I am now five days into the trip and am feeling the effects of paddling a fully loaded kayak 6-8 hours a day. When I planned my departure from Key West I had visions of sunny days in the 60's and 70's with flat seas. The reality of things could not have been more different.

The weather has been all over the map. Tons of rain the first couple of days and now high winds with lousy seas. The few times it has cleared up the sunrise and sunsets have been spectacular. It is as if Mother Nature is either giving you false hope in the morning or a congratulation smile in the evening.

The people along the way have been both curious and kind. I had never paddled these waters so I must admit I had a different set of expectations. I wrongly expected a more wilderness setting, whereas the reality is that most of the shoreline has been developed. This has caused me to hunt for campsites and put my bivy into good use. The water is however, very beautiful with the contrast of dark skies and brightly colored shallows that stretch off into the distance.

I head north tomorrow after a day of rest. Before you know it I will have exited the keys and the beautiful turquoise water for the urban sprawl of Miami and the Atlantic. The Atlantic Odyssey has begun.