It was perfect weather to see the sun set and the moon rise.
One person flew a thousand miles to paddle on Banks Lake at the Full Worm Moon.
Thanks to Kimberly Godden Tanner for organizing this one.
![[Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, 2025-03-14]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-14--banks-lake-full-worm-moon-paddle-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Full Worm Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, 2025-03-14
Join us tomorrow for
Full Flower Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2025-05-12.
https://wwals.net/?p=67005
For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see Continue reading
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Buck Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room near Lakeland, Georgia.
When: Gather 7:45 PM, launch 8:15 PM, moonrise 8:59 PM, sunset 8:39 PM, end 9:45 PM, Thursday, July 10, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Thursday, June 10, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-07-10--full-buck-moon-banks-lake/fbmany.jpg)
Full Buck Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA, Thursday, June 10, 2025
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Strawberry Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our watery living room near Lakeland, Georgia.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 9:25 PM, sunset 8:36 PM, end 10 PM, Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Strawberry Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Alapaha River Water Trail, Wednesday, June 11, 2025]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-06-11--full-strawberry-moon-banks-lake/fbmany.jpg)
Full Strawberry Moon Paddle, Banks Lake NWR, Alapaha River Water Trail, Wednesday, June 11, 2025
From alligators and wood storks in the Okefenokee National Wildlife (NWR) to mussels, Gulf sturgeon, and alligator snapping turtles in the Lower Suwannee NWR, plus Banks Lake NWR and Cedar Key NWR, Larry Woodward, Deputy Refuge Manager, ONWR, gave a WWALS Webinar on Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness, and the importance of the 4 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee.
After a brief introduction by Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman, Larry Woodward spoke for about 45 minutes, followed by questions and answers, all by zoom, from noon to 1PM, Thursday, November 11, 2024.
Here is the video:
https://youtu.be/ya5b8V6woOE
Fictional inhabitants of the Okefenokee Swamp include not only Pogo the Possum but also Kermit the Frog.
Continue readingWe will not be paddling for the Full Hunters Moon is tomorrow, Thursday, October 17, 2024, because Banks Lake is closed.
Banks Lake Outdoors facebook page, October 9, 2024:
Many of you have seen the massive number of trees down at the lake. Banks Lake Outdoors thankfully made it through Hurricane Helene with minimal damage. Much of the trees have been cleared; however, many upright trees remain unstable. Banks Lake, and the concession, will be closed to visitors until further notice.
Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge:
Refuge CLOSED Due to Hurricane Helene Damage
Banks Lake NWR is CLOSED to all public access due to Hurricane Helene storm damage. Refuge staff have conducted initial inspections and clean up, however, conditions are still unsafe for public access. A date for reopening has not been determined. For more information, please contact refuge staff at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge at 912-496-7836.
We look forward to Banks Lake being reopened, and WWALS offers assistance.
Meanwhile, for other WWALS outings, see:
https://wwals.net/outings/
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/
Update 2024-10-09: Rescheduled due to impending Hurricane Milton. New date: Thursday, November 21, 2024, from noon to 1 PM.
Larry Woodward, Deputy Refuge Manager, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, will give a WWALS Webinar on the Suwannee River’s Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness, and the importance of the 3 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee.
Register in advance with zoom for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsdOGtpzIpGdflOUxV423XHOi3TPNlaiSL
WWALS Board President Sara Jay Jones will give a brief introduction, Larry Woodward will speak for about 45 minutes, and we will have questions and answers. Continue reading
Yes, alligator hunting is happening in Banks Lake NWR.
Well, actually, already happened.
According to GA-DNR,
“The 2024 season opens at SUNSET on Friday, August 16, 2024, and closes at SUNRISE on Monday, October 7, 2024.”
https://georgiawildlife.com/Hunting/Alligator
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: “Alligator: All State of Georgia Regulations will apply and the season will be limited to two three-day units within the state season. Hunters will access the lake using the refuge boat ramp…. Alligator hunting on the Refuge will be the first two weekends in accordance with the state season.”
So that was August 16-18 and 23-25, 2024.
Excerpts from
Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge Hunt Plan,
July 2020,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
https://ecos.fws.gov/ServCat/DownloadFile/221089
Avg total nightly count = 56 Avg known legal nightly count = 24
Due to increased information from alligator surveys and monitoring from Georgia DNR, the process to allow alligator hunting on Banks Lake NWR was initiated in 2019. The alligator population in Georgia is one of many renewable natural resources that can sustain limited harvest in concert with biological monitoring and periodic evaluations. Allowing an alligator hunt on Banks Lake NWR will provide hunters additional opportunities where other public lands hunting opportunities are limited. Opening this hunt also supports the refuge’s compliance with Secretarial Order 3356, “to support and expand hunting and fishing, enhance conservation stewardship, improve wildlife management, and increase outdoor recreation opportunities for all Americans”.
II. Statement of Objectives
Continue reading
A dozen people were ready to paddle on a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats, on Banks Lake, just west of Lakeland, Georgia.
![[Banks Lake Full Buck Moon, Paddle didn't 2024-07-21, A dozen people, No paddles or PFDs]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-07-21--banks-lake-full-buck-moon-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Buck Moon, Paddle didn’t 2024-07-21, A dozen people, No paddles or PFDs
A few people brought their own paddles and PFDs, and they paddled anyway.
But there was a mixup with getting the paddles and PFDs from Lanier County.
Kimberly Godden Tanner, the outing leader, did not have those, so the WWALS paddle did not happen.
We will investigate a better way.
And thanks again to Lanier County for providing free rental of the kayaks and canoes and the paddles and PFDs.
Thanks to Kim for trying, and better luck next lunar month.
For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats.
When: Gather 7:30 PM, launch 8 PM, moonrise 9:17 PM, sunset 8:34 PM, end 10 PM, Sunday, July 21, 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 Buck Moon Paddle 2024-07-21, West of Lakeland, GA, Probably with bats]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-07-21--banks-lake-full-buck-moon/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Buck Moon Paddle 2024-07-21, West of Lakeland, GA, Probably with bats
Thanks, Gee Edwards for leading us to see bats and impressive sunsets, on the Banks Lake Full Buck Moon paddle 2023-07-03.
![[Pictures: Banks Lake, Full Buck Moon 2023-07-03, Bats, crimson sunset, aqua and indigo lake]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-07-03--banks-lake-full-buck-moon-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Pictures: Banks Lake, Full Buck Moon 2023-07-03, Bats, crimson sunset, aqua and indigo lake
Here are a couple of video snippets.
Playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QzPJWtR07OYYYWky668-g1o&si=B4DHyUhinb-9t4Yd
For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter. Continue reading
![[Water, Wildlife, & Wilderness: 4 NWRs of the Suwannee --Larry Woodward, Okefenokee, Banks Lake, Lower Suwannee, Cedar Key, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-11-21--water-wildlife-wilderness-nwrs-video/fbmany.jpg)
![[Closed indefinitely due to Hurricane Helene Damage 2024-10-09: Banks Lake Outdoors and Banks Lake NWR]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-10-09--banks-lake-closed/many.jpg)
![[Rescheduled: Water, Wildlife, and Wilderness: The 3 National Wildlife Refuges of the Suwannee River, Larry Woodward, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-21]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-10-10--water-wildlife-wilderness-nwrs/fbmany.jpg)
![[Alligator Hunting in Banks Lake NWR 2024, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Georgia Department of Natural Resources]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2020-07-16--banks-lake-nwr-hunt-plan/igmany.jpg)