Boca Chita

Mark, a retired boomer with a powerful survivalist streak, manages to avoid contamination from the deadly NOEL virus, released worldwide by terrorists on Christmas Eve. Within 3 days, 99.9% of the world's population succumbs. He decides to bug-out in his survival-prepared, live-aboard trawler to Boca Chita Key, an uninhabited island seventeen miles from Miami, where he uses his wits, resilience and mechanical know-how to homestead as a self-sufficient hermit. Access to unlimited fuel will guarantee his freedom to travel, and power the air-conditioning, laundry, hot water heater and freezer. He quickly learns the essential secret of harvesting diesel from marina pumps using his portable Honda generator. In a vastly changed world, Mark faces his first challenging year with only the companionship of a shipwrecked survivor, his dog Shadow. In his Journal, he reflects on preparing for life aboard, watching the weather, harvesting the gifts of the sea, and nurturing the miracle of a kitchen garden. His encounters with a variety of animals and a handful of survivors succeed with the help of a salvaged Coast Guard Defender Class quick-response boat, a sawed-off 12-gauge pump Decksweeper shotgun, a stun-gun disguised as a camera, and some creative chemistry. He records a prepper's perspective on hot-wiring boats & cars, breaking & entering, false imprisonment and misdemeanor manslaughter. But Mark's Journal also celebrates the mundane: bicycling, baking bread, doing laundry, and fitting-out, running, and maintaining his boats, island repairs and improvements. In the months following NOEL, South Florida and the Keys suffer a series of natural catastrophes including a deep freeze, drought, uncontrolled wildfires in the Everglades, two hurricanes, and Lake Okeechobee breaching its dike, inundating South Florida. The first anniversary of the terrorist attack closes with a gathering of a small band of immune survivors, setting the stage for the creation of the community of New Islandia. Boca Chita tracks a careful and thoughtful man achieving equipoise as custodian of his "green" island hideaway, overcoming isolation, and taking the next steps. It is the first book of the NOEL trilogy, which includes Calusa Coast and The First Coast.

"Your new Florida Keys cruising guide is terrific, and is now my personal choice for cruising the Keys. Everywhere we went aboard Bluewater, we compared what you said with what we saw and you were virtually 100% on target." --Milt Baker This completely updated edition by the king of cruising guides provides reliable instructions and lively commentary about traveling from the Port of Miami all the way to the Dry Tortugas. Boaters may choose one of two routes to the Florida Keys, the inside route via the Intracoastal Waterway or the offshore option through Hawk Channel. In both cases, the authors pinpoint and assess obstructions, anchorages, marinas, fuel supplies, and other facilities for cruisers. Cruising the Florida Keys also contains first-hand evaluations of restaurants, cultural attractions, and historical sites, including the many things to see and do in Key West. Cruising the Florida Keys can be used alone or accompanied by Claiborne Young's Coastal Charts for Cruising the Florida Keys (sp), which contains the latest NOAA nautical charts cross-referenced to the cruising guide. These maps include anchorages, marinas, fueling stations, bridges, restaurants, historical sites, and other important bits of information for boaters.

Winner of the National Outdoor Book Award. National Parks are some of the most beautiful and popular destinations in the United States. They’re also vast expanses of largely undeveloped wilderness. To make the most of your next national park adventure, you’ll want a good guide. This full-color travel guidebook is the ultimate tool to simplify your travel planning. Detailed maps highlighting popular attractions and trailheads help visualize your itinerary. Lodging, camping, and hiking tables make choosing where to stay and what trails to hike easy. Hiking is explored in depth, but you’ll find details, including outfitter essentials, on all the most popular activities. Whether you’re looking to raft the Grand Canyon, see Old Faithful erupt, climb Mount Rainier, or simply select the perfect place to lay back and stare at the stars, you’ll find those details too. Tips and recommendations from the author help you decide when to visit and how to avoid crowds. Hundreds of lists put the best of America’s Best Idea at your fingertips. A dozen suggested road trips, including hundreds of noteworthy stops beyond the parks, provide the building blocks for a trip of a lifetime. The completely updated third edition features more than 150 large maps and 100 easy-to-read tables. 550 new photos showcase our most scenic treasures before you set foot in them. When you do, you’ll want to maximize time on your next national park adventure by planning it with the help of a good guide. Let this book be Your Guide to the National Parks.

The Ultimate Guide to Paddling the Everglades! Nothing compares to paddling Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. Encompassing nearly 1.7 million acres combined, these two national parks cover most of South Florida, from Everglades City south to Flamingo and across much of Florida Bay, and from the western shoreline of Biscayne Bay east to the offshore reefs, including part of the upper Florida Keys. Paddlers can discover beautiful ecosystems, fascinating habitats, and many diverse paddling routes. Paddling Everglades and Biscayne National Parks details at least 40 of the very best paddles throughout the National Parks, providing routes for every type of paddler. User-friendly format with informative maps throughout Informative at-a-glance paddle specs for every route Full-color photos throughout GPS coordinates for every put-in/takeout