From the back cover:
| ONE KAYAKER'S ODYSSEY FROM THE STREAMS OF MISSISSIPPI TO THE UNSPOILED BLUE OF THE WEST INDIES "A mere vacation would not be enough," sea kayaker Scott B. Williams writes. "I wanted to savor the experience, to absorb the places I longed to visit at the average speed of three miles an hour. Why not paddle for a year. . . two years?" With that, he embarked on an open-ended quest in the Caribbean to see how far south he could go paddling a seventeen-foot sea kayak. No one was willing to accompany him. He spent months working his way down the west coast of Florida, through the Bahamas, and on to Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. On Island Time is his narrative of this journey of a lifetime. Throughout he describes the wonders of discovery as he makes landfall on pristine cays, startles alligators, and joins in conversation with islanders and boaters. Relentless headwinds, dangerous surf, countless beaches declared off-limits, and aggressive sharks that ram his kayak remind the adventurer that this paradise is far from perfect. Williams learned what it means to be self-reliant and to adjust to "island time." With just a simple, human-powered craft and the few belongings that would fit inside, Williams explores an almost boundless frontier and a powerful stretch of the Caribbean rarely if ever accessed by the island tourist. |
On Island Time: Kayaking the Caribbean
OVERVIEW by the author:
Tourists visit the more popular destinations of the Caribbean by the planeload every day. Thousands more cruise
to island ports of call on passenger ships. Most go seeking a brief respite from winter’s cold in the lower latitudes
of endless summer and sun-drenched beaches. They work on their tans, marvel at the clear water, and sample
the fruity rum drinks before heading back north to home and work.
There are certainly easier ways to get to the islands from Mississippi than by paddling there in a 17-foot sea
kayak, but it was not a vacation on the sand that I was seeking. I wanted to see the postcard beaches, coral
reefs, and aquamarine waters that attract the tourists, but I also wanted to see the things most of them would
never see. In the Bahamas alone, there are nearly 700 scattered islands in an archipelago that stretches hundreds
of miles to the southeast from Florida. Fewer than 100 of these are inhabited, and of those, only a small
percentage are visited by tourists. Throughout the Caribbean, along the route I’d chosen in a quest to reach
South America, other uninhabited islands and seldom-visited shores enticed me to attempt this journey. Even
much of the west coast of Florida is inaccessible except by small boat and unknown by millions that inhabit the
Sunshine State.
Unlike larger vessels with sails or motors, a kayak allows a more intimate view of the coastline. I wanted to
move at a human pace, about the same speed as walking, and for the duration of the trip, I would live in the
transition zone between the ocean and the shore. My life would be reduced to the basics. I would paddle until I
was tired each day, find a place to camp, cook a simple meal, and soak in the sights and sounds of nature. I
wanted to experience the intense solitude of the sea and lonely islands, but the journey would also involve
immersion into many different cultures and mark the beginning of life-long friendships.
Unlike some thrill-seeking adventures and record-breaking expeditions, my quest was on a more personal and
spiritual level. I did not seek attention or take undue risks to prove anything. I simply wanted to go and find out
what was beyond the horizon, and I was not bound to any success or failure based on miles traveled or
destinations reached.
A mirror of life itself, this journey begins with unanswered questions, desire for knowledge, and goals and plans.
And like the longer travels of a lifetime, answers found lead to more questions, some goals are unattainable, and
plans have to be changed to meet changing circumstance. It is the author’s hope that in sharing the narrative of
this experience in From Black Creek to the Bitter End, others will see the value in time spent alone looking within,
in pursuing dreams, and in living each day of life in the moment.
OVERVIEW by the author:
Tourists visit the more popular destinations of the Caribbean by the planeload every day. Thousands more cruise
to island ports of call on passenger ships. Most go seeking a brief respite from winter’s cold in the lower latitudes
of endless summer and sun-drenched beaches. They work on their tans, marvel at the clear water, and sample
the fruity rum drinks before heading back north to home and work.
There are certainly easier ways to get to the islands from Mississippi than by paddling there in a 17-foot sea
kayak, but it was not a vacation on the sand that I was seeking. I wanted to see the postcard beaches, coral
reefs, and aquamarine waters that attract the tourists, but I also wanted to see the things most of them would
never see. In the Bahamas alone, there are nearly 700 scattered islands in an archipelago that stretches hundreds
of miles to the southeast from Florida. Fewer than 100 of these are inhabited, and of those, only a small
percentage are visited by tourists. Throughout the Caribbean, along the route I’d chosen in a quest to reach
South America, other uninhabited islands and seldom-visited shores enticed me to attempt this journey. Even
much of the west coast of Florida is inaccessible except by small boat and unknown by millions that inhabit the
Sunshine State.
Unlike larger vessels with sails or motors, a kayak allows a more intimate view of the coastline. I wanted to
move at a human pace, about the same speed as walking, and for the duration of the trip, I would live in the
transition zone between the ocean and the shore. My life would be reduced to the basics. I would paddle until I
was tired each day, find a place to camp, cook a simple meal, and soak in the sights and sounds of nature. I
wanted to experience the intense solitude of the sea and lonely islands, but the journey would also involve
immersion into many different cultures and mark the beginning of life-long friendships.
Unlike some thrill-seeking adventures and record-breaking expeditions, my quest was on a more personal and
spiritual level. I did not seek attention or take undue risks to prove anything. I simply wanted to go and find out
what was beyond the horizon, and I was not bound to any success or failure based on miles traveled or
destinations reached.
A mirror of life itself, this journey begins with unanswered questions, desire for knowledge, and goals and plans.
And like the longer travels of a lifetime, answers found lead to more questions, some goals are unattainable, and
plans have to be changed to meet changing circumstance. It is the author’s hope that in sharing the narrative of
this experience in From Black Creek to the Bitter End, others will see the value in time spent alone looking within,
in pursuing dreams, and in living each day of life in the moment.
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Scott's Boat Pages
Home page of Author, Boatbuilder, and
Adventurer Scott B. Williams
Home page of Author, Boatbuilder, and
Adventurer Scott B. Williams
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etc., may be used without permission. Contact Scott B. Williams, webmaster.
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On Island Time: Kayaking the Caribbean
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On Island Time: Kayaking the Caribbean