This route is called Five-Mile Creek. You paddle about .6 nautical mile in open water to the main entrance to the creek. The Paddling Guide stated that the currents can get strong at full moons. He was not joking! We were going in on a flood tide and the wind behind us. It was great, very relaxing, with very little paddling, just basically keeping the nose pointed in the right direction.
And then we turned around to start back. HOLY CRAP! It was hard work and very slow going. Sheri and I had to stop a couple times to rest and catch our breath. Sheri's boyfriend went with us this time, and he stayed at the entrance and fished while we paddled on.
As we were coming back to the entrance, I heard yelling... like happy yelling. I looked up and saw two skydivers. The Sugarloaf airport is just a quarter mile from the entrance. The wind was whipping them around pretty good. Looked a little scary to me. That is an adventure I don't think I could do. I have a problem with heights. However, when I did the Zipline in Costa Rica, I thought that was fun.
Route #8, check.
This is one route that is best done with little wind and at slack tide.
