Tag Archives: SRWT

Campfire Cooking at Griffis Fish Camp and Suwannee River paddle 2024-12-13-15

Join us for a weekend of paddling the Okefenokee Swamp and the Suwannee River, rustic camping, and campfire cooking at Griffis Fish Camp.

Saturday morning we’ll leave camp at 8:30 and drive to Stephen C. Foster State park to launch.

We’ll paddle down Billy’s Lake, pass by Mixon’s Hammock and on through the Narrows and the Sill. If water levels are good we plan to paddle a mile up the Sill and wind our way back down to our lunch stop at the boat ramp by the Sill parking area. Then back on the trail to Griffis for a total of approximately 10 miles. Be prepared to portage your kayak over low spots and deadfall if the water is low.

Back at camp we’ll get the fire going and start cooking! Cooking is always optional but the more the merrier. There is no menu, absolutely anything goes. It’s all for campfire fun. Come sit around the fire and show us what you can do with your old cast iron, or roast hot dogs on a stick. Bring your own plates/bowls/utensils/drinks to help reduce waste.

Sunday morning will be a leisurely packing up, drinking coffee and eating cinnamon rolls cooked by the fire.

[Campfire Cooking, Griffis Fish Camp 2024-12-13-15, Suwannee River paddle in the Okefenokee Swamp]
Campfire Cooking, Griffis Fish Camp 2024-12-13-15, Suwannee River paddle in the Okefenokee Swamp

When: Gather 4 PM, sunset 5:28 PM, Friday, December 13, 2024. Set up camp
Gather 8:45 AM, launch 9:30 AM, Sunset 5:38 PM, Saturday, December 14, 2024. Sunrise is 7:20 AM. Paddle 9.5 miles from SCFSP to Griffis. Build campfire and start cooking.
Sunday, December 15, 2024. Leisurely breakfast and pack up to go home.

Campsite: 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.

Campsite 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. Continue reading →

Water Protectors Meet and Greet at Ichetucknee Head Springs 2024-09-08

Meet for an hour and then dip in the spring, or tube if you like.

If you haven’t already, you can sign the petition to get a constitutional amendment for Right to Clean Water on the Florida ballot in 2026.
https://wwals.net/issues/right-to-clean-water/

When: Gather 10 AM, launch 11 AM, end 2 PM, Sunday, September 8, 2024

Put In: Ichetucknee Headspring, at the Ichetucknee Springs State Park North Entrance, 8294 SW Elim Church Rd, Fort White, FL 32038.

GPS: 29.986107, -82.760109

[Water Protectors Meet and Greet, Sunday, 10-11 AM, 2024-09-08, Ichetucknee Springs S.P. North Entrance]
Water Protectors Meet and Greet, Sunday, 10-11 AM, 2024-09-08, Ichetucknee Springs S.P. North Entrance

Continue reading →

Okefenokee Floyd’s Island Campout, Suwannee River, Okefenokee Swamp 2024-11-09-10

Update 2024-09-13: Got a permit for Sunday, November 10. Okefenokee Floyd’s Island Campout, Suwannee River, Okefenokee Swamp 2024-11-02.

Update 2024-09-04: Didn’t get a permit for November 2, so trying for November 9.

Pending a permit, join us to paddle 9 miles upstream on the Suwannee River for primitive camping on Floyd’s Island in the Okefenokee Swamp.

This is the farthest you can get from any road in Georgia, with very dark sky.

You can camp inside the century-old Hebard Cabin, or in your tent or hammock outside.

Yes, you will see gators, and probably other wildlife.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end All Day, Saturday, November 9, 2024
Launch 9 AM, end 1 PM, Sunday, November 10, 2024

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.

GPS: 30.826833, -82.361333

[Floyds Island Campout, Okefenokee Swamp 2024-11-02-03, Suwannee River, Fargo, GA, Stephen C. Foster State Park]
Floyds Island Campout, Okefenokee Swamp 2024-11-02-03, Suwannee River, Fargo, GA, Stephen C. Foster State Park

Continue reading →

Ichetucknee to Santa Fe Rivers, 2024-11-30

Update 2024-11-24: Rescheduled due to schedule conflict: Rescheduled: Ichetucknee to Santa Fe Rivers 2025-02-01.

Join us on a leisurely paddle on the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers, starting at Ichetucknee Springs State Park North Entrance, past many springs, taking out at the US 129 Boat Ramp.

When: Gather 8:30 AM, launch 9:30 AM, end 4 PM, Saturday, November 30, 2024

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

GPS: 29.986107, -82.760109

[Ichetucknee River to Santa Fe River 2024-11-30, Ichetucknee Springs S.P. North to US 129 Boat Ramp]
Ichetucknee River to Santa Fe River 2024-11-30, Ichetucknee Springs S.P. North to US 129 Boat Ramp

Continue reading →

Hamilton County, Florida, Creeks 2024-08-24

The opposite of what I expected: just west of Hamilton County High School, Cat Creek under SW 55 Drive flows north, not south.

This matters for figuring out what is upstream and downstream from a site on Cat Creek.

[Movie: Cat Creek south of SW 55 Drive, 14:56:38, 30.4736975, -82.9406837 (31M)]
Movie: Cat Creek south of SW 55 Drive, 14:56:38, (31M) 30.4736975, -82.9406837

Continue reading →

Packet: Return of the proposed 2,109-acre rezoning for Planned Unit Development in floodplain –City of Chiefland, FL 2024-08-12

The huge PUD proposed next to Long Pond is back on the Chiefland City agenda for 6PM this evening, mostly in a floodplain, and all in the Manatee Springs Protection Area, upstream from the Suwannee River.

It appears unchanged since it was last heard June 24, and since it got pulled from the agenda for July 8.

[Agenda and Proposed Planned Land Use for Williams property]
Agenda and Proposed Planned Land Use for Williams property

Ironically, at the July 22 City Commission meeting, the Tourism Commission rep. proposed a Dark Sky Ordinance. Which would seem to be the opposite of a 2,109-acre Planned Unit Development with a 50-year plan for residential, commercial, industrial, and other uses, in an area now zoned as Agricultural / Rural Residential. Continue reading →

River water levels in the Suwannee River Basin 2024-08-07

If you want to see water levels throughout the Suwannee River Basin, for example after a hurricane, there are at least three ways:

  1. NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service: color-coded interactive maps
    Easiest to find an access point that is not flooding and not too low.
  2. SRWMD River Levels: numeric water levels in a table
    Most condensed on one page.
  3. WWALS Water Levels: each public access point, with high and low water recommendations, and a link to the WWALS Water Level gauge entry
    If you already have a pretty good idea of where you want to go.

They all get their data from the USGS gauges.

What’s your favorite way? One of these, or something else?

[River Water Levels, Suwannee River Basin, NOAA, USGS, SRWMD, WWALS, Action Stage, Flood, Georgia, Florida]
River Water Levels, Suwannee River Basin, NOAA, USGS, SRWMD, WWALS, Action Stage, Flood, Georgia, Florida

NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides this color-coded map: Continue reading →

Okapilco Creek, WWALS River Revue, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest on Bill Osborne talk radio 2024-07-30

Songwriters, please send in your song by August 7, as Bill Osborne and I reminded everyone on his morning drive radio show at 7:30 this morning.

The Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest finals will be Saturday, September 7, 2024, during the WWALS River Revue, at the Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, Georgia.

[Send songs by August 7, Bill Osborne Radio 2024-07-30, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07]
Send songs by August 7, Bill Osborne Radio 2024-07-30, Suwannee Riverkeeper Songwriting Contest, WWALS River Revue 2024-09-07

For that and many other topics we discussed, go to:
https://wwals.net

Here is a video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QwPL1huvH5anLwRwLEAWu3S&si=guytfiq-hr-aRjPm

Continue reading →

Applicant slides and sound recording, 2,109-acre PUD, Chiefland, FL 2024-06-24

Update 2024-08-12: Packet: Return of the proposed 2,109-acre rezoning for Planned Unit Development in floodplain –City of Chiefland, FL 2024-08-12.

Here is audio of the applicant’s answers to citizen questions in the June 24, 2024 Chiefland City Commission meeting, as well as the applicant’s slides.

[Applicant slides, sound recordings 2024-06-24, Proposed 2,109-acre PUD, Chiefland, FL, Manatee Springshed]
Applicant slides, sound recordings 2024-06-24, Proposed 2,109-acre PUD, Chiefland, FL, Manatee Springshed

If somebody wants to transcribe these audio files, that would be most helpful.

Here is part 1 of audio from the June 24, Chiefland City Commission meeting:

Continue reading →

Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge Paddle, Suwannee River, 2024-05-18

Join us for a 11.4 mile paddle on the Suwannee River from Turner Bridge to Cone Bridge.

Both ramps are down dirt roads that are usually well maintained. This paddle is appropriate for all levels. Everyone must wear a PFD while on the river. We’ll probably stop along Prospect Church at Hunter Creek for a lunch break.

When: Gather 8:30 AM, launch 9:45 AM, end 3 PM, Saturday, May 18, 2024

Put In: Turner Bridge Ramp, From White Springs, travel north on SE CR 135; cross over SE CR 6 onto NE 180 Boulevard (Woodpecker Route); travel north to NE 38 Trail; turn right and follow road to ramp, in Hamilton County, Florida.

GPS: 30.524333, -82.728167

[Turner Bridge Ramp to, Cone Bridge Road Ramp, Suwannee River, 11.4 miles, 2024-05-18]
Turner Bridge Ramp to, Cone Bridge Road Ramp, Suwannee River, 11.4 miles, 2024-05-18
Note the antique lally columns, which are pillars for a former bridge, made of steel columns filled with concrete. Continue reading →