Tag Archives: Spook Bridge

Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, Withlacoochee River 2026-03-07

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Suwannee Riverkeeper invites you to paddle on the idyllic Withlacoochee River with the Mayor of Valdosta and the Lowndes County Commission Chairman.

Mayor Scott James Matheson and Chairman Bill Slaughter always seem to enjoy this outing, and you will, too.

Under towering oaks, cypress, and longleaf pines, we will pass the most populous city and county in the Suwannee River Basin and the site of the future Troupville Nature Park and River Camp, on the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for once again leading this paddle.

Thanks to Joe Brownlee for a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.

The city and county will probably also post their own announcements.

When: Gather 8 AM, launch 9 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, March 7, 2026

Put In: Langdale Park Boat Ramp or Troupville Boat Ramp
Which put in will depend on water levels and any remaining obstructions in the river.
WWALS will announce that decision in advance.

[Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, Withlacoochee River, Saturday, March 7, 2026]
Mayor and Chairmans Paddle by Suwannee Riverkeeper, Withlacoochee River, Saturday, March 7, 2026

Continue reading →

Pictures: DeLoach private boat ramp to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22

Update 2025-05-19: Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22.

We continued on March 22 from Paul DeLoach’s private boat ramp, the early takeout for the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, 2025-04-19.

[Deloach private BR, many creeks, Langdale Company midpoint landing, US 84, CSX RR, to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22]
Deloach private BR, many creeks, Langdale Company midpoint landing, US 84, CSX RR, to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22

On March 22, we stopped at the midpoint lunch spot and on to Spook Bridge, with several creeks, bridges, and other sights in between.

Thanks to The Langdale Company for access at the midpoint and Spook Bridge.

Stay tuned for Okapilco Creek and on to Knights Ferry Boat Ramp. The left bank is Lowndes County all the way, while the right bank and Okapilco Creek are in Brooks County.

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition in the WWALS jon boat with the 9.9 hp outboard bought with a generous grant from Wild Green Future, along with the 24-inch Husqvarna chainsaw, the 86lb-thrust trolling motor, and the two LiFeO2 batteris.

Thanks to Phil Royce for bringing his jon boat and 3.5 hp outboard. We brought a bunch of other saws, too, but were happy enough not to have to use them for once on a chainsaw cleanup. Continue reading →

Rescheduled: Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19

Rescheduled again due to high water, this time to April 19, 2025.

Join us for a leisurely paddle with Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter on the Withlacoochee River. You can choose 3 miles or 11 miles.

[Chairman and Mayor's Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19]
Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19

Thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.
Thanks to Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA) for shuttle vans.
Thanks to Valdosta Boys & Girls Club for bringing youth and boats to paddle.
Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition and Phil Royce for being sweep.

When: Gather 8 AM, shuttle by 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, April 19, 2025

Put In: Troupville Boat Ramp, 19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp, in Lowndes County.
By the boat ramp, see the WWALS water trail signs about the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536 Continue reading →

Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22

Update 2025-03-19: Rescheduled: Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle: Troupville to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-19.

Rescheduled to March 22 due to high water.

Join us for a leisurely paddle on the Withlacoochee River: three miles to an early takeout, or another eight miles to Spook Bridge, with a mid-point lunch stop.

The first stretch is along the Little River frontage recently purchased by Lowndes County for Troupville River Camp and Nature Park. The right bank the whole way is Brooks County.

The second stretch goes by Valdosta’s cleaned up Outfall from its Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) on the left bank in Lowndes County.

Paddle with Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter.

[Chairman and Mayor's Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22]
Chairman and Mayor’s Paddle, Troupville to Spook Bridge, Little River, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-22

Shuttle vans provided by Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks and Recreation Authority (VLPRA).
Early takeout provided by Paul DeLoach.
Spook Bridge takeout and midpoint provided by The Langdale Company.
Thanks to a generous grant from Georgia Power, this outing is free for everyone.
Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this expedition and Phil Royce for being sweep.

When: Gather 8 AM, launch 10 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, March 22, 2025

Put In: Troupville Boat Ramp, 19664 Valdosta Hwy, Valdosta, GA 31602. I-75 exit 18, west on GA 133 (St. Augustine Road) away from the Valdosta Mall, at the traffic light for Val Tech Road, turn left down to the boat ramp, in Lowndes County.
By the boat ramp, see the WWALS water trail signs about the WWALS Withlacoochee and Little River Water Trail (WLRWT).

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536 Continue reading →

Videos: Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, Sewage spills, Trash, Okefenokee Swamp over stripmine @ Radio 2023-02-28

All about the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle this Saturday at Troupville Boat Ramp just west of Valdosta, down to Spook Bridge on the Withlacoochee River: Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson and Suwannee Riverkeeper talked about that on his 92.1 FM radio show Tuesday.

Plus trash, sewage, and you can help stop a strip mine too near the Okefenokee Swamp.

[Bypass, Talk92.1 FM, Two Mile Branch, Lee Street Trash Trap, Suwannee Riverkeeper, Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson]
Bypass, Talk92.1 FM, Two Mile Branch, Lee Street Trash Trap, Suwannee Riverkeeper, Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson

Thanks to the Mayor for being a good sport about being grilled about the numerous recent Valdosta sewage spills, totalling almost a million gallons. You can see the bypass pump from his driveway. Continue reading →

Suwannee Riverkeeper on Scott James Radio 92.1 FM 2023-02-28

Update 2023-03-02: Videos: Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, Sewage spills, Trash, Okefenokee Swamp over stripmine @ Radio 2023-02-28.

Suwannee Riverkeeper will talk about the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle coming up this Saturday, saving the Okefenokee Swamp from a strip mine, trash, sewage, parks, and rivers on Scott James Talk 92.1 FM radio this morning, Tuesday, 8:30 AM.

[Radio, Paddle]
Radio, Paddle

https://talk921.com/

https://www.facebook.com/events/1471470606719880

Topics discussed will probably include: Continue reading →

Pictures: Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle 2022-02-19

Here are a few pictures from last year’s Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, eleven miles on the Withlacoochee River.

This year’s paddle will be Saturday, March 3, 2023, on the same route, starting at Troupville Boat Ramp just west of Valdosta on the Little River, ending at Spook Bridge.

[Scenes from Mayor and Chairman's Paddle 2022-02-19]
Scenes from Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle 2022-02-19

Valdosta Mayor Scott James Matheson was there, in the red shoes, dead center of this picture. We hear this year Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter will be, as well. You can paddle up to them and ask questions. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2022-04-15

Update 2022-04-22: Clean Rivers 2022-04-21.

Due to little rain, the Withlacoochee, Little, and Alapaha Rivers tested clean for last week. There has been significant rain since then, so conditions may have changed. As in E. coli may have washed down Okapilco Creek from cattle manure or from other creeks from other sources. There have been no new sewage spill reports for Georgia or Florida for the Suwannee River Basin.

Apologies for the late WWALS test results report. There were communication confusions during the holiday weekend.

[Chart, River, Swim Guide]
Chart, River, Swim Guide

Thanks to Elizabeth Brunner for testing her usual three GA 122 sites Thursday, at Folsom Bridge on the Little River, Hagan Bridge on the Withlacoochee River, and Lakeland Boat Ramp on the Alapaha River. Thanks to Gus Cleary for testing Wednesday his usual Cleary’s Bluff below Allen Ramp on the Withlacoochee River. And thanks to Sara and Scotti Jay for testing the Withlacoochee River Friday at Spook Bridge, Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line Boat Ramps.

The most recent data we have from Valdosta is from last Monday upstream and Friday a week ago downstream. The Valdosta data for week before last corroborates our previous WWALS report. Continue reading →

Pictures: Troupville Boat Ramp to Spook Bridge, Withlacoochee River 2022-02-18

Plenty of water, and the water temperature is up to 58 degrees! The latest weather prediction is sunny with a high of 64 tomorrow.

Come on down tomorrow (Saturday) morning to Troupville Boat Ramp for the third annual Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle on the Withlacoochee River to Spook Bridge!

[Troupville Boat Ramp, lunch stop, US 84 rapids, Spook Bridge]
Troupville Boat Ramp, lunch stop, US 84 rapids, Spook Bridge

Take St. Augustine Road west past the Mall, cross I-75, and at the light for Val Tech Road turn left down to Troupville Boat Ramp.

Drop off your boat, sign in, and join the shuttle convoy to Spook Bridge.

The Hahira Gauge (Little River @ GA 122, Folsom Bridge) reads Continue reading →

Rescheduled: Third Annual Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, Withlacoochee River 2022-02-19

Update 2022-02-15: We’re go for this Saturday, February 19, 2022, for the Third Annual Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle. Saturday is going to be the coolest day of the week, but that’s low 39, high 64, much warmer than last month, and the water temperature at US 84 is currently 51F, much higher than the mid-40s last time. Dress warmly in layers and bring a dry change of clothes in a waterproof bag just in case. And come on down to Troupville Boat Ramp this Saturday!

Valdosta, Georgia, January 26, 2021 — An unusual cold snap is expected this Saturday, too cold for novice paddlers. So we’re rescheduling three weeks later, for Saturday, February 19, 2022. Everything else is the same; only the date has changed.

Lowndes County Chairman Bill Slaughter summed it up, “Safety should be considered above all and hypothermia is a huge issue if someone was to go in the water!”

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman added, “Water temperature was already down to 47 degrees Monday at US 84 on the Withlacoochee River, and air temperatures for this Saturday are predicted to be low of 22 and high of 42. So hypothermia is indeed a risk, however seldom seen in south Georgia. Also not many people would turn out in such cold.”

Valdosta Mayor Scott James said, “So we’re all agreed: Saturday, February 19, 2022. Come as early as 8AM to get on the shuttle!”

[Troupville Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River, WWTP clean outfall, Spook Bridge, Takeout]
Troupville Boat Ramp, Withlacoochee River, WWTP clean outfall, Spook Bridge, Takeout

We hope there will still be plenty of water for this annual eleven-mile river paddle, past the future site of Troupville River Camp and Nature Park, along the west side of the most populous city in the Suwannee River Basin, past Valdosta’s clean outfall of its Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant, with many creeks, oaks, cypresses, pines, fish, turtles, and maybe an alligator, down to Spook Bridge, so scary it has its own movie.

Valdosta Mayor Scott James said, “I am excited to partner once again with WWALS, plus this time with Lowndes County, to show people our fabulous blackwater rivers, Continue reading →