Category Archives: Blueway

Withlacoochee Florida Paddle and Cleanup 2022-06-04

Update 2022-06-03: Because of low water, we’re shifting downstream: Florida Campsites to Allen Ramp, Withlacoochee River 2022-06-04.

Hahira, Georgia, March 30, 2022 — WWALS and Madison and Hamilton Counties, Florida, invite you to join us for a summer paddle to see springs and sinks and to clean up the Withlacoochee River, on Saturday, June 4, 2022. It’s 12.5 miles from Sullivan Launch to Madison Ramp along this wooded blackwater river, with a lunch stop along the way. At lunch, Brett Hemphill of Karst Underwater Research will tell us about the many local caverns connected to the river and its creeks.

1311x676 Distributary, Boats, Withlacoochee River, Hardee Spring, Trash, M, in Withlacoochee Florida Paddle and Cleanup, by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 4 June 2022Distributary, Boats, Withlacoochee River, Hardee Spring, Trash, M, in Withlacoochee Florida Paddle and Cleanup, by John S. Quarterman, for WWALS.net, 4 June 2022

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Banks Lake Full Pink Moon Paddle 2022-04-16

Come see the sun set and the full pink moon rise, on our leisurely paddle on our mini-Okefenokee, Banks Lake National Wildlife Reserve, just west of Lakeland, Georgia.

When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:30 PM, moonrise 8:10 PM, sunset 8:01 PM, end 9:30 PM, Saturday, April 16, 2022

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

Take Out: Banks Lake Boat Ramp

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. Mosquitoes can be bad at dusk so come prepared.

Safety: Each person in a boat, no matter how young or old, must wear a PFD.
You must have a light for your boat or some type of light to have on yourself (glow sticks work well, or head lamp, flashlight, etc.) so other boaters can see you in the dark. It will be totally dark after sunset. A whistle is not required, but it’s a good idea in the dark.

Boats: Bring your own if you have it.
Thanks to Banks Lake Outdoors for free boat rental for these WWALS Full Moon Paddles.
Please ask for boats at least 2 days prior to the event: on the web form on https://wwals.net/outings, or on the facebook event, the meetup, or call 850-290-2350.

Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online:
https://wwals.net/outings

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

Event: facebook, meetup

[Sunset and Moonrise 2021-04-26; Photos: Bobby McKenzie]
Sunset and Moonrise 2021-04-26; Photos: Bobby McKenzie.

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Peacock Springs to Suwannee, FL, Suwannee River 2022-03-28

DB Marsh stayed several days at Peacock Springs River Camp waiting out thunderstorms, then paddled down past Hal W. Adams Bridge, and slept on a picnick table at Yellow Jacket. He has now has made it to the town of Suwannee near the mouth of the Suwannee River.

[bridge, fungus, hammock, Hart Springs, River]
bridge, fungus, Hart Springs, River

Along the way he got enough cell signal to put up some more stories and pictures. Continue reading →

Map: Two Mile and Three Mile Branch, Valdosta 2022-02-14

Here is a map of the locations of the bridges on Two Mile Branch where I found the shopping carts, mattress, and other trash, plus Three Mile Branch. I submitted Click ‘n’ Fixes. Looking forward to the City of Valdosta cleaning up these messes, which otherwise end up in the Withlacoochee River.

For more about the Valdosta trash situation, see https://wwals.net/issues/trash/.

[Map: Two Mile Branch and Three Mile Branch in WLRWT]
Map: Two Mile Branch and Three Mile Branch in the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

Click ‘n’ Fix tickets:

There are more pictures on the WWALS website: https://wwals.net/pictures/2022-02-14–valdosta-creeks

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

Valdosta Creeks 2022-02-14

Update 2022-03-28: Map: Two Mile and Three Mile Branch, Valdosta 2022-02-14

I toured bridges on Two Mile Branch and found three in a row with shopping carts and trash. Three Mile Branch wasn’t as bad. Click ‘n’ Fixes incoming. Looking forward to the City of Valdosta cleaning up these messes, which otherwise end up in the Withlacoochee River.

For more about the Valdosta trash situation, see https://wwals.net/issues/trash/.

[Creeks, trash, shopping buggies]
Creeks, trash, shopping buggies

Two Mile Branch

The Berkley Drive bridge wasn’t too bad that day. The City of Valdosta owns Two Mile Branch all the way from the Joree Millpond dam up past Berkley Drive, so this would be an excellent place for a trash trap. Continue reading →

Holton Creek to Dowling Park River Camp, Suwannee River –DB Marsh 2022-03-23

Update 2022-03-28: Peacock Springs to Suwannee, FL, Suwannee River 2022-03-28.

