Bring boat wheels and be ready for a half-mile portage around Big Shoals in the WWALS outing tomorrow.

Portage Now, Big Shoals, Beach eddy, Banner at beach below shoals

That’s the conclusion from the Friday scouting organized by Park Manager Manny Perez and Randy Madison of Florida Trails, in conjunction with WWALS Intern Bobby McKenzie and Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman. Park Ranger Peter Shanks led Randy, Bobby, and me to three possible put-ins below BIG Shoals. The third one is best, with a nice slope to a beach.

We are all for reasonable accommodation per our WWALS nondiscrimination policy, which in this case means you’ll need to be able to climb up at the take-out before the shoals, pull your boat for a half mile, including dragging it over a couple of rough spots, and slide it back into the water at the beach put-in. We can help, but you’ll need to do most of the work, because we’ll be pulling our own boats.

Click on any of the small pictures below to see a bigger one. There’s also a google map of the locations of these pictures.

Big Shoals

Warning for your Safety Portage Now; Hazardous R a p i d s Ahead, 14:06:09, 30.3409649, -82.6819395

White Water

Foaming water, trees, palmettos, 14:09:57, 30.3399044, -82.6828200

First put-in

Could cut some steps in those rocks, 14:11:57, 30.3394092, -82.6831105

Second put-in

Another put-in, 14:15:21, 30.3383741, -82.6836508

Beach put-in

This is better, 14:20:40, 30.3376013, -82.6837936

Easier road

Let’s go back this way, 14:37:55, 30.3375242, -82.6839541

Gully

Peter Shanks at the gully, 14:42:59, 30.3378322, -82.6827372

Google map

Follow this link for a google map of the pictured locations, or it’s also embedded below.

This map is on top of a copy of the WWALS map of the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

Short Link: