Tag Archives: Shirley Kokidko

Pictures: Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon paddle 2020-10-01

Good turnout for a weekday, and good weather for the first of two Full Moon paddles in October 2020.

[Sunset, moonrise, and paddlers with banners]
Sunset, moonrise, and paddlers with banners

Shelby Miller will lead the second one in October, the Banks Lake Full Hunter’s Halloween Moon paddle 2020-10-31.

Before that, on Saturday October 10, 2020, there’s a big cleanup on the Little, Withlacoochee, and Alapaha Rivers and many creeks, in conjunction with Lowndes County and Valdosta.

Don’t forget, coming up on Saturday October 24, 2020, the Third Annual WWALS Boomerang paddle race from Georgia into Florida and Back on the Withlacoochee River.

Three paddlers had already headed out when I took this picture, but the other nine are visible with the WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper banners. Continue reading →

Pictures: Berrien Beach Boat Ramp Cleanup 2020-09-12

Nine people collected 304 pounds of trash at Berrien Beach Boat Ramp in Berrien County, Georgia, and at Berrien Beach in Lanier County, downstream across the river.

[Boat Ramp, Berrien Beach, bags of trash, bottles]
Boat Ramp, Berrien Beach, bags of trash, bottles

We got a picture with banners early before anybody left, and more later, with the trash and the beautiful Alapaha River. See also the real trash problem, the companies that make it.

[Before]
Before
Photo: John S. Quarterman, L-r: Dan Phillips, Dylan Phillips, Bret Wagenhorst, Bobby McKenzie, Shirley Kokidko, Cindy Leighton, Becky Garber, Donald Roberson.

WWALS charter board member Bret Wagenhorst handed out t-shirts from the Georgia statewide Rivers Alive program, from our last cleanup near this location, Continue reading →

Banners at Banks Lake: no paddle in rain 2020-07-05

Rained out: Banks Lake Full Buck Moon Paddle last Sunday.

[Shelby Miller, banners, two attendees]
Shelby Miller, banners, two attendees

Expedition leader Shelby Miller, pictured on the left, called it off at the on-water time, because of more rain coming and chance of lightning on the Banks Lake. There’s another picture with four more people. And, other than me, Shelby, and Shirley Kokidko, that’s all that showed. Quite a few people had said they were coming, several of them reserving boats, but they all cancelled, due to intermittent rain all day.

Don’t worry; we’ll go again next full moon, which is Monday, August 3, 2020.

And meanwhile, come on down to Dowling Park Boat Ramp on the Suwannee River on Saturday July 18, 2020, for Intro to Kayak and Canoe Camping at Dowling Park River Camp, Suwannee River, 2020-07-18.

For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS calendar or the WWALS outings and events web page. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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

Naylor Boat Ramp upstream Alapaha River pictures 2020-06-13

We made it the 1.24 miles upstream from Naylor Boat Ramp to Hotchkiss Road Landing on the Alapaha River Water Trail in the Naylor Boat Ramp Out and Back paddle outing. Very nice weather, cool and overcast, and just enough water in the river.

[Banners]
Photo: Shirley Kokidko for WWALS, Banners at Hotchkiss Road Landing, Alapaha River, 2020-06-13.

First WWALS Trails Committee Chair Dan Phillips planted the new Naylor Boat Ramp ARWT signs.

[Paddlers with signs]
Paddlers with signs

Then we headed upstream. This may be a first: every paddler was already a WWALS member. Continue reading →

Winner: Within these WWALS #2 2020-04-18

The winner of the second Within These WWALS contest is…

Shirley Kokidko, of Pearson, Atkinson County, Georgia!

She got a packet of WWALS photo notecards for Swamps and Springs from WWALS charter board member emeritus Bret Wagenhorst.

WWALS notecards, Swamps and Springs

Because all these plants and animals are found in the Okefenokee Swamp, headwaters of the Suwannee River.

Remember to send a comment to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about the titanium strip mine proposed near the southeast corner of the Swamp.

[Map: Floyds Island middle of Okefenokee Swamp]
Map: Floyds Island middle of Okefenokee Swamp
on the WWALS Suwannee River Wilderness Trail map.
The proposed Twin Pines Minerals Mine site is towards the lower right.

Quiz #4 will start shortly, but first, here are the answers to Quiz #2.

Name the flower: Continue reading →

Redo: Ichetucknee and Sante Fe River Paddle 2020-01-20

Leisurely paddle on the newest river additions to WWALS and Suwannee Riverkeeper, round 2. It was such a great time, we had to do it again, on the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers. We will also paddle past the notorious Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10:30 AM, Saturday, January 4, 2020

Put In: Ichetucknee S.P. North Entrance, 8294 SW Elim Church Rd, Fort White, FL 32038.

