Chasing Ghosts in the Everglades

The 10,000 Islands are a vast and mysterious place. This remote area is known as the end of the Everglades, the place that civilization has forgotten. Ghosts of the past still haunt the islands, none more so than the ghost of Edgar Watson, husband, father, farmer and cold-blooded killer.

Ed Watson showed up in the islands in the early 1880’s and already had a reputation. He allegedly killed the notorious Belle Star while out west and was known to have a short fuse. The folks on Chokoloskee Island would steer clear of him when he visited Smallwood’s store. 

Edgar J. Watson

This is where Allen Reddick and I launched his boat into Chokoloskee Bay. Our intention was to find some fish, and maybe look for signs of old Ed Watson that still survive. As we slipped into the windy bay toward Rabbit Key Pass, we motored by Smallwood’s store. I tried to imagine Seminole dugouts tied to the dock and settlers inside this remote outpost trying to escape the mosquitoes. We made our way to the outside in the early light, then headed south to Lostman’s Key at the mouth of Lostman’s River. On an outgoing tide we found small redfish and trout around the oysters and sandbars of First Bay.

First snook of the day

Lostman’s Key is where Wally Tucker lived with his pregnant wife and nephew. They farmed the sandy island, growing vegetables to live on and to take to market in Key West. Old Ed Watson secretly bought the deed to the island and ordered Wally to get off his land. Wally refused saying he had a legal claim to the land. A few days later, neighbors went by to check on the family and found them dead. The area residents blamed Watson, but with no proof, the Sheriff was never contacted.

We drifted up to the north end of the bay along a sand bar. Mullet were everywhere and the water was moving quickly as the tide rushed out. A couple casts with a jig earned Allen the first snook of the day. Taking drag, the fish worked the edge of the bar looking for a channel to shoot through, but eventually Allen won out by bringing the snook boatside. Soon after we both landed several good sized trout, the bite was on.

Watsons Landing

After a few hours the wind picked up and we headed north to the Chatham River. The river is a wide tidal river leading to Chevelier Bay, named after French plume hunter Jean Chevelier. He and Watson had an ongoing feud, and when Chevelier died, Watson was the last one to see him alive. Ed Watson’s homestead was on Chatham Bend, about half way up the river. Here he farmed sugarcane and made syrup that he would bring to Key West. It was during one of those trips he had an argument with Adolphus Santini, one of the first settlers of Chokoloskee. Watson cut Santini’s throat and paid a $900 fine to stay out of jail. 

Chatham River

 We eased up to Watson’s Place, now a backcountry campsite. The two story kit home that Ed Watson built here is no longer, but the cistern, cane furnace and other evidence of his homestead are still there under the overgrown mangroves and shrubs. A large alligator stood guard on the rocky shore. The place was eerily quiet with only the sound of a soft breeze rustling the foliage being heard. Allen and I walked the site and I found myself imagining what life must have been like living in such a remote area so long ago. Ed Watson tried to get his family to join him, but they would have none of it, choosing Ft Myers as their home. Maybe if they stayed on Chatham Bend things would have turned out differently for old Ed.

Watson's Homesite

As I looked around the old homestead, there was rustling in the underbrush, probably by resident raccoons or the memory of the dead. Several people ended up living in Ed’s house, most of them nefarious in nature. It seems everyone living in the islands at that time was running from some sort of past. Rumors about Ed Watson circulated around the area and anyone missing was always blamed on him. Finally, in October 1910, the body of Hannah Smith, one of Watson’s tenants, was found tied up and weighted down just below the surface of the water near Chatham Bend. Fishermen saw her blonde hair floating in the tide and they pulled her up and buried her. When word got to Chokoloskee, the suspicion fell on Ed Watson. 

Watson's Home taken a few days before his death

The Cistern

 After exploring the site, we had lunch and continued our journey. We passed the place where Hannah’s body was found and I imagined her there, blonde hair floating as if on air, her blank dead eyes staring upward. At Huston Bay we turned North, taking the backwater up to the Lopez River. We fished some oyster beds just south of Chokoloskee island and Smallwood’s Store came into view. 

Sugar Cane Syrup Pot

Watson's Home

When Ed Watson learned of Hannah’s death, he blamed others living at his homestead. Vowing to deal with the guilty parties himself, he left Chokoloskee for Chatham Bend, just as a hurricane was arriving. For three days, no one heard from Ed Watson. Then, one morning the residents could hear the distinct sounding motor of his boat approaching. All the men gathered around on the small beach landing next to the store where Ed stepped out of his boat. What happened next remains a mystery and highly debated. According to some witnesses, the men of the town, including Ted Smallwood, opened fire on Ed Watson, hitting him with over 30 bullets, killing him. While they were shooting, a female voice cried “Help, they are killing Mr. Watson!”. 

Smallwood's Store

Ed Watson was towed to Rabbit Key with his own boat and buried in the hot sand. A few days later the Sheriff came and heard the witness accounts. No one was charged in Watson’s death, because as Ted Smallwood said, “If no one is innocent, none can be guilty”. About a month passed when Watson’s family came to the 10,000 Islands to retrieve the body from Rabbit Key and bring it back to Ft Myers, where he remains buried to this day. 

