Tag Archives: Cedar Key

Elsa again Tropical Storm, but hurricane warnings persist, landfall soon 2021-07-07

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.

[5-day Cone No Line And Wind]
5-day Cone No Line And Wind

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 →

Hurricane Dorian expected this weekend 2019-08-31

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]
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 →

Road trip to Cedar Key Saturday 2018-05-05

This Saturday, several WWALS people are heading for Cedar Key to present and ask for questions, suggestions, etc. about:

  • who we are: WWALS Watershed Coalition is Suwannee Riverkeeper
  • what we do (outings, races, water trails, water quality, advocacy, etc.),
  • how that benefits Cedar Key (which is downstream from everything we do),
  • and we’re holding a songwriting contest in Cedar Key on June 23rd.

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.

Pelican, 29 North
Photo: Pelican at Cedar Key, by Gretchen Quarterman, 2018-02-25

Contact: Continue reading →

Valdosta Committee meeting, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-04-29

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

Google Street View, Map
Map: Google Street View

The Contest

Continue reading →

Paddle Race, Film festival, Songwriting Contest, and Water Trails @ VCC 2018-04-05

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.

WWALS Watershed Coalition --jsq, Stills

There’s a playlist at the end.

Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-06-23

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] 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 →

Valdosta Committee meeting, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-03-28

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.

Event: facebook, meetup

Google Street View, Map
Map: Google Street View

The Contest

Continue reading →

Live Oak Committee meeting for Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-03-21

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.

Event: facebook, meetup

Brown Lantern, Live Oak, FL

The Contest

Continue reading →

Ockolocoochee, Little River 1889-01-29

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.


Irwin County, 1885a, GeorgiaInfo, Rand McNally Map of Georgia, 1885

Atlanta Constitution, January 29, 1889, Pg 12., quoted in Ray City History Blog, 18 October 2010, More About Troupville, GA and the Withlacoochee River,

THE WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER.

VALDOSTA, Ga., January 19. -[Special.]- Away up near the northern limit of the great wiregrass section there is a big cypress swamp. They call them bays there. From this bay emerges Continue reading →

Committee meeting in Valdosta and draft sponsor banners: Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest 2018-03-14

Last week the Committee met by telephone. This week it will meet in person, tomorrow, in Valdosta for the first time.

When: 1PM Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Where: Michael’s Deli, 1307 N Ashley St, Valdosta, GA 31601-4017
To attend by telephone, contact us for the number.

Event: facebook, meetup

What: Finishing up contest rules, entry form, scorecards for selecting finalists and winners, sponsor application form, and banners for sponsors. Oh, and a date to start accepting submissions and a budget.

Draft sponsor banners: Which one do you like? Here are five sketches: mix and match what you would like to see flying over sponsor businesses and festival booths.

Banner 1: music and long SuwRK banner, Draft Banners

The Contest

Continue reading →