A RIVER OF TIME
the reward.
Day 10 – after 221 miles of paddlin this was the perfect layover – Suwannee, the town. I would suggest to others arriving in like-manner to take an extra day here, ‘stop and put your ‘feet-up.’
Just outside of those two portholes are the comings and goings of the folks that live with this area’s blessings – leading to another perception gained while paddling the Suwannee’s length – I wouldn’t hesitate to eat anything that comes out of these waters. Throughout the distance of the Suwannee I never noticed an industry along her shorelines, and only heard a single voice of concern over the nutrients originating from mid-Florida livestock – I couldn’t help but to feel that whatever comes from the Suwannee’s waters is quality food!
I even tasted some excellently seasoned ‘gator-tail’ while at the Salt Creek Shellfish Co.
While ‘putting your feet-up’ there are four possibilities, (1) – paddle westward through the canals and into the saw-grass maze towards the Gulf
Its gator habitat too – while paddling toward the flats I did notice a gator with only a third of a tail – knowing that their tails are an important factor of propulsion, I later posed the question (for conversation) to a ‘local’ while ‘bellied-up’ at the Salt Creek bar – wondering too if anyone knew of this particular gator.
“Could a gator survive in the wild without it’s tail?” the ‘local’ said “sure” they could, and “that was probably his tail that I was eating.”
another possibility is (2) inward to paddle ‘canal world’ where almost everyone has a boat garage’ – each with their own version of a fish-cleaning station.
It must feel like this in heaven.
or (3) the eastward direction back onto the Suwannee’s main flow, maybe say “adios” Poseidon.
With the incoming tide and the outgoing wind I sat motionless on the Suwannee – held in check by opposing forces. In research for paddling the river, advice to check the tide direction was noted; – I thought about this as I paddled the last leg from Fanning Springs and really did not believe that the tide was a factor until reaching this point, the town of Suwannee. Then the tide could be a strong ally with running out to the Gulf and back – Bills Fish camp has tidal information available for the asking.
The delta landscape of the Suwannee River near the Gulf.
or (4) just sit back and enjoy the world in front of you.
It was the best ten bucks that I’ve spent in a long, long time.
Ten bucks for camping two nights, a place you can paddle the canals of the town, the marshes, the river or out to the Gulf. In walking distance is Sarah’s Suwannee Cafe (breakfast/lunch), a Post Office, and the Salt Creek Restaurant (diner/bar), spend the savings from the room to replenish what you’ve burnt coming down the river.
A small example of the homes, there were many more conventional.
Double-wide on stiltz
I like how they ‘jacked them up’ and screened in the area below, nice.
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but I guess I can’t stay forever, “I got boats to build” (jb)……..
Facebook Post; “Took the day off and paddled the flats of the Suwannee delta”……..
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Interested in an April 2012 paddle?
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Suwannee River Mile References
221.0 Hwy 41 Fargo, Ga ramp
206 Georgia/Fla line
(camp day 1)
202.0 – Roline Ramp
197.7 – Turner Bridge ramp
195.7 Highway-6
186.5 – Cone Bridge ramp
(camp Day 2)
177.1 Big Shoals State Park – PORTAGE N 30 21.19, W 82 41.24
171 Highway-41 White Springs
168.3 Hwy 135 Stephen Foster State Park White Springs (Hub)
Hubs are towns or parks ‘ A wide range of goods and services are provided to meet visitors’ needs. Visitors can enjoy special events, shopping and other activities. River Camps are located a day’s paddle between hubs. Accessible only from the river, the camps provide covered camping platforms, primitive camping and restrooms with hot showers
163.2 – Interstate 75 – Blue Sink Launch/ramp
(camp day 3 – Woods Ferry)
159.3 Woods Ferry River Camp reservations – (800) 868 – 9914
158.0 – Woods Ferry Launch
150.0 – Suwannee Springs launch
148.5 Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park ramp (Hub)
Hubs are towns or parks ‘ A wide range of goods and services are provided to meet visitors’ needs. Visitors can enjoy special events, shopping and other activities. River Camps are located a day’s paddle between hubs. Accessible only from the river, the camps provide covered camping platforms, primitive camping and restrooms with hot showers
147.3 – Deese-Howard ramp
140.9 Holton Creek River Camp reservations – (800) 868 – 9914
N 30 25.81, W 83 2.17
(camp day 4 – Kelley Run)
135.4 ALAPIA RIVER Gibson Park ramp
130.4 – Road 141 ramp
127.7 Suwannee River State Park Boat Ramp (Hub)
