|
Apalachicola
River Trips 2009
 The
Apalachicola River is part of the a River System
located in the Southeastern United States. It begins its journey to the Gulf
of Mexico as the Chattahoochee River, springing from the foothills of North
Georgia along the Apalachian Trail near Chattachoohee Gap. Its journey to the Gulf is joined by
the Flint River (which originates south of the Atlanta airport) at the
Georgia/Florida state line. The two rivers flow into the Apalachicola River
to continue another 108 miles to Apalachicola Bay and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Enjoy the river one stroke at a
time. Sign up for one of four 7-day
canoe and kayak trip from Lake Seminole to Apalachicola. Scheduled for the autumn months, these
trips are an excellent way to see the Apalachicola River and learn about the
flora and fauna unique to the basin from educational presentations along the
way.
We offer these trips based on the notion that it you
put someone one the river then they will appreciate it and from that develop
an understanding of the natural systems and stewardship. The first trip on the Apalachicola took
place in 2007 in conjunction with the Apalachicola Riverkeeper, Florida
Wildlife Conservation Commission, US Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and
Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, US Forestry Service, City of
Chattahoochee, and many other groups and individuals with knowledge of the
river and river systems.
 We explored
the floodplains, streams, tributaries and some of the communities along the
river. We looked at historical sites
and the culture of river life. We
learned about hydrology, the broad diversity of flora and fauna supported by
the flood plain and that many of the species depend on the back waters of the
flood plain as part of their life cycle.
We learned how the impact of reduced water flows and channelization
has harmed the nutrient flow into the Gulf and the resulting impact on
productivity in the seafood harvest.
We learned of adaptive management as applied in forestry and
floodplain practices. We learned to
know the river one paddle stoke at a time.
For eight days we camped on the sand bars and developed friendships
and knowledge that will last a lifetime.
Video
Documentaries from Previous Trips
These video clips are informative and
entertaining. A great way to get a
feel for what to expect or to just watch an savour
as if you were there. The videos are
offered in three different formats to fit your computer system and internet configurations.
|
2008
River Trip Video Documentaries
We split the documentary into two parts
for the 2008 Trip.
|
|
Part I – Chattahoochee Landing to Estiffanulga
Days one through four
|
2009
Trip Overview
 We are
offering on the week of the full moon from March through November. We provide all food for the meals, shuttle
vans and trailers and even a kayak or canoe if you do not have one. Core to the logistical support is the
Starfish Enterprise, a 40’ power catamaran from which all of the meals will
be prepared and which provides hot showers and wash up facilities, 120VAC
electricity, ice maker, 300 gallons of fresh water and a marine toilet with
holding tank. . A LCD projector is utilized for some of the
educational presentations and for movies about river life and times along the
way. New and expanded educational
sessions are provided with a broadened range of subject matter covering river
ecology and hydrology, maritime heritage and river culture. We utilize satellite telephone
communications for emergencies.
Shuttles for day trippers will be handled via power boat back to the
put in as we will be eliminating the van and trailer shuttles from earlier years. We provide camping chairs and rain tarps
for foul weather.
The Journey begins near the Lake Seminole dam in the
town of Chattahoochee at our 140 acre site hosting the museum and outfitting
site and ends at the Apalachicola Maritime Museum. Included with the trip is a cruise on the “Heritage,”
our 58 foot wooden ketch which will take you out into the blue water of the
Gulf. Overnight accommodations consists
of camping on the sand bars, or designated campgrounds along the river. We utilize one to two center console power
boats for river based shuttles and logistical support.
The trips require a minimum of 20 participants and
we will allow up to a maximum of forty.
If we do not have the minimum number of participants signed up for a
scheduled trip, we will allow the enrollee to switch to an alternative
scheduled date or to receive a refund.
Of the total maximum of forty, up to 20 can be day trip participants
for those that cannot make the entire trip.
