42 hours of wild camping in Big Cypress Backcountry
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- čas přidán 4. 10. 2022
- Big Cypress is a massive natural preserve that both steals the heart and brings dread to any adventurer who plans to go deep into this swampy territory. It's full of alligators, black bears, venomous snakes, and god knows what else.
Knowing all of this it was only natural for me to plan a trip to Big Cypress when I discovered a trail that will take me through the preserve. This challenge is something I have always wanted to do, it's a full-on trip through a wild ecosystem. All of my food, water, and camera gear will be on my back as I attempt to cross the 33mils trail that will take me through the heart of Wild Florida and out the other end, hopefully.
I hope you enjoyed this adventure into the primeval wilderness of backcountry Florida. I hope you enjoyed the video and stick around for more.
Till next time friends!
About Me
I am an adventure filmmaker who is passionate about all things nature, history, and travel! My personal mission is to try and understand the world through the medium of filmmaking, whether that be fascinating history, an animal that just captures my imagination or a location that just needs to be filmed. In short, I just love this crazy place we call planet earth, and I want to share my adventures with whoever wants to watch! So I hope you enjoy my work and stick around to see more.
Follow me on:
Instagram- / ewanwilson_adventurefilms
DISCLAIMER
All wildlife footage (Apart from the snake) was shot on other days outside of my hike. As I was on this trip I was hit by an ungodly heatwave and did not see much wildlife (Again, apart from the snake) However I really wanted to bring this place to life as my experience here was intense. So after the shoot, I rented a car and searched for wildlife to film in the same preserve and used it to bring Big Cypress, and my suffering, to life. I am really passionate about authentic documentary filmmaking and will never fake "encounters" to tell a stupid story. However, I love the magic of filmmaking and how B Roll can really help bring a place to life. But I just wanted to make it clear for the sake of authenticity.
Follow me on:
Instagram- / ewanwilson_adventurefilms
#backcountry #florida #adventure #camping #wildlife #wildcamping #wildflorida #documentary #outdoors - Zábava
I am from Florida and have never met anyone who has explored that area like that, thank you for showing some of the beauty of my state! keep itt upp
Thank you for this comment and for allowing me to come to your beautiful state and run around! It's unlike anything else and is an amazing environment.
Good video mate. Well done
As a child I grew up in Florida and our playground was the swamps. I have spent long summers fishing, catching crayfish, hunting or foraging in those swamps. There is no way I would wade that deep in that water.
It was definitely not my brightest idea. Next time I attempt this trail will be in the spring as I believe the water levels will be lower and the heat will be less intense.
@@ewanwilsonadventurefilmsyou didn’t see any gators but I’m sure you passed many. If you look around at night with a flashlight out there you would see hundreds of eyes.
OOO the purpley berries are delicious. They are beauty berries. I grow em and find em in the wild.
I am heading out to camp/hike the everglades alone. Any tips I wouldnt usually think of?
Live in Naples, about 45 minutes from “western” entrance to BC. There are dirts roads available to access the Preserve. Many trailheads off the roads as well as access to camping areas. Beautiful area for my birding/wildlife photography hobby. Some days I see numerous bird species, black bear and/or an Eastern Diamondback. Adjacent to BC on western side is the Fackahatchee Strand - another gem. With that said, my trips in the summer (excessive heat/storms) are planned a bit more cautiously versus the beautiful winter period.
Nice to see Young Men still adventuring into Nature. Not Defeat. Another learn. Well Done.
Thanks so much man! I'm already thinking about my s cond attempt but with the lessons I have learned! Thank you for your comments I really appreciate it
I grew up hunting and fishing all around that Florida Trail since 1979...to me its home we have many camps out there with that said you did good 7 miles is not bad for first timer. Its unforgiving country. Next time bury your water overnight in the ground under some palmetto tree itll feel like ice water in the morning. Also I'd pack a lot lighter and that time of year wear shorts and no cotton clothing keep it light and breathable. If you really wanna enjoy this area come in January and you'll do the 33 miles it'll be dry and cool. Good luck and great video.
Thank you for the advice man, I think I'll hit it up again in January when the heat is not so strong.
Sorry to pick your Brain but do you have any advice for conserving water? Im from the UK so hiking in any kind of heat gets me sweating buckets.
Thank you for watching my video and I'm happy you enjoyed it. Im hoping to get a few more out like this soon.
@@ewanwilsonadventurefilms The best option is to bring a filter. Even in winter, there is still often standing water which can be collected. I knew somebody who did the same thing as you (brought lots of water) and went during the winter, and had to be rescued because she did not bring a filter, and ran out of water on day 1. If you are going south to north, the hardest slog is at the end, and even in winter is muddy, and most ppl can only travel a little over a mile per hour. Given this, I think it would be very difficult to carry enough water for the entire trip. I am sure it has been done, but having a filter will make things much easier. Winter means you will have to look harder for water sources deep enough to filter from, but this is when most ppl do this hike.
But as has been said, coming in Jan/Feb will mean the weather is much better (not as humid, less standing water to slog through, and much cooler).
@@ewanwilsonadventurefilmsthat heat gets anyone sweating buckets, even us Floridians
If you go back i highly recommend bringing a little pot so that you can boil water and not have to worry about running out. I hope you do go back. You are really good at video making.
Ive never been to big cypress but i live in southern Georgia next to a 450,000 acre swamp called Okefenokee, so i can still really relate to this. I know exactly the feeling of trudging knee deep in swamp water not knowing whats beneath... Here at Okefenokee the water is black!
I hope to experience the everglades one day.
Im surprised you made this whole video without mentioning mosquitoes once!
I admire your courage brother, this video is inspiring me to compete with the scale of your adventures 😅 Well documented & really informative. Keep the awesome content coming. Can’t wait to see what you do for your next video 🫣
Thank you, brother! The mountain you climbed may have been a bit more dangoures than this! I can't wait to see what ells you get up to man!
awesome I love swamp hiking
It's good fun, I need to plan my come back for that location
Awesome
Hey I’m planning to follow your example
Thanks for sharing your experience
Really crazy good to watch and inspiring
Thank you for watching and im glad you enjoyed it! It was an insane trip that I am really eager to try again.
Big cypress is my fav!
It was a crazy place! Already thinking about how to go back
I hunt this area alot, the biggest thing to have is communication incase of an Emergency and water filtration. if your walking in water deep enough to hide a gator, bring a long walking stick and push along the bottom.
To succeed in life you need to experience both success and failure
Thank you for your kind words man! I saw both your comments and i'm glad you enjoyed the video. Im hoping to do it again one day and get a little further.
Your welcome mate
Have you ever seen discovery channels Dual survival with kody lundin and Dave Cantaberry they do a great episode in the Everglades.
Ewan. You're an animal man. Sorry I wasnt home to join you on your trip! Big Cypress and the Cypress stands are one of Florida's most diverse ecosystems and Im so happy you got to see it and show it in such a spectacular way. Amazing shots of the Cotton mouth and with the drone!
Ahaha thanks so much bro! I really appreciate you watching the video. Big Cypress beat the hell out of me so I'm happy that I made a good video! Iv got two more FL Videos coming out so hopefully, they get better from here. And I have a lot of family in FL so I find myself in the US at least once a year so we will meet up and have our grand collab! Can't wait to meet you in person bro!
Beautiful place!! We have spent lots of time out in Big Cypress and that hike can be grueling, especially in rainy season! When you decide to give it another go, stop by our shop Naples Outfitters and we can give you all the tips and tricks for making it the whole way through, the first of which is to try it in dry season 😎. Great video and thanks for sharing our wild backyard with the world!
PS - Beauty Berries are edible. Even though they look delicious, they dont have a lot of flavor.
I will definitely check your shop out for some tips and tricks for getting through the trail! Thank you for your awesome comment and for watching my video. It is amazing that these places exist and I really appreciate you guys for letting me cross the pond and get lost in a truly unique ecosystem!
