Shoals, creeks, and help us find MacIntyre Spring on the Brooks County side of the Withlacoochee River just before Florida.
When: 8AM Saturday July 9th 2016
facebook event.
Put in: Nankin Boat Ramp, 6899 Clyattville-Nankin Rd, Valdosta, GA 31601, 30.675192, -83.394143.
Take out: Madison Highway Boat Ramp, Madison Highway at the Florida State Line in Lowndes County, Georgia, 30.635933, -83.311103.
Duration: 9.1 miles, about 5 hours.
Shuttle: Continue reading
Update 2016-04-29: Canceled due to gators. Stay tuned for rescheduling.
The VSU Anthropology Club has asked WWALS to send volunteers to help clean up a private lake in Valdosta.
When: 9AM Saturday 30 April 2016
Where: End of Wedgewood Drive at Bancroft Road
In charge: VSU Anthropology Club aka Anthro-Geeks
Facebook: event, which says: Continue reading
HWY 84 to Mayday.
What a great day for a paddle! The current was moving us along nicely, about 12 miles in just under 4 hours. It is a very beautiful stretch of river, very wild, many birds could be heard in the forest canopy.
cjm
This was the Hotchkiss Road to Mayday Outing.
More from Chris’s details in the Outings spreadsheet:
Hotchkiss road was washed out, put in at Naylor park property. Cut about .5 mile off of the trip.
Water level 85 on the Statenville gage. Was in the banks and moving quick. Would not recommend paddling at levels much higher than this.
Features: canopy over much of the river.
Flora: Tupelo, birch, oaks, pine, wild azalea. No invasive species seen.
Fauna: wood ducks, great egrets, kingfisher, heard- barred owls, hooded warblers, and many other birds.
Assessment: Very nice paddle. Very beautiful stretch of river
And a bit more from Chris:
Water level was high, much higher would not be recommended. Looking at the water level in comparison with the Safe Water Level criteria, Item 3 stood out. It became very apparent why it is important that you should be able to paddle against the current for a short distance. One of our paddlers needed a rescue and the only way to reach her was to paddle upstream.
-jsq
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
Since falling out of boats into our rivers is popular during outings, Phil Hubbard made these nifty plaques for Fallers.
Phil also made a small WWALS flag. Continue reading
A rock field, many springs, and shoals add to the beautiful landscape
of one of the finest stretches of River you may ever paddle!
Mostly on the Withlacoochee River, plus just after Suwanoochee Spring,
we turn left up the Suwannee River to Suwannee River State Park (SRSP).
Will the chair still be there,
on top of the old bridge pier?
When: 7:30 AM, Saturday, June 4th 2016
facebook event,
meetup.
Duration: 13.3 miles about 7 hours
Put in: Florida Campsites Ramp
MILE 13.3, 2137 NW 47th St, Jasper, FL 32052
30.501128, -83.242411
Directions: Continue reading
20 people in 17 boats on an astoundingly beautiful rural blackwater river into the biggest city in the entire Suwannee River Basin:
here are pictures from
the WWALS outing from Staten Road Bridge in Lowndes County to Langdale Park on the edge of Valdosta, both in south Georgia, Spring Equinox,
Sunday 20 March 2016.
Thanks to everyone who came, especially to WWALS Outings Chair Chris Mericle for leading the expedition,
and to Georgia Page, Steve, and Travis of the Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for letting us into Langdale Park even though it was closed for renovations.
Gretchen Quarterman went on Charlie Walker’s 99.5 KIX Country radio show the next morning to tell everybody about it.
Continue reading
Community, water, trees, birds, fish, sunshine, and fun! $50 cash prize for first place, plus awards in numerous categories, or just paddle leisurely. Continue reading
You never know on our blackwater rivers in south Georgia and north Florida. The danger! The thrill of the rapids!
OK, it was actually more like paddling on a lake with a current.
The hardest part was when the wind picked up against us a few times.
Sometimes we heard what sounded like rapids, but it was just flotsam lodged against oak trees.
But that’s the point: you really never know until you’re on the water, and on a trip like this with no good takeout until the end of the 18.25 miles, being prepared it much better than not.
The current did make for Continue reading
Update 2016-02-21: Actually it took 6 hours. Here are some pictures.
The water is high and fast, so expert paddlers only, arrive by 8AM at GA 135 (Atkinson County side), and be ready so we can shuttle quickly and get on the Alapaha River as soon as possible.
It’s a long way and we need to be off the river before dark.
Berrien County Sheriff, game warden, and emergency response have all been advised of this trip, but expert paddlers only, please.
As always, bring personal flotation devices, warm layers of clothes, drinking water, food, and a change of dry clothes.
There is no good place to take out before the end point, so be prepared to paddle all day.
The USGS Gauge at Alapaha, GA shows 9.41 feet this morning, which is a good level. The Statenville gauge shows 17.32, which while well below flood level is also well above our usual recommended high of 9 feet. That Statenville gauge is quite a few river miles (56 miles) below our takeout point at GA 168, so the main bulk of rainfall in the river has apparently already moved downstream. But the water is very high and very fast. You will come up on any deadfalls or overhanging limbs quite quickly. Expert paddlers only. There are many other outings and events coming up that are much better suited for other paddlers.
Continuing our exploration of the entire
Alapaha River Water Trail,
we’re into the longer stretches, including this one.
When: 8AM Saturday 20 February 2016
Put In: GA 135, MILE 106.5, Atkinson County side, 2.8 miles south of Willacoochee, GA, Atkinson County.
Take Out: GA 168 (Berrien Beach), MILE 88.24, N side of GA 168, west side of Alapaha River; float downstream under the bridge to the sand beaches, Berrien County
Duration: 18.25 miles. This paddle could take as long as 9-10 hrs.
Shuttle: Probably more than 30 minutes due to distance.
End time: Around 6PM. Yes, really all day.
Responsible party: Chris Mericle
This outing is Free! But we encourage you to join WWALS today to support our fun outings and important work: https://wwals.net/donations/. Continue reading
One of the remotest segments of the Withlacoochee River, yet
with easy access, and when the water was high enough. 
Also one of the least-attended WWALS outings, because we
hadn’t really gotten the hang of
announcing outings yet. But that just made it more intimate for
the three of us who went. I got especially intimate with the river,
choosing to swim twice. I always choose to swim when the water
comes up to meet me…. Eventually I learned not to lean towards
the side you’re tipping towards.
The closest USGS gauge is Continue reading