WaterTribe^TM Florida Coastal Challenge (FCC)

The Florida Coast In Sea Kayaks,
Canoes and Small Boats

The next Florida Coastal Challenge is  Tuesday, February 25, 2020. There is no official equipment inspection since you must be a WaterTribe Veteran to Enter this challenge.  Cost is $1,495.00  for the captain and $995.00 for a crew member if any.

Billing starts January 1 at noon.
Registration ends January 31 at noon.
Payment Deadline is January 31 at noon.

For first time Florida Coastal Challenge entrants you must complete at least one Everglades Challenge or Ultimate Florida Challenge in the years since and including the last Ultimate Florida Challenge before you can enter this event. For example, to enter the FCC2016 event you must complete at least one of the following: EC2014, EC2015, or any previous Ultimate Florida Challenge. We may also accept R2AK finishers as long as the boat they used in the R2AK fits a WaterTribe class and they did the event as a single or double only.

Due to the exteme commitment for this challenge late registration and/or late payments will not be allowed. We recommend that you commit to this race early so you have plenty of time for planning, training, and preparation. Pay early in the payment cycle. You can get a full refund up until January 31 at noon. No refunds after that date and time.

This is the toughest small boat challenge you will find anywhere. If you want to test yourself against everything Mother Nature has to throw at you and see what you are really made of you have found the way.

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This challenge is intended to mesh with the Ultimate Florida Challenge. The first two stages can be finished to coincide with the start of the UF2016 event on March 5. Therefore we consider these two stages as a Preamble to the UF2016. We also provide at least three options for those who want a WaterTribe BOGO (Buy One Get One for those not living near a Publix).

Preamble

You have three finish options:

1. Option 1 - Do five stages and finish at Fort Clinch. This is the standard course for the Florida Coastal Challenge -
   Perdido to Cedar Key.
   Cedar Key to Fort Desoto.
   Fort Desoto to Key Largo.
   Key Largo to Sebastian Inlet.
   Sebastian Inlet to Fort Clinch.
   You finished the Florida Coastal Challenge.
2. Option 2 - Continue and also get credit for the Cross Florida Challenge and Ultimate Florida Challenge-
   Add another stage, Fort Clinch to Cedar Key.
   You finished the Florida Coastal Challenge.
   And you finished the Cross Florida Challenge.
   And you get credit for the Ultimate Florida Challenge using an adjusted time (we add your time from Cedar Key to Fort Desoto that you previously did).
3. Option 3 - Insane -
   Continue from Cedar Key back to Fort Desoto for a second time.
   You finished the Florida Coastal Challenge.
   And you finished the Cross Florida Challenge.
   And you finished the Ultimate Florida Challenge with your actual time.

I am calling the section from the Panhandle to Cedar Key to Fort Desoto the Preamble because Challengers selecting option 2 or 3 can do the preamble at any time between December of the previous year to the days leading up to the start of the Everglades Challenge. Of course, your start date and float plan must be coordinated with me (Chief). All WaterTribe rules apply and you will be tracked.

In all three cases, the section of the race that starts at Fort Desoto must start at the same time as the Everglades Challenge. This means that if you arrive at Fort Desoto a day or two (or even weeks) ahead of the start of the EC, you must wait. If you arrive after the start of the EC but within a two day window, you can just hit the OK button at the Fort Desoto start beach and continue. Anyone arriving beyond the two day limit will have to be cleared to continue.

This is kind of confusing, but WaterTribers can navigate while sleep deprived so I'm sure you will get it. Let's look at a couple of examples.

Important Note: These examples use EC2016, UF2016 and FCC2016. Rather than rewrite this section every two years, please adjust the year as needed by adding 2 or 4 or 6 or ... as appropriate.

Example 1: A Challenger has two weeks of Christmas break in December 2015 and decides to do the Florida Coastal Challenge as two events. He starts the preamble section on December 26 and finishes the preamble at Fort Desoto on January 5. He then waits until March 5 for the start of the EC2016 to continue and finally finishes at Fort Clinch on or about March 26. Yes, he had a long break, but he circumnavigated the coastline of Florida. The times for each section are added together for the overall time for the FCC.

