Now arriving, Durham, NC

Just arrived via National Car Rental and many hours on I-95. I'm about to offload many pounds of soggy, fetid gear and a kayak with a cracked hull (don't ask). Here's a brief summary, with more to come.

Saturday was a very long but satisfying day. Traveling intermittently with Dawn (SandyBottom), Kristen (KiwiBird), Steve (KneadingWater), Denny (Seiche), Will (Hammerstroke) and Jim (Sundance), we covered the 67 miles to CP1 in a little under 17 hours. Saw many porpoise, a ray, a manatee and an array of waterfowl as we transited the alleys of the millionaires. (How do so many people have so much money?) On arrival I was tired but also exhilarated. I hit the sack by 01:30, looking for an 06:30 departure. By 03:00 I was awake with cramps in my hamstrings, of all things. No more sleep for the night.

Kristen and I departed CP1 a little before 7:00am on Sunday, a few minutes before Dawn, Steve and Denny. From the start, I had nowhere near the energy I'd had late the previous night. I hoped I would recover, but it didn't happen. I just went farther downhill and made progress only through the grace of good sailing. Kristen and I rafted up at Matlacha Pass to discuss it, and I questioned my ability to continue. She agreed, noting that my pace had never come close to the previous day's. We discussed options, and a hotel at Punta Rassa seemed the best drop point. Shortly after Eagle Nest, Steve and Denny caught up with us and after a briefing offered to tow me in. At the beach, they put me in capable hands, offered hugs and headed for Wiggins Pass. I am deeply indebted to all my mentors and keepers but especially to Kristen!

The dockmaster at the Mariott was wonderful. She stowed my gear in her office and added my boat to the rack of rec kayaks available to guests. There were no rooms available there, but they found me one at a Country Inn down the road and delivered me to the door. After a hot bath, the fog began to clear a little and I remembered to take some ibuprofen. I was out by 20:00 and slept until 04:00. When the complimentary breakfast opened at 06:00, I quickly erased any profit from my stay.

From there it was a matter of finding a rental car, a kayak rack and developing a plan. (All possible plans seemed to require those first two steps, since no one was coming to get me.) In attempting to decide exactly what to do, I became aware that I wasn't thinking very clearly. The point was emphasized when I had a hard time mentally calculating the taxi driver's tip. (I think the driver had a very good day.) In any case, by noon I had retrieved my boat and gear and, unable to think of any approach more sensible, decided to go home.

I've had some time in the car to ponder what happened and have begun to develop a story, but I'm not so sure it's anything more than that--a story. It seems to have been metabolic, since pure fatigue hasn't in my experience caused significant cognitive impairment. Other oddities: essentially no delayed onset muscle soreness but my body ached all over for a day; swollen hands and sensitive finger tips; rashes. One possibility is potassium overload, since I take a potassium-sparing thiazide diuretic and use a sports drink heavy in potassium. I'll be combing the literature over the next few days to see what I can find.

Whatever the case may be, it would have been touch and go for me at my best. This is far and away the most difficult physical challenge I've ever attempted. My hat is off to anyone who can reach Key Largo on time!