Who knows the Ockolocoochee River? No, not the Ochlockonee River; that’s a bit to the west.
You do know the Ockolocoochee River as the Little River, of the Withlacoochee, of the Suwannee.
Here is news from 1889 that also includes the boat that didn’t survive from Troupville to Ellaville, which was apparently not a paddlewheel steamer. Continue reading
Cedar Key is getting high winds from Hurricane Idalia, and Steinhatchee’s weather camera is offline, while the National Weather Service has added more Georgia counties to its Hurricane Watch; all Florida Suwannee River Basin Counties were already in Hurricane Watch.
If you’re in Florida, hunker down. If you’re in Georgia, you may have time for some last-minute preparations. Either way, most schools and businesses are closed today in the Hurricane Watch counties, so there’s not much need to go out in the rain and wind.
Also, don’t buy water in plastic bottles. Fill pots, jugs, buckets, and bathtubs with tap or well water.
Watch your local county or city Emergency Management Agency. Have your power utility outage number handy.
Dear central and south Florida urban sophisticates: we know you’re used to this. In the rural Suwannee River Basin a Category 3 hurricane is unusual, especially one making landfall where it is, and likely to stay a hurricane so far inland.
Also, many of us remember Hurricane Michael, which only five years ago devastated the Florida Big Bend and trashed Albany, Georgia, on a path only a bit farther west than Hurricane Idalia. So this is not a joke to those of us who live here.
Better safe than sorry.
Since our last post, NWS JAX has added to the Hurricane Watch Suwannee River Basin Georgia counties Thomas, Cook, Berrien, Atkinson, and Coffee, along with more counties northeastward, Jeff Davis, Bacon, Pierce, Brantley, Apppling, Appling, Wayne, Tatnall, Long, Evans, and along the coast McIntosh, Liberty, Bryan, and Chatham Counties. All the Florida Suwannee River Basin Counties were already on Hurricane Watch.
All the nearby Georgia and Florida counties are on Tropical Storm Warning, as far west as Albany in Dougherty County. Continue reading
Update 2021-07-08: Sewage Spills: Valdosta, GA, Starke, FL 2021-07-08.
Elsa has downgraded to Tropical Storm again, and is late for landfall.
As of 8 AM this morning Elsa is 35 miles west of Cedar Key, according to the National Hurricane Center. Pretty much everything in Cedar Key is closed today.
The storm track has moved slightly west. “On the forecast track, Elsa will make landfall along the north Florida Gulf coast by late this morning or this afternoon.” Late morning would be high tide, making storm surge worse.
Elsa is still predicted to move north up the Suwannee River Valley, where county offices are closed today all the way up into Georgia. Then over the Okefenokee Swamp Thursday, on up the Georgia coast, but now somewhat inland, with tropical storm warnings most of the way, and storm surge warnings for the Georgia coast through Charleston, S.C. And on up the eastern seaboard, inland until Virginia, onwards to the Canadian Maritimes by Saturday.
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for…
- West coast of Florida from the Middle of Longboat Key to the Aucilla River, including Tampa Bay
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
- West coast of Florida from Chassahowitzka to the Steinhatchee River
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
- West coast of Florida from south of Chassahowitzka to the Middle of Longboat Key
- West coast of Florida north of the Steinhatchee River to Ochlockonee River
- Mouth of St. Marys River, Georgia to Little River Inlet, South Carolina
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
- North of Little River Inlet, South Carolina to Chincoteague, Virginia
- Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds
…
Interests elsewhere in the Carolinas, the mid-Atlantic coast, southeastern New England, and the Canadian Maritimes should monitor the progress of Elsa.
Tornadoes are possible along the coast and inland. Continue reading
Update 2019-08-29: All Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses from Virginia to coastal Georgia cancelled for Sunday and Saturday, and flights even if not canceled are absurdly expensive at this late date, so I’m not leaving for Virginia today; I’ll be staying here for the duration. And these cancellations indicate Amtrak and Greyhound at least are considering Dorian something to worry about.
Hurricane Dorian is expected to be category 4 (130-156 mph winds) when it lands Monday somewhere on the east coast of Florida, and we could see tropical storm winds (39-73 mph) in Cedar Key Saturday and in Valdosta Sunday.
