Dave Williams, Capitol Beat News Service, in Tribune & Georgian (Serving CAMDEN County, Georgia Since 1894), Mine faces roadblock at Okefenokee Swamp,
ATLANTA—The Alabama company looking to open a titanium mine near the Okefenokee Swamp is being confronted with an additional hurdle.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has Continue reading
Update 2022-09-12: The ranger said the launch remains closed until it falls below 62 at White Springs. We are watching that gauge and you can, too.
A brief paddle downstream to the biggest rapids in Florida, portage around, and paddle through the next rapids, with Practicing Geologist Dennis Price.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3 PM, Saturday, September 17, 2022
Put In: Big Shoals Tract Launch. From White Springs, travel north on CR 135 to SE 94 Street (Godwin Bridge Road); turn right and follow road to Big Shoals.
![[White water, 14:19:25, 30.3381380, -82.6834810]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2021-05-14--big-shoals-scouting/20210514_141925.jpg)
White water, 14:19:25, 30.3381380, -82.6834810 2021-05-14
A summer saunter on the iconic Suwannee River, with swimming in viewing the connected sinks and springs of Five Holes.
According to the Park, Five Holes is closed for renovation, but we have permission from Park Manager Matt Phifer to swim in view Five Holes on this outing.
There may or may not be swimming through some of the holes if you know what you’re doing.
If the water is low like now, you can see through and it will be a walk through.
But there are no dark spots; the main danger with swimming is banging your head.
When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 2 PM, Saturday, August 13, 2022
Put In: Gibson Park Ramp, 6844 SW CR 751, Jasper, FL 32052. Right bank, west side of the river. From Jasper, Hamilton County, FL, travel southwest on Right bank. SW CR 249 to SW CR 751; turn left and boat ramp is on the right in Gibson Park.
Take Out: Suwannee River State Park Ramp
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. Mosquitoes can be bad at dusk so come prepared.
Free: This outing is free to WWALS members, and $10 (ten dollars) for non-members.
You can pay the $10 at the outing, or online:
https://wwals.net/outings
We recommend you support the work of WWALS by
becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations
![[Five Holes, Alapaha River Rise, Suwanacoochee Spring, Suwannee River swing]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-08-13--gibson-park-five-holes-suwannee-river/many.jpg)
Five Holes, Alapaha River Rise, Suwanacoochee Spring, Suwannee River swing
Update 2024-06-22: Grassy Pond still closed and some other updates.
Update 2022-08-08: Couple more short paddle ideas: State Line Boat Ramp upstream to Arnold Springs, and Florida Campsites upstream.
Update 2022-05-30: Three more short paddle ideas (on the Withlacoochee River and the Alapahoochee River), along with safety information and links to the WWALS water trails with more information.
We often get questions like this: “The wife and I just got our kayaks and we’re looking for some ideas for short trips.”
Here are some suggestions on lakes, swamps, and rivers in the Suwannee River Basin.
Safety first! Always wear your personal flotation device (PFD).
You’d be surprised how hard it is to find your PFD after you fall in.
And especially if you’re new to paddling, don’t go alone.
You may want to join some of the many WWALS outings. See:
https://wwals.net/outings/
![[Ideas for Short Paddles, Suwannee River Basin]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-05-30--short-trips/fbmany.jpg)
Ideas for Short Paddles, Suwannee River Basin
See also:
How far from one Boat Ramp to the next landing? WWALS Water Trails
https://wwals.net/?p=52193
Easy paddles with no current, no worries about water levels, and no need for a shuttle: put in and take out at the same spot.
But no matter how easy lakes are to paddle, wear your PFD.
Like Sen. Ossoff, you can help stop a strip mine proposed far too near the Okefenokee Swamp, which is the headwaters of the Suwannee and St Marys Rivers, and the mine sits on top of the Floridan Aquifer from which we all drink.
Senator Jon Ossoff is advocating for the protection of the Okefenokee swamp, Kyra Purvis, WFXL, Wednesday, May 25th 2022,
![[Sen. Ossoff at the Okefenokee Swamp 2021-05-14]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-05-25--ossoff-okefenokee/21.05.14-Okefenokee-4-1024x683.jpg)
Sen. Ossoff at the Okefenokee Swamp 2021-05-14
Senator Jon Ossoff is advocating for the protection of the Okefenokee swamp and its national wildlife refuge.
The swamp is currently being looked at by Twin Pines Minerals LLC as a place for titanium mining.
Ossoff is asking for a joint effort between both parties and is calling on all environmental agencies to protect one of Georgia’s most precious natural resources.
“Our state may lose the Okefenokee swamp, this precious natural resource, unless EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), the Army Corps and Georgia’s environmental protection division take action to stop it,” said Ossoff in his call to action, “Overwhelmingly the people of Georgia and of the local community treasure the Okefenokee swamp. But I’m sounding the alarm because we need an all hands-on deck effort now to bring the pressure to bear necessary to save the Okefenokee swamp from destruction.”
Ossoff says he has Continue reading
Katherine Ball, Valdosta Daily Times, April 15, 2022, BALL: Residents can help keep rivers clean
I get excited, every year, as Earth Day approaches. Not only is it a great day to spend time preserving and enjoying our planet, it is also my birthday.
As I spend this Birth and Earth Day, in Valdosta, I am reminded of the many childhood memories I made playing in Three Mile Branch creek, off Country Club Road. Looking back, my experiences in those waters, directly shaped who I became as an adult and an artist.
Being the only girl in the Magnolia Plantation cul-de-sac, I often found myself, Continue reading
Update 2022-04-08: All rivers bad water quality 2022-04-07.
Quitman’s 48,000 gallon sewage spill on Sunday, March 20, 2022, was from the Quitman settling ponds, which are slightly uphill from Okapilco Creek. Which explains why Valdosta got too-high E. coli at US 84 on Okapilco Creek, and at Knights Ferry, Nankin, and State Line Boat Ramps downstream on the Withlacoochee River.
We know this location because of the response to the WWALS open records request to Quitman asking where is this “Influent Liftstation”:
GPS 30.793581, -83.544316
800 North Highland Dr
This has been going on for years. For example, the April 24, 2022 spill from the same location contaminated the Withlacoochee River and the Suwannee River probably as far as Running Springs, if not all the way to the Gulf.
The form Quitman’s contractor sent GA-EPD says the spill was not preventable. Well, according to Quitman’s permit from GA-EPD, “Power failure” is not an excuse, because the permitee is supposed to have backup power. It’s time for Quitman to find a way to prevent these spills from contaminating Okapilco Creek and the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers. This is a public health hazard.
What will the Georgia Environment Protection Division (GA-EPD) do to stop these spills from Quitman, and meanwhile to get much more timely reporting by Quitman to GA-EPD and to the public?
![[Map and doc: location of Quitman sewage spill]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-03-20--quitman-spill/many.jpg)
Map and doc: location of Quitman sewage spill
It’s only 1.10 creek miles to US 84, and 5 creek miles all the way down Okapilco Creek to the Withlacoochee River. Then 3.68 river miles more to Knights Ferry Boat Ramp, for 8.68 water miles total. At even two miles per hour, that’s less than five hours for contamination to travel. Continue reading
You can help stop the undead Northern Turnpike Extension toll road from plowing over to US 19 and then up it across the Suwannee River.
Floridians, please go to the Florida Department of Transportation’s Northern
Turnpike Extension web page and tell FDOT we don’t need any more toll roads.
Here’s where you can say No Build:
https://floridasturnpike.com/turnpike-projects/featured-projects/northern-turnpike-extension/
Doesn’t matter that No Build isn’t listed as an option. Tell them anyway.
![[Suwannee River, Toll toad routes]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-04-04--nrtr/many.jpg)
Suwannee River, Toll toad routes
Attend your city council or county commission or Economic Development or Chamber meetings and ask them to pass a resolution against these toll roads.
Today, Continue reading
DB Marsh stayed several days at Peacock Springs River Camp waiting out thunderstorms, then paddled down past Hal W. Adams Bridge, and slept on a picnick table at Yellow Jacket. He has now has made it to the town of Suwannee near the mouth of the Suwannee River.
![[bridge, fungus, hammock, Hart Springs, River]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-03-28--d-b-marsh-peacock-suwannee/many.jpg)
bridge, fungus, Hart Springs, River
Along the way he got enough cell signal to put up some more stories and pictures. Continue reading
Update 2022-03-28: Peacock Springs to Suwannee, FL, Suwannee River 2022-03-28.
He’s made it to Dowling Park River Camp on the Suwannee River: Danny “DB” Marsh on his thousand mile loop from Fernandina Beach and back. When he gets cell service, he updates his website.
![[Big Shoals, Woods Ferry, Eddies, Holton Creek River Camp]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-03-23--db-marsh/many.jpg)
Big Shoals, Woods Ferry, Eddies, Holton Creek River Camp
He’s having the usual kind of river misadventures. This is an example of why it’s usually not a good idea to boat alone.
About 1 AM it was about time to make camp. I pulled up to a steep bank next to the I-75 Bridge. I stepped off the kayak onto what I thought was a white sand bank. It was not sand at all, but very slippery white clay. My feet went out from under me and in the next instant I was swimming.
Continue reading
![[Article]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-06-09--usace-okefenokee/many.jpg)
![[Katherine Ball]](https://www.wwals.net/pictures/2022-04-15--katherine-ball-vdt/6258175251115.jpg)