Where Georgia state legislators and aides could not miss us, half a dozen groups presented Okefenokee Day in the hallways of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta.
This was the flyer for organizers. I’m one, since Suwannee Riverkeeper is part of the Okefenokee Partnership which was the principal organizing body for this event. Continue reading
The WWALS Board has unanimously appointed Kimberly Godden Tanner and Janet Martin Massengale as Co-Chairs of the WWALS Outings Committee. They have already decided who will lead each of the Banks Lake Full Moon outings for the whole year. Their main task is to facilitate the Outings Committee in getting outings scheduled and successfully held.
Shirley Kokidko will continue to handle meetup.com for WWALS outings.
![[Outings Committee Co-Chairs 2025-01-29, Kimberly Godden Tanner, Janet Martin Massengale]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-01-29--outings-committee-co-chairs/fbmany.jpg)
Outings Committee Co-Chairs 2025-01-29, Kimberly Godden Tanner, Janet Martin Massengale
For WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see: https://wwals.net/outings
Maybe you would like to request an outing:
https://forms.gle/RcUbpX2AVNQ7wRco9
For more about the Outings Committee, see:
https://wwals.net/about/committees/#wwals-outings
Maybe you would like to apply to join the Outings Committee: https://forms.gle/YofiUxQAmHz42NgC6 Continue reading
Update 2025-01-26: Cleaner but still dirty Sugar Creek 2025-01-24.
Due to the ice storm, nobody sampled this week since Monday: not WWALS and not Valdosta.
So here is what data we do have from Friday about Sugar Creek (filthy), Sunday about Franks Creek and the Withlacoochee River (good), and Monday about the New River in Tifton (good).
Valdosta Utilities drew samples today from Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River, and their results should be up tomorrow on their 2025 Sugar Creek Spill Testing web page. More about Sugar Creek below.
Most of the river gauges we follow couldn’t handle the sleet, snow, or rain Wednesday, so we don’t know how much preciptation fell. From the few that did register, probably up to an inch or more.
Which means more contamination probably washed into the waterways.
Since the weather prediction is freezing at night and cold during the day this weekend, I wouldn’t be paddling. If you must go out in a power boat while the rivers are up a bit, best not to get the water on you.
Or join us tomorrow for an on-land cleanup on One Mile Branch at Wainwright Driver in Valdosta, on the Azalea City Trail.
https://wwals.net/?p=66659
Thanks to WWALS Board Member Janet Massengale for delivering the Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak to raffle winner Belinda Edwards Herndon in Live Oak, Florida.
It’s slightly-used 12-foot 9-inch sit-on-top kayak with paddle, a Hurricane Skimmer 128. Continue reading
Update 2024-12-22: Raffle Kayak Winner: Belinda Edwards Herndon 2024-12-19.
WWALS Board Member Kim Tanner, assisted by Board Member Janet Martin and other paddlers at Banks Lake, determined the winner of the raffle for the Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak.
![[Video: Kayak raffle drawing for Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak, at Banks Lake, by Kim and Ryan Tanner]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2014-12-15--kayak-raffle-drawing/many.jpg)
Video: Kayak raffle drawing for Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak, at Banks Lake, by Kim and Ryan Tanner
People got their raffle tickets online, at various festivals and outings, at the WWALS River Revue, etc.
Kim shook them all up and Ryan drew the winner.
Here is video:
https://youtu.be/dWrCvjrX7yA
And the winner is… Continue reading
Shirley Kokidko reported, “Not much full moon viewing with all the clouds tonight but a relaxing time and fun conversations make for a very pleasant evening.”
![[Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon, Cloudy but good conversation 2024-08-19]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-08-19--banks-lake-full-blue-moon-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Sturgeon Moon, Cloudy but good conversation 2024-08-19
Previously she noted, that Sturgeon moon was also a super moon and a seasonal blue moon, which occurs when there are four full moons in a single astronomical season, instead of the usual three, according to Space.com. Continue reading
It was a gorgeous evening for a glassy Banks Lake paddle, with bats, sunset, and full moon, September 17, 2024.
![[Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2024-09-17, Shirley Kokidko, expedition leader]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-09-17--banks-lake-full-harvest-moon-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon 2024-09-17, Shirley Kokidko, expedition leader
Thanks to Shirley Kokidko for leading this expedition. Continue reading
You don’t have to be in Georgia, and you don’t have to wait until Tuesday,
to donate to this fundraiser to support WWALS:
https://www.gagives.org/story/Wwals-Gagives2024
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.
“A great paddle with 8 boats and 13 paddlers! Beautiful sunset and moonrise!” said expedition leader Kimberly Godden Tanner about the Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon Paddle 2024-11-15 at Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon 2024-11-15 Sunset and Moonrise]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-15--banks-lake-full-beaver-moon-pictures/many.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon 2024-11-15 Sunset and Moonrise
She added, “We had people from Tennessee, Alabama, and Tallahassee, Florida on this paddle.”
For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. Continue reading
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room just west of Lakeland, Georgia.
Since things are still unsettled after Hurricane Helene, bring extra PFDs and paddles if you have them, just in case.
This Outing is honoring Veterans, who get free entry.
When: Gather 4:30 PM, launch 5 PM, moonrise 5:18 PM, sunset 5:35 PM, end 7 PM, Friday, November 15, 2024
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Alapaha River Water Trail, Banks Lake Outdoors, Lakeland, GA]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-15--banks-lake-full-beaver-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Alapaha River Water Trail, Banks Lake Outdoors, Lakeland, GA
![[Okefenokee Day, Georgia state Capitol 2025-02-06, Okefenokee Swamp Park, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-02-06--okefenokee-day-atlanta/fbmany.jpg)
![[Filthy Sugar Creek 2025-01-17, Clean Withlacoochee River 2025-01-19, Clean Franks Creek 2025-01-19, Clean New River 2025-01-20]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-01-20--wq/many.jpg)
![[Winner Belinda Edwards Herndon with WWALS raffle kayak 2024-12-19, Delivered to Live Oak, FL by Board Member Janet Massengale]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-19--raffle-kayak-winner/fbmany.jpg)
![[Day of Giving 2024: Banks Lake, Alapaha River Rise, Juneteenth, Festivals, Chainsaw Cleanups, Sewage, Water Quality, Okefenokee Swamp]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-21--day-of-giving/fbmany.jpg)