From the Swamp to the Keys: A Paddle through Florida History (Paperback)

~ JOHNNY MOLLOY (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An essential resource for anyone who ventures out of doors with a tent and a hankering to pitch it somewhere." -- Outdoor Adventure, July 2003

"Molloy's leisurely prose meanders much like the rivers he travels." -- Weekly Planet, June 2004

An exhilarating exploration of Florida's natural wonders, the state's eventful history and the colorful characters who inhabit it. -- Tampa Tribune, April 27, 2003

Product Description

Johnny Molloy, author of several best-selling outdoor guides to Florida, is always game for adventure. In his latest, he travels the Sunshine State from north to south along some of its most famous rivers, swamps, salt marshes, and open waters in search of Florida's disappearing history.

This personal travelogue of his two-month expedition begins in a canoe at the Okefenokee Swamp, headwaters of Florida's best-known river. Paddling the dark Suwannee, Molloy curves through the scenic and sometimes wild Big Shoals, past sparkling clear springs--Troy and Turtle and Rock Bluff and more--to the Gulf of Mexico, where he transfers his grub, life jacket, and portable computer into a sea kayak. He continues past Tampa Bay into the Everglades and then heads due south, ending his voyage at Long Key and the Atlantic Ocean.

Molloy focuses here on the state's history, human and natural, and on the interplay between the land and the water around it. He describes attempts made through the centuries to explore them, conquer them, and, finally, to coexist with and preserve them. He also invites readers to eavesdrop on his conversations with characters along the way, from anglers on the Suwannee River to crabbers off the shore of Everglades City.

Best of all, Molloy invites readers to join him on this remarkable excursion -- either from their armchairs, following his references to bridges, highways, and towns along the route and charting his journey on the maps provided, or by taking to the water themselves--to soak up the sunshine and soft Florida air, to listen to the evening frogs and crickets, and to ponder the mystery of what has been lost in Florida and what might yet be saved.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Florida; 1st edition (May 19, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813026229
• ISBN-13: 978-0813026220
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,319,877 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but slow read, April 30, 2004

By	Keith Wellman (Pinecrest, Florida United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the telling of a personal adventure story. It is a mix of Florida history in bits and pieces, some personal history (how Johnny Molloy got into outdoor writing--to make a living enjoying the outdoors), and some personal philosophy: "I had come to believe, as I still do, that time, not money, is the most valuable commodity on earth." It is NOT a "how to" book. Perhaps, with his 4 other books on hiking, camping, and paddling in Florida, he felt no need to elaborate on how to prepare and execute such a trip. It is a book about what he saw along the way, of his conversations with locals and travelers he met, of his love for the outdoors and dissatisfaction with urban life. His writing is somewhat routine as he paddles down the Suwannee River and out onto the Gulf coast, then to Cedar Key, and past Tampa (where he encounters the most dangerous conditions of the trip as he crosses the mouth of Tampa Bay). He seems to relish paddling by "the seat of his pants." He goes up/down rivers against the tide--a tough paddle. He arrives at Graveyard campsite in the Everglades after dark and swarms of no-see-ums threaten to eat him alive. After donning protective clothes and a head net, he finds the head net is for mosquitoes but no defense against the much smaller no-see-ums. It is clear you will never see Johnny Molloy use a modern convenience like a GPS. Johnny's writing becomes much more interesting the further south he travels and reaches its best in the Everglades, an area which he has paddled and written about extensively. If you enjoy the outdoors and paddling, it is a good read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Visit to the Real Florida, June 14, 2003

By	"spooky53" (Cumming, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This is a great book for anyone wishing a glimpse of what Florida was really like a generation ago. The descriptions of the trip down the Suwannee River in the book match the vivid memories I have of my childhood playgrounds....don't miss it!

5.0 out of 5 stars Paddling with perspective, August 22, 2003

By A Customer

This is a fun read. Anyone interested in the history of Florida's waterways or paddling (canoe or kayak) will enjoy this book. Mr. Molloy captures the essence of solo paddling and the adventure of long distance travel in small muscle-powered vessels. Day paddling a canoe or kayak is one thing; Johnny colorfully tells of the ups and (sometimes upside-) downs of traveling through one of Florida's oldest routes of travel, the Suwannee River and the west coast, and camping in undeveloped areas and camp sites. Visit the wilds of Florida's coast and the historic Suwannee River without leaving your chair (or dealing with mud flats, storms, mosquitoes, no-seeums, etc.).