What a gorgeous day. 19 boats, 22 paddlers and 2 dogs made the trip on the Withlacoochee River from Florida Campsites ramp to Suwannee River State Park. The water was so clear we could see all but the very deepest portions of the river bottom. Springs, shoals, rock formations, beautiful scenery and great company made this a day to remember.- cjm
The Pinetta gauge was at 6.8′ (53.3′ NAVD88).
See also pictures on facebook by Continue reading
Here are the winners of the
Fourth Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race held Saturday May 21, 2016 at Reed Bingham State Park.
Including four time winner… see below.
On a fine Saturday morning, 34 people paddled, 18 male and 16 female, 19 in kayaks and 15 in canoes.
At this event to benefit Friends of Reed Bingham Park (FORB) and WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS), WWALS board member Bret Wagenhorst officiated as usual, this time assisted in handing out prizes by WWALS PR Committee member Amy Wiegenstein. Other board members of FORB and WWALS were present
Overall winner: Continue reading
You are invited this Saturday morning to Reed Bingham State Park (between Adel and Moultrie)
for a morning of sun, fun, cypress, turtles, and don’t pet the alligator
at the fourth annual
BIG Little River Paddle Race.
You can register online (follow the link)
or at the site (also follow the link for details).
And Phil Hubbard’s special offer is still open: he will pay for two
free registrations.
If interested, send email wwalswatershed@gmail.com; first two received win.
Lots of prizes in numerous categories, including $100 for first prize. Plus Phil Hubbard also made and we have available the WWALS Fallers Plaque, which you may win if you inadvertently fall into the water. Thanks again to Bret Wagenhorst of Tifton for organizing the paddle race.
Here’s video of me talking about that on Chris Beckhams’s radio show, WVGA 105.9 FM the morning of May 16th: Continue reading
Update 2016-05-19: video of the radio interview, and don’t forget the paddle race is this Saturday!
Everybody listens to the radio in the car on the way to work,
and Monday morning 8:00 AM I’ll be talking about
the BIG Little River Paddle Race:
community, water, trees, birds, fish, sunshine, and fun! $50 cash prize for first place, plus awards in numerous categories, or just paddle leisurely.
It’s the fourth annual at Reed Bingham State Park, between Adel and Moultrie, on the border of Cook and Colquitt Counties, only 40 minutes from Valdosta.
The Paddle Race is weekend after next, Saturday, May 21st, and you can sign up online or at the event.
Before that, a radio show to talk about the paddle race.
When: 8:00AM Monday May 16th 2016
Where: 105.9 FM WVGA, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia
What: Continue reading
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