I landed a pretty sizable ladyfish from under the Smallwood Store dock. It was the last fish we caught on our adventure. On the way out of Chokoloskee I thought about the beautiful scenery and the places I had seen on our adventure. One hundred and six years ago, almost to the day, Edgar Watson paid the ultimate price for his wrongdoings. The 10,000 Islands are a beautiful mangrove maze full of fish and wildlife….and ghosts.

Watson's final resting place in Ft Myers

Python Challenge Update Collier County

This weekend my Florida Sportsman teammates Eric and Chris were working, so I decided to work a littler closer to home. I did a little research on Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Collier County. 

On the northern end of the Ten Thousand Islands, the Reserve is one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America. Encompassing 110,000 acres, it includes pristine mangrove forest, uplands and protected waters. Wildlife, including 150 species of birds and many threatened and endangered animals, thrive in the Reserve.

Only participants can enter this area - Photo by Doug Stamm

In early 2010, the first burmese pythons were found in the Reserve. Since then, more than thirty large snakes have been captured within the Reserve and these snakes are believed to have come from the original point source near Everglades National Park.

I have never visited the Reserve so the Python Challenge was just the excuse to check it out. My friend, Photographer Doug Stamm came along hoping for some pictures. It was a cool morning and the sun was expected to shine, warming up the trails we’d be walking. Heavy rains had made the area very wet and the night before a large python was photographed just outside of the Reserve escaping the waterlogged area for the higher ground of a nearby housing area.

The running total from Rookery Bay

Soon after we entered it was clear just how wet the area was. At several points the trail disappeared into water ranging from ankle deep to over knee deep. We walked the trails and the power line road for miles in the morning sun searching path edges and looking deeper into wooded areas. There were many birds and I even glimpsed a large wild boar crossing the trail ahead of us. On our way out, empty handed, we came across other hunters just entering the Reserve. They had hunted the area several times and had not seen pythons. In fact, only one snake had been taken from the Reserve during the hunt so far.

Very wet trails - photo by Doug Stamm

Checking the underbrush - photo by Doug Stamm

Back at the entrance, we checked out of the Reserve with FWC and met another hunter. His name was Ken Flute and he hails from Ontario Canada. Ken is the hunter who caught the only python in the Reserve, an 8.5 footer, and was headed back in to look for number 2. While talking to Ken his motivation for participating in the Challenge was apparent. He obviously loves the outdoors and his youthful exuberance speaks of a childhood spent in the wilds of Ontario chasing snakes and learning about nature.

Python close-up

Ken's capture

 Team Florida Sportsman still has yet to catch a python, but everyday I go out I learn a little more about the invasive burmese python and a little more about the real intent of the challenge. Maybe its really about visiting places you have never been, spending time with friends and family in the great outdoors and meeting new and interesting people who share a love of the outdoors. Next week the team has a plan that will give us our best chance yet at a python, but I’m just looking forward to another weekend in the Everglades. Maybe that is the real intent.

Everglades Update

The first full week of the Python Challenge is over and Team Florida Sportsman has yet to bag a python. Its not for lack of trying, however. This past weekend Chris Patricella, Ethan Patricella, Eric Bramblet and I logged many trail walking miles and many more miles driving on asphalt, dirt and sometimes no roads.

You can walk miles and see nothing

Several pythons have been caught by competitors all over the Everglades. We were encouraged by reports of catches in Big Cypress so Chris, Ethan and I began the weekend working our way across the State early, stopping by a few remote rock piles and canal banks on the Collier side. Soon we were in Big Cypress and Eric met us from the East Coast side after taking the long way around. We spent the mid to late morning walking levees and trails and finding many snakes trying to warm themselves in the sun along the edges, including several everglades racers. 

Everyone talking about snakes

On the way back to the vehicles we ran into a team from St Pete. Joe Rufin, Ron White and Matt Shapiro were carrying out their second python of the Challenge. They caught the 10+ footer on the side of a levee where it was stretched out along the bank warming up. Joe told me the three have no previous experience catching pythons but have bagged two in the two times they have been out. He credits their success to “putting in the miles”, referring to the hours of walking back to the remote areas where the pythons were found. These guys are serious anglers as well and are competing mainly because their love of the outdoors.

After lunch we split up and covered more ground. Eric and I walked more trails until I nearly gave out. Exhausted, we made our way to camp. We drove a few asphalt roads that evening hoping to catch a few snakes trying to get the last bit of warmth in the chilly air with no luck. Cold and tired, we hit the tents to the sounds of distant owls calling.

Joe showing us how it's done

The next morning brought more cold. After a hot breakfast and copious amounts of coffee, we broke camp and headed out again. Chris and Ethan drove east to check out the levee tops while Eric and I walked more miles. We finally gave up for the weekend and headed back. During the drive I reflected on why we were doing this. I recalled the previous evening laying in the tent and listening to the owls and looking across our camp bathed in the light of a full moon. I thought about what Joe told me about the love of the outdoors and smiled. That sounds like a good enough reason for me.