Day trip participants for a single day will begin with an early
morning pick up in time to join the group at the start of the day’s trip and
be returned via power boat at the end of the day’s trip to the pickup spot
after dinner on the river. Day trip
participants must either go back to the starting point at the end of the day
or continue downstream to the conclusion in Apalachicola. We will provide a shuttle from Apalachicola
back to Chattahoochee Landing at the conclusion of the trip.
Participants will be responsible for
setting up, taking down camp, and helping out with all of the tasks of the
trip.
The Starfish enterprise is the rally
point throughout the trip. The group
is kept together through a point person at the front of the group known as
Lead and another person at the end of the group known as Sweep. These two keep in touch with the Starfish
through VHF radio communications to ensure the group stays together and to
help ensure that if any paddler needs assistance it can be readily
available. In addition the center
console power boats stay in contact with the VHF radios. The satellite phone is maintained on the
Starfish in the event of an emergency that requires immediate contact with
outside rescue resources.
With all of these precautions, we
believe we have done everything possible to make the trip safe and fun, but
all participants should be aware that this trip does involve risks associated
with extended outdoor adventures in a place where the wilderness that
contains beauty and relaxation also contains hazards associated with
poisonous snakes, alligators, biting and stinging insects and water hazards.
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2009 River Trip Schedule
|
|
Description
|
Start Date
|
End Date
|
|
Trip #1
|
Friday, March 6, 2009
|
Saturday, March 14, 2009
|
|
Trip #2
|
Friday, April 3, 2009
|
Saturday, April 10, 2009
|
|
Trip #3
|
Friday, May 8, 2009
|
Saturday, May 16, 2009
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Trip #4
|
Friday, May 29, 2009
|
Saturday, June 6, 2009
|
|
Trip #5
|
Friday, July 3, 2009
|
Saturday, July 11, 2009
|
|
Trip #6
|
Friday, July 31, 2009
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Saturday, August 8, 2009
|
|
Trip #7
|
Friday, August 29, 2009
|
Saturday, September 5, 2009
|
|
Trip #8
|
Friday, September 25, 2009
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Saturday, October 3, 2009
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Trip #9
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Friday, October 30, 2009
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Saturday, November 7, 2009
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Shuttle Busses and Shuttle Boats
We are providing shuttle vans from Atlanta (the
Buford Dam Store location) all the way along the I-85 corridor and US Highway
27 leading to Chattahoochee, FL where the trip begins. We pickup paddlers needing a shuttle along
the way. We will also be offering a
shuttle to and from Apalachicola (for those wishing to leave gear at
Chattahoochee while leaving the car in Apalachicola at the take out and for a
return trip from Apalachicola to Chattahoochee after the trip (and then on
back up to Atlanta).
Shuttles for the day trip participants will be
handled by power boat that will run the participant back up to the put in
point where they joined that day. Day
trip participants must either return at the end of the day or continue the
paddle all the way to the finish in Apalachicola. There will be no shuttle vans supporting
day trip participants since they will be returned by boat.
Costs
 The Cost
for is $395 per person for the entire eight day adventure. The cost for Day Trip participants is $75
per day.
If the trip must be canceled due adverse weather or
river conditions, a full refund will be applied. We reserve the option to move participants
to alternative dates to balance the load on the trips. We will coordinate with the participant and
if the participant is unable to change arrangements, then a full refund will
be applied.
How to sign up
Sign up for the paddle trip can be done via the web
at the RiverEcoLogic.com web
store or by sending a check to the Apalachicola Maritime Museum at 103
Water Street, Apalachicola, FL, 32328.
You will find that the web store has been set up with the shuttle van
routes and kayaks organized by the route and available at no charge. Please sign up for shuttle and kayaks if
you need them since we will be planning resources according to the sign ups
from the web store.
Please take time now to review and
complete the following documents. All
forms must be completed prior to departure.
