Tag Archives: Boomerang2020

Winners: WWALS Boomerang 2020-10-24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hahira, Georgia, October 29, 2020 — Everybody had a good time on a fine sunny day with the water just right. We had a few more paddlers than last year, and more vendors and sponsors, so WWALS Boomerang 2020 was a rousing success!

WWALS Boomerang 2020

“The winner drove up from Tallahassee: Jackson Buttery, who finished the six-mile round trip in one hour sixteen minutes and 42 seconds. He got the $100 cash First Prize.” said Bobby McKenzie, the WWALS Boomerang mastermind.

Jackson Buttery winning and with First Prize

Of the racers, 10 were male and 12 were female, in 16 boats, of which 6 were tandem kayaks and 10 were solo kayaks.

And they’re off

The four McKenzies in one canoe (Bobby Mckenzie and his 2 young sons and 1 daughter, all from Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, in the Alapaha River watershed) did register, although they did not race, so that’s 13 male and 13 female paddlers, for 26 in all, in 17 boats.

“I would say considering the Coronavirus and the other metrics listed, the Boomerang had a stronger showing this year than last. Plus the vendors have grown and we had a fourth outfitter join us at the ramp, Madison Outdoor Adventures, along with Banks Lake Outdoors, NWXpeditions, and VSU Core. We also got more sponsors this year, adding Olympia Bend and Life Outdoors and SBMS CrossFit.”

Other winners included first, second, and third for various distances, classes (solo or tandem) and genders, as well as for upside down, backwards, and last: Continue reading →

Clean Withlacoochee River Thursday for WWALS Boomerang Saturday 2020-10-22

2020-11-02: Bad Knights Ferry water quality, Withlacoochee River 2020-10-30.

You couldn’t ask for better water or weather conditions than for the WWALS Boomerang tomorrow (Saturday), from Georgia into Florida and back from State Line Boat Ramp on the Withlacoochee River.
wwals.net/pictures/2020-10-24–boomerang/

And for the rest of the Withlacoochee and probably the Suwannee River, too. Even the report we got of a spill Monday in Valdosta appears to have been a false alarm. All water quality test results are advisory, since conditions can change rapidly. But no significant rain is expected, so happy boating, swimming, and fishing this weekend, especially at State Line Boat Ramp!

Chart, State Line, Boomerang, FL-6

The weather prediction at Clyattville, GA, is for 70 degrees at 9AM, and 80 at noon, partly cloudy, with little chance of rain. There’s also been little rain for a week, so nothing much has washed into the rivers.

Those pesky shoals should be easier this year. The water level yesterday at the USGS Quitman Gauge was 2.3′ (85.81 feet NAVD88). The Thursday before last year’s Boomerang, October 24, 2019, it was 1.65″ (85.15 feet NAVD88). So the Withlacoochee River is about 2/3 of a foot or 8 inches higher than it was last year.

All that plus clean river water! Continue reading →

Rivers Alive bandana for cleanup before WWALS Boomerang tomorrow 2020-10-24

Come on down at 8 AM tomorrow (Saturday) and help clean up at State Line Boat Ramp before registration starts for the WWALS Boomerang, and you’ll get one of these Rivers Alive bandanas.

Rivers Alive bandana for cleanup before WWALS Boomerang

Before paddlers race from Georgia into Florida and back, we’re going to spiff up Mozell Spells, Madison Highway Boat Ramp, or whatever you call it, at GA 31, CR 150, below Horn Bridge. You can help!

And you can go ahead and bid in the online silent auction:
https://www.betterunite.com/WWALS-wwalsboomerang2020

Rivers Alive is “Georgia’s annual volunteer waterway cleanup event that targets all waterways in the State including streams, rivers, lakes, beaches, and wetlands.”

We already did that earlier this month, and these bandanas came in afterwards. So we’re giving them out at this additional cleanup! Continue reading →

Video: WWALS Boomerang on Scott James Radio 2020-10-13

It was amusing and useful to talk with Scott James on his radio show this morning, about the WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back (tickets still $20 through Thursday, then $30), about cleanups and please vote Yes on Georgia Amendment 1 to stop state fee trust fund diversions, about the Halloween Blue Hunter’s Moon paddle on Banks Lake (wear your costume), and about water quality testing and Eco-Tourism.

WWALS Boomerang

Here are links to videos of each topic, reorganized a bit, plus some explanations. Continue reading →

WWALS Boomerang and Mayor’s Paddle –Suwannee Riverkeeper on Scott James radio 2020-10-13

Tuesday morning at 8AM, Suwannee Riverkeeper will be on Scott James Talk 92.1 FM radio, about the WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back again.

We’ll also talk about the Halloween Full Hunter’s Moon Paddle, the Floyd’s Island Okefenokee Swamp paddle in early November, the Solstice Light Parade on Banks Lake on December 19, the Mayor’s Paddle on the Withlacoochee River in February, the recent successful cleanup, and of course water quality testing.

Oh, yes: please vote Yes on Georgia constitutional Amendment 1, to dedicate state fees and taxes to their state purpose, so for example tire fees actually get used for tire amnesties, so we don’t have to drag as many tires out of our creeks and rivers.

Since the real trash problem is the companies that make it, you can help stop Nestlé from sucking up still more water from the Floridan Aquifer, depleting our rivers, springs, and wells, to make more plastic bottles that we would have to clean up out of our springs, creeks, and rivers.

WWALS Boomerang –Suwanee Riverkeeper on Scott James Radio

The radio interview

When: 8 AM, Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Where: Talk 92.1 FM radio, Scott James drivetime show
http://talk921.com/

Listen: Over the air, or through the radio show’s own website, or through any of several online listening services.

Event: facebook

WWALS Boomerang paddle race

On Saturday, October 24, 2020, there’s the Third Annual WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back.

Tickets to the WWALS Boomerang are $20 online through Ocotber 15, then $30 at the event.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wwals-boomerang-paddle-race-2020-tickets-118844038719?aff=efbeventtix

For much more, follow this link: wwals.net/pictures/2020-10-24–boomerang/ Continue reading →

Video: Cleanups, WWALS Boomerang, and wood pellet plant on Steve Nichols radio show 2020-10-06

On his radio show Tuesday morning, Steve Nichols asked me about the wood pellet plant proposed in Adel, Georgia.

We also talked about how you can vote yes on Georgia Constitutional Amendment 1 to fix fee diversions, bottle and can deposits, and how you can help stop Nestle from sucking up more of our aquifer water and making more plastic bottles we have to clean up.

This was in addition to the big cleanup this Saturday, the WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back on October 24th, and the Halloween Full Hunter’s Moon paddle on Banks Lake. Here is video of what we said and links to more information.

Continue reading →

Cleanups, Testing, WWALS Boomerang on Steve Nichols radio show 2020-10-06

Steve Nichols and Suwannee Riverkeeper will ask again: does anybody want to drink dirty water? That’s 8:30 AM tomorrow, October 6, 2020, on 105.9 FM WVGA. In addition to water quality testing, we’ll also discuss the big cleanup coming up this Saturday on three rivers and many creeks, and the Third Annual WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and back. Plus some other outings.

Water Quality Testing 2020-08-18

WVGA FM says:

The top rated morning talk show in south Georgia, Steve Nichols offers both sides of every story from Berrien County to the Beltway, and everywhere in between.
You can listen at 105.9 FM, on the WVGA Live apps, through ValdostaToday.com (link on front page), on Alexa devices, or you can stream in-studio video at the official Morning Drive Facebook page.

When: 8:30 AM, Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Where: 105.9 FM WVGA (see above for how to listen)