Two teams making plans

Everglades Python Recon

I never need an excuse to spend time in the Everglades. Sometimes, however, I have one and this past weekend was my last chance to do some scouting before the start of the Python Challenge 2016, a month long effort to remove as many invasive burmese pythons from the Everglades as possible. Thousands of python hunters are expected to participate in the event, such as “Team Florida Sportsman”, a five man group made up of Deputy Sheriff including myself, Eric Bramblet, Chris Patricella, Jim VanPelt and Will Mallett.

In the 27 years I have lived in Southwest Florida, I have frequented the Glades, and I have never seen a burmese python. I know they are there, I guess we just don't visit the same places. One of the goals for the scouting trip was to check out some spots I haven't been as well as a few favorites. Chris, Eric and I hit the road early and arrived to our first spot just as the sun was rising. This area was not far off the beaten path but seemed to have everything that would attract snakes. It was in close proximity of water, had good tree cover and was rocky.  

We spent the morning walking along promising areas and fishing a little. Both proved fruitless as the day wore on. We came across a few snakes, but no pythons. It was a beautiful day and I observed many different wading birds, hawks and osprey. Chris and I came across an injured hawk with an obviously broken wing. A call to FWC ensured the hawk would have another chance and it was picked up about an hour later.

By early evening we set up camp. We opted for a National Park System campground instead of winging it and ended up at Mitchell’s Landing on Loop Rd. It’s quiet and out of the way and pretty close to where we wanted to go the next morning. At around midnight, a front bringing lightning, wind and a lot of rain came through, which made for a fairly exciting night. By morning we were stormless and after some camp coffee, back on the road. 

As the sun rose, we found ourselves driving atop the US41 levee looking for pythons trying to find warmth. We were advised by a native that we missed one by minutes and after thoroughly searching nearby came up empty. Although we were unsuccessful at finding pythons, any day is a great day spent outside and taking in the natural beauty of the Florida Everglades.

The 2016 Python Challenge begins January 16th at noon and runs through February 14th. Python collection areas include the many parks, management areas, forests and preserves in South Florida. Look for reports, pictures, videos and updates from the field Bob Bramblet and Team Florida Sportsman throughout the competition on bonitabobfishing.com and floridasportsman.com.

Caring for your Chariot - Completed

I began this project out of necessity in 2013. My Tacoma was rusting in areas it shouldn’t have been mainly due to salt water intrusion from carrying kayaks on top of the roof. In the first part of this story, I had the rusted areas cut out and new metal placed and primered by my friends at Jack’s Collision in Bonita Springs. About a year later, I returned to Jack’s and we came up with a custom single stage paint color to dress the old girl up in. I asked for the dents to be left, I liked the character. I liked the results, a darker version of the original, and Dave from Jack’s surprised me by painting some of the black parts as well.

The paint job didn’t complete the project, however, and once more the Tacoma took a back seat to other first world problems I was having. A lengthy and mentally draining adventure into the world of real estate effectively kept me from writing, enjoying the outdoors and any other projects I had going on. Eventually things began to normalize and my attention drifted back to the old girl. 

Winter was coming, and in Southwest Florida that means outdoor time. I wanted to get the Tacoma ready for the Everglades. I began in earnest to work on the details of the “restoration”. My truck is two wheel drive, but I where I go in the ‘Glades requires clearance, not swamp buggies. The natural clearance of a Pre-Runner is good, and I really don't need much more. I had a choice of installing a small suspension lift or replacing my highway tires with larger all terrain light truck tires. Since I needed new shoes anyway, I chose Hankook Dynapro ATMs and gained an extra inch. The rest of the suspension was in good shape for being 11 years old, so I left it alone…for now.

In years past I would weekend in the Everglades with my little Ford Ranger and throw a tarp over my roof mounted kayak or canoe while camping in the truck bed. Since I plan to carry kayaks and other gear in the bed I was faced with tent camping on the ground which, in the ‘Glades, is not always a good option. After doing some research I decided on a rooftop tent. There are many different options and I decided on a Cascadia Tent over the bed. While designing an over the bed rack that would hold the tent on top while allowing kayaks to be stored under the rack in the bed, I came across a rare Tacoma short bed topper on Craigslist. I scooped it up that weekend and after applying a matching paint job courtesy of Jack’s, installed it. I also added some heavy duty racks to accommodate the rooftop tent.

Next came the front end lighting. Years of abuse had left some side and running lights cracked or broken and the headlights bleached out beyond the point of restoration. I replaced everything up front with OEM parts and the results were dramatic. I added a pair of low mounted off road lights and discovered you get what you pay for. They will be replaced with higher end LED lights along with some lights mounted higher for seeing over the sawgrass. 

All in all, the old girl looks pretty good. There is still some work to do with some fine tuning. Adding the tent, lights and blacking out what little shiny chrome remains. I will add satellite radio as there is little reception where I like to visit and my “Everglades kit” which I will detail in later stories. I have plans to spend a lot of time in the Glades this winter fishing, kayaking, camping, hunting and photographing rare birds and wildlife and my Tacoma will always be there in the background.