![[Winds, Tropical Storm Force, Earliest Reasonable Time of Arrival]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-08-31--hurricane-dorian/144746_earliest_reasonable_toa_no_wsp_34.jpg)
National Hurricane Center: Hurricane Dorian, Winds, Tropical Storm Force, Earliest Reasonable Time of Arrival
The storm could go right over Valdosta like the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, Continue reading
This Saturday, several WWALS people are heading for Cedar Key to present and ask for questions, suggestions, etc. about:
The main goal is encouraging long-term interactions between Cedar Key and Suwannee Riverkeeper.
The secondary goal is to organize the songwriting contest.
When:
All day, Saturday, May 5, 2018
Presentation at 3PM
Or let us know and we’ll come to your office.
Photo: Pelican at Cedar Key, by Gretchen Quarterman, 2018-02-25
Contact: Continue reading
Sunday 2PM in Valdosta, the Committee meets about the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. And song submissions are open!
When: 2-3 PM Sunday 29 March 2018
Where:
Cheddars Scratch Kitchen, 270 Norman Dr, Valdosta, GA 31601
aka Cheddar’s Casual Cafe,
Off I-75 Exit 16, US 84, West Hill Avenue.
What:
More judge candidates, and event logistics including sponsors, food, beverages,
and the crawl afterwards, when finalists will play at local venues in Cedar Key.
Like every committee meeting, you can also participate by telephone;
inquire within for how.
Event for the committee meeting: facebook, meetup
Event for the songwriting contest: facebook, meetup
Map: Google Street View
The audience was amused at the thought of the Valdosta City Council racing at Reed Bingham, or of any of them writing songs. But it could happen! And any of them can come on down to the Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Valdosta.
You’ve already seen the videos of the two resolutions, for the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT) and the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT). Here are videos of three WWALS members thanking Valdosta Mayor and Council for those, plus three festivals. We call WWALS a coalition because many people are involved, from many backgrounds, doing many different things to conserve and advocate for our watersheds being swimmable, fishable, and at least our well water drinkable.
There’s a playlist at the end.
Come hear the finalists play in the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest:
Stay tuned for more. We’re not giving out their song titles, lyrics, or music: for those come to the contest and hear them live!
![[Extended Deadline June 1, Contest June 23, 2018]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2018-06-23--songwriting-contest/Flyer-SuwRK-Songwriting-Contest-0001.jpg)
Here is a
printable PDF flyer.
Why: Everybody knows one song about the Suwannee River. There should be more, and what about the Withlacoochee, Alapaha, Alapahoochee, and all the others?
Song Submissions: Submissions opened Monday April 2, 2018, and are now closed.
The Contest: 1-5PM, Saturday, June 23, 2018
Where: The Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602
Tickets: $10 each online, or $12 at the door
Event: facebook, meetup; use these to say you’re coming, but don’t forget to get your tickets.
Paddle: You can even paddle that same morning down the Withlacoochee River into Valdosta to get to the Salty Snapper.
What: Food, beverages, silent auction. Finalists will play, sponsors will be acknowledged.
Prizes: Continue reading
Wednesday noon in Valdosta, the last Committee meeting before submissions open for the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
When: 12-1 PM Wednesday 28 March 2018
Where:
Cheddars Scratch Kitchen, 270 Norman Dr, Valdosta, GA 31601
aka Cheddar’s Casual Cafe,
Off I-75 Exit 16, US 84, West Hill Avenue.
What:
Judge candidates, and event logistics including food and beverages.
Like every week, you can also participate by telephone;
inquire within for how.
Map: Google Street View
Wednesday in Live Oak, the organizing Committee meets for the First Annual Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest. You can even write about the Ockolocoochee River!
When: 3PM Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Where: Brown Lantern Restaurant, 417 E Howard St, Live Oak, FL 32064
What:
WWALS Songwriting Committee
planning the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest.
Like last week in Valdosta, you can also participate by telephone;
inquire within for how.
![[Withlacoochee River labeled Suwanee R. in 1823 Irwin and 1834 Lowndes County maps; current WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail map]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/1889-01-29--troupville/many.jpg)
![[Hurricane Watch in more Georgia Counties, High winds at Cedar Key, Hurricane Idalia, 2023-08-30 06:00]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2023-08-30--hurricane-idalia-landing-florida-expanding-georgia/many.jpg)
![[5-day Cone No Line And Wind]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-07-07--elsa/115653_5day_cone_no_line_and_wind.jpg)