East Coast Road Trip
Following my trip to Antarctica in February, I returned to the US for three months. While there, I bought a truck and spent one of those months road-tripping down the east coast of the country, from Massachusetts to Florida. The primary reason for the trip was to attend a few courses in Ft. Lauderdale, but I figured I’d take some extra time to visit friends and check out a couple new places along the way. I started my drive on March 12th on a cold, foggy morning. As I proceeded south, the fog turned to drizzle, then to a steady rain, and as soon as I crossed the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey, the rain turned to snow. As if the Jersey Turnpike didn’t suck enough on its own. I spent the first night in Wilmington, DE with Courtney’s sister and her family. We hadn’t seen each other in years, so it was a great opportunity to catch up, if only for a few hours.
The next day, I traveled down the length of Delaware and eastward to the Maryland coast. My destination was Assateague Island National Seashore [map], a barrier island stretching 37 miles along the mid-Atlantic. At check-in, the park ranger informed me I’d be the only person backcountry camping that evening. No surprise considering the time of year. It was a sunny, cloudless day, though the sun’s rays couldn’t overcome the chill of the biting headwind the entire three-mile hike out to the site. Serpentine ribbons of sand danced along the beach as the southerly gales scoured and reshaped the landscape. It felt as if I were in some faraway desert… minus the ocean. As the daylight waned, I scanned the entire beach and noted that I was the only soul remaining. It struck me that everyone else in the world was missing out on this. If they only knew. I stood there alone and admired the sky, sand, and sea. They were all mine for now. A heavy red sun on the horizon set the dunes alight for a few brief moments before the ember glow faded and all went to ash. Within minutes, the temperature plummeted. I quickly scarfed down dinner and jumped into my sleeping bag to hunker down for the night. I hadn’t bothered to bring a tent, and despite my bag being rated to 20F, the creeping fingers of icy wind prevented me from getting comfortable. After a few hours of unsuccessfully trying to sleep, I gave up and re-packed my things. Despite my failed camping attempt, I marched back to the truck with a smile on my face, bathed in moonlight and with the sound of crashing waves as my soundtrack.
I returned to the parking lot around 10:30pm and crawled into the back of my truck. With a six-foot bed and a cap, I could stretch out fully with a roof over my head and a cushy air mattress under my back. I’d even installed some makeshift blackout curtains. It felt downright luxurious after a few hours laying in the cold sand. The next morning I rose early and caught the sunrise from the beach. Later, I explored the short interpretive walking trails along the seashore, each highlighting a different ecosystem within the narrow strip of land: dunes, forest, marshes. I spotted a few of the famous wild horses that call this place home, along with some skittish white-tailed deer. A plethora of gulls, cormorants, plovers, and other seabirds occupied the tidal flats, picking away at the exposed mussel beds along the shoreline. Before leaving the park, I popped into the ranger station again to check out. “How was it out there?” she asked. “Amazing.”
Before long, I was back on the interstate, heading for North Carolina. In Raleigh, I refueled with a chopped pork combo plate from Sam Jones BBQ (best pork ever!) and a few beers from Burial Brewing Co (also highly recommended). The next day, I spent a few hours kicking around the uber-hipster NoDa neighborhood in Charlotte, sampling a few brewpubs and checking out a local art gallery. From there it was on to Greenville, SC to visit my buddy JJ for a night, and then to Florida where I’d spend the next two weeks. In between, I spent a few nights sleeping in Walmart and Cracker Barrel parking lots. Not exactly glamorous, but hey, that’s life on the road, baby!
My first stop was in Ft. Lauderdale to visit with friends over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. It was absolutely bonkers down there with Spring Break in full swing. I’ve never felt older. The following week, I was busy taking a maritime safety course that I needed to complete for a job application. As soon as I got out of class that Friday afternoon, though, I was on the road en route to Everglades National Park [map], where I’d spend the weekend. Pulling into the Long Pine Key Campground around 6:00pm, I secured myself a decent site. The beauty of sleeping in the back of a truck is there’s no need to set anything up, so within minutes I was out to have a look around. I weaved through the tall South Florida Slash Pines as the sun began to set, soaking in my surroundings. The vegetation and openness of the forest was so different from anything I’d ever seen. It was a great introduction to this new and intriguing place.
