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Plan Now to Join Us on River Trip 2012, an Epic
Kayak Adventure
 In 2012 we
will host our fifth annual paddle trip from the start of the Apalachicola
River at our 140-acre campus of the historic riverboat landing in
Chattahoochee, Florida and travel eight days and 106 miles southward to the
end of the river at the Museum Docks on the historic Apalachicola
waterfront. The trip will begin with a
rally and camp out at the Chattahoochee Landing on October 26. We will arrive in Apalachicola November 2,
at the start of the Florida Seafood Festival where all paddlers will take
part in the Blessing of the Fleet ceremony.
For the more ambitious paddlers, there is the option to begin the trip
at Columbus, Georgia, one week and 145 miles earlier. Participants would be able to start or stop
at Chattahoochee, the approximate halfway point.
In conjunction with RiverWay South,
the Chattahoochee Paddling Club and other partner organizations, we will
paddle the entire navigable range starting at the tail race of the last mill
dam in Columbus, GA. In the 1800s
Apalachicola and Columbus were proclaimed as sister cities as the
Apalachicola River was the corridor of commerce between the water powered
mill town of Columbus and the port city of Apalachicola with direct trade
routes to European markets. This
year’s trip will celebrate that history and again connect these cities with
the new form of commerce based on education and appreciation of the maritime
heritage, ecologic treasures and the renewal spirit and body brought about by
paddling this mighty river and learning of her treasures.
The Apalachicola River is the largest
river in the state of Florida and fifth largest in all of North America. It begins its journey to the Gulf of Mexico
as the Chattahoochee River, springing from the mountains of North Georgia
along the Appalachian Trail near Chattahoochee Gap at 3,500 feet elevation.
Its southward journey to the Gulf is joined by the Flint River which
originates south of the Atlanta airport, and joins the Chattahoochee River near
the Florida/Georgia/Alabama state lines. The confluence of these two rivers at
Lake Seminole creates the Apalachicola River which flows uninterrupted 106
miles into Apalachicola Bay and into the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Cool nights, warm days and a moderate river
temperature beckon a hike through the woods or a swim. This is a great time to camp on the
sandbars while enjoying autumn in the sparsely developed river basin. Learn about the flora and fauna unique to
the basin from educational presentations along the way. To traverse the river with only boat,
paddle, and the spirit of adventure brings forth reconnection with the
natural world and knowledge of river heritage. Educational presentations along the way
will include a broad array of topics ranging from river hydrology, to timber
management, from endangered species to Tupelo honey production, from maritime
history to the marine ecology of an estuary system.
 We will explore
the floodplains, streams, bluffs, tributaries and some of the communities
along the river. We will look at
historical sites and the culture of river life. You will experience the hydrologic effects
in the river meanders and oxbows, the broad diversity of flora and fauna uniquely
adapted to the flood plains and steep head ravines. We will
learn how reduced water flows affect the nutrient flow into the Gulf and the
impact on productivity in the seafood harvest. We will learn of adaptive management as
applied in forestry and floodplain practices.
We will learn to know each other and the river one paddle stoke at a
time. We will camp on the sand bars and
bluffs at night and come to developed friendships and knowledge that will
last a lifetime.
The Journey begins at Columbus city docks, runs for
one week to reach the halfway point just below the Lake Seminole dam in the
town of Chattahoochee at the 140 acre museum and outfitter shop and ends at
the docks of the Apalachicola Maritime Museum. Included with the trip is a cruise on the “Heritage,”
our 58 foot wooden ketch which, winds and weather permitting, will make the
run out across the bay and then out past St. George Island into the blue
water of the Gulf.
For more detailed journals from the river trip check
out the journals and poetry
developed by educators and participants in years past.
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 and savor the experience as if you
were there. The videos are offered in
three different formats to fit your computer system and internet
configurations.
Trip
Overview
 We provide
all food for the meals, support vessels, shuttle vans and even a kayak or
canoe if you do not have one. Participants
pitch in to help with setting up and taking down camp, gathering firewood and
such. The most common group event is
the cargo line which forms daily to pass along gear from the boats to the
camping sites. The Starfish Enterprise
is the rally point throughout the trip.
The group is kept together through a Lead paddler at the front of the
group and a power boat as the Sweep at the end of the group. 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. A satellite phone is
maintained on the Starfish in the event of an emergency that requires
immediate contact with outside rescue resources.
We have strived to do everything possible
to make the trip safe, fun and educational.
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.