Apalachicola River Trip Registration Form
Participant
Release of Liability and Assumption of Risk Agreement
Photographic / Video / Audio Rights Waiver
Suggested Gear List
For more information please contact
one the following trip coordinators
· Josh Anderson,
RiverEcoLogic Manager, at 770-945-4000 or via
e-mail Josh.Anderson@RiverEcoLogic.com
· Larry
Covell, Apalachicola Maritime Museum, at 850-653-2500 or via e-mail Larry.Covell@AMMFL.org
Trip Schedule and Charts
Following is the schedule for the eight day
trip. Each day is described with a
brief narrative of the logistics of where we will go and what we will do with
some of the highlights of what you will see along the way. Following this narrative is a chart that
identifies key landmarks and stops along the way and the mileage to be
traversed. There are mile markers
along the entire river course that are maintained by the US Coast Guard that
will help you keep track of where you are.
Some elements of the schedule may change as the trip
nears so you should plan to access this web page just before departing for
the most up to date information. You
can click on the chart thumbnail at start of the narrative for any day to get
an enlarged chart. Note that this is a
12 MB file which may take some time to load.
We will provide a laminated chart set and schedule to each
participant.
 Arrival and
Orientation Day – Plan to arrive early on this day to check in for the trip
and get situated at the camp site. If
you are going to take the shuttle bus, be sure to arrive on time. The departure point for the shuttle from
Apalachicola is the Maritime Museum at 103 Water Street. Alternatively, you can leave your car at
the Chattahoochee Landing departure site and plant to take the shuttle back
from Apalachicola after the trip. If
you are taking the shuttle from Atlanta, the departure site is The Dam Store
at 1250 Buford Dam Road. …….
Both sites are secure and have no charge. This first day includes a tour of the Dam
at Lake Seminole, a gear and safety check, a presentation by the City Leadership
of Chattahoochee and a cook out at the magnificent 140 acre Chattahoochee
Landing Site recently acquired for expansion of the Apalachicola Maritime
Museum. This location has a
magnificent view of the river and dam and overlooks the limestone banks where
multiple clear freshwater springs come forth to create the spawning habitat
of the endangered sturgeon. This was a
major steam boat junction in the 1800s and the frames of several of the steam
boats can still be seen at the rivers edge.
|
Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
|
Friday
|
|
0
|
10:00
AM
|
|
Apalachicola
|
Maritime
Museum
|
|
Optional
Shuttle for participants/kayaks/gear to Lake Seminole Lodge. The departure point for the shuttle will
be the Apalachicola Maritime Museum at 103 Water Street in Apalachicola.
|
|
|
|
|
12:30
PM
|
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Camp
Site and parking
|
|
Meet
at the Chattahoochee Landing site for shuttle to Jim Woodruff Dam, Nature
and Historic Tours; depart by 12:40 p.m. OR meet at Jim Woodruff Dam
visitor center
|
|
|
|
|
1:00
PM
|
|
Jim
Woodruff Dam
|
Dam
Tour
|
|
Park
in top level parking lot
|
|
|
|
|
3-5:00
PM
|
|
City
of Chattahoochee
|
Nature
Walk and History Tour
|
|
Local
historian will lead historic tour of Chattahoochee; Hiking tour of nature
park
|
|
|
|
|
4:00
PM
|
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Gear
Check and Safety Orientation
|
|
Kayak
safety and paddling gear check. Meet
the trip organizers and leaders.
