Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle, probably with bats.
When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:30 PM, moonrise 7:56 PM, sunset 7:59 PM, end 9 PM, Saturday, April 12, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Pink Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2024-04-12, Lakeland, Georgia, Probably with bats]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-04-12--full-pink-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Full Pink Moon Paddle, Banks Lake 2024-04-12, Lakeland, Georgia, Probably with bats
Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle. Maybe the bats will be flying.
When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:20 PM, moonrise 8:14 PM, sunset 7:40 PM, end 9 PM, Friday, March 14, 2025
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
![[Full Worm Moon, Banks Lake 2025-03-14, Kimberly Godden Tanner, Maybe with bats]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-03-14--banks-lake-full-worm-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Full Worm Moon, Banks Lake 2025-03-14, Kimberly Godden Tanner, Maybe with bats
Update 2025-01-17: OK Little and Withlacoochee Rivers, Dirty New River, Filthy Sugar Creek 2025-01-15.
Update 2025-01-13: Sugar Creek still filthy Saturday in Valdosta test results 2025-01-11.
Update: 2025-01-11: Samantha Carr, WWALS Intern and water quality tester 2025-01-10.
Sugar Creek is still filthy from the sewer line break upstream of Gornto Road on down to the Withlacoochee River.
The Little River tested clean at Troupville Boat Ramp Sunday, and the Withlacoochee River tested clean Thursday at Langdale Park upstream of Valdosta and OK Wednesday at Holly Point, a few miles from the Suwannee River.
The Alapaha River tested clean Thursday at Lakeland Boat Ramp and Naylor Park Beach.
Valdosta Utilities has not yet posted its Withlacoochee River results for this week.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the past week in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, but in Georgia the Valdosta Sugar Creek broken sewer pipe finally showed up today.
This weekend, I’d avoid Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near downstream from it. If you like cold, this weekend may be good to paddle, motor, swim, or fish, elsewhere, such as the Little, Alapaha, Santa Fe, Ichetucknee, or Suwannee Rivers.
![[Filthy Sugar Creek, OK Withlacoochee River, Clean Alapaha River, 2025-01-09]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2025-01-09--wq/many.jpg)
Filthy Sugar Creek, OK Withlacoochee River, Clean Alapaha River, 2025-01-09
Thanks, Kim Tanner, for leading this paddle.
![[Banks Lake Full Cold Moon, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA 2024-12-15]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-15--banks-lake-full-cold-moon-pictures/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Cold Moon, Banks Lake NWR, Lakeland, GA 2024-12-15
Thanks to Lanier County and Banks Lake Outdoors for free boat rental for these WWALS Full Moon Paddles.
See also Video: Kayak raffle drawing for Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak at Banks Lake 2014-12-15.
For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. Continue reading
Update 2024-12-27: Sugar Creek still filthy, Alapaha River OK 2024-12-26.
With no rain since last week, Sugar Creek is better, but still has too much E. coli at the WaterGoat near the Withlacoochee River. River water dilutes it below there, and upstream also the Withlacoochee River is clean. The Little and Alapaha Rivers tested clean.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida, but in Georgia, Ashburn had yet another small spill.
No flooding is shown on any river gauge in the Suwannee River Basin. The Santa Fe River at Fort White is actually too low to paddle.
So if you like cold, this weekend seems good to paddle, motor, swim, or fish, as long as you avoid the vicinity of Sugar Creek.
Ashburn reported quickly for once that it had a 2,000-gallon sewage spill into Hat Creek from the usual location of Rockhouse Road and Sylvia Drive. This time the cause was “Equipment failure.” Get a grip, Ashburn! Continue reading
Update 2024-12-21: Clean Alapaha River, OK Withlacoochee River, Filthy Sugar Creek 2024-12-19.
Update 2024-12-21: Malia Thomas of WTXL TV at closed Gornto Road bridge over Sugar Creek 2024-12-20.
Update 2024-12-18: Where are the sewage spill signs, Valdosta? 2024-12-17.
WWALS testing showed Sugar Creek got even more contaminated after the rains Wednesday. Valdosta Utilities testiong showed Hightower Creek and One Mile Branch were bad again, and the Withlacoochee River too high in E. coli at GA 133.
WWALS tests showed Franks Creek bad, upstream from the Little River.
WWALS water quality results downstream at Holly Point for Wednesday showed the Withlacoochee River clean there. But upstream contamination from the recent rain had not had time to get there.
No new sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia. But this E. coli contamination has to be coming from somewhere.
No flooding is shown on any river gauge in the Suwannee River Basin.
So if you like cold, this weekend seems good to paddle, motor, swim, or fish, as long as you avoid the vicinity of Sugar Creek and the Withlacoochee River near GA 133, and possibly the Little River downstream of Franks Creek.
Or join us Sunday evening for the Banks Lake Full Cold Moon Paddle, 2024-12-15 and, also at Banks Lake, raffle drawing for the Skimmer 128 Hurricane kayak.
A leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle. The bats may be sleeping.
When: Gather 4:30 PM, launch 5 PM, moonrise 5:47 PM, sunset 5:33 PM, end 7 PM, Sunday, December 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 Cold Moon 2024-12-15, Banks Lake Outdoors, Lakeland, Georgia]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-15--banks-lake-full-cold-moon-paddle/fbmany.jpg)
Banks Lake Full Cold Moon 2024-12-15, Banks Lake Outdoors, Lakeland, Georgia
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
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
![[Clean Alapaha, Little Rivers, OK Withlacoochee River 2024-12-19 Avoid Filthy Sugar Creek; Good paddling this weekend]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-19--wq/many.jpg)
![[Filthy Sugar Creek 2024-12-12, dirty Franks Creek 2024-12-11, bad upstream Withlacoochee River, clean downstream 2024-12-11]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2024-12-12--wq/many.jpg)