Example 2: Another Challenger decides to do the Florida Coastal Challenge as one event. She starts the preamble section on February 25 and finish the preamble at Fort Desoto on March 3rd. She then waits a couple of days until March 5 for the start of the EC2016 to continue and finally finishes at Fort Clinch on or about March 26. Yes, she had a much shorter break, but it worked for her and she circumnavigated the coastline of Florida. The times for each section are added together for the overall time for the FCC.

Example 3: A stone cold crazy man (probably an ex-Marine) decides to do the insane Ultimate Florida Coastal Challenge in one big blast. He starts the preamble section on February 25 and he finishes the preamble at Fort Desoto on March 5. He barely missed the start of the EC2016 but he is within the time window so he pushes the OK button at the Ultimate Finish Beach (near the boat ramp) and continues merging with the EC and UF. He finishes at Cedar Key on March 31. He circumnavigated the coastline of Florida AND completed the river section to complete the loop. The times for each section are added together for the FCC time and the UF time. He gets credit for both events.

Of course doing the Original Ultimate Florida Challenge is still an option and is probably the best choice for most.

If you are interested in any of the three options, contact me by email with your anticipated Preamble start date if you are doing option 2 or 3. Of course you can change your preamble date. This first estimate is just to get things rolling.

Please Note: The official start date for the FCC2016 is preferred, but you can start the Preamble section earlier if you must. Remember that you must do the second half of this challenge synced with the UF2016.

Note that missing deadlines (grace periods), clearance to leave, and other rules are covered in detail in other pages of this web site.

Important Note: SPOT with tracking feature is required and correct usage guidelines must be followed.

Fort Desoto to Key Largo
Same as Everglades Challenge

This is Stage 1 for the Ultimate Florida Challenge and Stage 3 for the Florida Coastal Challenge. It is almost identical to the Everglades Challenge. The only difference is that the deadline for Key Largo is about one day sooner than the Everglades Challenge deadline.

Yes, you do have to go into all EC checkpoints and hit your OK or Custom button. There will be logbooks to sign in too.

Rather than repeat all the EC info here, just go to the Everglades Challenge section, but note the different deadline for Key Largo.

Key Largo to Sebastian Inlet

Hopefully you saved some energy during the Everglades Challenge section because now it is time to turn north and make your way from Key Largo to Sebastian Inlet State Park. Although there are some "wild" areas in this stage, it is also one of the most populated areas in Florida with more than its share of boat traffic. Be careful and stay alert.

This stage is roughly 180 nautical miles. Since you have proven yourself by finishing the Everglades Challenge and we want to keep the Ultimate Florida Challenge a true expedition-style adventure, there are no checkpoints between Key Largo and Sebastian Inlet. This lack of checkpoints means that correct usage of your SPOT is even more important. Fortunately, cell phone coverage is good over most of this stage.

A race official may or may not meet you at the Stage Point and provide help with resupply if you need it.

A race official may or may not supply a ride to local stores for resupply, maintenance of equipment, laundry, etc. Please note that it could take a few hours for someone to meet with you since we may be spread out over distances of a couple of hundred miles.

A camp site may or may not be available, but there are plenty of places for a stealth camp.

Sebastian Inlet to Fort Clinch - Official Finish of Florida Coastal Challenge

Ready for some more? Just keep heading north and after about 170 nautical miles you'll run into Fort Clinch just before you cross into Georgia. You will paddle thru heavily populated areas and some really nice areas.

Again during this stage there are no checkpoints between Sebastian Inlet and Fort Clinch. You are on your own but you must keep reporting your progress at least once in each 24 hour period and your SPOT must stay on.

The location of the landing for this SP is just on the north side of the public boat landing. A camp site in the park may or may not be available for your use. Fort Clinch is not kayak friendly at this time so we will figure something out. There is good bivvy camping next to the sandy beach landing spot on the north side. Be careful not to cross into the park if bivvy camping.

A race official may or may not provide a ride to local stores for re supply, maintenance of equipment, laundry, etc. Please note that it could take a few hours for someone to meet with you since we may be spread out over distances of a couple of hundred miles.

It could take several hours for a race official to meet with you at or near Fort Clinch because challengers may be spread out by several hundred miles. Use your SPOT to check in via an OK Message. If you need a ride or help for resupply, call the race manager or CP Captain or the Roving Captain.