127.8 WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER
Hubs are towns or parks ‘ A wide range of goods and services are provided to meet visitors’ needs. Visitors can enjoy special events, shopping and other activities. River Camps are located a day’s paddle between hubs. Accessible only from the river, the camps provide covered camping platforms, primitive camping and restrooms with hot showers
115.6 – Boundary Bend ramp
113.4 Advent Christian Village (Hub) N 40 14.88, W 83 14.54
Hubs are towns or parks ‘ A wide range of goods and services are provided to meet visitors’ needs. Visitors can enjoy special events, shopping and other activities. River Camps are located a day’s paddle between hubs. Accessible only from the river, the camps provide covered camping platforms, primitive camping and restrooms with hot showers
(camp day 5 – Dowling River Camp)
113.0 Dowling Park River Camp N 30 14.81, W 83 14.87
110.2 – Christian Tract Launch
106.5 – Charles Spring ramp
106.4 – Ezell Landing/ramp
103.3 Lafayette Blue Springs State Park (Hub) ramp
Hubs are towns or parks ‘ A wide range of goods and services are provided to meet visitors’ needs. Visitors can enjoy special events, shopping and other activities. River Camps are located a day’s paddle between hubs. Accessible only from the river, the camps provide covered camping platforms, primitive camping and restrooms with hot showers
98.2 – Hal Adams ramp
97.4 – Telford Springs ramp
95.8 Peacock Slough River Camp reservations – (800) 868 – 9914
N 30 6.09, W 83 8.23
92.9 – Hardenberg ramp
90.4 – Hugh Byron ramp
(camp day 6 – Adams Tract)
85.5 Adams Tract River Camp reservations – (800) 868 – 9914
N 30 2.10, W 83 1.14
86.6 – Ft. Macomb Ramp
83.7 – Walker Track launch/ramp
82.0 – Ruth Springs ramp
LOWER RIVER
79.0 – Patrician Oaks Ramp
76 Highway 247 Branford, Fl
76 Ivey Memorial Park/ramp – Branford (Hub)
Hubs are towns or parks ‘ A wide range of goods and services are provided to meet visitors’ needs. Visitors can enjoy special events, shopping and other activities. River Camps are located a day’s paddle between hubs. Accessible only from the river, the camps provide covered camping platforms, primitive camping and restrooms with hot showers
N 29 57.23, W 82 55.69
66.7 – Dorothy landing/ramp
65.5 SANTA FE RIVER RIVER
63.2 – Sims Landing/ramp
59.6 – High Landing/ramp
(camp day 7 – riverside)
56.6 Highway 340 /ramp
55 Gornto Spring County Park N 29 46.82, W 82 56.35
52.0 – Log Landing
49.9 – Wanee Ramp
46.0 – Eula Landing/ramp
44.0 – Turner Point ramp
43.1 Hart Spring County Park /ramp N 29 40.46, W 82 57.26
41.0 – Purvis Landing
40.0 – Sapp Landing
35.8 Highway 98 Suwannee Gables Ramp
34.2 Fanning Springs State Park (Hub)
(camp day-eight, at FS State Park)
34.2 – Joe Anderson Ramp
Hubs are towns or parks ‘ A wide range of goods and services are provided to meet visitors’ needs. Visitors can enjoy special events, shopping and other activities. River Camps are located a day’s paddle between hubs. Accessible only from the river, the camps provide covered camping platforms, primitive camping and restrooms with hot showers N 29 35.26, W 82 56.08
32.0 – Hinton Landing Ramp
30.2 – Old Pine Landing Ramp
28.7 – New Pine Landing Ramp
28.1 – New Clay Landing Ramp
25.1 Manatee Springs State Park N 29 29.34, W 82 58.67
24.6 – Usher Landing Ramp
23.3 – Camp Azalea Ramp
22.7 – Yellow Jacket Ramp
16.8 – Fowlers Bluff Ramp
16.0 – Weeks Landing Launch
7.6 – Munden Creek Ramp
(camp day 9, 10 Anderson Landing)
3.9 Anderson’s Landing River Camp (Hub)
Hubs are towns or parks ‘ A wide range of goods and services are provided to meet visitors’ needs. Visitors can enjoy special events, shopping and other activities. River Camps are located a day’s paddle between hubs. Accessible only from the river, the camps provide covered camping platforms, primitive camping and restrooms with hot showers
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Georgia to the Gulf, 225 river miles, 10 paddle days
Links to the other posts of this paddle trip;
- Days 1 and 2 - Fargo Ga, to riverside camp to just above Big Shoals (178rm)
- Day 3 Big Shoals to Woods Ferry River Camp (159rm)
- Days 4 and 5 – Woods Ferry to riverside camp (136rm) to Dowling Park River Camp (113 rm)
- Day 6 - to Adams Tract River Camp (85 rm)
- Day 7 – to riverside (56rm) just above Gornto Springs (56rm)
- Day 8 – to Fanning Springs (34 rm)
- Day 9 - to Anderson’s Landing River Camp
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Apr 15, 2011 @ 00:01:21
Great adventure Tom. My son and his family come down and we camp at Manatee Springs sometimes. I;ve seen the manatees come in and swim with the people like they were just part of the croud. Man It is so nice there. Gotta’ love that Suwannee and all of it’s springs.