He’s made it to Dowling Park River Camp on the Suwannee River: Danny “DB” Marsh on his thousand mile loop from Fernandina Beach and back. When he gets cell service, he updates his website.

[Big Shoals, Woods Ferry, Eddies, Holton Creek River Camp]
Big Shoals, Woods Ferry, Eddies, Holton Creek River Camp

He’s having the usual kind of river misadventures. This is an example of why it’s usually not a good idea to boat alone.

About 1 AM it was about time to make camp. I pulled up to a steep bank next to the I-75 Bridge. I stepped off the kayak onto what I thought was a white sand bank. It was not sand at all, but very slippery white clay. My feet went out from under me and in the next instant I was swimming.

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Boxes down into the water at Flying J, Exit 2, I-75 2022-03-19

Update 2022-07-07: Chain link fence, trash cans, and dumpsters: Flying J, Exit 2 2022-07-02.

There’s been some improvement down at the Flying J at I-75 Exit 2 in Lowndes County, Georgia, but there are still discarded boxes in the water, and Denny’s and the Flying J still haven’t finished the fence that would help a lot.

[Boxes at Flying J, Marie Calender's]
Boxes at Flying J, Marie Calender’s

Apparently Marie Callender’s itself has fallen on hard times, and Denny’s lost 60% of its customers in 2021, after losing 52.7% the previous year. But that still doesn’t seem an excuse for discarding boxes into nearby waterways.

Maybe if they finished the fence, like they were supposed to be doing in December 2019, that would cut down on the problem, which has been going on at least since August 2019.

I am also sending this report to Lowndes County Code Enforcement. Continue reading →

Single paddler down the Suwannee River 2022-03-17

Update 2022-03-23: Holton Creek to Dowling Park River Camp, Suwannee River –DB Marsh 2022-03-23.

Danny “DB” Marsh is paddling a thousand mile loop from Fernandina Beach and back. He is currently at Woods Ferry River Camp on the Suwannee River, where I just talked to him on the telephone.

[Paddling the Suwannee]
Paddling the Suwannee

He bypassed the Okefenokee Swamp because he didn’t realize how far in advance you have to reserve sleeping platforms. So he put in on the Suwannee at Fargo. Like many of us, he hopes that nice welcome center reopens some time soon.

He is from Montana, and is still amazed by alligators.

“To this Montana boy, seeing them up close and free is a mixture of amazement, joy and terror at the same time. They however wanted nothing to do with me, and would dive from their riverbanks into the water with huge splashes to watch me pass from their safety of the water. I counted 13 that day, I’m sure many more were unseen.”

[Fargo Welcome Center vacant]
Fargo Welcome Center vacant

He has solar panels to recharge his electronics, but it’s nice to get to a River Camp with electricity, so he appreciates the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. Continue reading →

Hike: Bell Springs to Big Shoals, Suwannee River 2022-03-19

Due to high water, we have rescheduled the Saturday paddle to become a 2-hour easy hike from Bell Springs to Big Shoals on the Suwannee River, led by Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price of Hamilton County, Florida. Here’s a way to see Florida’s only Class III rapids with no need for a boat.

When: Gather 8 AM, caravan 9 AM, hike 9:30 AM, end 12 PM, Saturday, March 19, 2022

Put In: Nature & Heritage Tourism Center, 10499 Spring St, White Springs, FL 32096, at the corner of Bridge and Spring Street.

GPS: 30.32947, -82.759426

Take Out: Meet at the Tourism Center, sign in, and Dennis will lead a caravan to Bell Springs, where the hike begins and ends.

Bring: hiking boots and clothes, drinking water, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.

Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online:
https://wwals.net/outings

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

Event: facebook, meetup

[Map: Bell-Springs to Big Shoals]
Map: Bell-Springs to Big Shoals

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WWALS at Wild Azalea Festival, White Springs, FL 2022-03-19

A very congenial festival next to the Suwannee River in White Springs, Florida.

When: 10 AM – 4 PM, Saturday, March 19, 2022

Put In: Nature & Heritage Tourism Center, 10499 Spring St, White Springs, FL 32096, at the corner of Bridge and Spring Street.

GPS: 30.329470, -82.759426

Take Out: Same as Put In.

Free: No charge.

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

Volunteer: WWALS members, we could use you at the WWALS booth.

What: according to the Town of White Springs:

The Town of White Springs and the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center are pleased to present the 🌺 20th Annual Wild Azalea Festival on Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm, at the Nature & Heritage Tourism Center in historic White Springs, Florida. Come out and enjoy live entertainment, craft and food vendors, raffles, duck race, cornhole tournament, kids’ area, and more! 😍

Event: facebook, meetup

[Wild Azalea Festival, WWALS Booth]
Wild Azalea Festival, WWALS Booth (2019)

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