Etta Lee tried paddling the Alapaha River from Lakeland Boat Ramp to Naylor Boat Ramp, in Lanier County, Georgia, but things did not go as planned.

Deadfall just above The Rocks, Alapaha River @ 79.91 feet NAVD88, –Etta Lee, Sunday, May 4, 2025

She wrote, “I crashed on the rocks. There is a limb.in the middle that I caught. I am sorry that I added to litter with paddle and back pack 😥 All fine. I just should have had my paddle on a rope and backpack tied better.”

She provides warnings, “Just realized.. it wasn’t a limb magical sticking up, but mist be a tree stuck. That’s what flipped me. Maybe a warning if anyone tries it.”

Also, upstream, “Before the rocks, I only had to drag around once. A pine across and a big alligator passage that I had to use to get around. All other down trees I could manage at present height but a few inches lower would probably mean dragging at about 4 places.”

Yet there are people who think having a PFD in their boat is enough….

Due to losing her paddle, she got out at The Rocks, where she had pre-arranged permission just in case.

Etta added, “But I do want anyone to know about the pine across, and the passage around is the trail of about an 8 foot alligator. The alligator quickly got out of the way and it did have the trail packed down but some thing to consider…”

Don’t go trying to catch that alligator, either, eh?

Further, “And yall know better than I do that about 4 places will be interesting when the water drops a few feet.”

The water level was 79.91 feet NAVD88 (3.81′) on the Statenville Gauge at 11:30 AM, May 4, 2025. WWALS recommendations are lowest for paddling 78.1 feet (2.0′) and highest safe 85.1 feet (9.0′).

Deadfalls complicate that, of course.

We’ll add this to the potential chainsaw cleanup list.

Deadfall at The Rocks

More deadfalls at lower levels

Map: The Rocks, Alapaha River in the WWALS map of the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT)

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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