Solo Camping & Kayaking | Fort De Soto Park and Shell Key Preserve
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- #florida #solocamping #fortdesoto
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I am battling that "go alone" as well. I do get a little fearful but its time to enjoy and not wait on others to do adventures. 🥰
Yes ma’am!! Get out there and do it! It’s so rewarding!
Thinking of camping there soon. I hear the raccoons are pretty bad what was your experience with raccoons at the campsite?@@kellyhays23
There are so many Men that feel the same. Men that want to do this with women. Too bad there is not a way to combine efforts to get out there. That sounds weird with all the "dating apps" but I think those apps and tech are what majorly helped created this lone adventurer and lone everything else problem.
Meet Up has been great for me. Florida trail will be with some people I met on Meet up and when I go to Zion this summer hopefully I can get people to go there too. I did do the Rim to Rim to Rim solo last year but man, that was awesome to do solo. Amazing to be honest. I highly suggest it, solo or with companions.
Always carry a 🔫. Just in case.
The awesome thing about doing things alone is that you tend to meet other people doing the same thing... some of them are weird and you realize why they're alone, but others are really awesome and you end up making the friends that do the things you want to do - instead of feeling like everyone is too busy to come hang out. Love your channel, btw! You're hitting a lot of spots I know or want to check out!
Good point made!
I love that Gary and his friend took time out of their day to spend it with you, usually the wildlife is too busy!!! So many things to explore down there, thanks for sharing!
Haha they were so cool. Miss those dudes! Thank you for watching, Amber
Gary is a Cormorant. He looks for fish all the time. Under the kayak he likes the shade and low glare to see better and hide. Gary's friend is also a Cormorant. I love the nacho pan. I would need at least one all to myself. Also I would get a 7' light salt spinning rod, a two or three piece one and a Shimano reel. 14# line and some white bucktail jigs. Also chartreuse. (Fish bite on white. But you can't lose with chartreuse) There could be some tasty snapper or cobia or a grouper under the sea. Worth a try here and there. Plus you are already there! Also a couple 1oz. sinkers and some #4 or #6 Owner octopus hooks on a redneck rig with hooklears. (Just in case you happen on some hermit crabs or minnows for bait. I can't help it, I'm a Cormorant).
*rewrite: (I am ALSO a Cormorant)
Man there’s so much to love about this video! Gary, nachos, Ft DeSoto, the sunset, your perspective, awesome work.
That is a beautiful area up there. I am 63 and I've been tent camping alone for 42 years I have never been afraid of wildlife but for the last 20 years crazy humans have kept me on edge but I am well prepared and trained to handle situations.
Kelly, I'm loving this Florida Series. I'm a Native Floridian and enjoying your first time experiences to seeing it for what it truly is... I forget sometimes how beautiful Florida is due to the changes and population explosion I have seen in my life time. I actual paused the video to comment. The "TOLL lady" is correct. "Don't be stressed, YOU are in Florida!" People forget that. It's suppose to be a laid back no hurry place. Also, I recommend getting a "Sunpass" for the TOLL roads. I also noticed the shark/dolphin correction. Very good. Loving this series. Keep up the great work and HAVE FUN doing it. Now back to your video.
Thank you so much Tim! I def should have gotten the sun pass a long time ago haha! Thanks so much for watching, always enjoy reading your comments!
Love it! Thanks for reminding me that I don’t have to beg people to go with me. I always want to go places no one else wants to go and I don’t go because of that. Ugh! Encouraged. :)
I just took my brand-new paddleboard out by Fort De Soto (tbh, because of this video) and Gary and his friend joined me! They're still out there, looking for that sweet underwater shade. Thanks for filming all these wonderful places that I'm not too far from!
