Tag Archives: Wild Green Future

Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River, 2025-07-12

Update 2025-07-16: Pictures: Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12.

Join us to get the deadfalls revealed by lower water levels. Yes, we’re still cleaning up after Hurricane Helene.

You do not have to saw. You can pick up trash, take pictures, or just paddle.

You can also walk along the right (west) bank of the Withlacoochee River much of the way.

If the water level is too low for boating, we will all be walking.

When: Gather 9 AM, launch 10 AM, end 3:30 PM, Saturday, July 12, 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.

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536

[Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12, Get deadfalls revealed by lower water levels]
Chainsaw upstream from Troupville, Withlacoochee River 2025-07-12, Get deadfalls revealed by lower water levels

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Running 9.9 hp outboard 2025-06-25

Thanks, Phil Hubbard, for fixing the Mercury 9.9 hp outboard that we usually use with the WWALS jon boat on chainsaw cleanups.
https://wwals.net/outings/chainsaw-cleanups/

We’re working up a chainsaw cleanup probably on Saturday, July 12, in case you want to come along. Stay tuned at:
https://wwals.net/outings

[Phil Hubard fixed the 9.9 hp Mercury outboard 2025-06-25, Also running: the 25 hp Yamaha outboard]
Phil Hubard fixed the 9.9 hp Mercury outboard 2025-06-25, Also running: the 25 hp Yamaha outboard

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that bought both outboards, as well as an 86lb thrust trolling motor, two LiFeO2 batteries, and some related materials.

After testing for fuel flow in several locations, Phil disassembled the fuel pump and reassembled it and it works fine now. Continue reading →

Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22

Downstream from Spook Bridge on the Withlacoochee River, Phil Hubbard and I took a side trip up Okapilco Creek.

[Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22, Withlacoochee River, Piscola Creek, Patrick Creek]
Okapilco Creek 2025-03-22, Withlacoochee River, Piscola Creek, Patrick Creek

We passed Piscola Creek and Patrick Creek.

We went up Okapilco Creek about a mile. Then we encountered a deadfall across the creek. We could have sawed it in a few minutes. But our main mission was checking passage on the Withlacoochee River, so we turned back.

There was very little trash in Okapilco Creek. We collected some of it.

Phil Royce had declined to follow us up the creek, so we caught up with him down near Knights Ferry Boat Ramp. Stay tuned for that.

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the generous grant that paid for Continue reading →

Pictures: Last Mile, Withlacoochee River 2025-04-13

Update 2025-04-20: Pictures: Chainsaw from Troupville up the Withlacoochee River towards Sugar Creek 2025-04-18.

At Langdale Park Boat Ramp Sunday Phil Hubbard got the big chainsaw working again. That’s the Husqvarna 24-inch chainsaw that we dunked in the Withlacoochee River Wednesday.

Then we drove by Sugar Creek for a look-see. There’s a big logjam, which we dealt with later. And geese swimming in the creek by the WaterGoat.

We decided to put in at Troupville Boat Ramp and go down around the Little River to its Confluence and upstream on the Withlacoochee River. All the way to Langdale Park Boat Ramp and back down.

[Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-04-13, Troupville Boat Ramp up to Langdale Park]
Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-04-13, Troupville Boat Ramp up to Langdale Park

We found plenty of new deadfalls, and some old ones in the way at this kind of water level. The Valdosta Gauge at US 41 read 122.79 feet NAVD88 at 9:15 AM and 122.87 feet at 5 PM, rising as we did this chainsaw cleanup.

Videos: Continue reading →

Signage, Withlacoochee River, Troupville to midpoint 2025-04-09

Update 2025-04-10: Pictures: Withlacoochee Upstream from Troupville 2025-04-09.

We will motor down to the midpoint of the Mayor and Chairmans Paddle, checking the route and hanging signs.

We will take the usual chainsaws, although we don’t expect to find anything to saw.

If you have a boat and motor, please join us.

If you have a canoe or kayak, we can tow you.

When: Gather 4:30 PM, launch 5 PM, Wednesday, April 9, 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.

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536

[Placing Signage, Withlacoochee River, Troupville to midpoint, April 9, 2025]
Placing Signage, Withlacoochee River, Troupville to midpoint, April 9, 2025

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Pictures: Troupville Withlacoochee Upstream Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08

Phil Hubbard and I got 2.6 miles up the Withlacoochee River from the Little River Confluence, so almost 3 miles including the third of a mile down the Little River from Troupville Boat Ramp.

We stopped at a cluster of big deadfalls at the top of Riverhill Drive, as sunset approached, so we could get back to Troupville Boat Ramp before dark.

