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
Well, it’s never happened before, but the weather is too cold for WWALS to paddle. Expedition leader Shirley Kokidko says it’s not a good idea to take people out on the open water after dark, when the prediction is 42 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill feeling like 40 degrees. So she’s cancelled the full moon outing formerly scheduled for Monday evening, January 21, 2019, on Banks Lake.
![[Boat light, double moon, 18:30:47, 31.0273566, -83.1061174]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2018-12-22--banks-lake-solstice-moon-paddle/20181222_183047.jpg)
Boat light, double moon, 18:30:47, 31.0273566, -83.1061174
Next: Our next scheduled paddle outing is Continue reading
Join us the first full moon paddle of the year on Banks Lake. The sun goes down early, 5:59 p.m., and sunsets are spectacular on the lake. Please plan to arrive early (by 5 p.m.) to prep your boat so that we can be on the water no later than 5:30 p.m. We will enjoy the view while paddling through the cypress trees before it gets dark while we look for birds, gators and bats. If the sky is clear we will see the full moon rise at 6:45 p.m.
When: Gather 5:00 PM, Launch 5:30 PM, Monday, January 21, 2019
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp
Take Out: Banks Lake Boat Ramp
Bring: the 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. Dress for cold weather, the temperature drops quickly after the sun sets. 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!
![[Better exposure, 18:08:57, 31.0229025, -83.1065178]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2018-12-22--banks-lake-solstice-moon-paddle/20181222_180857.jpg)
Better exposure, 18:08:57, 2018-12-22 31.0229025, -83.1065178
Join us as we camp two nights and paddle the Upper Suwannee River, between the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Fargo, Georgia, around Griffis Fish Camp, on the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail.
When: 4:00 PM, Friday, February 15, 2019, Camping, Griffis Fish Camp
Put In:
Gather 8AM, launch 9AM, Saturday, February 16, 2019, Griffis Fish Camp to Fargo Boat Ramp
Gather 8AM, launch 9AM, Sunday, February 17, 2019, Suwannee River Sill to Griffis Camp
GPS: for Griffis Fish Camp: 30.782505, -82.4436
Take Out:
Friday camping,
Saturday take out at Fargo,
Sunday take out at Griffis Camp.
Bring: a tow rope and 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) per day for non-members. We recommend you support the work of WWALS by becoming a WWALS member today!
Last time for 76 years, until 2094: full moon the day after the Winter Solstice; this was the monthly WWALS full moon paddle at Banks Lake.
![[Picture moon, 18:08:17, 31.0229025, -83.1065178]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2018-12-22--banks-lake-solstice-moon-paddle/20181222_180817.jpg)
Picture moon, 18:08:17, 31.0229025, -83.1065178
It was cold, but six of us got a paddle full of bats, moss, trees, sunset, full rising moon, and birds, including flocks of sand hill cranes. Continue reading
Update 2018-12-23: Pictures.
Join us for a leisurely sunset paddle to watch a cold Full Moon rise over Banks lake, the day after the winter solstice, the first day that is longer.
Plan to arrive early enough to prep your boat so that we can launch on time, so we can paddle around most of the lake before dark while we look for birds, gators and bats.
This is a leg of the Alapaha Quest, since Banks Lake is in the Alapaha River Water Trail.
When:
Gather 4:45 p.m., launch 5:00 p.m., Saturday, December 22, 2018
Sunset will be at 5:36 p.m., and on the lake is usually spectacular. If the sky is clear we will see the full moon rise at 5:51 p.m.
Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County.
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 ramp 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!
A previous Banks Lake paddle, 2018-07-27.
Here are the winners of the WWALS Boomerang paddle race, from Georgia at State Line Boat Ramp in Lowndes County past Brooks County, into Madison and Hamilton County, Florida and back again. Everybody had fun and wants to do it again next year. We’re thinking of billing it also as a Georgia-Florida contest. Lots more pictures and videos are being posted.
WWALS Boomerang Winners, by Jay Blanton of Georgia Photography Fanatic
Thanks to everybody who paddled and who helped, especially to our sponsors and vendors: Continue reading
E.D. Gretchen Quarterman delivered the first complete WWALS water quality test kit to Water Quality Testing Committee Chair Bobby McKenzie at the WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting Sunday. Now we are waiting for delivery of analysis materials, which should all arrive any day. Then we will start water quality testing in Georgia.
Photo: John S. Quarterman, L-R: Gretchen Quarterman, Bobby McKenzie, Carolyn Selby (WWALS Member), Shirley Kokidko, Ronnie Thomas; on the phone: Bret Wagenhorst (in Tifton), Eileen Box (in Live Oak), WWALS Quarterly Board Meeting 2018-10-21.
We haven’t forgotten about Florida, and we will be doing Florida training soon. We’re just starting with the biggest problem area.
Also on order is a second test kit, the rest of whose parts should finish arriving soon. WWALS paid for these first two kits out of funds from memberships.
We are applying for grants to buy more kits. Suggestions for more places to apply are welcome.
Your donations to WWALS help with this and other WWALS programs.
For much more about why we need to test, see Valdosta (and other) Wastewater.
-jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®
You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!
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.
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!
A previous Banks Lake paddle, 2018-07-27.
Camp two nights and paddle in the Okefenokee Swamp. We will camp Friday and Saturday at Stephen C. Foster State Park near Fargo, Ga. This remote park is a primary entrance to the legendary Okefenokee Swamp.
When:
Friday through Sunday, December 7-9, 2018
9AM, Saturday, December 8, start paddling
Put In: Stephen C. Foster State Park, Fargo, GA
Take Out: Stephen C. Foster State Park
Camping: Make your camp site reservation through Reserve America. Outing leader Shirley Kokidko has site #56. Let’s try to stay close together so we can share a camp fire and group meal Saturday evening. If you want to share a site and split the cost, post it in the comments (meetup, facebook, or blog) so others will see it. If you don’t want to camp, we want you to come out and join us for this paddle.
Paddling: Saturday morning we will meet at the marina at 9 a.m. to shuttle vehicles to the take out at the Sill. We will paddle from Billy’s Lake through the Narrows to the Sill. The current can be swift so you must be able to maneuver you boat around trees in a swift narrow stream. You must wear a PFD and have a tow rope. The park rents canoes, kayaks and bicycles. There will be an optional paddle Sunday morning.
Bring: You must wear a PFD and have a tow rope. Also boat, paddles, food, drinking water, warm clothes, and first aid kit. And trash pickers and trash bags: every WWALS outing is also a cleanup.
After dark: The park will have a telescope for star gazing Friday night, this is one of the darkest places in the Southeast due to a lack of light pollution in the Okefenokee Swamp. The park also offers a boat tour after dark on Saturday. Telephone reception is mostly non-existent in this remote location so be prepared to put the electronics away and plug into nature.
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!
Continue reading