Something you wrote caught my attention. I am really passionate about authentic documentary film making too and I will never fake anything in my videos either. I enjoyed your video. Looking forward to your next attempt.
Thank you for checking that out man1 I find it so important to be authentic and also the world doesn't need fake things, it's fascinating enough. I love your trail cam videos by the way, maby I'll walk past one on my next attempt in Big Cypress
There’s no shame in turning back. Big Cypress Preserve will definitely challenge you. I would suggest that if you try it again bring a water filter, 12 liters of water is ALOT of weight. Try a different time of year, December-January-February are alot more comfortable for backpacking that area.
Great video 👍
Thank you for checking out the video I think the water filter is a better idea! That water weight really killed me off I think and the heat! My next attempt will definitely be in the cooler months, hopefully there will be more wildlife sightings then swell
Very cool trip and I commend your sense of adventure. Beautiful videography of an amazing place. I live nearby in Collier County. With that said, you were looking for the main lesson learned from this adventure. From my perspective, and if I may be perfectly honest, your biggest lesson should be pack planning. Your main issue was an extremely inadequate packing plan for the challenge that was defined. Way, way to much non-essential weight for such a hike. I understand that your main goal was/is to produce video content, but that requires carrying A LOT of weight that will destroy you in those conditions. As others have already said, you can't carry your own drinking water on a goal like this. You have to filter your water as you go. Also, your tent looks like it's pretty inadequate. You might also consider carrying a light weight hammock, which you can setup just about anywhere, even over water if you have to. Lastly, is choice of clothing. In the summer down here, you can't sweat enough in the high humidity to cool you. So super light weight, synthetic fabrics that don't soak up to much water and help cool you as they dry. Shorts even in these conditions. Anyways, go stuff man. Your channel is awesome. Subscribed!
Those are beauty berries you can eat them.
How were the mosquitos? I always thought it would be insane....Nicely produced film.
This was identical to where I grew up. About 20 miles away. I never tried those berries but they were everywhere. The sound of the insects is exactly the same.
Smart to turn back. Defeat is going beyond your better judgment and truly failing. One lesson is to make sure you don't try to out hike your water supply. Good move. Good video.
Thank you for your comment man I appreciate it. I will admit that the temptation to keep going was really strong but I don't think it would have been smart! Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for watching
Wow dude God bless you.
I imagine you didn’t carry a gun or spear ?
Did the mosquitoes, flies and ants devastate you?
I was born in South Florida, and go hunting and fishing and I avoid walking in water that is higher than my calves.
I’m sure you were within 10 feet of an alligator multiple times while you were in Big Cypress it would be impossible not to be !
I went down to Big Cypress for the python challenge. The water was up over my knees and wherever I looked to go into the Cypress to start walking I would see an alligator, so I came back out and drive on Loop Road to another spot - same thing happened! I never did get a python because I wouldn’t go in the water over about 13 inches deep.
You just didn’t see a gator ( or crocodile) because they didn’t move or it slithered slowly into the water of just sank to the bottom
I unknowingly walked up on an alligator in Loxahatchee wildlife preserve and at JW Corbett WMA they are hard to see even when you’re experienced
GOD bless y’all
Thank you so much for your kind words! The flies were horrific, especially in the water. It was an amazing experience mind. That story of your python challenge is wild, im happy you made it out ok but I'm wishing you luck next time that you get a snake!
Thank you for watching my videos and I hope t keep making more that you enjoy!
Beauty berry is edible.missed opportunity 😊
Way wrong time of the year. Try that in March👍
Ahah will do! Next time in the grades I'll bring a bucket!
This is my neck of the woods I Live about twenty minutes away. The predators are few, but the big pythons are a problem. We kill everyone's in the world but they're quite big and all over.
