WWALS Boomerang
From Georgia
To Florida
and Back Again
Withlacoochee River
State Line Ramp (Mozell Spells)
11 AM, Saturday, November 3, 2018
Join us for a fun filled day of paddle racing and leisurely paddling on an idyllic blackwater river.
Yes, we’ve moved downstream, to plenty of water, no deadfalls, plus shoals, in two states (Georgia and Florida) and four counties (Lowndes, Brooks, Madison, and Hamilton)!
Follow this link for a printable PDF flyer.
Or this link for the same flyer 2 per page.
Event: facebook, meetup, but don’t forget to get tickets!
Tickets:
$30 per boat.
We also recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
When: 11:00 AM, November 3, 2018
Put In:
State Line Ramp (Mozell Spells, GA 31 Ramp),
6461 Madison Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31601.
VSU 16 miles, Quitman 23, Adel 37, Tifton 60, Moultrie 55,
Madison 15, Jasper 27, Live Oak 40, Lake City 60,
Tallahassee 70, Gainesville 108, Jacksonville 120.
Photo: John S. Quarterman, Horn Bridge and State Line Boat Ramp (Mozell Spells), 2018-10-27
Take Out: Langdale Park Boat Ramp
Boats:
Canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards!
WWALS will supply each boat a race bib number to wear
so we can tell who you are in the pictures at the finish.
Staggered starts: with routes and distance categories.
Paddle distance: 6 miles round trip; markers for shorter turnaround.
Paddle time: about 3 hours.
Turnaround: 3, 2, and 1 miles.
Mile One is at about 30.63252, -83.29985, at the orange tape in the picture. Bobby will put up a more visible marker at each mile before the event.
Mile Two is at about 30.62884, -83.2855, a bit past the end of the Withlacoochee East Conservation Area.
Mile Three is at about 30.62475, -83.27231, before Jumping Gully Creek.
Next takeout:
There is no takeout at any of mile 1, 2, or 3.
Beyond Mile Three, the next takeout is
Sullivan Launch
at CR 150, 2.35 miles past Mile Three
(5.35 miles from State Line Boat Ramp).
Shoals: Between Mile One and Mile Two are some nice shoals, and some smaller ones downstream.
Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.
Sponsors:
Your organization’s name and logo on sign, announcements, and flyers.
VLPRA, KLVB, YMCA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Under Construction BBQ, The Salty Snapper, and The Georgia Photography Fanatic.
Sponsors get to have their name associated with a fun event.
WWALS gets support for the event and its work.
Vendors: vested in conservation or stewardship of our waters.
Vendors selling anything will need a permit (it’s a park).
Nonprofits: free.
Scouts, clubs, educational institutions, military, government, nonprofit dance troups or musicians, come on down.
For-profit vendors: $20 fee.
This includes local outfitters that are WWALS members,
as well as bait shops, boat dealers, archery, dancers, musicians, etc.
Outfitters: supporting the WWALS Boomerang so far:
- CORE at Valdosta State University (renter must have some association with the university) in Lowndes County, GA, near the Withlacoochee River.
-
NWXpeditions,
Pavo, Georgia, near the Little River in Brooks County, “No Worries Expeditions will take u canoeing and camping on the rivers of S Georgia and N Florida. We custom design the canoe trip of your dreams.”
Food: and drink!
Volunteers: You can help organize, promote the event, get sponsors, register people, watch along the route, guide people who want to go on down to Sullivan Launch. etc. WWALS Boomerang is being organized by the WWALS Outings Committee, so you can apply to join that Committee. If you don’t want to do that, you can still volunteer at the event.
Host: Bobby McKenzie
Contact: Bobby McKenzie
Gauge: Quitman Gauge @ US 84, USGS 02318500, Highest safe 10.5 feet, 94 NAVD. Lowest boatable 2.0 feet, 85.5 NAVD.
Backup: This is the backup; we already moved here.
Blueway: All these landings are on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).
New WWALS board member Bobby McKenzie, whose son Zavier was the youngest finisher at our spring BIG Little River Paddle Race, has volunteered to organize this fall paddle race, with the enthusiastic support of the WWALS Board and the WWALS Outings Committee.
Photo: Phil Hubbard,
The McKenzie family finishing the WWALS spring BIG Little River Paddle Race, 2018-04-28
Even newer WWALS board member Ronnie Thomas helped scout the event path yesterday.
Photo: John S. Quarterman, Ronnie Thomas on the Withlacoochee River, 2018-10-27
We would also like to thank George Page, Executive Director of Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA), for his and VLPRA’s support.
More: For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS calendar or the WWALS outings and events web page. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
Short Link: