Nineteen paddlers in fifteen boats braved the early morning deluge, which quit just in time to start paddling the Alapaha River from Statenville Boat Ramp to Sasser Landing, past many waterfalls, quite a few shoals, one real rapid, and an incoming river too fast to paddle up. Even a couple of unexpected boat ramps, one of them concrete.
![[Ronnie, Shirley, Fountain, 13:50:02, 30.6253002, -83.0480667]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-07-06--statenville-sasser-pictures/20190706_135002.jpg)
Ronnie, Shirley, Fountain, 13:50:02, 30.6253002, -83.0480667
Around every corner, a waterfall. Continue reading
Update 2019-07-05:: Some WWALS videos on YouTube.
The first day of #PaddleGA2019 was a fun day, with a confluence, greetings by VIPs, creeks, small rapids, a limpkin, Valdosta’s notorious Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant Outfall, one bad water quality reading (not there), swimming, an even more notorious fracked methane pipeline, and Spook Bridge, with a pet deer across the river. Thanks to The Langdale Company for that takeout and the Port-A-Potty location, and thanks to the Battery Source for the loan of the golf cart to WWALS.
Here’s Gwyneth Moody, Georgia River Network Water Trail coordinator, getting her orange kayak in the water.
![[Load 'em up, 07:51:54, 30.8515032, -83.3476099]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2019-06-15--troupville-confluence-spook-bridge/20190615_075154.jpg)
Load ’em up, 07:51:54, 30.8515032, -83.3476099
Somebody was flying a drone. Continue reading
Update 2024-05-14: Pictures: Cypress Creek South (CR 6) to Cone Bridge, Suwannee River 2019-05-04.
Rescheduled due to low water. Now we’re starting at Cypress Creek Launch on CR 6, and paddling to Cone Bridge Ramp.
A quiet, tranquil 9.4 mile section of the Suwannee River on a paddle appropriate for paddlers of any level.
When: Gather 9:00 AM, Launch 9:30 AM, Saturday, May 4, 2019
Put In:
Cypress Creek South Launch @ CR 6.
From White Springs, Travel north on CR 135 to SR 6, turn right; travel east to the bridge. At the foot of the bridge, turn left onto road shoulder and follow the road to the river.
From Valdosta, GA, travel south on I-75 to exit 460 for FL-6 toward Jasper, FL; travel east 11.4 miles, turn right to stay on FL 6. Continue through Jasper onto Hatley Street, which becomes CR 6.
Continue 14.5 miles to the left turnoff just before the Suwannee River.
GPS: 30.50737, -82.71711
Take Out: Cone Bridge Ramp. From Lake City, travel north on US 441 to NW Cone Bridge Road; turn left and follow road to ramp.
Bring: a rope to drag your boat, 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!
Photo: John S. Quarterman,
Cypress Creek South Launch, 2016-09-05.
This paddle is on the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail (SRWT). Continue reading
Update 2019-04-18: Due to low water, changed to Cypress Creek South (CR 6) to Cone Bridge, Suwannee River, still May 4, 2019.
This 15.6 mile paddle includes a strenuous portage around Big Shoals, the biggest whitewater rapids in Florida and paddling over a smaller set of rapids at Little Shoals. Due to the portage which involves climbing up and down steep, sandy banks with kayaks, carrying kayaks 300 feet and lifting over downed trees, this trip is listed as difficult. You must be physically able to get back into your kayak on the slippery edge of this swift moving section of the Suwannee River. We help each other as much as possible, but ultimately you are responsible for your boat. We will take a break at the shoals and enjoy the outstanding view. No one is paddling over the shoals and this portage is the only way around.
When: Gather 8:30 AM, Launch 10 AM, Thursday, May 4, 2019
Put In: Cone Bridge Ramp, From Lake City, travel north on US 441 to NW Cone Bridge Road; turn left and follow road to ramp in Columbia County.
Take Out: Suwannee Wayside Ramp, From White Springs, travel south on US 41 to the river; the ramp is on the south side in the town park. Hamilton County.
Bring: a rope to drag your boat, 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!
