Tag Archives: Outing

7th Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race, silent auction, raffle 2019-04-27

You could win in any of a dozen categories. But you are not required to race: it’s a nice spring paddle anyway!

With the silent auction afterwards and a kayak raffle: it’s the seventh annual BIG Little River Paddle Race, a fundraiser for WWALS and Friends of Reed Bingham State Park (FORB).

From the water (BW), Racing
Photo: Bret Wagenhorst, of BLRPR 2018.

Where: Red Roberts Landing
31°11’32.0″N 83°31’13.2″W
Rountree Bridge Road
Between Moultrie and Adel, GA
I-75 Exit 41 (at Sparks) to Rountree Bridge Road

When: 8AM-9AM Registration
9:30 AM Mass Start

Registration: Register on-line Continue reading →

Hike to Dead River Sink, Alapaha River, Jennings Bluff Launch, 2019-01-19

Update 2019-01-16: Due to high water on the Alapaha River, moved to Hike at Little Shoals, Suwannee River.

There’s nothing else like it in Florida (or Georgia), so come along on the traditional winter WWALS three-mile hike to the Dead River Sink! No boat required to see the Alapaha River run up this distributary and disappear into the ground, not coming back up for 20 miles and three days.

This impressive geological phenomenon is an eye opener that perfectly illustrates the karst topography containing our drinking water in the Floridan Aquifer underneath our rivers. You often see exposed porous limestone along our river banks. However when you see a hole that is capable of swallowing the entire Alapaha for most of the year…. it’s impressive.

When: 12 noon PM, January 19, 2019

Put In: Meet at Jennings Bluff Launch. From Jennings, Hamilton County, FL, travel south on US 41 to NW 25 Lane; turn left; travel east to NW 82 Court and the entrance into the Suwannee River Water Management District’s Jennings Bluff tract; turn left and follow road to canoe launch.

GPS: 30.567172, -83.039189 (for the entrance to Jennings Bluff Tract)

Take Out: Same.

Bring: Cold weather gear, hiking shoes, and clothes resistant to thorny bushes. No boat needed. 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. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

[Right down there, 13:33:30, 30.57888, -83.05025]
Photo: John S. Quarterman, Right down there, 13:33:30, 2018-01-27.

Continue reading →

Pictures: Hike to the Dead River Sink 2018-01-27

It was a nice day for a Hike to the Dead River Sink in the Alapaha Quest on the Alapaha River Water Trail, with Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price of Hamilton County, Florida. Here are some pictures and a Google map from Saturday, January 27, 2018.

[Almost there, 13:16:34, 30.5837666, -83.0535975]
Almost there, 13:16:34, 30.5837666, -83.0535975

You can come along when we do it again in January 2019. Continue reading →

November Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, 2018-11-23

Join us for a leisurely sunset paddle to watch the Hunter’s Moon rise over the lake.

Plan to arrive early enough to prep your boat so that we can launch by 5:30p.m. That will allow time to paddle around most of the lake before dark while we look for birds, gators and bats. Sunset on the lake is usually spectacular. If the sky is clear we will see the nearly full moon rise at 6:10p.m.

This is a leg of the Alapaha Quest, since Banks Lake is in the Alapaha River Water Trail.

When: 5:15 PM, September 11, 2018; be on the water by 5:30 PM

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County.

GPS: 31.035097, -83.097045

Take Out: Banks Lake Boat Ramp

Bring: Bring a light for your boat or some type of light to have on yourself (glow stick, head lamp, or flashlight), and bring a rope for your boat. You must wear a PFD. A whistle is not required, but it’s a good idea in the dark. Mosquitos can be bad at the marina but bugs are usually not a problem on the water. Don’t forget boat, paddles, anacks, drinking water, warm clothes, 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. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

Paddling out, Lake
A previous Banks Lake paddle, 2018-07-27.

Continue reading →

Boomerang Banner 2018-11-03

The WWALS Boomerang banner shows the sponsors and vendors for 11AM tomorrow morning, Saturday, November 3, 2018, at State Line Ramp (Mozell Spells, 6461 Madison Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31601). Paddle with us from Georgia into Florida, and back again!

at UPS Store, Banner

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Now at State Line Ramp: WWALS Boomerang paddle race 2018-11-03

WWALS Boomerang
From Georgia To Florida
and Back Again
Withlacoochee River
State Line Ramp (Mozell Spells)
11 AM, Saturday, November 3, 2018

Join us for a fun filled day of paddle racing and leisurely paddling on an idyllic blackwater river.

Yes, we’ve moved downstream, to plenty of water, no deadfalls, plus shoals, in two states (Georgia and Florida) and four counties (Lowndes, Brooks, Madison, and Hamilton)!

Flyer, WWALS Boomerang
Follow this link for a printable PDF flyer.
Or this link for the same flyer 2 per page.

Event: facebook, meetup, but don’t forget to get tickets!

Tickets: $30 per boat.
We also recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

When: 11:00 AM, November 3, 2018

Put In: State Line Ramp (Mozell Spells, GA 31 Ramp),
6461 Madison Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31601.

GPS: 30.637844, -83.311149

VSU 16 miles, Quitman 23, Adel 37, Tifton 60, Moultrie 55,
Madison 15, Jasper 27, Live Oak 40, Lake City 60,
Tallahassee 70, Gainesville 108, Jacksonville 120.

Bridge and ramp, 14:15:54,, State Line Boat Ramp
Photo: John S. Quarterman, Horn Bridge and State Line Boat Ramp (Mozell Spells), 2018-10-27

Continue reading →

Y, Scouts, Food, Photography at WWALS Boomerang paddle race 2018-11-03

Update 2018-10-28: Now at State Line Ramp! Yes, we’ve moved downstream, to plenty of water, no deadfalls, plus shoals, in two states (Georgia and Florida) and four counties (Lowndes, Brooks, Madison, and Hamilton).

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

WWALS Boomerang
Langdale Park to Sugar Creek
and Back Again
Withlacoochee River
Valdosta, Georgia
11 AM, Saturday, November 3, 2018

Join us for a fun filled day of kayak and canoe racing and leisurely paddling on an idyllic blackwater river by the biggest Suwannee River Basin city.

New sponsors: the YMCA on Gornto Road, and the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, with aerial drone photography by The Georgia Photography Fanatic, and food by Under Construction BBQ, plus at the turnaround walk up to The Salty Snapper.

Flyer, WWALS Boomerang
Follow this link for a printable PDF flyer.
Or this link for the same flyer 2 per page.

WWALS Boomerang, Logo

Event: facebook, meetup, but don’t forget to get tickets!

Tickets: $30 per boat.
We also recommend Continue reading →

October Hunter’s Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, 2018-10-23

Join us for a leisurely sunset paddle to watch the Hunter’s Moon rise over the lake.

Plan to arrive early enough to prep your boat so that we can launch by 6:15p. That will allow time to paddle around most of the lake before dark while we look for birds, gators and bats. Sunset on the lake is usually spectacular. If the sky is clear we will see the nearly full moon rise at 6:41p.

This is a leg of the Alapaha Quest, since Banks Lake is in the Alapaha River Water Trail.

When: 6 PM, September 11, 2018; be on the water by 6:15PM

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County.

GPS: 31.035097, -83.097045

Take Out: Banks Lake Boat Ramp

Bring: Bring a light for your boat or some type of light to have on yourself (glow stick, head lamp, or flashlight), and bring a rope for your boat. You must wear a PFD. A whistle is not required, but it’s a good idea in the dark. Mosquitos can be bad at the marina but bugs are usually not a problem on the water. Don’t forget boat, paddles, anacks, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.

This will be one night before the new moon. It will be dark once the sun goes down at 6:45 PM.

Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

Loaner boat with new paddler, On the water
A previous Banks Lake paddle, 2018-07-27.

Continue reading →

Four weeks of fecal coliform 2018-10-09 2018-09-19 to 2018-10-09

This is why we alway say “as near as we can tell” or “according to the latest data” or words to that effect. The last data we had last week said fecal coliform at GA 133 on the Little River was below the state limit. But the actual most recent data, from last Tuesday, just received today, shows 610, which is three times the state limit of 200 cfu per 100 mililiters.

Graph, Withlacoochee Basin

Meanwhile, on the Withlacoochee River, the count went up at US 41 and down at GA 133, with both still well above the state limit. But downstream of Valdosta and its Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP), at US 84 and at Horn Bridge at the GA-FL line, counts that were already within the limit Continue reading →

Pictures: Troupville Cleanup 2018-10-13

We had fun cleaning up at Troupville Boat Ramp and the private land down the Little River to its Confluence with the Withlacoochee River, and then up the Withlacoochee a bit. Boy Scouts did much of the work, in Ronnie Thomas’ troup: this cleanup was his idea. Two of the landowners who let us into the land down to the Confluence were there; that property is for sale. Scotti Jay and Bobby and the McKenzie clan were also there. Brown Dog and Yellow Dog liked getting into another river.

[Red, yellow, white, blue, 10:09:03, 30.8454610, -83.3467969]
Red, yellow, white, blue, 10:09:03, 30.8454610, -83.3467969

Landowner Helen Tapp promised donuts, and delivered. Continue reading →