Tag Archives: Shirley Kokidko

South Georgia Naturalist Chris Adams to speak at WWALS Griffis Fish Campout and Okefenokee Swamp and Suwannee River Paddle 2023-11-08

Update 2023-12-27: Pictures: C.B. Adams speaks about Okefenokee Swampers at Griffis Fish Camp Suwannee Paddle 2023-12-08.

Update 2023-12-12: Videos: SCFSP to Suwannee River Sill 2023-12-09

Naturalist C.B. Adams will speak Friday evening, December 8, 2023, at Campfire Cooking at Griffis Fish Camp and Suwannee River paddle. He will bring props and artifacts. He said, “I can guarantee you it will be a jam up program.”

[C.B. Adams, Griffis Fish Camp, Campfire Cooking, Suwannee River, Okefenokee Swamp]
C.B. Adams, Griffis Fish Camp, Campfire Cooking, Suwannee River, Okefenokee Swamp

Chris “Turtleman” Adams is a South Georgia Naturalist, Historian, Farmer, & Folklorist. He has worked with Georgia Native Cattle Company and Okefenokee Adventures, and he runs the Wiregrass Ecological and Cultural Project, bringing awareness to the heart of the Deep South and showcasing its natural & cultural communities.

Join us to camp overnight Friday at Griffis Fish Camp. Campers arrive starting at 4 PM Friday. Chris will start talking around sunset at 5:29 PM.

Mastermind of this event, Shirley Kokidko, said, “Chris will have an hour before dark to show the artifacts but we’ll also have a fire so he can talk as long as he wants.”

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said, “You heard Chris briefly at the WWALS River Revue in September. Next Friday you can hear him at length.” Continue reading →

Pictures: Arriving Floyd’s Island, Okefenokee Swamp 2023-11-04

Update 2023-11-19: Floyds Island 1838, Hebard Cabin 1925, Okefenokee Swamp 1925-01-01.

Alligators and pitcher plants on the Suwannee River to Floyds Island, logging railroad, Indian mound, and tents there, and somebody fell over in a chair.

[IG: Collage, SCFSP to Floyds Island, Okefenokee Swamp, 2023-11-04]
IG: Collage, SCFSP to Floyds Island, Okefenokee Swamp, 2023-11-04

People came to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from as far away as Miami, Alabama, South Carolina, Savannah, and Atlanta, as well as from Williston, White Springs, Pearson, Douglas, and Hahira.

Thanks to Shirley Kokidko for organizing, and for Randy Madison for leading when Shirley could not go. Continue reading →

Pictures: Banks Lake morning paddle 2023-09-04

Update 2025-08-24: Pictures: Black Moon morning paddle, Banks Lake 2025-08-23

A dozen people paddled four miles around Banks Lake on Labor Day morning. We saw three trees with bats, and the old one with no bats.

[Flyers, bat tree, etc. @ Banks Lake morning paddle 2023-09-04]
Flyers, bat tree, etc. @ Banks Lake morning paddle 2023-09-04

I forgot the banners, so people are holding up flyers for the WWALS River Revue. Continue reading →

Banks Lake Morning Paddle 2023-09-04

Update 2023-09-04: Pictures: Banks Lake morning paddle 2023-09-04.

Join us for a four-mile paddle around Banks Lake.

If you want to take a break from the hurricane cleanup, come enjoy this peaceful, morning paddle around the perimeter of a beautiful cypress pond. There are no places to get out of your boat for a break once we launch. We’ll paddle at a leisurely pace, on flat water with no current, so it should take two hours.

[Morning Paddle around Banks Lake 8:30 AM 2023-09-04]
Morning Paddle around Banks Lake 8:30 AM 2023-09-04

This is different from the traditional WWALS Banks Lake paddles: it’s in the morning (not in the evening), it’s not on a full moon, and it’s a different route.

When: Gather 8:30 AM, launch 9 AM, end 11 AM, Monday, September 4, 2023

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725 Continue reading →

Cancelled: Banks Lake Full Blue Moon Paddle 2023-08-30

Due to Hurricane Idalia heading straight for the Suwannee River Basin, Shirley Kokidko has cancelled tomorrow’s evening paddle on Banks Lake.

