11/3/2014 Paddle Florida enewsletter

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Paddling and protectingFlorida's waterways

2014-15 Schedule

Wekiva/St. Johns RiverRambleDecember 5-8, 2014Work off some ofThanksgiving's culinaryindulgences with a 30-milepaddle down the spring-fedupper Wekiva River to the St.Johns in a manatee and birdlovers' paradise! Accommodations for this tripinclude two nights in state parkcabins.

Up Next: Wekiva/St. Johns River RambleDecember 5-8

Rock Springs Run, photo by Mac Stone

Next up this season is Paddle Florida's fifth annual Wekiva /St.

Johns River Ramble, a gem of a paddling trail in Orlando's

backyard. December 5-8, participants will paddle 30 miles on two

of Florida’s historically rich rivers and enjoy educational speakers,

musical entertainment, campfires, and camaraderie. The trip

includes two nights of cabin camping at Wekiwa Springs State

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Register by: November 21

Florida Keys ChallengeJanuary 15-22, 2015Enjoy a true island paradise,paddling beside sea turtlesand railroad visionary HenryFlagler's 'Eighth Wonder of theWorld' in the azure blue watersof the Florida Keys. We'lljourney 70 miles beside whitesand beaches, from Long KeyState Park to Key West. Register by: January 2

Wild, WonderfulWithlacoocheeFebruary 15-20, 2015Beginning at LakePanasoffkee's Marsh BendOutlet Park, paddlers willthread their way throughhardwood swamps and clear,spring-fed streams on a 60-mile journey to the Gulf ofMexico. Register by: February 2

Dam to the Bay on theOchlockoneeMarch 14-20, 2015From wild Tupelo honey tofresh Gulf oysters, experiencethe Panhandle's OchlockoneeRiver which winds throughstate and national forest landson 76 miles of Florida's mostremote wilderness river trail.Register by: February 28

Park and one night of tent camping at Wilson's Landing, a

Seminole County park on the Wekiva River. Paddlers will spend

the first day on the pristine Rock Springs Run (pictured above),

which feeds into the spring-fed upper Wekiva River on day two.

The final day’s journey will introduce paddlers to a portion of

scenic St. Johns River, culminating with a celebratory barbeque at

Blue Spring State Park.

Evening programs will feature presentations by Matt Keene, the

first paddler to complete Florida’s 1,515-mile Circumnavigational

Saltwater Paddling Trail, and Greg Pflug, owner of Central Florida

outfitter Adventures in Florida. St. Augustine-based Katherine

Archer headlines our musical entertainment, known for her “sassy,

jazzy, bluesy love songs for planet Earth.” Be sure to register by

the November 21 deadline. Click on the trip link in the left column

for more details about this paddling adventure.

Waaaay Down Upon the Suwannee RiverOctober 25-29

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Suwannee River PaddlingFestivalApril 3-5, 2015The third annual SuwanneeRiver Paddling Festival willtake place at the SuwanneeRiver State Park near LiveOak. The festival will featuresupported 12-20 mile tripoptions on the scenicSuwannee and WithlacoocheeRivers, a benefit concertfeaturing some of PaddleFlorida’s favorite entertainersto benefit waterwaysprotection, and an opportunityto hear from regional waterand wildlife experts.Register by: March 20

AttentionGainesvillians!November 8 & 13 Events

George Wilson will host aconcert at his home at 318 NE

Fearless leader Guerry Bradley guides paddlers down the Suwannee

Our 2014-15 season opener is in the history books. What a

glorious week for the seventh annual Suwannee River Wilderness

Trail trip! Clear cool days, dozens of beautiful springs, and thrill-

seeking paddlers willing to jump in them. This fall’s Suwannee trip

offered a twist. We re-routed day one so we could experience two

of its spring-fed tributaries: the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers.

Forty-five paddlers enjoyed a misty morning launch on the

Ichetucknee as they saw turtles, otters, blue herons, and ibises

frolic along the crystal clear river and blue springs. After paddling

the Ichetucknee and Santa Fe, everyone was shuttled up to

Suwannee River State Park to camp and then spend the next four

days working their way back downstream to Branford. We tented

at three riverside state parks and two river camps during the

week.

Evening programs featured educational talks delivered by

Ichetucknee Alliance, Dr. Erich Marzolf of the Suwannee River

Water Management District and USGS research biologist Dr. Ken

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10th Avenue in Gainesville at7PM on November 8. Thegathering will feature themusical talents of Frank Corsoand provide a forum forpaddlers to greet old friendsand make new ones. A $20donation at the door willsupport Paddle Florida's waterconservation mission. Bringyour own folding lawn chairand beverage, if desired. Ice,water, coolers, and lightsnacks will be provided. RSVP togeorge@paddleflorida.org.

At 6PM on November 13,Brasingtons AdventureOutfitters at 2331 NW 13thStreet in Gainesville will host aPaddle Florida presentation. This is a great way forpaddlers new to the PaddleFlorida experience to learnmore about our multi-daypaddling/camping adventures.

PaddlersRendezvousOctober 16-19 in PutnamCounty

Sulak, also known as the “Sturgeon General.” Musicians Lis and

Lon Williamson delighted paddlers at Lafayette Blue Springs State

Park with their brand of Florida-themed folk tunes and rich

harmonies. And, ohhhh, the FOOD! Once again our wonderful

caterers from Shelby’s restaurant in Madison ensured no one went

home a pound lighter. Their pièce de résistance was a low

country boil with shrimp and crawdads on the final evening. A

huge thank-you goes out to everyone who came and contributed

to making this trip one of our favorites ever!