Learn about the trip support vessels and radio communications
protocol.
|
|
|
|
|
5:30
PM
|
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Dinner
|
|
Cook
out at the grounds
|
|
|
|
|
6:30
PM
|
|
Chattahoochee
RV Clubhouse
|
Public
Forum
|
|
Chattahoochee
as a "Gateway Community"
|
|
|
|
|
7:30
PM
|
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Fireside
story telling and songs
|
|
This
is your chance to get better acquainted with fellow trip participants
|
 Day #1 :
Lake Seminole to Blue Spring Run (10 Miles) – This first day is a relatively
short paddle trip to allow everyone to get introduced to the river and to get
settled in for the trip. The departure
point is on Lake Seminole where we will paddle a short distance and then
enter the lock to make passage down through to the river level. This is the start of the Apalachicola River
which is formed by the confuluence of the
Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers. The
dam and lock were part of the 1950s era project that established the shipping
channel which extends all the way to Columbus, Georgia. After exiting the lock we will paddle to
the Chattahoochee Landing Park for lunch and an education session. We will paddle to Means Creek where the
creek along with the adjacent watersheds along the bluffs of the upper
Apalachicola River, has the steepest topographical relief in Florida. In addition, The Nature Conservancy has
listed is area as one of six hot spots of American biodiversity with the
upper Apalachicola River having the highest biodiversity of reptile and
amphibian species in the United States.
Of the rare plant species to be found here, 16 occur nowhere
else. After a hike through the area,
we will continue down the river to the Blue Spring Run with a hike to the
spring head before setting up camp.
|
Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
|
Saturday
|
10.0
|
1
|
7:00
AM
|
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Breakfast
|
|
Breakfast
at the camp site
|
|
|
|
|
8:00
AM
|
108.0
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Orientation
& Safety Review
|
|
Preperations for departure.
|
|
|
|
|
10:00
AM
|
108 W
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Paddle
Trip Begins
|
Yes
|
Boats
in the water leaving Lodge for Jim Woodruff Dam. Note that day trippers will be returned to
the Chattahoochee Landing site
|
|
|
|
|
11:00
AM
|
106.5
|
Jim Wodruff Dam Lock
|
Pass
through Lock
|
|
Lock
Number (850) 663-4692
|
|
|
|
|
12:00
PM
|
105.7
E
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Historic
Steamboat Landing & City Park
|
|
Presentation
regarding Endangered Species habitat (Sturgeon and Mussels) and Historical-Cultural-Archeological
Events
|
|
|
|
|
12:30
PM
|
105.7
E
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Lunch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2:00
PM
|
105.4
E
|
Limestone
Shoals
|
Sturgeon
Spawning area
|
|
Freshwater
springs at river side
|
|
|
|
|
|
105.0
E
|
Mosquito
Creek
|
Mussel
Habitat
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
103.3
W
|
Jackson
Co. Port Authority
|
Former
industrial port
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
102.7
W
|
Gulf
Power Coal-Fired Power Plant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
99.6
E
|
Flat
Creek
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3:00
PM
|
99.0
E
|
Aspalaga Landing
|
Means
Creek or Aspalaga Bluffs hike
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5:30
PM
|
98.3
W
|
Blue
Spring Run
|
Striped
Bass Habitat Restoration
|
|
Optional
Short Hike to spring
|
|
|
|
|
6:00
PM
|
98 E
|
Sand
Bar
|
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7:00
PM
|
98 E
|
Sand
Bar
|
Dinner
|
|
|
 Day #2 :
Blue Spring Run to Alum Bluff (14 Miles) – This second day of the trip will
lead into the bluff country where the eastern shore of the river is flanked
by towering bluffs with a broad diversity of species and home to the endangered
Toreya Pine Tree.
Rising more than 150 feet above the river, the bluffs have been shaped
and divided by deep ravines that have been eroded by streams throughout the
centuries. The park is named for a species of rare Torreya
tree that occurs only on the bluffs along the Apalachicola River. This once
plentiful tree was nearly destroyed by disease in the early 1960s and may be
doomed to extinction. Other rare plants found in the park include the Florida
yew tree and the U.S. Champion winged elm. The forests of the park include
river swamps, hardwood hammocks and high pinelands. Each community contains a
different set of trees, shrubs and wildflowers which offer variety during
each season of the year. The bluffs and ravines are forested by many hardwood
trees that commonly occur in the Appalachian Mountains of Georgia. These
hardwoods provide the finest display of fall color found in Florida. Over 100
species of unique and colorful birds may be seen throughout the area. An
array of animals commonly found in the park include deer, beaver, bobcat,
grey fox and the unusual Barbours map turtle. Animals were not the only inhabitants known
to exist in the area over the centuries. A number of Indian sites have been
discovered here by archaeologists. During the first Seminole Indian War in
1818, General Andrew Jackson crossed the river here with his army.
