Update 2022-09-20: Pictures: Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2022-09-10.
Leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle. It’s a Saturday, and it should be cooler, so join us on our watery living room.
When: Gather 6:45 PM, launch 7:15 PM, moonrise 8:17 PM, sunset 7:44 PM, end 9 PM, Saturday, September 10, 2022
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
Leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats.
When: Gather 7:15 PM, launch 7:45 PM, moonrise 8:33 PM, sunset 8:19 PM, end 9 PM, Thursday, August 11, 2022
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Bat tree, sunset, moonrise, 2022-08-03, Photos: Bobby McKenzie]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-11--banks-lake-full-sturgeon-moon/many.jpg)
Bat tree, sunset, moonrise, 2022-08-03, Photos: Bobby McKenzie
Many different paddlers and boats all had a fine time at the Banks Lake Full Strawberry Moon Paddle 2022-06-14.
Thanks to Elizabeth Brunner for leading that one.
![[Banners, paddlers, gator, sunset, moonrise]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-14--banks-lake-full-strawberry-moon-pictures/many.jpg)
Banners, paddlers, gator, sunset, moonrise
The next one is: Continue reading
Update 2022-07-27: Valdosta Sewage Spill, Sheri Run, Springhill Drive 2022-07-27.
Update 2022-07-15: Withlacoochee River OK, Cat Creek bad 2022-07-14.
Compliments to Valdosta Utilities for a speedy fix to the Sewer spill at Baytree Road trash trap 2022-07-09. If it really was only 200 gallons, probably very little of it got through Lake Sheri into the Withlacoochee River.
I commend the Valdosta PIO for getting a press release out on a Sunday. WWALS received the press release below at 10:14 PM yesterday, Sunday, July 10, 2022. That’s about 29 hours after Valdosta Utilities got the report of the sewage spill. And about 3 hours after Valdosta City Council Andy Gibbs replied to my tag of him on a facebook picture with the text of this PR. Still, it’s only the day after the spill, so pretty good. Nobody probably liked working on a weekend; I know I had to bump back some other stuff to deal with this spill, including getting up at 3AM to finish preparations for a board meeting. But weather and sewage spills don’t wait on weekends or vacations.
Meanwhile, this PR is still not on the city’s website, facebook, or twitter.
Update 2022-07-12 Council Andy Gibbs points out it is on the city’s website; turns out you can find it from the front page by drilling down on Recent News; I had tried the front page and the Utilities page.
As the location it gives only vague “2000 block of Baytree Road”,
even though it’s pretty hard to miss that decade-old fancy-model
trash trap on Sheri Run above Lake Sheri, at 2133 Baytree Road, Valdosta, GA 31602.
![[More-sewage-across-baytree-road-trash-trap]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-07-09--baytree-sewer-spill/more-sewage-across-baytree-road-trash-trap.jpg)
More sewage across Baytree Road trash trap; Photo: Bobby McKenzie, July 9, 2022.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: Friday[sic], July 10, 2022
CONTACT: Sharah Denton, Community Relations & Marketing Manager
Telephone: (229) 259-3548
sdenton@valdostacity.com Continue reading
Update 2022-07-11: Valdosta says it has fixed Baytree Road trash trap sewer leak 2022-07-10.
Two manholes are spewing sewage next to Baytree Road and Sheri Run, upstream from Lake Sheri and the Withlacoochee River.
![[Manhole, trash trap, Sheri Run]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-07-09--baytree-sewer-spill/many.jpg)
Manhole, trash trap, Sheri Run
Couple of WWALS members went to see Valdosta’s decade-old trash trap on Baytree Road
at Sheri Run, and found this sewage spill about 5:20 PM today, Saturday, July 8, 9, 2022.
Yes, they did report it to Valdosta Utilities.
Hear them gag at the smell: Continue reading
The Third Edition of Canoeing and Kayaking Georgia. is finally out, after perhaps-perfectionist Suzanne Welander worked on it seemingly forever, and it is worth the wait.
It is even more thorough than previous editions, with some new put-ins added Continue reading
Update 2022-07-12: Nic Cole has emergency work, but Elizabeth Brunner has agreed to lead this paddle.
Leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 9:06 PM, sunset 8:38 PM, end 9:30 PM, Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
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
![[Moon boats]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-07-23--banks-lake-full-moon-pictures/20210723_211200.jpg)
Moon boats 2021-07-23
Due to thunderstorms, Macedonia Community Foundation has decided to cancel this outing.
Better safe than sorry with children on the water with lightning.
Continue readingUpdate 2022-07-11: Pictures.
Leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 9:19 PM, sunset 8:37 PM, end 10 PM, Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[bm-0-boats-in-cypress-204040291_10221770130814864_9203863038532809013_n]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-06-24--banks-lake-full-strawberry-moon-pictures/bm-0-boats-in-cypress-204040291_10221770130814864_9203863038532809013_n.jpg)
Boats in Cypreas, Photo: Bobby McKenzie 2021-06-24
Update 2024-06-22: Grassy Pond still closed and some other updates.
Update 2022-08-08: Couple more short paddle ideas: State Line Boat Ramp upstream to Arnold Springs, and Florida Campsites upstream.
Update 2022-05-30: Three more short paddle ideas (on the Withlacoochee River and the Alapahoochee River), along with safety information and links to the WWALS water trails with more information.
We often get questions like this: “The wife and I just got our kayaks and we’re looking for some ideas for short trips.”
Here are some suggestions on lakes, swamps, and rivers in the Suwannee River Basin.
Safety first! Always wear your personal flotation device (PFD).
You’d be surprised how hard it is to find your PFD after you fall in.
And especially if you’re new to paddling, don’t go alone.
You may want to join some of the many WWALS outings. See:
https://wwals.net/outings/
![[Ideas for Short Paddles, Suwannee River Basin]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-05-30--short-trips/fbmany.jpg)
Ideas for Short Paddles, Suwannee River Basin
See also:
How far from one Boat Ramp to the next landing? WWALS Water Trails
https://wwals.net/?p=52193
Easy paddles with no current, no worries about water levels, and no need for a shuttle: put in and take out at the same spot.
But no matter how easy lakes are to paddle, wear your PFD.
![[Sunset and moonrise, 2020-10-01]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-09-10--banks-lake-full-harvest-moon/sunsetmoonrise.jpg)
![[Cover and inside]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-30--welander-book/many.jpg)
![[Outing Cancelled]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-18--juneteenth/many.jpg)