Manatee Springs to Fowlers Bluff, Suwannee River, 2018-02-24

The manatees come in from the cold in February, to Manatee Springs; we’ll paddle from there 8.3 miles down the very wide Suwannee River to Fowlers Bluff, where we plan a water quality testing demo and possibly an oyster roast.

When: 9 AM, Saturday, February 24, 2018

Put In: Manatee Springs State Park, 11650 NW 115 St, Chiefland, FL 32626

Directions: at the end of S.R. 320, off U.S. 98, six miles west of Chiefland.

GPS: 29.4894572,-82.9769455

Take Out: Fowlers Bluff Ramp, 15597 NW 46th Lane, Chiefland, FL 32626. 29.396410, -83.026030

Free: This outing is Free! And we recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

Manatee, Manatee Springs
Photo: Scotti Jay

Bring: warm clothes that will stay warm even when wet, and a change of dry clothes in a waterproof container, the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.

Duration: 6 Hours

Shuttle distance: 13 Miles One way

Shuttle duration: 1 hour

Google Map, Manatee Springs
Google map

Paddle distance: 8.3 Miles

Paddle duration: 4 Hours

Gauge: Fowlers Bluff, 02323590: Action Stage: 3.5′, Low Stage -0.2′, and it’s -0.77′ today (2018-01-02), so we need some rain before the outing.


Chart: National Weather Service from USGS Gauge data.

Tides: This close to the Gulf, tides matter. There’s a three-hour delay from the mouth to Fowler’s Bluff, depending on wind. The tide seems likely to be in our favor that day, going out at the mouth all morning, so upstream where we’ll be at least the tide should be turning.

Host: Scotti Jay, with assistance from locals in Fowlers Bluff.

Contact: Scotti Jay

Backup: in case of high or low water is: go to another of the many WWALS outings.

More: For more outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS calendar.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!