|
Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
|
Sunday
|
13.7
|
2
|
7:30
AM
|
98.0
W
|
Sand
Bar
|
Breakfast
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8:00
AM
|
99.0
E
|
Aspalaga Landing
|
|
Yes
|
Day
tripper pick up
|
|
|
|
|
9:00
AM
|
98.0
W
|
Sand
Bar
|
Break
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
93.8
W
|
Ocheesee Landing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11:00
AM
|
93.5
E
|
Torreya State Park
|
Hike
|
|
Hike
& Park History
|
|
|
|
|
12:00
PM
|
93.5
E
|
Torreya State Park
|
Lunch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4:00
PM
|
88.6
W
|
J.R.'s
Landing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5:00
PM
|
84.3
E
|
Alum
Bluffs
|
Hike
|
|
Hike
at The Nature Conservancy Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve
|
|
|
|
|
6:30
PM
|
84.3
E
|
Alum
Bluffs
|
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7:00
PM
|
84.3
E
|
Alum
Bluffs
|
Dinner
|
|
|
 Day #3 :
Alum Bluff to Estiffanulga (21 Miles) – This third
day of the trip will pass through the limestone shoals where huge granite
boulders are located in the middle of the river and clear cold springs feed
into the river just below the bluffs.
From there the river flows through the historical Blountstown which
was once a vital center of river commerce and the bricks of the old wharfs
are still to be found by the river’s edge.
In this section of the river the bluffs of the Pelham Escarpment give
way to the ever widening river flood plain.
We will take a site trip into one of the oxbow lakes created by the
meandering river known as the Poloway Cutoff which
is where one of the few places where the endangered species of muscles, Elliptoideus sloatianus, can be
found.
|
Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
|
Monday
|
21.0
|
3
|
7:30
AM
|
84.3
E
|
|
Breakfast
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8:00
AM
|
80.5
E
|
Bristol
Landing Park
|
|
Yes
|
Day
tripper pick up
|
|
|
|
|
9:00
AM
|
84.3
E
|
|
Break
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10:00
AM
|
80.5
E
|
Bristol
Landing Park
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
79.5
|
Hwy
20 Bridge
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
78.2
W
|
Sutton
Lake & Bayou
|
Cypress
Swamp
|
|
Optional
side creek paddle
|
|
|
|
|
11:00
AM
|
77.4
W
|
Blountstown
(Neal) Landing
|
Historic
Steamboat Landing & City Park
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12:00
PM
|
77.4
W
|
Blountstown
(Neal) Landing
|
Lunch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
71.1
E
|
Poloway Cutoff
|
|
|
Site
of the endangered muscle species
|
|
|
|
|
5:00
PM
|
63.9
E
|
Estiffanulga Boat Ramp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6:00
PM
|
62.7
E
|
Sand
Bar
|
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7:00
PM
|
62.7
E
|
Sand
Bar
|
Dinner
|
|
|
 Day #4 : Estiffanulga to Gaskin Park (21 Miles) – This fourth day
of the trip departs “‘Stiff-’n’-Ugly’ Bluff, the highest bluff on the river
between Apalachicola and Bristol and takes us through the ever broadening
floodplain with many tributaries including Mary's Slough, Iamonia
Lake, Hageman's Ditch and the Florida River eventually ending at the Chipola Cutoff.