GPS: 29.9859, -82.7602

Take Out: Hwy 129 Boat Ramp, William Guy Lemmons Memorial Park Ramp @ 296th St. Ramp, From Branford, travel east on US 27; turn right on US 129; travel south to 296th Street; turn right and William Guy Lemons Memorial Park is on the left, in Suwannee County. 29.912717, -82.860514

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.

NOTE: The Ichetucknee is a non-disposable river; do not have any food or drinks in disposable packaging. All liquids and foods should be in reusable type containers. This helps keep litter out of our rivers.

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!

Fee: There is a $5.00 park fee.

Event: facebook, meetup

[Boards and boats]
Photo: John S. Quarterman, Boards and boats, 2020-01-04.

Continue reading →

Kayak raffle drawing at Griffis Fish Camp, Suwannee River 2019-12-07

Update 2020-01-01: Gretchen delivered the kayak three days later.

Outings Committee member Shelby Miller, who had not gotten a WWALS kayak raffle ticket, ran to draw the winner as WWALS Board members Dan Phillips and Bobby McKenzie cooked and watched.

[Shelby Miller to draw]
Shelby Miller to draw

WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman took tickets from envelopes from various festivals and other events and put them all in a box. Continue reading →

Banks Lake Full Beaver Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, 2019-11-12

Join us for a leisurely sunset paddle at our mini-Okefenokee, the Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, to watch sun set and the full moon rise. The moon will rise at 6:02 p.m. and if the skies are clear we will watch the full moon slowly rise above the tree tops and shine across the water. We will also paddle near a dead tree bat house and hopefully watch bats emerge from the tree just after sunset.

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.

When: Gather 4:30 PM, launch 5 PM, Tuesday, November 12, 2019

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

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

Take Out: Banks Lake Boat Ramp

Bring: the usual personal flotation device, boat paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, first aid kit, and lights: it will be dark. Also trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.
Kayaks are available to borrow but please let us know at least 2 days prior to the event.

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

[Ripples]
Ripples in moonglow. Photo: John S. Quarterman, Banks Lake, 2019-07-16.

Continue reading →

Okefenokee Camping and Paddle, Griffis Fish Camp 2019-12-06-08

Update 2021-06-24: Suwannee River Sill, Griffis Fish Camp 2019-12-08
Kayak Raffle Drawing 2019-12-07

Come camp at Griffis Fish Camp Friday, paddle 14 miles to Fargo Saturday, camp again, and paddle 7.5 miles Sunday from Stephen C. Foster State Park in the Okefenokee Swamp, back to camp, all on the blackwater Suwannee River. And see the drawing for the kayak raffle for a Perception Swifty Deluxe 95 Angler Sit Inside Kayak!

We will deliver the kayak, Drawing Raffle Ticket Winner
Photo: Gretchen Quarterman for WWALS. WWALS Kayak Raffle Drawing at Griffis Fish Camp, 2018-12-09.

When: 4:00 PM Friday, December 6, 2019, camp at Griffis Fish Camp
9:00 AM Saturday, December 7, 2019, paddle down to Fargo Ramp
8:30 AM Sunday, December 8, 2019, paddle from Stephen C. Foster State Park Ramp back to camp

Where: Griffis Fish Camp, 10333 Ga Highway 177 Fargo, Georgia 31631, in Clinch County.
From Fargo, travel south on US 441 to CR 177; turn left and travel 10 miles northeast; Griffis Fish Camp is on left.

GPS: 30.728505, -82.4436

[Sandy Suwannee downstream from Tatum Creek by John S. Quarterman, 12:04:13, 30.7161810, -82.5134767]
Sandy Suwannee downstream from Tatum Creek by John S. Quarterman for WWALS, on Southwings flight, pilot Allen Nodorft, 2019-10-05 12:04:13, 30.7161810, -82.5134767

Bring: You must wear a PFD and have a tow rope. Also 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 each day. So if you paddle Saturday and Sunday and you are not a member, that will be $20. Becoming a member is only $25…. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!

Park fees: Griffis Fish Camp charges for camping or river put-in.
There is a $5 park entry fee at Stephen C. Foster State Park.

Camping: If you want to camp at the State Park, reserve well in advance through ReserveAmerica.
If you don’t want to camp, there are cabins at the State Park, and the nearby Eco-Lodge has heated hotel rooms.

Event: facebook, meetup Continue reading →

Shirley practicing at Banks Lake 2019-10-12

Shirley Kokidko, taking out at Banks Lake, where we will paddle tonight to see the sun set and the full moon rise. It’s free to WWALS members, and only $10 per person for non-members. Boats will be available at the lake for free rental from NWXpeditions.

[Loading boat]
Loading boat

Follow the link for details about this evening’s outing. Continue reading →