Father & Son Wakulla River Adventureby Rob Diaz de Villegas, WFSU Ecology Blog, Sept 29, 2014

Dad, son, and car seat make the most of a day paddling

“Is this the road to the Apalachicola River?” Max asks as we come

to the flashing red lights where Highway 98 crosses our path.

“Well, actually, yes,” I tell him. “But today we’re going to the

Wakulla River.”

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Kudos to Putnam Bluewaysand Trails for attracting andservicing over 140 paddlersduring the annual Paddler'sRendezvous last month. Thiswas the first time theRendezvous was held inPalatka. The weathercooperated and a good timewas had by all. Congratu-lations to this committed groupof paddlers in Putnam Countyfor a very impressiveperformance!

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To Max, all rivers are the Apalachicola. For five days in 2012,

daddy left home and went kayaking to make some videos on that

river. I had left home for conferences and out of town shoots

before, but here was something that the then one-year-old Max

could understand—daddy was going down a river in a kayak. At

the end of that trip, as we rolled into Apalachicola the town, I could

make out the shapes of a toddler and an adult walking down the

floating dock by Veteran’s Park. It was a sight that ranked up there

with Alum Bluff, the Dead Lakes, and Sand Mountain in my mind’s

Mount Rushmore of RiverTrek 2012 (an annual fundraiser for the

Apalachicola Riverkeeper). I knew then that when he was old

enough, I would make the trip with him. We’re not tackling the 106

mile Apalachicola just yet, though. Today, we’re traversing a

much more manageable six miles of the Wakulla. [read more1]

Paddler Profile:Al Ogden, Micaopy, FL

Al on the Ochlockonee River

Where are you from? Your profession? I spent most of my

11/3/2014 Paddle Florida enewsletter

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every day! Contact BillRichards at (352) 377-8342 or bill@paddleflorida.org fordetails.

Like Us onFacebookOver 8,475 fans & counting!

Reconnect with paddlingfriends and make new ones onPaddle Florida's Facebookpage. Our daily feeds provideupdates on the newsimpacting Florida's waterwaysand wildlife as well as ourupcoming trips. Send us yourfavorite photo depictingpaddling in Florida and itmight be selected as our'Picture of the Day!'

Join Us on MeetUp

Paddle Florida now has its

young life traveling between my many brothers and sisters homes

with my mother. Hot Springs, South Dakota is where I spent high

school. I joined the Army and continued moving around. I have

lived in Gainesville since 1982. I am a staff engineer with the

Nano-Scale Research Facility at the University of Florida.

Where is your favorite place to paddle? Lakes or rivers with

wildlife and good fishing. I suppose that my favorite is the

Ocklawaha River between the Silver River and Eureka.

What’s the most interesting thing that ever happened to you on

a paddling trip? That’s tough, since it’s always interesting. But if I

had to choose one, it would be finding out that my boat floats and

maneuvers even when completely filled with water.

What advice do you have for folks considering a Paddle Florida

trip? Don’t be intimidated. The support is the best and there is

always someone who will help if needed. If you have bitten off

more than you can chew, then take a break and assist the support

crew for a day and then jump back into the fray. These are not just

paddling trips. They are an adventure in discovery, limits and

potential, friendship and camaraderie, nature and the human

condition. On these trips you will meet friends that will become

lifelong and there is nothing better than that. [read more2]

The Guide's Corner:For the Love of Melons

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own MeetUp page. We'veposted details on all of ourtrips for the coming season,links to outfitters, and plenty ofphotos. Join our MeetUpgroup and check it out!

Help Us ProtectFlorida's WaterDonate.

You can help us meet ourwater conservation missionsby (1) joining us on one ormore paddling adventuresscheduled annually onFlorida's wild and scenic riversand coastlines, or (2)donating to Paddle Florida viaour secure PayPal connection.

Lars Andersen is owner and

paddling guide for Adventure

Outpost in High Springs, FL.

He outfits and guides kayak

and canoe tours on over 40

waterways throughout North

Florida's "Springs Country."

It's Halloween and, once again, pumpkins throughout the land are

wondering how they got involved with a pagan Celtic holiday

devoted to such un-pumpkinlike things as witches, goblins and

training children how to beg food. It's an odd fate for one of

Florida’s most important native foods. But if you stand waaay back,

squint your eyes and look at it from the corner of your eyes,

Halloween almost looks like a time when our culture actually

revered pumpkins.

Of course, appearances are often deceiving. While the pre-season

frenzy of pumpkin-buying seems promising, it falls apart when the

big day arrives and we find that, rather than being celebrated, the

pumpkins are carved into likenesses of scary, dentally-challenged

human heads.

If you ever need reminding of how different our culture is from the

original Floridians, take a moment to consider the name,

"Chassahowitzka." The fact that Seminoles gave this beautiful

waterway a name that means something like “place of hanging

pumpkins” reveals more than a simple appreciation for this large

11/3/2014 Paddle Florida enewsletter

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fruit, it speaks to a respect for nature. [read more3]

Copyright © 2014 Paddle Florida, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:Paddle Florida, P.O. Box 5953, Gainesville, FL 32627

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