During this portion of the trip you will see the impact of dredging of
the river where entrenchment of the river bed has lowered the river level
leaving many of these tributaries inaccessible because of waterfalls or very
shallow water at their junction with the main river channel, except during
periods of high flows. About 4,000
acres of isolated aquatic habitat, mostly tupelo-cypress swamps, with
standing water less than 3 feet deep, is present in the floodplain at very
low flows. Large tributary lakes in
the middle and lower reaches of the river, such as Iamonia
Lake and River Styx, support diverse fish communities. In a recent study, 44 fish species were
collected by the Florida Wildlife Commission in tributary lakes during low
flows. Eighty percent, or 73 of the 91
fish species known to inhabit the Apalachicola River have been collected in
river floodplains of the eastern United States and are probably present in
the Apalachicola River floodplain during medium-high and high flows. The trip ends at the first confluence with
the Chipola River where this major spring fed
tannin stained water meets the brown silted waters of the Apalachicola.
|
Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
|
Tuesday
|
20.9
|
4
|
7:30
AM
|
62.7
E
|
|
Breakfast
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8:00
AM
|
62.7
E
|
Estiffanulga Boat Ramp
|
|
Yes
|
Day
tripper pick up
|
|
|
|
|
9:00
AM
|
62.7
E
|
|
Break
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11:00
AM
|
59.0
W
|
Mary's
Slough/Iamonia Lake
|
|
|
Optional
Side Trip for experienced paddlers
|
|
|
|
|
12:00
PM
|
55.8
E
|
Hageman's
Ditch
|
Lunch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45.3
W
|
Iola
Landing
|
Historic
Railroad Landing
|
|
|
|
|
|
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43.1
E
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Florida
River
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NWFWMD
Lands
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6:00
PM
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41.8
W
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Sand
Bar
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Camp
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7:00
PM
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41.8
W
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Sand
Bar
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Dinner
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Catered
by The Bayou Restaurant; Wewahitchka
|
 Day #5 : Gaskin
Park to Owl Creek/Hickory Landing (19.6 Miles) – This fifth day of the trip
will continue through the pre tidal floodplain which at roughly 7 feet above
sea level has many tributaries including Swift Slough, Virginia Cut, River
Styx, the second and main confluence with the Chipola
River, Kennedy Creek and Owl Creek which we will paddle up to our overnight
camping spot at Hickory Landing. You
will see the results of the Battle Bend restoration project whose purpose is
to re open low flow connectivity to the Battle Bend Slough which had been
filled with spoil from channel dredging operations of years gone by. The River Styx, with it’s clear blue green
water flows, and named after the river in Hades, according to Greek mythology
, across which Charon
carried dead souls, is a hauntingly beautiful place of rarely seen flora. The Apalachicola River continues to broaden
through this stretch with enormous sand bars and canopied banks of cypress,
oak, palm and tupelo trees. The paddle
trip up Owl Creek to Hickory Landing offers the tour of a unique cypress
swamp.