She wrote, “Even if the rain stops Wed. evening, gusty winds at the lake could be unsafe for paddlers, especially after dark. The full moon will not be visible with the cloud cover, bats aren’t active during rainy weather either.”

[Cancelled: Banks Lake Full Blue Moon Paddle 2023-08-30]
Cancelled: Banks Lake Full Blue Moon Paddle 2023-08-30

Join us next month for the Banks Lake Full Harvest Moon Paddle 2023-09-29.

More: For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see the WWALS outings web page, https://wwals.net/outings/. WWALS members also get an upcoming list in the Tannin Times newsletter.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations

Pictures: Withlacoochee Springs, Shoals, Slough, Sullivan Launch 2023-07-15

Update 2024-05-04: Videos: Chitty Bend East Distributary, Withlacoochee River, 2023-07-15

Seven shoals, one with a boat, Coffee Spring, second magnitude Hardee Spring, and several islands, and Chitty Bend East Distributary, where some of the Withlacoochee River runs into the woods into some swallets: we saw all of those on our Withlacoochee River paddle from Sullivan Launch to Florida Campsites on a fine July day.

The entire paddle was in north Florida, between Madison County on the right (east) bank and Hamilton County on the left (west) bank, starting in Madison County, ending in Hamilton County.

[Rapids, Spring, Distributary, Withlacoochee River 2023-07-15]
Rapids, Spring, Distributary, Withlacoochee River 2023-07-15

Thanks to Gee Edwards for leading this paddle.

Thanks to Gretchen Quarterman, Karen Lehnart, and Shirley Kokidko for additional pictures.

Pictures are below. Click on any small picture for a bigger one. Latlong links go to the WWALS map of the Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

The pictures are also on facebook.

See also the facebook video, Seven shoals on the WWALS WIthlacoochee River paddle from Sullivan Shoals to Florida Campsites Ramp, 2023-07-15.

For more WWALS outings and events as they are posted, see Continue reading →

Campfire Cooking at Griffis Fish Camp and Suwannee River paddle, 2023-12-08-10

Update 2023-12-01: South Georgia Naturalist Chris Adams to speak at WWALS Griffis Fish Campout and Okefenokee Swamp and Suwannee River Paddle 2023-11-08.

Join us to camp overnight Friday at Griffis Fish Camp.

On Saturday, paddle 9.5 miles down the Suwannee River from SCFSP through the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, the Narrows, and the Sill to Griffis, to camp overnight again.

Each night, build a campfire and start cooking.

When: Arrive 4 PM, Friday, December 8, 2023, sunset 5:26 PM.
Gather 9 AM, Saturday, December 9, 2023, launch 9:30 AM, sunset 5:26 PM
Sunday, December 10, 2023, wake up and head on home.

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

Campground GPS: 30.78246, -82.443594

Put In: Stephen C. Foster State Park Ramp, 17515 GA-177, Fargo, GA 31631. From Fargo, travel south on US 441 to CR 177; turn left and travel to Stephen C. Foster State Park, in Charlton County.

Put In GPS: 30.826833, -82.361333

[Suwannee River, Okefenokee Swamp, Griffis Fish Camp, Campfire Cooking]
Suwannee River, Okefenokee Swamp, Griffis Fish Camp, Campfire Cooking

Continue reading →

Okefenokee Floyd’s Island Campout, Suwannee River, 2023-11-04-5

Update 2023-11-18: Pictures: Arriving Floyd’s Island, Okefenokee Swamp 2023-11-04.

Update 2023-09-06: The park limits reservations on Floyd’s Island to 20 people. To reserve your spot, RSVP on the meetup:
https://www.meetup.com/withlacoochee-alapaha-suwannee-rivers-wwals-outings/events/295388408/
You will also need to pay for your 20th of the reservation fee through the eventbrite ticket you will find on the meetup.

Update 2023-09-05: Floyd’s Island is reserved for WWALS for this outing.

Update 2023-08-14: SCFSP campsite is closed for renovations from November 1, 2023, until January 2025. But you can still pre-camp at Griffis Fish Camp if you reserve early.

