Yes, there are kayaks for rent! And Tom says he’s happy to stay open this Saturday, July 8, 2017, for the Banks Lake Full Moon Paddle.
If the store’s not open, knock on the RV next to it. Continue reading
Category Archives: Outing
Gibson Park to CR 141, Suwannee River, 2017-08-13
A pleasant just over five mile Sunday paddle on the Suwannee River as we take a short upstream paddle to the Alapaha River Rise. Then enjoy the river’s current downstream past the Alapaha River Confluence (there may be water in the Alapaha) to County Road 141 Ramp. There are a couple of springs along the way. Those still feeling energetic can paddle a few more thousand feet down to the Sabal Trail crossing and back to CR 141.
Suwannee River beach, 2015-08-15, 30.4193954, -83.1344223
Bring the usual personal flotation device, water, snacks, first aid kit, and gloves, trash bag, and gripper because every WWALS outing is also a cleanup. If you do not have a boat, ask us, or contact one of the many outfitters.
When: 9AM, Sunday, August 13, 2017
Put-In: Gibson Park Ramp, SRWT MILE 135.4, 6844 SW CR 751, Jasper, FL 32052, From Jasper, travel southwest on SW CR 249 to SW CR 751; turn left and boat ramp is on the right in Gibson Park.
GPS: Continue reading
A fine day on the Withlacoochee River from Sullivan Landing to Madison Blue Spring 2017-06-24
Nineteen paddlers had a good time on a breezy summer Withlacoochee River Saturday from Sullivan Launch to Madison Blue Spring. The water was a foot higher (41.27 feet) than two years ago (42.56 feet at the USGS Madison (FL 6) gage), but there were still plenty of rapids, which gained us three new Fallers!
Say water bottle!
No, don’t, you’ll fall in!
Hm, but then
you’ll win a Fallers Award.
Every WWALS outing is also a cleanup, and we collected Continue reading
Banks Lake Full Moon Paddle 2017-07-08
Bring bon-bons, lights, and boats to paddle the moonlit mysteries of our own mini-Okefenokee: Banks Lake, as the sun sets between Lakeland, GA and I-75.
Bring something somewhat more substantial
and we will have a brief pot-luck at the gazebo before paddling.
No cooking at the site.
When: 8PM Saturday, July 8, 2017
Where:
Banks Lake Boat Ramp,
1099 W Main St. (GA 122), Lakeland, GA 31635.
Or: 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, Lanier County
GPS: 31.03492, -83.09619
Duration: Continue reading
Winners, BIG Little River Paddle Race 2017-04-29
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Adel, Georgia, June 4, 2017 — Dwight Griner of Berrien County, Georgia won for the fifth time. A dozen other boats received prizes, as a record number of people paddled in the Fifth Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race, April 29, 2017. Tifton and Tift County had the most paddlers, but the awards show more boats from Moultrie and Colquitt County. Lowndes had the second most paddlers, and there were two people each from Cook and from far-away Houston and Harris Counties, and one from Thomas County.
![[Dwight Griner winner closeup]](/pictures/2017-04-29--blrpr-hubbard/dwight-crop.jpg)
This year’s BLRPR included three popular new attractions: Continue reading
Pictures: Woods Ferry Tract to Suwannee Springs 2017-05-20
Springs and sand like snow, red and yellow water, chatting as we go, Woods Ferry to Suwannee Springs on the Suwannee River, May 20, 2017, with Hands Across the Sand at noon. Even though everyone had a trash bag, there was surprisingly almost no trash to pick up until we got to Suwannee Springs. Here are some pictures, a few videos, and a google map showing the locations.
Update 2021-09-23: Water levels were 36.34′ on the Suwannee Springs USGS gauge and 49.47′ on the White Springs gauge.
What is the name of this spring?
Upriver across the spring, 30.3695100, -82.8887100
It’s in SRWMD’s Continue reading
Hands Across the Sand on the Suwannee, 2017-05-20
Here’s Hands Across the Sand on the Suwannee River, with boats, during the WWALS outing from Woods Ferry Tract to Suwannee Springs Saturday.
Picture by Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS.
Here’s an out-take from the making of, as Gretchen attempted to Continue reading
Woods Ferry to Suwannee Springs, Outing and Hands Across the Sands, Suwannee River 2017-05-20
Update 2023-04-13: Pictures.
Due to low water, we’re moving the May 20th outing downstream! With lunch, swim stops, and bon-bons, of course. Bring bug spray and the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. If you don’t have a boat, there are many outfitters, or let us know and many of us have spare boats.
Two outfitters advise there should be enough water on this route to avoid much boat dragging. There is a slight 30% possibility of afternoon thunder showers. Same date, same time, same river: just a bit downstream.
When:
9AM Saturday May 20, 2017, meet to shuttle
10AM: Start paddling
12PM noon: Stop for Hands Across the Sand
“Say NO to dirty fuels and YES to clean energy”
2-3PM: Finish some time around then
Put In: Mile 158.0, Woods Ferry Tract Launch, in Suwannee County, Florida
GPS of Entrance: to Woods Ferry Tract 30.343508, -82.855187
Paddle Distance: 8.0 river miles
Paddle Duration: 4 hours
Directions to Put In: From Live Oak, travel north on Continue reading
Water low but passable, White Springs to Swift Creek, Suwannee River 2017-05-20
Update 2017-05-17: OK, the water’s gotten too low at the original location, so we’re moving downstream to Woods Ferry Tract Launch to Suwannee Springs.
Hands Across the Sand on the Suwannee Saturday! The river is quite low (48.78 feet NAVD on the White Springs gage), but it looks doable from the put-in and take-out. A ranger at Stephen Foster State Park told me paddling from White Springs to Swift Creek would be doable, perhaps with a few dry spots. I’ll also call a local outfitter or two for their opinions.
White Springs down from ramp
Meanwhile, bring bug spray (gnats) and a rope (to pull your boat over sand bars), and we’re still on for 9AM Saturday 20 May 2017. See the outing announcement for more details.
Plus: that’s the day of Hands Across the Sand, “Say NO to dirty fuels and YES to clean energy”. WWALS has been saying that for years, so somewhere on the Suwannee we will stop and do Hands Across the Sand against the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline and for solar power.
White Springs low spot
Continue readingBIG Little River Paddle Race 2017-04-29
Here are a few pictures (also on facebook) and videos (video playlist) from the
Fifth Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race.
Later you’ll see pictures of each winner coming in and being awarded. Winners posted, plus news coverage.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
Check in at Red Roberts Landing 31.1920876, -83.5208021