Big Pine Key, Coupon Bight

I went down to Key West this Labor Day Weekend to visit family, and kayak. I first visited the Keys in 1979, then not until 1988. After moving to Orlando in 1989, I was a frequent visitor, probably twice a year. After a while, I tapered off to once a year, then once every couple years. This was only my second trip down America's archipelago since June, 2003. My last visit was New Year's Weekend, 2006-2007.

I had my usual early Saturday start. 4:53 am, by the car clock as I turned the key. Five and a half hours later, with two stops, I pulled over on Indian Key Fill, Mile Marker 78. Lignumviate Key State Park is a short paddle across Florida Bay. Across US 1, Indian Key State Park is an even shorter paddle on the Atlantic side. I did not get to either. Nasty looking thunder heads. Including one that looked like it had the beginnings of a tornado forming. 78 miles away, in Key West, my nephew, Arlo, saw a water spout as he prepared to go to out on the water. I got back in the car and continued driving, the mile markers receding the closer I got to Key West. It rained on and off, the sky dark in almost all directions. I did see blue sky, to the east as I crossed the Seven Mile Bridge. No place to launch a yak, unless I was some adventurer nut, dropping down several hundred feet,

Bahia Honda State Park is a few miles further down US 1. I stopped to check it out, but an open water paddle did not interest me in threatening weather. On I drove. In my preparations for the weekend, I came across Coupon Bight, an Aquatic Preserve adjacent to the Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge on Big Pine Key. Crossing the bridge to Big Pine, I saw Long Beach Road on my left. Knowing this would take me to Coupon Bight, I hung a louie.


Along the road, at regular intervals, signs are posted, stating it is illegal to feed Key deer. The road came to a dead end. I stopped, got out, and walked a rough path through the mangroves to the water's edge. It was raining, and thunder boomed in the distance. After a 370 mile drive, I wasn't going to let that stop me. Another car pulled up as I prepared to disembark, two kayaks on top, four people inside. This group from Sarasota decided not to venture out. I told them if they saw an article about a guy getting hit by lightning, they'd know who it was.



I wheeled the yak to the shore, then walked it out in the muck, sinking to about mid calf, sandal coming off. I reached in the hole, pulled out the sandal, took off the other, got into floatable, and was on my way. I was in the Atlantic, which thanks to the reefs offshore, was calm, despite the rain. Paddling south, I entered a channel. Water was flowing quickly, must be a tide change. I paddled through, entering Coupon Bight, "a shallow semi-enclosed basin approximately 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometers) long and 1.6 miles (2.5 kilometers) wide with an average 6 foot (1.8 meter) depth near the center." The quoted sentence is from the Florida DEP's Coupon Bight web page. Here is more on the Bight. "Rare wading birds can often be observed foraging in the shallow waters of the tropical lagoon and amongst the mangroves. The endangered Key deer traverse the shallow waters to move from island to island."

I did not see any rare birds.

Or so I thought. But, as I go through my photos, I look at the white bird immediately above, and notice it has a different color beak than the great egret with lunch in its beak. My first great white heron?

Cormorant, red mangroves, Atlantic.

I came back to the channel, gliding with the tide to the ocean. I headed north, past my launch point. Here, in front of ocean front homes, two Key deer foraged along the wrack line.
The first I have ever seen. It pays to get off US 1, and in the kayak. Key deer are the smallest of white tail deer. As I looked at this pair, they did not seem small, especially the one in the first photo, behind a crab trap. They dashed into the mangroves.
I paddled back south, checking out an area behind some tiny mangrove islands. Two deer, perhaps the same two came out to feed.

Ibis probing the same shore give a perspective on the deer's size.



Coconut palm. First one on the Tales since December in Sanibel.
Light rain continued, as I paddled through the channel again.

Much of the bottom appears to be hard, flat stone. One thing on the bottom surprised me. Along the same line as overhead power lines, underwater cables. In less than a foot of water in some places. I though about the potential for vandalism.

Back in the channel, more deer. At least 5 in this herd before they darted away.
Back to the Atlantic, as rain continued to fall.
I saw more deer.

I came to Long Beach Run and Coupon Bight, hoping to see Key deer. Nothing better than hope realized. I had been out for a couple hours, 12:30 to 2:30. I landed. The tide had gone out, more of the shore exposed. I sank to my thighs, slogging to shore. Covered with mud, I reached firm ground. The wrong firm ground. My launch point was about 15 yards south of where I landed. The mangroves were to thick to get through. So back in the ooze. To the launch point. Tthrough more muck, not as deep. Now I was glad for the rain, as it cleaned things up, a little. Good thing I had plenty of water and lots of dry clothes.

As I drove on Long Beach Drive back to US 1, more Key deer. Photos through the open window.

I arrived in Key West, and found my nephew's house. Usually I stay with my sister, Monica, but she had company, so Arlo let me spend the weekend at his place. I found the place, but no parking spot. Eventually I found one a few blocks away. Kitty corner from a restaurant. Mangia Mangia. I wonder if my niece, Elena, still works here. I walked in, and there she was. It was almost 6, so I stayed. Had Conch Minestrone, Picadillo Pasta for my entree, washed down with a Key West Ale.

After dinner, I found a space closer to Arlo's (and Ashley's who was out of town), dropped off my stuff and took a walk to the water front. I intended to visit Mallory Square, but turned right instead of left at the end of Duval Street. Had a nice stroll along the wharf. Back to Arlo's then to the Green Parrot for a a little entertainment. Even the sidewalks were full outside the bar for the Spam All-Stars. A very full first day of the weekend. Good thing the boat to the Marquesas wasn't going out until 11:00 am Sunday.

I have posted another version of this Tale on the Green Wave Forum. http://www.clubkayak.com/greenwave/trips.asp?location=222