Join us (pending a reservation for the island) to paddle 9 miles upstream in the Okefenokee for primitive camping on Floyd’s Island, which is the most remote place in Georgia: the farthest from any road, with very dark sky.

This primitive campout is a remote wilderness experience in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, appropriate for any level but be sure that you’re comfortable paddling your loaded kayak 9 miles against a current to get to the island. There is only one rest stop on the trail, Minnie’s Lake Platform at the 4 mile mark.

Coming back on Sunday the current will be with us all the way, making for an easy trip out on the most scenic trail in the swamp with plenty of wildlife viewing.

There is a portapotty at Minnie’s Lake and another at Floyd’s Island. No potable water, bring everything you need for two days. There is plenty of room for any type tent or hammock. The historic Floyd’s Cabin is also open.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, Saturday, November 4, 2023, overnight and return Sunday

Put In: Stephen C. Foster State Park Ramp (SCFSP), 17515 GA-177, Fargo, GA 31631. From Fargo, travel south on US 441 to CR 177; turn left and travel to Stephen C. Foster State Park in Charlton County.
Plan accordingly to arrive on time, phone service is mostly nonexistent once you leave Fargo, Ga. and drive the 17 miles to Stephen C. Foster State Park.

GPS: 30.826833, -82.361333

[Ready at SCFSP John S. Quarterman 2022-11-19, at Floyd's Island --Gretchen Quarterman 2022-11-06]
Ready at SCFSP John S. Quarterman 2022-11-19, at Floyd’s Island –Gretchen Quarterman 2022-11-06

Continue reading →

Banks Lake Full Blue Supermoon Paddle 2023-08-30

Update 2023-08-29: Cancelled: Banks Lake Full Blue Moon Paddle 2023-08-30.

Join us for a leisurely Sunset and Full Moon Paddle.

This will be the only blue moon of 2023 (second full moon of a month), and is expected to be the biggest and brightest supermoon this year. It will be the third supermoon of this year, “when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth at the same time the moon is full.”. According to NPR, this will be the only blue supermoon of 2023, and there won’t be another until 2032.

There may still be bats.

When: Gather 7 PM, launch 7:30 PM, moonrise 8:08 PM, sunset 7:58 PM, end 9 PM, Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Put In: Banks Lake Boat Ramp, 307 Georgia 122, Lakeland, GA 31635, in Lanier County, on the Alapaha River Water Trail (ARWT).

GPS: 31.034824, -83.096725

[Sunset 2023-03-07, Moonrise 2018-12-22; Full Blue Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA 2023-08-30]
Sunset 2023-03-07, Moonrise 2018-12-22;
Full Blue Moon Paddle, Banks Lake, Lakeland, GA 2023-08-30

Continue reading →

Pictures: WWALS on The Rocks between Lakeland and Hotchkiss, Alapaha River 2015-07-11

Update 2023-06-24: Work in progress at Lakeland Boat Ramp 2023-06-20.

A good trip for experienced adult paddlers: deadfalls to paddle around or climb over, the famous rapids, The Rocks, plenty of sandy beaches for lunching or swimming beside, a mysterious platform that may be the remains of a very narrow bridge, all in a fine summer day on the Alapaha River, July 11, 2015.

[Collage, Lakeland to Naylor 08:30:00, 31.0458222, -83.0433889]
Collage, Lakeland to Naylor 08:30:00, 31.0458222, -83.0433889

It took us seven hours to paddle the fourteen river miles from Lakeland Boat Ramp, on GA 122 east of Lakeland, to Hotchkiss Road Landing. We were all experienced paddlers with plenty of supplies, especially water.

If you are a family with small children, please do not try this: it’s too far. There have been cases of such families calling 911 and having to be rescued.

A much more reasonable family paddle is Lakeland to Burnt Church Landing. That’s about two miles, and can be done in an hour. Or make it a leisurely paddle and still it should be doable.

FYI, Paffords Landing, just downstream from Lakeland Boat Ramp, is closed for the forseeable future. This is because too many people left trash and shot up things.

All these distances are in the WWALS web page for the Continue reading →