
Hurricane Phoenix 120 SOT Red Scupper Repaired $375
Hurricane Santee Tandem Used Rental $500
Hurricane Phoenix 160 Yellow CS Seat Repaired $500

Heritage Featherlight Tandem Side Damaged $200

Current Designs Kitsilano Heavily Damaged Free w Kayak Purchase
Current Designs Nomad GTS Kevlar Slightly Used Demo $1999
Current Designs Zone SOT Slightly Uses Demo $1999

Eddyline Nighthawk Red Used Demo $1600

Freedom Hawk 14 Green Used Demo $800

Reply to inquiry from Barry F.

Barry,

Your e–mail address doesn’t work so here’s the reply to your inquiry on the Tampico 135L

The repair was two small cracks on the bottom. Neither was bigger than 1/2 in. Repaired with glass cloth and then repainted. Kayak has been used for several months since repair with no leakage.

We have no way to ship. Sale is as is, where is.

Matt
Aardvarks