Tag Archives: Phil Hubbard

Cleanup at Sheboggy plus upstream paddle Alapaha River 2018-09-09

The traditional annual WWALS Sheboggy Georgia Adopt-A-Stream cleanup at Sheboggy, plus an upstream paddle, from this most upstream of the access points on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT). Oh, and we still want those Sheboggy road signs back.

When: 1 PM, Sunday, September 9, 2018

Put In: Sheboggy Boat Ramp, 11004 US Highway 82, Alapaha, GA 31622, a few miles east of Alapaha, Georgia, in Berrien County.

GPS: 31.386279, -83.191609

Take Out: Sheboggy 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.

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

Event: facebook, meetup

Sign, Last Seen
Sheboggy road signs last seen, April 27, 2018. Photo: Jack Hickox; we still want them back.

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All winners of BIG Little River Paddle Race 2018-04-28

Previously you saw the overall winner of the 6th Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race, organized by WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) and Friends of Reed Bingham State Park (FORB), Saturday, April 28, 2018. Update 2018-07-16: Plus pictures of all the paddlers.

Here are all the winners:


The prize category is included for each winner.

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Videos: Songwriting Contest on Scott James Radio 2018-06-22

Come hear good music this afternoon, new songs about the Suwannee, Withlacoochee, and other rivers, said Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman on the radio yesterday morning with Scott James. The M.C. for today’s finals of the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS E.D. Gretchen Quarterman, explained the raffles (kayak, swag, and silent auction), and we mentioned the buffet and cash bar at the at the Salty Snapper, 1405 Gornto Rd, Valdosta, GA 31602.

You can even paddle 9AM this morning down the Withlacoochee River into Valdosta to get to the Salty Snapper.

Scott James Talk 92.1 drive-time radio show

We listed the finalists in the Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, and described the format: speeches (especially by Will Eason of the Salty Snapper), finalists play new songs about the rivers, judges score on music, lyrics, history, etc., and finally the results of the raffles, and the prizes. We showed off the First Prize plaque, just handed to us by WWALS Board Member Phil Hubbard, who made it.

Here’s a LAKE WWALS video playlist:


Videos: Songwriting Contest on Scott James Radio 2018-06-22
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS),

Once festival season is over today, we noted we’ll get on with the programs WWALS fundraising pays for. Such as water quality testing: Continue reading →

Alapaha Quest TBA, Alapaha River, 2018-08-11

Locations announced! Follow this link.

Experience the wilderness via the Alapaha River Water Trail as we continue the Alapaha Quest. Due to river level variations, the location will be determined as we get closer to the date. Could be anything from rapids to flood to a dry river hike, depending on rainfall.

Skinny-plot Skinny levels, USGS Gauges Irwinville, Alapaha, Statenville

When: 8 AM, Saturday, August 11, 2018

Put In: To Be Announced (TBA)

Take Out: TBA

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.

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

Landings, ARWT
Alapaha River Water Trail

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Friday Night Banks Lake Full Moon Paddle, 2018-07-27

Paddle scenic Banks Lake on a Friday night as the setting sun enhances its beauty and the full moon sheds a bit of light on its night time mysteries.

When: 7 PM, Friday, July 27, 2018

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

GPS: 31.03492, -83.09619

Take Out: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, which is on the Alapaha River Water Trail.

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. And for this moonlight paddle: a light.

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

Full moon cypress, Banks Lake
Full moon cypress, Banks Lake, 2017-07-08

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Video: Suwannee Riverkeeper on Steve Nichols Drive-time Radio 2018-04-24

This morning I was on The Morning Drive with Steve Nichols on 105.9 FM WVGA, Valdosta, Georgia, which Steve says reaches 100,000 people. We talked about all the things we said we would: Troupville cleanup, water trails, paddle race, film festival, songwriting contest, outings, and more.

Suwannee Riverkeeper banner, Interview

Here’s the video extracted from WVGA’s facebook live.

Suwannee Riverkeeper on Steve Nichols Drive-time Radio 2018-04-24
Video by Black Crow Media for WVGA 105.9 FM, Valdosta, GA

I don’t know why the video is mirror-flipped, but below are a few stills right-way around.

If you want to see the whole morning’s video, it’s on the show’s website. This interview runs about -23:40 to -1:20.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

Troupville cleanup, Interview
Troupville cleanup, Interview

Hi, Helen, Interview
Hi, Helen, Interview

Tires and a boat, Interview
Tires and a boat, Interview

Metal signs, Interview
Metal signs, Interview

Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail, Interview
Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail, Interview

BIG Little River Paddle Race, Reed Bingham SP, 2018-04-28, Interview
BIG Little River Paddle Race, Reed Bingham SP, 2018-04-28, Interview

Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Cedar Key, 2018-06-23, Interview
Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, Cedar Key, 2018-06-23, Interview

Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Valdosta, 2018-05-31, Interview
Wild & Scenic Film Festival, Valdosta, 2018-05-31, Interview

Newsletter: Tannin Times, Interview
Newsletter: Tannin Times, Interview

Troupville Boat Ramp Signs 2018-04-20

WWALS Outings Committee Chair Phil Hubbard made these metal signs and planted them yesterday at Troupville Boat Ramp on the Little River. Meet at these signs for the cleanup this morning, led by WWALS member Bobby McKenzie.

Planted, Signs

Phil said he had some difficulty 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.

Burt Kornegay on the Little River 2018-03-24

Update 2018-04-10: Canoeing from the Little to the Chee by Burt Kornegay 2018-03-24.

[Phil Hubbard interviews Burt Kornegay] Very experienced retired outfitter Burt Kornegay from western north Carolina paddled the Little River from just below its one dam to the Withlacoochee and on to the Suwannee a week ago, and liked it a lot.

If you want a really good four-day canoe trip, put in right near Reed Bingham State Park at the highway 37 bridge. There’s an excellent put in right there. And spend four days canoeing down this river. I don’t think you’ll regret it.

That’s from somebody who has led expeditions all over the U.S., from the Grand Canyon to the Smokey Mountains, interviewed Saturday a week ago at Troupville Boat Ramp.

A happy paddler, Arriving

[A happy paddler]
A happy paddler

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Overnight Camping: Suwannee Springs to Suwannee River State Park 2018-06-02

Update 2018-04-17: Online pre-registration for event fee (free to WWALS members) and shuttle fee. Space is limited. Register soon.

Beautiful two-day paddle trip with overnight camping at Holton Creek.

When: 9 AM, Saturday, June 2, 2018

Put In: Suwannee Springs, 3243 91st Dr, Live Oak, FL 32060

GPS: 30.39417, -82.93383

Take Out: Suwannee River State Park, 3631 201st Path, Live Oak, FL 32060

Bring: camping gear in addition to 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.

Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 a day ($20) to non-members, plus campsite fees and park entry fees.

All attendees must pre-pay a $10 shuttle fee. You can register here:

Overnight Outing

We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Event: facebook, meetup

Green Suwannee Springs outflow,
Photo: Continue reading →