About 35 paddlers saw bats as the sun set over Banks Lake.
![[Bobby McKenzie, WWALS Outings Committee Chair, this expedition leader]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-06-05--banks-lake-full-moon-pictures/20200605_194927.jpg)
Bobby McKenzie, WWALS Outings Committee Chair, this expedition leader
Thanks to WWALS Outings Committee Chair and Board Member Bobby McKenzie, for organizing and leading this outing.
The moon hid behind clouds, but some of us saw a little gator as we started out. I think Helen Crowley spotted it. Continue reading
Update 2020-06-19: Pictures.
Update 2020-06-18: Naylor Boat Ramp signs planted 2020-06-13.
Update 2020-06-12: Good to go, so see you there.
Join us for a one-mile paddle upstream and back from the newest boat ramp on the Alapaha River.
There’s plenty of room to stay six feet apart on the ground and ten feet apart on the water.
When: Gather 9:30 AM, launch 10 AM, Saturday, June 13, 2020
Put In:
Naylor Boat Ramp, 6955 US 84 E, Naylor, GA 31641, in Lowndes County, Georgia.
From Valdosta go east on US 84, cross the river, make a U-turn when you can,
go back west across the river and turn right into the park around the boat ramp.
There’s also a nice beach in the park a bit downstream from the boat ramp.
GPS: 30.92507, -83.03867
Take Out: Naylor 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.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
![[Naylor Boat Ramp, 2020:03:06 16:35:28, 30.9253889, -83.0393611]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-06-13--naylor-outback/naylor-boat-ramp.jpg)
Photo: Tasha Ekman Laface, Naylor Boat Ramp, 2020:03:06 16:35:28, 30.9253889, -83.0393611
Update 2020-06-06: Gator and bats, sunset, no moon, at Banks Lake 2020-06-05.
Leisurely sunset paddle and watch the June Full Strawberry Moon rise over the lake.
No, there’s no curfew in Lanier County now (confirmed with the Lanier County Sheriff), and since there’s no shuttle on this outing, we can all stay 6 feet apart on land 10 feet apart on the water.
Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge is in the Grand Bay–Banks Lake ecosystem. We usually see birds, bats and alligators. Sunsets are usually spectacular, and the full moon over the tree tops reflected in the lake is a sight to see.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 7:50 PM, Friday, June 5, 2020
Moon and sun: Sunset 8:33 PM, Moonrise 8:41 PM
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County.
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.
Boats: Kayaks are available to borrow but please let us know at least 2 days prior to the event. Bring your own if you have it.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members, optional during this virus pandemic period. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
![[Sunset behind cypress]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-02-09--banks-lake-full-moon/84974452_3003771476301701_8109062030540931072_o.jpg)
Sunset behind cypress
on Banks Lake Full Storm Moon Paddle 2020-02-09.
First, remember the fourth Within These WWALS contest is still in progress, and you can answer here by midnight May 2, 2020:
https://forms.gle/SSPeLzniUxgQbqFL9
Meanwhile, the winner of the first contest, which ended April 11, 2020, is….
Deanna Mericle, of Hamilton County, Florida!
WWALS charter board member emeritus Bret Wagenhorst sent her a packet of WWALS photo notecards from that watershed.
Each of the pictures on the cover shown above appears on a separate notecard, each with an envelope.
The answers to Within These WWALS #1 are: Continue reading
Leisurely sunset paddle and watch the May Full Flower Moon rise over the lake.
No, there’s no curfew in Lanier County now (confirmed with the Lanier County Sheriff), and since there’s no shuttle on this outing, we can all stay six feet apart on l and 10 feet apart on the water.
Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge is in the Grand Bay–Banks Lake ecosystem. We usually see birds, bats and alligators. Sunsets are usually spectacular, and the full moon over the tree tops reflected in the lake is a sight to see.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 7:50 PM, Thursday, May 7, 2020
Moon and sun: Sunset 8:16 PM, Moonrise 8:46 PM
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County.
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.
Boats: Kayaks are available to borrow but please let us know at least 2 days prior to the event. Bring your own if you have it.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members, optional during this virus pandemic period. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
![[Moonrise cypress arc (MM)]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-02-09--banks-lake-full-moon/86267330_10217939016599321_2707161953033256960_o.jpg)
Photo: Monica McKenzie, Moonrise cypress arc (MM),
2020-02-09.
Update 2022-11-29: Get your z-fold water trail brochures at any WWALS outing or event, and see the at-water and road signs. This post updated with current images from the WLRWT map and Access web page.
Lately I’ve seen a lot of posts such as “how many miles from Knights Ferry Boat Ramp to Nankin?” That’s 6.65 river miles, or about 3.3 paddle hours, and here’s how you can find out, for the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers, for the Alapaha River, and for the Suwannee, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers, plus interactive maps.
The Access Points web page for the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT) lists all the public boat ramps and landings on the Little and Withlacoochee Rivers, with river miles downstream to the next one. Also an estimate of paddling hours, GPS coordinates, icons for amenities, and a link to the most relevant river gauge.
How can you find that web page? Go to Continue reading
Shelby Miller did facebook livestream from Banks Lake last night.
In this still, you can see Bobby McKenzie in the raffle kayak, Continue reading
Shelby Miller will go live on the facebook event at 7:15 PM tonight. She’ll be streaming for an hour through sunset at 7:51 PM. She will have to miss moonrise in order to be out well before the 9PM Lanier County curfew.
![[Sunset spire (MM)]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-02-09--banks-lake-full-moon/86266798_10217939016239312_2122588741947097088_o.jpg)
Photo: Monica McKenzie, Sunset spire (MM), Banks Lake, 2020-02-09.
Bobby McKenzie will be on Banks Lake with Shelby, paddling the raffle kayak, and also taking video for later publication. Continue reading
Update 2020-06-08: Signs printed and ready to be planted at Naylor Boat Ramp Out and Back, Alapaha River 2020-06-13.
Update 2020-04-04: Improved maps on both signs and better text on Naylor Boat Ramp sign.
The WWALS Trails Committee has drafted these two metal signs to go near the water at the new Naylor Boat Ramp that Lowndes County has built at US 84 with SPLOST VI penny sales tax funds. You can help by commenting on these designs, or by contributing to the cost of the signs.
What do you think should be added, deleted, or edited on the sign above, about this particular boat ramp? Yes, we know the type looks squinchy. That’s because the metal signs will be printed about twice this size.
What do you think of the sign below, about the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT)? Continue reading
Update 2020-04-08: Shelby Miller will be livestreaming on the facebook event at 7:15 PM for an hour. Bobby McKenzie will be there in the raffle kayak. You can stay home and watch.
Due to the virus pandemic, WWALS is cancelling the next Full Moon Paddle at Banks Lake, formerly scheduled for sunset, Wednesday, April 8, 2020, with that lunar-monthly series to resume later.
But we have livestreams, videos, and online events, as well as outings and events planned for months from now, while WWALS advocacy continues. You can help.
Shelby Miller will livestream from Banks Lake at the originally-scheduled date and time for the Banks Lake Full Pink Moon Paddle, so you can see as if you were there.
![[Sunset behind paddlers]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-02-09--banks-lake-full-moon/83343222_3003771079635074_2187311012879794176_o.jpg)
Photo: Gretchen Quarterman, Sunset behind paddlers,
Banks Lake, 2020-02-09
It probably would be possible to hold this Full Moon Paddle, since there is no shuttle so no cramming into vehicles, people could put their boats in one by one, and on the lake everybody is far apart, but we’re not going to do that.
Lakeland and Lanier County have declared a 9PM curfew, as I believe have Nashville and Adel, Georgia, in Berrien and Cook Counties, and there is a case confirmed in Clinch County. Lowndes County and all its cities have issued a “voluntary” stay-home order prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people, as has the state of Georgia. Madison County, Florida, similarly is trying for no groups of 10 or more. While some of these orders currently expire on April 6, don’t be surprised if they get extended.
WWALS does not want to provide any opportunity for anybody to violate any of those things.
So, please stay home and help stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease it causes.
We’re not postponing this outing: we’re cancelling. Whenever the curfews and the like are clear enough, we will resume our series of lunar-monthly WWALS Full Moon Paddles on Banks Lake.
While you’re home, please post your pictures and videos of your outings on lakes, rivers, creeks, swamps, springs, etc. Here are some from the Full Storm Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, February 9, 2020.
Feel free to get a ticket to the WWALS kayak raffle of an Emotion Stealth 11 Sit-On-Top Kayak with Carlisle Paddle.
You can attend some of our virtual events, such as Continue reading
![[Map: Knights Ferry Boat Ramp]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-04-15--water-trails-online/knights-ferry-map.jpg)
![[Bobby staying dry]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-04-09--banks-lake-full-moon-livestream/bobby-staying-dry.jpg)
![[Naylor Boat Ramp]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-04-02--arwt-naylor-metal-signs/Naylor-Boat-Ramp-ARWT-metal-sign-0001.jpg)
![[Paddlers golden in sunset]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-02-09--banks-lake-full-moon/84086310_3003771112968404_2601747611455062016_o.jpg)