Desert looks delicious
Loved "Gary" your water stalker, not to be confused that Land Squirrel from Texas...!! LOL. And your take on life and doing things on your terms, alone, if need be is so true. In my travels thru the 80's across this country and in the US Navy, I realized I didn't have any tokens or pictures to validate my travels. And it occurred to me I did it for me, not to show as an accomplishment or achievement to validate my own happiness. Don't get me wrong, I wish we had cell phones back then to help navigate and take quick pictures. But in the end, it was the experience and how it enhanced my understanding of the world that mad me feel happy and satisfied I did it. So, thank you once again for taking me on your little trip... BTW - your tin foil meals were a staple of my summer meals in the teenage years. Great way to throw things together quickly and chow down... Happy trails!!!!
Your videos are so entertaining! Gary, the bird was awesome. You are my favorite you tuber. 💛
💛💛💛💛💛 thank you so much!!!
Thanks for sharing this adventure. I love hiking and want to camp and be outdoors more and my husband isn’t really into it. This is inspiring me to look into some solo adventures. Plus, Ive lived Florida (most recently st pete) for 12, maybe 15 years and never considered camping at fort de Soto like this. Now we are on our own adventure…. We sold everything and have been traveling around USA (via airbnbs and furnished spots), for 18 months now. Thank you so much for sharing this.🧡
That is so awesome!!
We are really enjoying your weekend adventures in Florida. It's great that you're going to nature places that typically tourists don't even know about. Gary (I think that's what you named the bird) was a funny, unexpected, & uninvited delightful visitor. You have a great way of including unexpected things/animals in your videos. That also makes me think of the mud you had to go through while carrying your kayak. I'm glad you include stuff like that.
I don't know if I remembered to comment on the video you took at the hospital during the hurricane. It was interesting and a different point of view than I saw on the news. I appreciated you sharing your accommodations too.
Finally, I appreciate hearing from or about James. We know he is special to you and important in your life so it's great that you include some aspect in your video.
Thank you so much for watching Laura!! This comment made me smile big!! 💛
I am loving the Florida videos, maybe even more than the AT. Can't wait to see where you go next. Have fun and be safe.
Haha oh wow! Been loving my time here. I’ve gotten to do a ton of cool stuff!! Can’t wait to share the rest :)
Loved the adventure. And I especially love your life philosophy regarding travel and doing things. Bravo.
💛
So glad you made it over to Pinellas County and Fort DeSoto Park. Gary and his friend were happy to show you around Shell Key...LOL! He certainly wasn't camera shy! A great campsite with a beautiful view, you'll have to come back with James! Those nachos looked awesome!
Thank you Judy!! :)
You are right life is short, you’ll never know what tomorrow brings. Take it from someone like me who is recovering from two strokes. I am on my sixth year and still can’t move my legs, the first year I couldn’t control my left eye I couldn’t focus with one, couldn’t swallow because I did not know when to breath or swallow. So you’ll never know what going happen one day you are kayak fishing the next you are bedridden because of a stroke. So have fun enjoy your life make everyday count.
Great video Kelly! Thanks for sharing your adventures. As a kayaker, I can relate to wading through the muddy muck more times than I care to recount. A couple years ago, my kayaker buddy died unexpectedly and none of my other friends cared to go as much as I did. As painful as it was, I had to start all over with a new set of liked minded adventure friends because as you say, life is too short to sit at home.
So sorry about your friend. I’m glad you have been getting back out there tho! I’m sure your friend is looking down smiling everytime you get on the water :)
Nice!!! I'm glad you liked my recommendation 🙂. I was just there last weekend with my wife and son. I need to bring less gear next time, I may have went overboard with the glamping. Need to keep the family comfortable. I wonder if we were there at the same time. I was in campsite 11. I was the loud person snoring haha.
Totally enjoyed your adventure. Enough so that I was paying more attention to it then the spreadsheet I'm supposed to work on. Yikes. Beautiful place and so relaxing. Well done and thanks for sharing.
Awesome tour! So beautiful nature around! Pretty cool views!
You're gonna love Florida after you get familiar with the hurricanes and heat and humidity..Thanks for the video and you look happy and healthy..
You are an amazing young lady. I love that you said why should I make my plans a round someone’s else’s day. At 67 years old I am still doing that. I need to start doing it on my own. Thanks for sharing your trip with us and my next camping trip I am going to try your recipes.⛺️🍁🪵💕
Our favorite place to camp when we lived in Florida!
Gary seemed pretty cool.Nice camping spot too.Those nachos had my mouth watering.
That’s my favorite local camping spot :) Lithia Springs and EG Cummings are also some awesome spots nearby.
Ship of Fools, good choice.
Yes. I’m the fool
So you like to camp, hike, kayak, explore, food, adventure your an all round perfect, fun to be around girl. Why can't more girls be like you. As always brilliant content showing us first-hand what places are like. We all thank you. Keep them coming take care and best wishes
Nice, you went to Shell! When you camp out there next time don't go around the front of the island, go to the back side. There are a few points where you can park your kayak and take a path through sand dunes to the beach side. We usually camp right at the edge of the bird preserve area. There's a path from the back right there.
Wow,,you virtually had the place all to yourself. The island .
Great video, very interesting to see Shell Key and the fort. Those nachos look good, will have to try them.
Loved your video. Glad you are enjoying FL and taking advantage of all the great places to see and do. I admire your willingness to do things alone. Stay safe and have fun.
I truly enjoyed this adventure and can only imagine how you enjoyed it in person!
Hahah definitely one of my favorite weekends here
Well great. Now I want some nachos. That bird following you had me rollin'. Great video!
Never live in fear… I have traveled the world most of my life - alone! Yes as a women. Chase after those dreams! If things feel off you’ll know… then just pack up and leave. Having company is fun but sometimes being alone is better 😁 enjoy every minute God grants you
This is my fav campground in FL and I'm a native Floridian!
That meal you prepared looked awesome. I think Gary and friends were Anhingas - a.k.a. snake birds.
Just love your adventures. !! Gary is adorable …
The swimming birds are Cormorants, probably followed you around as your kayak stirred up fish which they like to eat. 😊
Finally we got to see how you put the Kayak on the roof. Effective af.
Wow, you have a knack for camping, that’s for sure! First that campsite, it doesn’t get much better than that. In CA you’d have to be on a year long waitlist to snag anything close to that. Then the camp setup with the fire pit, tent, hammock, expert level. Finally the camp nacho’s OMG those looked so good and the cast iron pan would keep them crispy. You might have to share a link to the recipe, or, we can rewatch the video and pause 😂 Really enjoyed it!
Your friend is hilarious! We went to Ft Desoto once. It's beautiful! Great camping spot! That campfire dinner looks delicious! Looks lilke Florida life is agreeing with you! You look very happy Kelly Hays!
Site 5 Ft DeSoto my fav. Close to bathrooms. 😊
You packed a lot into your weekend. And life truly is short. Glad you had your life jacket but Life Jacket Worn, Nobody Mourns.
It much better going alone than not going at all. I have always had a hard time finding Action Adventure friends because most are too lazy to do what we do. Especially Mountain Biking and Canoeing/ Kayaking/ Camping / Hiking. South Georgians like motorized… easy fun. At 65, I’ve had to slow down some myself.
Dawwww freakin Gary!! Probably thought you were going to fish haha. What a cool kayak sesh!
The cormorants are awesome there. The will keep doing that.
Never go wrong the the Aldi!!
Good to see you made it to Ft. Desoto. Fun video. We were out there a couple times last week.
that would be awesome! love your new friends
There’s a setting on Maps on your phone that you can set to avoid tolls.
Yeah I always have that on, but this time they were unavoidable
Lady, i have no idea why your video was in my feed! I can say I enjoyed it and your personality is infectious. Thanks for the fun. I love kayaking. Lost two in a fire and didnt replace them. I may have to do it soon for spring is coming. I just saw the Buffalo River National Park sticker in your kayak. That is where I am from. The Arkansas Ozark Mountains will always be home for me even though I left many years ago.
I agree, life is short. Go out and enjoy life everyday. I've been preaching this to everyone. Thanks for bringing us alone.
So glad I found this channel. I look forward to the adventures.