Photo: Gretchen Quarterman, Cone Bridge Boat Ramp, 2015-11-22
This paddle is on the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail (SRWT). Continue reading
Update 2023-04-19: Videos: US 84 to Mayday, Alapaha River 2016-05-07
Waterfalls on the Alapaha River?
![[Movie: Waterfall (786K), 30.87078, -83.02267]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2016-05-07--us84-to-mayday-alapaha-river/KVID4839.jpg)
Movie: Waterfall (786K), 30.8707800, -83.0226700
Two weeks after the WWALS outing from US 84 to Mayday, some of us who didn’t make that one paddled the same stretch. The earlier crew had smooth sailing. We had rapids and waterfalls, because the Alapaha River was feet lower on the Statenville USGS Gauge. Continue reading
Karen and Tom Johnson travelled many a time three or four hours from Pine Mountain, Georgia, to paddle with WWALS on our outings. Some of us are planning to go to Pine Mountain this Saturday:
HEAR YE! HEAR YE!
Memorial Service/Funeral for Karen Toms Johnson:11:00 A.M., Saturday, September 22, 2018.
1st UMC Pine Mountain, Georgia.
Rev. Liza Marler, officiating pastor.
Luncheon to follow with Karen Storytelling emcee’d by T3.
Memorial Service attendees are STRONGLY encouraged to attend the luncheon.
When: Tuesday-Friday 18-21 September 2018
Where: Post your pictures online here.
Here is the obituary Tom wrote for Karen.
We would like to take with us a collage of pictures of Karen and Tom on WWALS outings (or elsewhere). Please post your pictures here (on this blog post, facebook event, etc.) or email them to wwalswatershed@gmail.com.
Here are some examples:
Photo: Bret Wagenhorst, of
Tom and Karen Johnson, winners, farthest, BIG Little River Paddle Race
29 April 2017.
Update 2023-12-28: Revised version..
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
Tires and trash cleaned up at Nankin Boat Ramp, swimming and diver tales at McIntyre Spring, a creek, karst, shoals, and rapids, into Florida and back to Georgia all downstream, Valdosta Railway Trestle, Madison County Four Freedoms Trail, and exotic invasive Japanese Climbing Fern, all on a fall day on the Withlacoochee River with WWALS Watershed Coalition, Suwannee Riverkeeper. Thanks to all who came to paddle from as far as two hours from Gainesville, Florida and four hours from Pine Mountain, Georgia.
The Quitman (US 84) Gauge was at about 2.6′ (86′ NAVD88).
Here are some pictures.
This post is just the first part; more pictures will follow are posted with
diving
and
landowners
at Arnold Springs,
Old Clyattville Road Bridge
Horn Bridge,
and
Mozell Spells (State Line Ramp).
and a
Google Map,
and a few videos are still to come.
These are some of our many favorite spots on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.
Watch wwals.net for more outings are they are announced, or see the WWALS calendar or the WWALS outings and events web page. We have outings at least once a month.
Now also a Rivers Alive cleanup in conjunction with Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful (KLVB). You can clean up, or clean up and paddle! Best to bring a rope for your boat: the Withlacoochee River is low, and there may be a few spots of dragging over shoals.
Through KLVB: Call (229)671-3698 to be assigned to Nankin Landing or another location.
Through WWALS: Come on down to Nankin Boat Ramp 9AM Saturday October 14, 2017!
Where: 6899 Clyattville-Nankin Rd, Valdosta, GA 31601, in Lowndes County, 30.675192, -83.394143
Details: See Continue reading
Back by popular request, 9.1 miles past two of the six second-magnitude springs in Georgia, into and back out of Florida, over numerous shoals, on the tea-colored Withlacoochee River in the fall, all on the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail.
When: 9AM Saturday, October 14, 2017
Put In: Nankin Boat Ramp, MILE 36.3, 6899 Clyattville-Nankin Rd, Valdosta, GA 31601, in Lowndes County.
Bring: the usual personal flotation device, water, snacks, trash bag, and trash picker: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup! If you do not have a boat, let us know, and probably somebody can loan you one, or contact one of the many outfitters.
Free: This outing is Free! And we recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
Take Out: Madison Highway Boat Ramp, MILE Continue reading