|
Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
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Wednesday
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19.6
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5
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7:30
AM
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41.8
W
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Sand
Bar
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Breakfast
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Catered
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8:00
AM
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41.8
W
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Gaskin
Park Landing
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Yes
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Day
tripper pick up
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9:00
AM
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41.8
W
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Sand
Bar
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Break
Camp
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10:00
AM
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41.8
W
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Gaskin
Park Landing/Wewahitchka
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River
Steward discussion on River Swamp Protection
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11:00
AM
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40.3
E
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Swift
Slough
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Reference
slough site
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36.5
W
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Sand
Mountain
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Dredged
material disposal site - River
Engineering
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12:30
PM
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35.6
W
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Virginia
Cut
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Civil
War History
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12:30
PM
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35.6
W
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Virginia
Cut
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Lunch
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Catered
by Maxine's in Wewahitchka
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35.3
E
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River
Styx
|
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Explore
River Swamp up River Styx
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3:00
PM
|
29 E
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Battle
Bend
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River
Backwater Restoration
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FWCC
River Restoration Presentation
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27.9 W
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Confluence
of Chipola River and Apalachicola River
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26.0
E
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Kennedy
Creek
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6:00
PM
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22.2
E
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Owl
Creek
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Camp
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7:00
PM
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22.2
E
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Hickory
Landing
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Endangered
Red Cockaded Woodpecker Discussion
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7:00
PM
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22.2
E
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Hickory
Landing
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Dinner
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|
 Day #6 : Owl
Creek/Hickory Landing to Bloody Bluff (13.7 Miles) – This sixth day of the
trip will enter the tidal region of the Apalachicola River. During this trip, we will come to old Fort
Gadsden. The site contains the ruins
of two forts, and has been known by several other names at various times,
including Prospect Bluff Fort, Nichol's Fort, British Post, Negro Fort,
African Fort, and Fort Apalachicola. Listed in the National Register of
Historic Places, the Fort Gadsden Historic Site is managed by the U.S. Forest
Service. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1972. It was at Blount's Fort on Prospect Bluff,
where in 1816 a single, red-hot cannonball landed in the powder magazine,
causing an explosion heard 100 miles away in Pensacola and destroying the
fort, killing nearly all inhabitants.
Anger at this attack in Spanish territory led to the first Seminole
War a year later. The earthen works of
the fort are still visible and provide a look backward into the times when the
Apalachicola River was the only means of accessing the inland regions of
Florida, Alabama and Georgia; when control of this river meant control of
commerce within the region; somewhat setting the stage for the current water
wars.
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Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
|
Thursday
|
8.5
|
6
|
7:30
AM
|
22.2
E
|
Owl
Creek/Hickory Landing
|
Breakfast
|
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Prepared
on site
|
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|
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8:00
AM
|
22.2
E
|
Owl
Creek/Hickory Landing
|
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Yes
|
Day
tripper pick up
|
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|
|
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9:00
AM
|
22.2
E
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Owl
Creek/Hickory Landing
|
Break
Camp
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Dead
Head Logging Discussion and xplore Devon Creek
|
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9:00
AM
|
22.2
E
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Owl
Creek/Wright Lake Nature Trail
|
Hike & talk
on ecology of the area
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|
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10:00
AM
|
22.2
E
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Owl
Creek
|
History &
Guided Paddle of Owl Creek
|
|
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11:00
AM
|
20.8
W
|
Brickyard
Cutoff
|
History &
Guided Paddle of Brickyard Cutoff
|
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12:00
PM
|
19.8
E
|
Ft.
Gadsden State Park
|
Lunch
|
|
|
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|
12:00
PM
|
19.8
E
|
Ft.
Gadsden State Park
|
|
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|
3:00
PM
|
15 E
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Bloody
Bluff Boat ramp
|
|
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6:00
PM
|
13.7
W
|
Sand
Bar
|
Camp
|
|
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7:00
PM
|
13.7
W
|
Sand
Bar
|
Dinner
|
|
Prepared
on site
|
 Day #7 :
Bloody Bluff to Apalachicola (13.7 Miles) – This seventh day of the trip will
continue the passage through the tidal region to the river’s end at Apalachicola
Bay. The river delta region sprawls
out into numerous sloughs and streams including Brothers River, Howards
Creek, Brickyard cutoff, Owl Creek, East River and others which meander in an
interconnecting fashion to spill out into the Apalachicola Bay. During this stretch, the river banks have
given way to cypress forests in the river swamp with palm lined banks that
are primordial in appearance. The sand
bars on the main river of this region are largely the result of spoil banks
from the channel dredging. Our
entrance into Apalachicola will be through these interconnecting waterways
and will ultimately pass at the city docks and end at the Apalachicola
Maritime Museum. We will have a
celebration of the river trip on the beach at St. George Island with a luau
style cook out and bonfire o
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