That's too cool live your best life
That was so funny... ur friend gary!
Awesome solo trip, if you make it back go to the beach at the opposite end of the park road from the one you went to, it's called "North Beach", walk down to the water and take a beach walk to the Right (north) look on the map in satellite mode its an awesome beach that curves around into the inlet, full of amazing birds, and shells, the locals pull thier boats and jet skis up there around the tip sometimes on the weekend, but very few people walk that far up around the curve. It's like a giant sand bar.,
And don't miss the amazing tiki bar at the end of the St. Pete Pier and the nightlife a few blocks up in front of the pier.
You're such an inspiration. I loved what you said about doing things alone.
Great place. Serious talk about having the right life jacket and wear it every time you kayak. Round these parts people drown all time, and I just want you to be safe. Girl, those nachos were awesome lookin... great times always!
What a beautiful campsite. I was happy to see your PFD on your kayak. Did it get any cooler air in central Florida like we did up here in northern FL.? Stay well and be safe.
If you carry a regular scout type knife, it has a can opener as one of its blades. It takes a little practice but once you're used to it, you can open a can in just 5 seconds. If you work the vaseline into the cotton ball(I use the ones from pill bottles) and then pull the ball apart the protruding fibers will light with just a spark. Good job on campfire cooking. Imagine having to carry that pan on a hike. Good video. Good Luck, Rick
Your statement at 4:00 has been the story of my life. When you are alone you do, see and enjoy YOUR life more and don't need to worry about others. The situation with the can opener, go to any army surplus store and get a couple of P38's, army can openers, you can put one on your key chain.
Have done this little trip, myself. The little island between where you launched and Shell Key has thin waterways through it (through mangroves). It is (by far) the best part of that little paddle. Serene and covered (almost like a tunnel in spots) and special. In case you go back.
Beautiful beaches and great sunset. Thanks for the video!
The jumping fish are mullet. DOLPHINS love mullet.
Cotton balls in vasoline is my fav firestarter! Cheap, lightweight and waterproof
So happy I found your channel, and will be taking some of your advice to heart.
love Gary!! what a great solo trip. I love doing stuff alone dont have to worry about other ppls schedules!
I'm researching BA tents right now, I guess you recommend??.🤣
The bird is a comorants. Their pretty cool.
Ohmygosh! My first solo camping trip was at Ft. DeSoto 21 years ago. I was in my first year of sobriety and learning who God was. It was a magical weekend! Thank you for this video!!! Memory Lane ❤
That is so amazing!!!
I live in Oregon now, but I do miss the heat and humidity at times 😉
Been watching your videos. Thanks for the content. I am a Floridian and jealous of all the places you have been. Love that you often travel alone. My situation is different. I often think I can do what she is doing/ Someday I may get the chance. Until then enjoy the possibilities through your videos.
You are right gotta get out there I do things alone to life is to short not to hope everything is well with you live it up girl you doing it
Fort de Soto is always a good time. Another quick and basically free fire starter is using the lint from your dryer tray. Took me way too long to learn that, so paying it forward.
Lol that looks like soooo much fun I wanna go kayaking and camping in the keys 😮❤ I’m gonna have come hang with you and Gary sometime lol that was pretty cool… I totally agree I stopped living my life on someone else’s schedule, I have since got use to doing things alone too.. my life was always the same always waiting on someone to go do something I wanted to do now I actually enjoy my solo trips doing the same thing hiking, kayaking, and camping…
Gary is using you to flush fish for him to catch. I love Ft DeSoto campground & have stayed there countless times. FYI; the waterfront sites can be plagued by wind that keeps tents , tarps, & hammocks constantly flapping.