A cacophony of birdsong woke me at dawn the next day. After a quick breakfast of a granola bar and a cold brew, I was back on the road. My plan for the day included a drive south to the Flamingo Visitor Center, stopping at every side trail and observation area along the way. Cruising along the main road, I noted how quickly the surrounding landscape changed from pinelands to cypress groves to marl prairie to hardwood hammocks. Here, mere inches in elevation dictated massive shifts in the prevailing ecosystem. The flora and fauna hyper-specialized to thrive in only the most specific conditions. When I finally made it down to the Visitor Center, I rented a kayak for a short paddle up Buttonwood Canal, which slashes a path through coastal mangroves. Despite breezy conditions on the way out, it was a beautiful day, with temperatures in the mid-70s, low humidity, and not a cloud in the sky. I spotted a few small gators enjoying the sun as well as they basked just above the waterline on shore.
Before going back to my campsite for the night, I stopped in the Royal Palm area to walk the Anhinga Trail. Multiple gators floated along the waterways, either lying in wait for prey or lazily cruising between the cover of lily pads. An anhinga (or snakebird), a close relative to the cormorant, put on a show for me, spreading its wings only feet away as it dried itself after an underwater dive. With the golden hour lighting and the active wildlife, I was on cloud nine. The absolute beauty and uniqueness of the place really hit me then and there.
The next morning, I drove north to Route 41, then proceeded west towards Naples. Here, impacts of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) are apparent, as canals and pump stations line the highway. CERP is the largest hydrological restoration project ever undertaken in the US, and part of its mission is to keep the flow of water heading south through the Everglades. Decades of construction and agriculture in South Florida have severely restricted the water’s natural movement, but it’s reassuring to know there are efforts to restore as much as possible back to its natural state.
I’d started the day with one thing on my mind - more gators! As I passed by one fan boat tour after another, the temptation almost pulled me in, but I wanted to see these living dinosaurs on my own terms. I had it on good authority that driving the Loop Road off of Rt. 41 was a surefire way to get my fill, and I wasn’t disappointed. Along the entire road there were culverts, ponds, and canals where gators soaked up the sun’s warm rays. I had a blast pulling off the dirt road repeatedly to observe these incredible stealth predators. At one point, I even witnessed a gator chomping a just-caught bird - white wings still protruding from its mouth. The circle of life in action.
In only two days, I experienced a sizable chunk of the land-based part of the park. However, I’d love to come back and explore the endless labyrinth of waterways by boat, both inland and through the keys of Florida Bay. My heart will forever belong to the mountains and deserts, but the incredible landscapes of the Everglades left an indelible mark on me. The ever-shifting ecosystems and tremendous diversity make it perhaps the most unique place I’ve ever been. Sadly, this is an extremely fragile environment and is particularly susceptible to human impacts. A rise in sea level by mere inches will have profound repercussions here, and at this point, it seems all but inevitable. So I encourage you to visit while you still can, because this national gem may be greatly diminished, or even gone, sooner than you think.
Begrudgingly, I left the Everglades early Monday morning and drove back to Ft. Lauderdale for another two days of class. Following that, I started my return trip northbound, I coasted up I-95, making a quick stop at Amelia Island, FL, just north of Jacksonville. While there, I checked out a place called Boneyard Beach, which is strewn with dead, bleached trees. The contrasts and textures made for a perfect setting for black and white photos. I could have spent an entire afternoon shooting away, but in the immortal words of Robert Plant, I had to ramble on.
The last stop on my journey was Savannah, GA, where I visited my friend Mark and his family. I spent a few half-days there taking one-on-one kayaking lessons from an outfitter on Tybee Island. Sea kayaking is a sport I’m keen to pick up, so getting some instruction on proper stroke technique and self-rescue started me off in the right direction. Another highlight of the trip was meeting up with our old DMSE summer intern, Katelyn. She was in the midst of directing her first ever road race, the Savannah Women’s Half Marathon, and I was able to catch up with her as she oversaw things at the finish line. It was super cool to witness her success first hand after being there for her humble beginnings with DMSE.
I left Savannah on the afternoon of April 6th with my phone buzzing to alert me of tornado warnings in the area. At this point, I was beyond ready to be home, so despite the warnings and persistent rain, I drove through the night. Fueled by Mountain Dew and Redbull, I powered all the way to New Jersey before pulling over for some much needed sleep. The rest of the way home was a drab and uneventful slog back. An anticlimactic ending to an otherwise fantastic trip.
While I didn’t get to visit Shenandoah National Park on this trip as I’d originally intended, Assateague and the Everglades fulfilled my need for outdoor adventure. Better yet, they reminded me that a lack of elevation gain doesn’t mean a lack of excitement or intrigue. I admittedly have a “mountain-centric” bias, so it was good to step away from the alpine world and enjoy the flatlands for a change. That said, I went to New Hampshire and then Colorado a few weeks later to scratch that mountain itch… I can’t help myself. At any rate, I’m back in Okinawa now and am already planning my next round of adventures. Stay tuned!
