Category Archives: Blueway

Withlacoochee Crossing 2013-07-01

Two new sites on the Withlacoochee River from the Lowndes County Historical Society, for Day 2 and Day 3 of #PaddleGA2019.

Day 2 of Paddle Georgia went by this site of Spain’s Ferry and Spain’s Bridge:

Spain Ferry and Spain’s Bridge

Day 3 (today) will go by this site of Warner’s Ferry at the GA-FL line:

Warner’s Ferry

The entire July – October 2013 newsletter of the Lowndes County Historical Society is on the WWALS website, courtesy of Donald O. Davis, the Museum’s Director.

We will add Spain’s Bridge and Warner’s Ferry to the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

Agatized Coral, Withlacoochee River 2019-06-15

Semi-precious gemstones in the Withlacoochee River bed, during Day 2 of #PaddleGA2019, above Knights Ferry Boat Ramp.

Withlacoochee River, Lowndes County

Continue reading →

When the water was really high at Spook Bridge 1928-08-19

The Withlacoochee River is higher this morning than yesterday, so conditions are fine for #PaddleGA2019!

Those people on Spook Bridge during the 1928 flood were crazy:

During flood of-1928 with Blue Springs sign

Don Davis of the Lowndes County Historical Society, who sent these old pictures, wrote:

Constructed in 1921? the bridge in the 1928 flood photo is the old US84 (GA38) bridge that the group will paddle under as “Spook Bridge.”

According to the USGS Quitman (US 84) gauge, that flood crested on August 19, 1928, which actually wasn’t quite as high as in 2013, 1948, or 2009.

Historic Crests
(1) 118.17 ft on 04/05/2009
(2) 115.20 ft on 04/04/1948
(3) 114.98 ft on 03/01/2013
(4) 114.80 ft on 08/19/1928
(5) 114.29 ft on 02/13/1986

Gauges

Right now the USGS Quitman (US 84) gauge reads 86.15 feet NAVD 88, which is well above the 85.9 feet Joe Cook wanted for Paddle Georgia. And it has been rising since yesterday morning. The fellow who left his kayak at the bottom of Troupville Boat Ramp may be in for a surprise….

Quitman

Upstream, the gauges are even higher, and that water is coming downstream.

Hahira at Continue reading →

Before the day 1 route of Paddle Georgia 2019-06-14

Down at the Little River Confluence, Troupville Boat Ramp, and downstream to Spook Bridge. Before #PaddleGA2019.

Downstream Withlacoochee River, 10:48:15, 30.8469550, -83.3478100

While WWALS was welcoming Paddle Georgia boats and boaters, Emma Wheeler of WCTV came to visit, greeted by Shirley Kokidko of WWALS. Continue reading →

Paddle Georgia on Scott James Radio 8AM 2019-06-14

All about Paddle Georgia #PaddleGA2019, PaddleGA2019 (back on the original route, starting at Troupville!) on the radio 8:00 AM tomorrow, Friday, June 14, 2019, Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman with Scott James on his Talk 92.1 drive-time radio show, out of Valdosta, Georgia.

We’ll be working out the final details for Scott James broadcasting from the Suwannee Riverkeeper Aircraft Carrier Saturday morning, as Paddle Georgia’s 300 paddlers set out downstream from Troupville Boat Ramp, just west of Valdosta.

Also Saturday morning, 8AM to 10AM, Helen Tapp and WWALS will be set up at the Little River Confluence, with water trail and other information. That’s on land Helen and her cousins are trying to get funded to turn into a park.

Photo: John S. Quarterman, Scott James radio 2019-02-22.

Friday WWALS will be planting signs at Troupville Boat Ramp for the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT), and at Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line.

Tickets are still available for the Journey’s End Feast, Friday, June 21st, in Dowling Park, Florida, on the Suwannee River. That Feast is catered by WWALS by The Salty Snapper of Valdosta, Georgia.

The Salty Snapper will also be the venue for the Second Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Saturday August 24.

When: Approximately 8:00 AM, Friday, June 14, 2019

Where: You can listen on the air, or through the radio show’s own website, or through several online listening services.

Event: facebook.

-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

Videos: Naylor Boat Ramp should be finished in two weeks @ LCC 2019-06-10

The Naylor Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River should be finished in about two weeks, said Lowndes County Manager Joe Pritchard in yesterday morning’s Lowndes County Commission Work Session.

Below are videos of that meeting by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE). Continue reading →

Low water reroute of Paddle Georgia 2019-06-05

The same day as Jay Ricks, Paddle Georgia #PaddleGA2019, PaddleGA2019, sent an exploratory expedition, with WWALS board member Bobby McKenzie acting as local guide.

PADDLE GEORGIA 2019 LOW WATER UPDATE!!!!!

Due to low water levels on the upper Withlacoochee, the Georgia River Network staff and Paddle Georgia safety advisory committee has concluded that if water levels do not rise significantly, we will be forced to abandon our original Paddle Georgia route entirely.

This will mean all paddlers will travel on our “alternate route” which will involve repeating our original Day 4 and Day 5 routes during the week and paddling only a portion of our Day 3 route.

We have made this decision in an effort to Continue reading →

Pictures: Troupville to US 84 –Jay Ricks 2019-06-05

Local resident Jay Ricks paddled the Withlacoochee River Wednesday, from Troupville Boat Ramp (which locals call the prison boat ramp, due to the state prison across the highway), to US 84.

Rather low

This was the same day as the Paddle Georgia exploratory expedition.

Jay saw this odd sight at Troupville Boat Ramp: Continue reading →

Shoals and Springs, Allen Ramp to SRSP, Withlacoochee River 2019-06-01

This Saturday, four shoals (Battery, Wipe-Out, Deer, and Melvin) and four springs (Powerline, Fairy, Corbett, and second-magnitude Suwannacoochee), all on the Withlacoochee River, from Allen Ramp to Suwannee River State Park.

Shoals and springs

Location of shoals from Chris Mericle, Blackwater River Guide. River mile calculations for them by Shirley Kokidko, both in the interactive map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.

For outing details, see: Continue reading →