"Ju-lap-n-o" YES!!!! I knew we were sisters!!! 🤣
😂🤣
Hey Kelly just a suggestion. Go to Lowes or a Home Depot and pick yourself up a three step ladder. The top step is like a platform step and the frame is aluminum . It well help in loading your kayak. The ladder folds down flat and stores really well in the back of your Subaru. I own a 2016 Crosstrek and I use my lader everytime I load or unload my 17ft cedar strip kayak I built. Trust me it's probably the best money I spent and it helps me allot. I'm 5'8" tall and I use kayak cradles that allow my kayak to sit upright . Thanks again for sharing your adventure with us. I did most of my adventures alone until my children came along. Now as they have grown up and are moving on with their own lives I am starting to do more solo adventures again. Keep it up.
Gary was hoping you would be fishing! If you were fishing, Gary would dive down and steal your bait! BTW, those where Dolphins you saw. Shark tails are vertical. When they’re that shallow you would’ve seen two fins, dorsal and tail. Dolphins tails are horizontal therefore you’ll only see one fin out of the water.
I think the bird at 4:38 and following you around is a cormorant
He is!
🤣🤣🤣🤣Gary the bird stalking you was more fun watching than your AT summit! I don’t doubt that he was just wanting to be your friend, but maybe there was something with your rowing that was stirring up food for the little guy? Your kayak isn’t too big, but if you get tired of carrying it, I recommend c-tug wheels. They’re very compact and they work great. There are even optional wheels available for sand!
Your nachos and peach desert looked amazing!! Kelly, thanks for taking us along on another great video!
😂😂😂 thank you!!
With each paddle stroke you were kicking up little minnows, crustations, etc for Gary to snack on. Gary is a smart Anhinga
Oh my god girl, you are amazing. I been using Vaseline and cotton balls for years. However, I got a little hack for you. If you take one cotton ball and you put it inside the Vaseline roly cotton balls in that along with the wood chips it’ll stay lit for 12 minutes. I’ve done timer is it that’s how I know how long it’s taking to burn out so to do that you can actually go and find any sawdust and put that in the Vaseline stir it up real good classic paste and then you stick your stick your cotton ball in that you roll it around and it will stay lit as long as you have your Kinlin Ready already and it’ll give you plenty of time to get that fire lit and yes, the nachos looked amazing
Floridians call them 'Snake-Birds' since, when they're fishing (that's why they swim underwater) all you see is their neck and head. Once they're done fishing they will perch on a branch and stretch out their wings to dry. They produce significantly less oil in their feathers allowing them to dive deeper then most birds.
Yep porpoises not sharks. Those tag along birds are cracking me up. At least you didn’t have to talk to yourself all day lol
If you are going to live in Florida, you need to get an SunPass so you don’t have to stop for tolls.
Love watching you. You do such a great job and you go to some very nice places. Thank you.
That's good I'm glad to hear that
You are an inspiration! Just started doing things solo and I love it! Very cool video! Loved the part of Gary and his friend joining you! I just subscribed to your channel!
It was cool seeing the birds so close to your kayak!
at 6:31 those were 100% dolphins. Sharks have straight fins. "If it's curved, just swerve. If it's straight, you finna get ate." That's how I remember it lol
That bird looked like a Loon. They dive under water for food and will surface in a different spot. They have a really cool sound.
Girl, I just moved down here as well with my daughter. I wanna do all the things. Hard meeting folks but adventuring is so fun. I just need to go get my doggone kayak and hit it, stop being so scurred. 😀 lol that bird went underwater playing hide and seek with you, cracked me up.
I love your adventures and channel. Much respect from Michigan ❤
Amazing I've been looking for spots in Pinellas to do this all day so thanks for the video.
You’re one adventurous girl 👍 just stay safe out there. ❤😊
Great video! I have been trying to get a water RV site at Ft Desoto for a while now! What is your secret? I go to the state park reservation site and everything is always full!
Gary is an Anhinga…or also called a snake bird. He was looking for food you were stirring up with your paddle. Love seeing your adventures here. I too need to quit waiting on friends and just going it alone.
Friends come in all shapes and sizes... Gary sure did add to the adventure... Awesome camp and cook... Very fun...super entertaining video....😊✌️
Goodmorning Kelly Hays have a BLESS DAY TODAY
Can’t believe you got a water site- lucky! I live here and can never get one! Enjoy!