That’s 2.3 miles more than the previous WWALS chainsaw cleanup on this stretch, four days before.

And a bit more than a mile to go up to Sugar Creek.

[2.6 miles done, One mile to go, Withlacoochee River Upstream, Troupville Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08]
2.6 miles done, One mile to go, Withlacoochee River Upstream, Troupville Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08

The only casualty was one Husqvarna 24-inch chainsaw bar; I did salvage the chain. Fortunately, we had another bar. That’s the chainsaw paid for by the grant from Wild Green Future.

Which also paid for the 9.9 hp outboard motor. Which worked fine this time, except when we ran it into something going pretty fast and choked it down. Then it did not want to start.

But Phil tried something new: take off the cowling and put water on the ignition module to cool it. That worked! Back in action. Continue reading →

Troupville Withlacoochee Upstream Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08

Update 2025-03-09: Pictures: Troupville Withlacoochee Upstream Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08.

Join us between the Little River Confluence and Sugar Creek on the Withlacoochee River seeking deadfalls to chainsaw and trash to collect.

When: Gather 12 PM, launch 12:30 PM, end 4 PM, Saturday, March 8, 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.

GPS: 30.851842, -83.346536

[Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08, Troupville Boat Ramp, Upstream to Sugar Creek]
Withlacoochee River Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08, Troupville Boat Ramp, Upstream to Sugar Creek

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Pictures: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River upstream from Troupville 2025-03-04

Update 2025-03-09: Pictures: Troupville Withlacoochee Upstream Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-03-08

TJ Johnson from Live Oak, FL, and I sawed a few deadfalls, and Tish Hall from Lake Park, GA, cleared brush and got some trash, on the Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River upstream from Troupville 2025-03-04.

[Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-04, upstream from Troupville, Got a few deadfalls]
Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River 2025-03-04, upstream from Troupville, Got a few deadfalls

We gnawed on the infamous CiHiG (Cut It Here, I Guess) Deadfall yet again.

A bit downstream from there we got through a deadfall that had been diverting boats sharp around a cypress with knees, where the WWALS jon boat more than once has canted 45 degrees.

The Valdosta Gauge read 120.27 at noon Tuesday.

Tish Hall gets the good sport award for helping tow the jon boat up the Little River when the 9.9 hp outboard would not start and the 86lb-thrust trolling motor wasn’t quite strong enough. Continue reading →

Pictures: Langdale Park Downstream Withlacoochee Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-02-09

Update 2025-04-01: Try again: Chainsaw Cleanup, Withlacoochee River upstream from Troupville 2025-03-04.

Phil Hubbard sawed many deadfalls large to medium from Langdale Park Boat Ramp downstream on the Withlacoochee River Sunday.

[Many deadfalls cleared, Langdale Park downstream, Withlacoochee River, Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-02-09]
Many deadfalls cleared, Langdale Park downstream, Withlacoochee River, Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-02-09

We stopped a bit above Sugar Creek, because of outboard fuel issues, plus the whole trip ended up eight hours, which is enough for one day.

Thanks to Phil Hubbard for leading this one.

While my job was basically boat driver, I did saw a bit, as well.

The water level was 119.6 feet NAVD88 at noon on the Valdosta Gauge.

Thanks to Wild Green Future for the grant that bought the 9.9hp outboard, the 24-inch Husqvarna chainsaw (which we did not need to use this time), and the twin LiFePO4 batteries which we did use along with the 86lb thrust trolling motor.

TJ Johnson is leading the next chainsaw cleanup, this Saturday, when we will go again at the Withlacoochee River upstream from Troupville 2025-02-15.
https://wwals.net/?p=66912 Continue reading →

Pictures: Troupville upstream Withlacoochee chainsaw cleanup 2025-02-08

Update 2025-04-01: Clean Franks Creek 2025-02-26 and Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers 2025-02-27.

Yesterday from Troupville Boat Ramp around the Little River Confluence and up the Withlacoochee River, we were stopped by the same CiHiG Deadfall that stopped us back on November 23, 2024.

[Troupville upstream Withlacoochee River chainsaw cleanup, Saturday, February 8, 2025]
Troupville upstream Withlacoochee River chainsaw cleanup, Saturday, February 8, 2025

The lower log was partly exposed yesterday, but not enough to get two cuts out of it.

The water level was 119.88 feet NAVD88 on the Valdosdta Gauge.

We also went up the Little River a few miles and back. More on that later.

Meanwhile, today you can join us for Langdale Park Downstream Withlacoochee Chainsaw Cleanup 2025-02-09.

Yesterday, TJ Johnson, leading this expedition, got one good cut in with wedges to keep it from jamming the saw. Continue reading →