7:04 those are Beautyberries (Callicarpa americana) and they are completely edible. They don't taste like berries, they actually taste exactly as the leaves smell. Its quite alright but definitely not delicious. The leaves were used by Native Americans as mosquito repellent, you scrub them onto your skin. It works, it's not perfect but better than nothing. The leaves can be used for tea. They have purported medicinal properties but I'm ignorant of them.
Please let me know next time you come. It would be better to do it during dry season. I was there two weekends ago and it was fully dried. The swamp turns into a beautiful forest.
Going again today.
(Miami 1:39 Am)
Will do, I'll need all the advice I can get for my next attempt! And best of luck on your trip, I hope too hear about it when you come back
Ewan there is no shame at all regarding the seven mile hike you managed in that heat, and the type of creatures you were surrounded by ect.
The affect even on the mind in there would also be a challenge with all sorts going through the mind; and in paticular at night and all the noises.
And the lack of water for the rest of your journey there was only one wise move to make.
This was great to watch on a rainy Sataurday afternoon in the the Scottish borders,with a pot noodle.
Great job Ewan, Keep it up mate.
I appreciate your watching these videos man, honestly. and that advice is golden, to turn around when the water is getting low. I think I need to take water purifiers next time and go when its a bit colder, but still an amazing place
@@ewanwilsonadventurefilms You have certainly got a natural camera prescence, editing, and narrating skill which really makes this work so well. Yes water purifiers would be ideal with less wait to carry.
Look forward to your second attempt.
That was just a trial run to prepare for the real thing. Stay safe out there!
👍
You should of brought a water filter to full your camelbak. Jungle boots are made for this environment for sure
No shame at all in it making 7 miles! I live close and the Humidity is brutal. Big Cypress is fun but better and drier hiking is right to the west at Fakahatchee state park and Picayune strand state forest.
What about a water filter? I'm only about 5 minutes in but you said you had to carry 12 liters.
You are really a brave guy. Going in there is incredibly dangerous with all the snakes and walking in waist deep water with no visibility. Even tho you didnt see gators, i assure you that some gators saw you. No shame at all in turning back. You didnt lose to big cypress, coming out alive is winning.
Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate your time to watch and tell me your thoughts. Definitely going to go back but with more of a plan and probably in the spring. The heat was very heavy!
Thank you for watching and I hope you enjoy the rest of my videos
Wh where did you get the map
Hats off to you mate. I know how much research, planning and effort those types of trips take, but well worth it. Was that a Bear track at the 8 min. mark?
American beauty berries and yes, they are edible
Ahah thank you! I'll have a recipe in mind for when I return
Well, I am going to answer anyway. They are called Beauty Berry. They are edible. They don't taste great or bad. They are common throughout Florida.
Ahah, thank you for answering my question. I will remember this for the next time I'm lost in Big Cypress! Thanks for watching my video, I really appreciate it :)
Correct, not much flavor to them though.
You are supposed to filter your water along the way.
Yeah that seems like a much smarter idea. Definitely going to do that next time 😅
Having trouble posting because I am in the swamp so excuse me if this posts twice.. You could actually drink the water without filtering when its high like that. I have done it many times. But filter it to be sure. I don't know who told you the water was bad. There is no truth to that. Of course there is always the danger of contamination. The marsh however is a good natural filter and it is flowing south very slowly when its high like that.
I was really trying to watch looks cool yet the music killed it for me
I have been having a big think about the music. Trying to take on more comments like this for my up-and-coming videos. Thank you for your feedback
I live in Naples. Definitely the biggest mistake was trying to hike that in the summertime. I do a lot of fishing in Big Cypress. I’m usually done by noon because it just gets too hot in the summer. Also, wear a hat. Keep the sun off your head.
If anyone is down to go python hunting or camping I’m always down I like primitive style
Where do you like to go?
@@rafaeltorres6615 big cypress because there is less rules than Everglades NP
What kind of rules are we worried about?
@@adamkoonce7685 Everglades doesn’t allow hunting, big cypress does, in big cypress you can shoot for fun if you’re over 1200ft away from any roads or campsites/grounds.