RE LOG Spring '25

26 Ransom Everglades LOG SPRING 2025 we then prepared our gear and changed clothes. The four girls in my group, including myself, held up a large blanket for each other when changing our clothes for privacy. Even though we were all hesitant, it was inevitable that we would all need to use the restroom, and we did so carefully off the side of the canoe. By this time, it was pitch dark. We could only see dark blobs of tree shapes and the glistening stars that reflected off of the water in the distance. That evening, the instructors cooked pasta for dinner while our group members talked and learned about each other, as our shining headlamps attracted bugs and mosquitoes. The hiss from the gas tank used for the stove filled the occasional silence. We then ate, created plans for the following day, and learned about the correct way to utilize a compass and a chart. After a long first day, we set up our sleeping bags and prepared for the chilly night ahead. The breeze from the bracing air woke me throughout the night, and at times I would stare in silence at the bright stars and moon beaming in the sky. I felt a sense of peace being out in nature. Day two and three became easier. Each day felt like a routine. We woke up and ate breakfast, which included a bowl of grits with melted cheese and butter, breakfast bars and hardy breakfast burritos with boiled eggs and vegetables. We then charted our path for the day, loaded boats and set out on the water. Although the second day was more intimidating with the twists and turns of the mile-long mangroves that entangled our canoes into the branches, I grew more comfortable in my new environment. As I became more familiar with the Everglades, facing the journey ahead did not seem as scary, especially as the bond grew within the entire group. Through the numerous lessons and tips from the instructors, each pair of paddlers used the compass and map to successfully navigate towards each point on our charts until reaching our destinations for the day. Our paddling routes normally encompassed an entire day, with choppy waves that splashed and attacked the canoes and winds that made rowing more vigorous. However, our communication skills involving directing the boats significantly improved as we traversed the unpredictable waters and paths. We crossed channels at low-tide, exposing the sea floor full of shiny clams and dark green seaweed. The food exceeded my expectations. Each day, two members were assigned the role of cooks. Meals included such things as making a buttery chicken curry with canned chicken, white rice, curry powder and other spices, prepping for hotdogs that were cooked over the bonfire for dinner, or even cutting vegetables and sausages for charcuterie board lunches on the water. All the remaining evenings were spent on land with trails that led to privacy areas for bathroom usage, where we were met with critters such as wild hogs and raccoons, with eyes that glowed yellow when our headlamps illuminated them in the distance. Each night, the girls in my group watched out for each other. My favorite evening of the trip was day three, where I enjoyed the rosy sunset from the beach during my alone time, where I saw gleaming silver fish jumping and flapping in the water and