Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia. Watch the sun set, the moon rise, and there may be bats. will be leading this paddle.
When: Gather 5 PM, launch 5:30 PM, moonrise 6:07 PM, sunset 5:55 PM, end 7 PM, Saturday, January 3, 2026
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
Continue readingJoin us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our mini-Okefenokee. Maybe we will see bats.
Full Moon paddle regulars, Holly Jones and Xiaoai Ren, will be leading this paddle.
When: Gather 4:15 PM, launch 4:45 PM, moonrise 5:07 PM, sunset 5:31 PM, end 6:15 PM, Thursday, December 4, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Cold Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA, Sunset, Moonrise, Maybe bats 2025-12-04]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-12-04--full-cold-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Full Cold Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA, Sunset, Moonrise, Maybe bats 2025-12-04
Heather Brasell got WWALS water quality testing trainer Gretchen Quarterman invited to talk about water quality with students from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC). They did this in the classroom at the Gaskins Forest Education Center (GFEC) and onsite at streams coming from the Town of Alapaha Wastewater Treatment Plant.
They did the classroom part at Gaskins Forest Education Center (GFEC), 3359 Moore Sawmill Rd, Alapaha, GA 31622, in Berrien County. Gretchen talked about what watersheds are, about the watersheds of the Suwannee River Basin, about WWALS, and generally about Georgia Adopt-A-Stream water quality testing such as WWALS does. Continue reading
Yesterday on the way back from Waycross I looked at Lakeland Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River.
![[Lakeland Boat Ramp, Alapaha River 2025-11-12, Water very low, Lower than recommended]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-11-12--lakeland-boat-ramp-alapaha-river/fbmany.jpg)
Lakeland Boat Ramp, Alapaha River 2025-11-12, Water very low, Lower than recommended
The water level was 77.74 NAVD 88 or 1.64 feet from bottom. on the Statenville Gauge.
Our recommendations are Lowest boatable: 78.1; Highest safe: 85.1.
So if you want to paddle, I suspect you will spend some time dragging your boat.
If you have a motorboat, good luck getting the trailer submerged. Continue reading
We saw many species of bats on our leisurely Sunset and Full Beaver Moon Paddle on our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia, after the sun set and the moon rose.
Thanks to Chris Adams, aka Turtleman, for leading this paddle. He is a very experienced naturalist and former guide at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. He has often paddled with us at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
Thanks to Bat Biologist (and WWALS Board Member) Elizabeth Brunner for identifying many species of bats living in the one bat tree, and probably a couple more flying by.
Thanks to Lanier County and Banks Lake Outdoors for free boat rental for these WWALS Full Moon Paddles.
For bat species reference, see: Continue reading
Thanks, Heather Brasell for helping Gretchen Quarterman at the WWALS Booth at the Alapaha Station Celebration in Alapaha, Georgia, near Sheboggy Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River, the most upstream public landing on the WWALS Alapaha River Water Trail.
Notice the new tablecloth with the Suwannee Riverkeeper logo. Much easier than tying a banner to the front of the table.
![[Alapaha Station Celebration, Alapaha, Georgia, Thanks, Gretchen and Heather, Heavy Rain 2025-11-08]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-11-08--alapaha-station-celebration-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Alapaha Station Celebration, Alapaha, Georgia, Thanks, Gretchen and Heather, Heavy Rain 2025-11-08
Gretchen wrote:
Sun is out at the WWALS Booth at Alapaha Station Celebration. Continue reading
We climbed over, under, and around much Hurricane Helene deadfall on what Dottie Price called a “Class 5 Meander” from the Dead River Sink to the Dry Alapaha River.
Thanks to 30 people who came, to Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price for leading this expedition, and to Dottie Price for the additional pictures. See also the facebook video by Christiaan Ard.
There was a false start at Jennings Bluff Cemetery, where Dennis told the lemmings to go back up the bluff, because of too much deadfall. Continue reading
Join us at the historic railroad station in Alapaha, Georgia, near Sheboggy Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River, the most upstream public landing on the WWALS Alapaha River Water Trail.
The schedule starts with a parade at 10:30 AM.
There will be music, food, and other vendors.
WWALS members, come help at that WWALS booth!
When: 9 AM, Saturday, November 08, 2025
Put In: Alapaha Station, 245 NE Railroad Street, Alapaha, Georgia 31622
GPS: 31.38103, -83.222412
![[WWALS Booth at Alapaha Station Celebration, Alapaha, Georgia, Alapaha River 2025-11-08]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-11-08--alapaha-station-celebration/many.jpg)
WWALS Booth at Alapaha Station Celebration, Alapaha, Georgia, Alapaha River 2025-11-08
Hahira, Georgia, November 4, 2025 — Join experienced naturalist and swamp guide Chris “Turtleman” Adams for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on our mini-Okefenokee just west of Lakeland, Georgia. There may be bats. That’s at 4:45 PM this Wednesday, November 5, 2025.
Chris Adams, aka Turtleman, is a very experienced naturalist and former guide at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. He has often paddled with us at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. He runs the Wiregrass Ecological and Cultural Project, bringing awareness to the heart of the Deep South and showcasing its natural & cultural communities. You’ll enjoy his insights.
This Outing is honoring Veterans, who get free entry.
Gather 4:45 PM, launch 5:15 PM, moonrise 5:39 PM, sunset 5:41 PM, end 6:45 PM, Wednesday, November 5, 2025
We will put in and take out at Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT). GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725
Continue readingThis is a nonprofit fundraiser supporting WWALS Watershed Coalition Inc.
It’s for the whole month of November 2025.
You can donate here:
https://www.gagives.org/story/WWALS-GAGIVES-2025
![[WWALS Day of Giving, #GAGIVES 2025, All Month, November 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-11-02--day-of-giving/fbmany.jpg)
WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.
Many other organizations already promote paddling, swimming, fishing, birding, and other water-related activities hereabouts, as does WWALS for fun and education. WWALS exists to assist positive changes and to resist invasive problems, using strategies such as environmental monitoring and tactics such as outings and events in that advocacy.
![[Full Wolf Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 5 PM, 2026-01-03, West of Lakeland, GA, Sunset, Moonrise, and maybe bats]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2026-01-03--full-wolf-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
![[WWALS teaching ABAC students about water quality @ GFEC, Watersheds and microbes, plants and animals 2025-11-21]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-11-21--aas-abac-gfec/many.jpg)
![[Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, 2025-11-05, Guide: Chris Turtleman Adams, Bat Biologist: Elizabeth Brunner]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-11-05--full-beaver-moon-paddle-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
![[Dead River Sink Hike, Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price, Meander to the Dry Alapaha River, 2025-11-01]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-11-01--hike-dead-river-sink-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
![[Paddle with naturalist and swamp guide Chris Turtleman Adams, Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Sunset, and maybe bats at Banks Lake 2025-11-05]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-11-05--full-beaver-moon-paddle-pr/fbmany.jpg)