Pending reservations, Paddle 9 miles upstream on the Suwannee River in the Okefenokee Swamp for primitive camping on Floyd’s Island. Paddle back the next day.

You must RSVP on meetup to get a spot (clicking Going on the facebook event does not count as an RSVP).

Meetup RSVP will become possible once we get a camping permit.

This is the farthest you can get from any road in Georgia, with very dark sky.

You can camp inside the century-old Hebard Cabin, or in your tent or hammock outside.

Yes, you will see gators, and probably other wildlife.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end All Day, Saturday, November 1, 2025
Launch 9 AM, End 1 PM, Sunday, November 2, 2025

Put In: Stephen C. Foster State Park Ramp, 17515 GA-177, Fargo, GA 31631. From Fargo, travel south on US 441 to CR 177; turn left and travel to Stephen C. Foster State Park, in Charlton County.

GPS: 30.826833, -82.361333

Floyd’s Island Campout, Okefenokee Swamp, Suwannee River, Saturday & Sunday, 1-2 Nov. 2025

There is a portapotty at Minnie’s Lake on the way and at Floyd’s Island. No potable water, bring everything you need for two days. Pack it in, pack it out. There is plenty of room for any type tent or hammock.

The historic Hebard Cabin, pictured below, is also open (but not the cookhouse, which was knocked down in the 1970s).

Photo 9: Mr. Dan Hebard’s Hunting Lodge on Floyds Island. Billy Spaulding is sitting on the steps. The Cook’s Cabin is on the right (Hill, “Okefenokee Swamp,” Inspection News, April 1929).

Take Out: Floyd’s Island

Boats: Bring your own kayak or canoe if you can.
If you do not have one, we may be able to provide one if you ask in advance.

Bring: your favorite camping gear, 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.
Please follow Leave No Trace principles by packing out all trash, avoiding damage to vegetation, and respecting wildlife.

Safety: Be on time. If you miss the safety briefing, you cannot paddle with us.
Each person in a boat, no matter how young or old, must wear a PFD.

Gator straddling log, 2023-11-05, 11:53:03, 30.8608872, -82.3234103

Dark Adaptation and Bright Lights: If you go somewhere truly dark, you, or at least other people, are trying to get dark adapted, so they can see the stars, planets, meteors, etc. That takes many minutes, and can be destroyed in seconds.
It takes 7-8 minutes for the rods that enable dark vision to become sensitive enough for dark adaptation to become obvious.
It takes another 13-22 minutes (20-30 total minutes) for the rods to reach maximum sensitivity.
During all that dark-adaptation time, bright light can reverse the process rapidly.
“So if you’re trying to get dark-adapted, it’s crucial to avoid light—it can undo hours of dark adaptation in seconds. All the rhodopsin you have built up over the previous 30+ minutes disappears, and it will take time for your retina to replenish it.”*

Light and dark adaptation chinnu (slide 13) –Bidhuna Raj

So if you’ve come on a dark outing, please do not shine bright white lights, especially in anybody’s eyes.

Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. Please prepay the $10 online:
https://wwals.net/outings
Or bring cash to the outing. Credit card payments may or may not be available.

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

Park Fees: Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge charges $15 per person for permits to camp on Floyd’s Island, this includes parking at SCFSP, limit of 20 people. They do not accept any state or federal passes or discounts.
As the date gets closer, the meetup will sprout a link to Eventbrite to pay and secure a reservation, non-refundable.

Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/615510611504535/
meetup (will be available closer to the outing date)

Duration: All day

Paddle: 9 miles, 5 hours.

Shuttle: none, none.

Host: Shirley Kokidko

Contact: Shirley Kokidko

Backup: in case of bad weather or high or low water is: Reschedule.

More: For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

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