Nineteen paddlers had a good time on a breezy summer Withlacoochee River Saturday from Sullivan Launch to Madison Blue Spring. The water was a foot higher (41.27 feet) than two years ago (42.56 feet at the USGS Madison (FL 6) gage), but there were still plenty of rapids, which gained us three new Fallers!
Say water bottle!
No, don’t, you’ll fall in!
Hm, but then
you’ll win a Fallers Award.
Every WWALS outing is also a cleanup, and we collected two bags of trash, at both landings and along the river in between.
We saw a couple of springs, jumping fish, several turtles, a small variety of birds, longleaf, cypress, swamp mallow blooming, some invasive mimosa, and a stretch of both banks carpeted with Japanese climbing fern.
Here are some pictures, a few videos, and a link to pictures from two years ago. Also a Google map of pictures from this year and two years ago. Thanks to all who helped, especially expedition leader and WWALS Outings Chair Phil Hubbard.
Swamp mallow closeup, 30.5833956, -83.2625654
Each flower of swamp rosemallow, Hibiscus moscheutos, blooms for only one day. Sure, more may bloom, but if you missed the one day of the last bloom, you may have to wait ’till next June.
Movie: We have a swimmer, 30.5679200, -83.2608200
Longleaf above boater, west bank, 30.5669300, -83.2599300
Turtle on west bank, 30.5632100, -83.2572100
Shirley gets her boat in Hardee Spring, 30.5446892, -83.2511847
Mimosa, Albizia julibrissin Durazz, 30.5368461, -83.2467964
Boath banks coated with climbing fern, 30.5321984, -83.2488966
Kerry Sullivan with trash we collected (Shirley Kokidko in background), 30.4801400, -83.2446600
Tom Potter (drink can), Julie Bowland (fishing float), Shirley Kokidko (puzzled expression), jsq with trash collected, 30.4801200, -83.2448200
Phil Hubbard, and three new Fallers, 30.4801100, -83.2448800
Two of them were overachievers who fell in twice. Phil Hubbard designed and made the WWALS Faller Award they received. Not sold in stores! You can only get it by falling in on a WWALS Outing. No, swimming doesn’t count.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
Pictures
These pictures are by John S. Quarterman. See also the excellent photographs on facebook by Julie Bowland.
Twin Rivers State Forest, Sullivan Landing, 5776 NE Bellville Road, 30.5961364, -83.2621522
Julies on the river, more getting ready, 30.5960199, -83.2598133
More boats preparing, 30.5959054, -83.2598005
Boats pouring into the Withlacoochee River, 30.5958765, -83.2591289
A dock, 30.5956600, -83.2591600
Remains of Belleville Bridge, Hamilton County, FL, 30.5955000, -83.2591400
Belleville Bridge, dock, Sullivan Landing, Madison County, FL, 30.5955000, -83.2591400
Undercut rock, 30.5934800, -83.2590400
Boats as far as the eye can see, 30.5934242, -83.2590691
Ladder, 30.5928341, -83.2588421
Boat parade, 30.5928341, -83.2588421
Water oak? 30.5928341, -83.2588421
Upstream to bridge at Belleville Road, 30.5928348, -83.2588360
Very slanting dock (approx. location), 30.5877500, -83.2571200
Slanting dock closer, 30.5877500, -83.2580000
Slanting dock with stairs, 30.5878000, -83.2571200
Rocks and field on left bank, 30.5877500, -83.2570000
Float on right bank, 30.5856300, -83.2605000
Float closeup, 30.5856300, -83.2610000
Shoals coming up, 30.5844700, -83.2616700
Tom Potter digging in, 30.5844300, -83.2617000
At the shoals, 30.5842600, -83.2618200
Rapids, 30.5841300, -83.2619000
Movie: White water (37M), 30.5842200, -83.2619700
Swamp mallow, 30.5837702, -83.2620839
Swamp mallow closeup, 30.5833956, -83.2625654
Swamp mallow portrait with pods, 30.5833730, -83.2625477
Tom Potter at more rapids, 30.5813000, -83.2628200
Movie: Tom Potter shoots some rapids (51M), 30.5813500, -83.2628300
Pods on vine with opposite pointy leaves, 30.5722918, -83.2605833
Vine context 30.5723080, -83.2606062
Floated right over those shoals, 30.5692693, -83.2620686
Movie: Water boiling a bit (7.2M), 30.5691300, -83.2620400
No problem, 30.5689227, -83.2619890
Movie: We have a swimmer, 30.5679200, -83.2608200
Hanging on the side, 30.5675834, -83.2603626
Longleaf above boater, west bank, 30.5669300, -83.2599300
Longleaf on east bank, 30.5669301, -83.2597336
Island, 30.5634400, -83.2571800
Turtle on west bank, 30.5632100, -83.2572100
Movie: Island shoals (9.0M), 30.5626300, -83.2564800
Everybody past island shoals, 30.5622205, -83.2560137
Movie: Discussing past island shoals (6.3M), 30.5622121, -83.2560027
Building high up, 30.5622121, -83.2560027
Best go to the left, 30.5622121, -83.2560027
Movie: Tom then Julie through the rapids (72M), 30.5622121, -83.2560027
Julie through the rapids, 30.5570735, -83.2600238
I remember these rocks, 30.5571434, -83.2601221
More coming over the rapids, 30.5569444, -83.2600000
Lunch break, 30.5571434, -83.2601221
Gathering photo-op, 30.5560342, -83.2601554
Banners: say water bottle, 30.5560342, -83.2601554
Banners picture, 30.5560233, -83.2601457
Phil Hubbard through the 34th St rapids, 30.5536380, -83.2610033
More boaters through 34th St rapids, 30.5536513, -83.2610161
Path down from east bank, apparenlty from NW 34th St, 30.5536380, -83.2610033
Heading for Hardee Spring, 30.5452267, -83.2514651
Shirley Kokidko at Hardee Spring, 30.5446892, -83.2511847
Shirley gets her boat in Hardee Spring, 30.5446892, -83.2511847
Hardee Spring sign and stairs, 30.5441667, -83.2500000
Hardee Spring run, 30.5446151, -83.2500201
Julie Bowland painting Hardee Spring, 30.5446151, -83.2500201
Looking out from Hardee Spring, 30.5445029, -83.2499702
Onwards from Hardee Spring, 30.5445078, -83.2499586
Beach, 30.5399200, -83.2468500
Japanese climbing fern right down to the water, 30.5372656, -83.2471994
Lygodium japonicum carpeting grape vine and smilax, 30.5372656, -83.2471994
Mimosa, Albizia julibrissin Durazz, 30.5368461, -83.2467964
Bigger Mimosa, 30.5368461, -83.2467964
Steel deck, east bank, 30.5368461, -83.2467964
Climbing fern coating the left bank, 30.5339700, -83.2467500
Climbing fern down the bank, 30.5339400, -83.2467800
Movie: Left bank coated with climbing fern (4.8M), 30.5339100, -83.2468200
Nothing but rock resisting climbing fern, 30.5338751, -83.2469481
Climbing fern in rock crevices, 30.5338485, -83.2468324
Tree roots cracking rock, 30.5338338, -83.2481854
Theres a red house over yonder, 30.5338571, -83.2483952
Nice deck, 30.5338070, -83.2486865
Around the bend, 30.5338635, -83.2487573
Tethered Boat, 30.5338808, -83.2482779
Longleaf, 30.5338808, -83.2482779
Spring? 30.5338808, -83.2482779
Dock, 30.5319100, -83.2492800
Climbing fern again, 30.5317200, -83.2493100
Climbing fern closeup, 30.5317100, -83.2492600
Dock straight on, 30.5321984, -83.2488966
Right bank coated with climbing fern, 30.5321984, -83.2488966
And more climbing fern, 30.5321984, -83.2488966
Boath banks coated with climbing fern, 30.5321984, -83.2488966
Power line, right bank, 30.5203671, -83.2399187
Power line, left bank, 30.5203671, -83.2399187
Mid-stream rock, 30.5131016, -83.2447605
Deadfalls not in the way, 30.5131016, -83.2447605
A pack following, 30.5130500, -83.2448100
Stream marker, 30.5129772, -83.2450214
Shattered deck, 30.5034100, -83.2421900
Chervil Drive private access? 30.5033500, -83.2422200
Seeing around the bend, 30.5030700, -83.2424300
Eroded bluff, 30.5029600, -83.2424800
Big mimosa trees, 30.5029100, -83.2425000
Metal steps, left bank, 30.5028600, -83.2425100
On downstream, 30.5028100, -83.2425400
Completely fallen dock, 30.5027200, -83.2425900
Under tree, 30.5048740, -83.2408712
House on bank, 30.5024700, -83.2425900
Some boards still sticking out, 30.5024100, -83.2426100
Overhanging branches, 30.5023000, -83.2429200
Grape vine with grapes 30 feet up, 30.5025000, -83.2425800
Stairs, 30.5021500, -83.2427400
Approaching Florida Campsites Ramp, 30.5018400, -83.2427200
Florida Campsites Ramp, 30.5013220, -83.2426116
Florida Campsites Kiosk, 30.5011400, -83.2426000
Gorilla in the woods, 30.4967200, -83.2419100
Gorilla rock, 30.4966763, -83.2419077
Pipe and stairs (approx.) 30.4802483, -83.2514370
Pipe and stairs context (approx.) 30.4954300, -83.2413700
Around some rocks, 30.4954100, -83.2412300
Rock dock, 30.4924088, -83.2445702
Around more rocks (approx.), 30.4899400, -83.2441400
Having a good time on the river, 30.4898900, -83.2441000
Bridge in sight, 30.4849155, -83.2436141
FL 6 bridge, 30.4831600, -83.2437000
Did we bring that many people? 30.4812100, -83.2435700
Saturday crowd at Madison Blue Spring, 30.4811500, -83.2435900
Upstream to FL 6 Bridge, 30.4811500, -83.2435900
Kerry Sullivan with trash we collected (Shirley Kokidko in background), 30.4801400, -83.2446600
jsq with trash we collected (Phil Hubbard in background), 30.4801300, -83.2447000
Julie Bowland with the fishing float she collected, 30.4801200, -83.2447500
Tom Potter (drink can), Julie Bowland (fishing float), Shirley Kokidko (puzzled expression), jsq with trash collected, 30.4801200, -83.2448200
Phil Hubbard, and three new Fallers, 30.4801100, -83.2448800
Videos
WWALS video playlist:
Two years ago
Some of the GPS coordinates on these pictures from 24 October 2015 are a bit off, such as the first rapid is far too far north. But most of them are comparable to this year’s pictures.
Google Map
Follow this link for the interactive google map of pictures from this year and two years ago, or it’s also embedded below.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
Short Link: