Adel, Georgia, April 21, 2022 — It’s 8AM, Saturday, April 30, 2022, at Red Roberts Landing in Reed Bingham State Park, between Adel and Moultrie, Georgia. Join us for a three-mile paddle down the idyllic blackwater Little River into Reed Bingham State Park. Tickets are $30 per boat online only at wwals.net. See https://wwals.net/pictures/2022-04-30–blrpr/
A previous press release had an erroneous date. Please ignore that and come on down Saturday, April 30, 2022.
Continue readingAdel, Georgia, April 12, 2022 — After pandemic and bad weather the previous two years, the BIG Little Paddle Race is back this year.
You could win in any of a dozen categories, or up to $300 if you
beat the previous winning record time. But you are not required to
race: it’s a nice spring paddle anyway! On Saturday, April 30, 2022 24, 2021,
in Reed Bingham State Park, between Adel and Moultrie, Georgia, it’s
the ninth tenth annual BIG Little River Paddle Race. There will be lunch
and tickets will be available for the annual kayak raffle. You can just paddle along this scenic three-mile
stretch of tea-colored river on the Withlacoochee and Little River
Water Trail among cypress trees, turtles, birds, and yes,
alligators. (Don’t pet the alligators and they aren’t likely to
bother you.) This race also has fierce competitors, with one past
winner finishing in barely more than half an hour.
After having to cancel the event last year due to severe weather, we are hoping for sunnier skies this year. This is a great opportunity to learn about the joys of paddling canoes and kayaks, to see the natural beauty of our region’s blackwater rivers, and to have fun while getting some outdoor exercise with family and friends.
![[Tandem female canoe, orange (BW)]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/gretchen/2019-04-27--wwals-blrpr/59286201_10220164503641964_277548384464666624_n.jpg)
Photo: Bret Wagenhorst, of 2019 First female tandem kayak:
Megan Robinson & Lily Robinson, of Tifton, GA.
WWALS President Trudy Cole said, “BLRPR is a great opportunity to meet like minded folks and paddle a pristine section of the Little River, while supporting a great organization.”
There are several categories in which you could win, Continue reading
Dave Hetzel will be missed. He was the first President of WWALS, a longtime board member and WWALS Ambassador (a Vice President), promoter of solar power, opponent of pipelines, a fixture at festivals for WWALS from Cedar Key, Florida to Alapaha, Georgia, loved to paddle on our rivers and to promote the Alapaha River Water Trail and the BIG Little River Paddle Race; friend to all.
Also, Dave was a good sport. On his very first paddle outing with WWALS, he got dunked completely underwater in the Alapaha River, but he popped right up and never complained.
Before the obituary, here are a few pictures. Continue reading
This was a nice, short, one-mile paddle on the Alapaha River from Hotchkiss Road Landing beyond US 84, past the then-future site of Naylor Boat Ramp. All on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT). Thanks to Chris Graham for leading this paddle.
![[Hotchkiss Road Landing, Shoals, Naylor Beach, US 84 bridge, Alapaha River]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2014-08-24--alapaha/many.jpg)
Hotchkiss Road Landing, Shoals, Naylor Beach, US 84 bridge, Alapaha River
Update 2022-04-07: Two Mile Branch Rivers Alive Trash Clean Up, Valdosta 2022-04-16 2022-04-16.
Update 2022-04-05: Constitutional Right to Clean Water: RTCW for Georgia, WWALS Webinar 2022-04-19.
Earth day itself is April 22, 2022. WWALS will have several events surrounding that day: two cleanups, a full moon paddle, a paddle race, and a river paddle and cleanup.
Come see the sun set and the full pink moon rise, on our leisurely paddle on our mini-Okefenokee, Banks Lake National Wildlife Reserve, just west of Lakeland, Georgia.
When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:30 PM, moonrise 8:10 PM, sunset 8:01 PM, end 9:30 PM, Saturday, April 16, 2022
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
Take Out: Banks Lake Boat Ramp
Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup. Mosquitoes can be bad at dusk so come prepared.
Safety:
Each person in a boat, no matter how young or old, must wear a PFD.
You must have a light for your boat or some type of light to have on yourself (glow sticks work well, or head lamp, flashlight, etc.) so other boaters can see you in the dark. It will be totally dark after sunset.
A whistle is not required, but it’s a good idea in the dark.
Boats:
Bring your own if you have it.
Thanks to Banks Lake Outdoors for free boat rental for these WWALS Full Moon Paddles.
Please ask for boats at least 2 days prior to the event:
on the web form on
https://wwals.net/outings,
or on the facebook event, the meetup,
or call 850-290-2350.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members.
You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online:
https://wwals.net/outings
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/#join
![[Sunset and Moonrise 2021-04-26; Photos: Bobby McKenzie]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-04-16--banks-lake-full-pink-moon/many.jpg)
Sunset and Moonrise
2021-04-26; Photos: Bobby McKenzie.
Due to high water, we have rescheduled the Saturday paddle to become a 2-hour easy hike from Bell Springs to Big Shoals on the Suwannee River, led by Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price of Hamilton County, Florida. Here’s a way to see Florida’s only Class III rapids with no need for a boat.
When: Gather 8 AM, caravan 9 AM, hike 9:30 AM, end 12 PM, Saturday, March 19, 2022
Put In: Nature & Heritage Tourism Center, 10499 Spring St, White Springs, FL 32096, at the corner of Bridge and Spring Street.
GPS: 30.32947, -82.759426
Take Out: Meet at the Tourism Center, sign in, and Dennis will lead a caravan to Bell Springs, where the hike begins and ends.
Bring: hiking boots and clothes, drinking water, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members.
You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online:
https://wwals.net/outings
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/#join
![[Map: Bell-Springs to Big Shoals]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-03-19--hike-bell-springs-big-shoals/map-bell-springs-big-shoals.jpg)
Map: Bell-Springs to Big Shoals
Update 2022-03-18: Canceled due to thunderstorms.
Leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle on Banks Lake, our mini-Okefenokee, just west of Lakeland, Georgia, on GA 122.
When: Gather 6:45 PM, launch 7:15 PM, moonrise 8:19 PM, sunset 7:43 PM, end 9:30 PM, Friday, March 18, 2022
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).
Take Out: Banks Lake Boat Ramp
Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup. Mosquitoes can be bad at dusk so come prepared.
Safety:
Each person in a boat, no matter how young or old, must wear a PFD.
You must have a light for your boat or some type of light to have on yourself (glow sticks work well, or head lamp, flashlight, etc.) so other boaters can see you in the dark. It will be totally dark after sunset.
A whistle is not required, but it’s a good idea in the dark.
Boats:
Bring your own if you have it.
Thanks to Banks Lake Outdoors for free boat rental for these WWALS Full Moon Paddles.
Please ask for boats at least 2 days prior to the event:
on the web form on
https://wwals.net/outings,
or on the facebook event, the meetup,
or call 850-290-2350.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members.
You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online:
https://wwals.net/outings
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/#join
![[Sunset, Moonrise at Banks Lake 2022-02-18]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-03-18--banks-lake-full-worm-moon/many.jpg)
Sunset, Moonrise at Banks Lake 2022-02-18
2022-05-05: Reroute: Langdale Park becomes Withlacoochee River and Sugar Creek Cleanup 2022-05-07.
Leisurely paddle promoting ecotourism on the Withlacoochee River, from Langdale Park to Troupville Boat Ramp, stopping halfway for lunch at the Salty Snapper. Each participant will be responsible for purchasing their own lunch.
Water levels may change rapidly. We will keep you updated.
We will gather at Langdale Park at 9am and perform a team shuttle at 9:30 returning to Langdale and launching at 10:00 am. We will arrive at the Salty Snapper (3 miles) for lunch/beverages around 11:30 shortly after they open. Lunch should wrap up around 12:30 and paddle on down to Troupville Boat Ramp (4 miles) arriving and finishing up around 2:30pm.
Along the way, we will see where the Mayor of Valdosta proposes building a boardwalk along the last thousand feet of cypress knees on a strip of land Lowndes County owns from Gornto Road down to the river, just downstream from Sugar Creek, the railroad, and the YMCA.
If we’re lucky, Valdosta will have cleaned up its trash problem by then.
And we will bring saws in case we encounter more deadfalls (trees across the river) than usual. There may be a few brief portages over deadfalls, but don’t worry: everyone will help.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3 PM, Saturday, May 7, 2022
Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp, 3781 N. Valdosta Rd., Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 Exit 22, east on North Valdosta Road, cross the Withlacoochee River, turn right on Hyta Mederer Drive, continue to the boat ramp.
GPS: 30.88747, -83.32395
Lunch: The Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Road, Valdosta, GA 31602.
Take Out: Troupville Boat Ramp, 19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp.
Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat, paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup. Mosquitoes can be bad at dusk so come prepared.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members.
You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online:
https://wwals.net/outings
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/#join
![[Around the bend, 10:26:40, 30.8867740, -83.3239680]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-05-15--langdale-park-sugar-creek-salty-snapper/20210515_102640.jpg)
Around the bend, 10:26:40, 30.8867740, -83.3239680, 2021-05-15.
Plenty of water, and the water temperature is up to 58 degrees! The latest weather prediction is sunny with a high of 64 tomorrow.
Come on down tomorrow (Saturday) morning to Troupville Boat Ramp for the third annual Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle on the Withlacoochee River to Spook Bridge!
![[Troupville Boat Ramp, lunch stop, US 84 rapids, Spook Bridge]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-02-18--withlacoochee-river/many.jpg)
Troupville Boat Ramp, lunch stop, US 84 rapids, Spook Bridge
Take St. Augustine Road west past the Mall, cross I-75, and at the light for Val Tech Road turn left down to Troupville Boat Ramp.
Drop off your boat, sign in, and join the shuttle convoy to Spook Bridge.
The Hahira Gauge (Little River @ GA 122, Folsom Bridge) reads Continue reading
![[Dave Hetzel]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-04-03--dave-hetzel/many.jpg)
![[Cleanups and paddles]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-04-22--earth-day-events/many.jpg)