Support Vessels
 Core to the
logistical support is the Starfish Enterprise, a 36’ power catamaran that has
been customized to support long range paddle trips. The starfish is powered with twin 150hp
outboards and has flip down running boards along both sides to allow paddlers
to pull up, tie off and go aboard for rest and / or refreshment. The Starfish has a ramp attached to the
front or side to the shore that allows easy access to the galley where the
meals are prepared and served. Other
features include wash up facilities and hot showers, 120VAC electricity, ice
maker, 300 gallons of fresh water and a marine toilet with a 100 gallon holding
tank. We utilize center console power
boats for gear transportation, river shuttles and Sweep to provide fatigued
paddlers with a ride.
The Starfish is accompanied by our kayak hauler
designed to open up the options for paddler trip when making long lake
passages or to allow tired or exhausted paddlers the opportunity to take a
break. This new maritime museum
designed vessels demonstrates innovative marine craft for an evolving river
economy. Following are the engineering
drawings as designed and as built.
 
Cell Phones, Internet, Computers &
Power
We have a satellite telephone on board for
emergencies, although cell phones work in much of the basin. We have an air card based WIFI router that
provides internet access when the service is available. 120VAC current is provided via an inverter
and generator onboard the Starfish. Plenty of outlets are available on board
Starfish for charging phones, cameras, and other electronic gadgets.
Shuttles, Van Transportation and River
Shuttles
To simplify logistics for the through paddlers and
crew we provide land based van shuttle transportation between Columbus,
Chattahoochee and Apalachicola at the start and end of the week long
segments. We do not provide land
shuttle in between those points. Anyone
wishing to make only a portion of the trip will need to arrange for land
transportation on their own. We do
provide limited river based shuttle between the evening camp site and the
closest landing for trip embark / debark.
Shuttle vans will pick up passengers at parking locations within 1
mile of the interstate ramps.
The shuttle schedule is as follows :
· Prior to
departure, shuttle vans from Atlanta (the Buford Dam Store
location) all the way down the I-85 corridor to I-185 to the Columbus
departure point. Those vans then
continue down to Chattahoochee, FL via US Highway 27 and then to
Apalachicola, before making the return trip making another stop in
Chattahoochee, FL on the way and stopping in Columbus. The objective in this trip is to pick up
passengers and allow for car drops at the trip stop point.
· At the
End of Week #1, we will run vans from Chattahoochee, FL to
Apalachicola and then return back northward to Chattahoochee, Columbus and
Buford as necessary.
· At the
End of Week #2, we will run vans from Apalachicola to
Chattahoochee, Columbus and Buford.
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.
Gear Planning- What we provide
We provide camping tables & chairs, portable
fire pit, rain tarps for foul weather, lanterns, shovels, axes, hatchets and
saws. When we provide the kayak or
canoe, we also provide a paddle and PFD.
Gear Planning- What you will need to provide
You need to bring clothing, personal rain gear, tent
and sleeping bag, dry bags as necessary to transport you gear and a spirit of
adventure. Overnight accommodations consist
of camping on the sand bars, bluffs or designated campgrounds along the river. Use the Suggested
Gear List for more
information on what to bring.
Trip Schedule and Charts
The following chart provides a summary trip
schedule. Below that is a more
detailed description that progresses through the trip on a day by day basis
providing a chart and individual daily agenda.
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2012 River Trip Schedule
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Description
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Departure point
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River Miles
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Week 1 –
Columbus to Chattahoochee
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Day #1
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Columbus City Docks
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25
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Day #2
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River Bend Park, Cusseta
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30
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Day #3
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Florence Marina State Park
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15
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Day #4
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George Bagby State Park
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20
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Day #5
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Smith’s Landing Sandbar
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15
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Day #6
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Coheelee Creek Public Use Area
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20
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Day #7
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Neal’s Landing
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20
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Week 2
–Chattahoochee to Apalachicola
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Day #8
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Chattahoochee Landing
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10
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Day #9
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Blue Spring Run
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14
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Day #10
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Alum Bluff
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14
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Day #11
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Estiffanulga
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21
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Day #12
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Gaskin Park
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19.6
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Day #13
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Owl Creek
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13.7
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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 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.
Week 1 – Columbus to Chattahoochee
Introduction – We are
still working on the detailed arrangements for the first week of the river
trip. We have identified a preliminary schedule of the overnight points along
the way, but the educational sessions and points of interest are still being
developed. The crew and volunteers are
working diligently to bring the additional details together and will be doing
an exploratory run on May 25th with trip leaders. Stay tuned to this web page for
updates.
Arrival and
Orientation Day – Plan to arrive at the Columbus City docks on
Friday, 10/21, before the trip begins
to help ensure we have as much preparation done so we can leave early on Day
#1. If you are taking the shuttle from
Atlanta, the departure site is The Dam Store at 1250 Buford Dam Road. You may also coordinate directly with trip
staff to arrange for a pickup along the I-85/185 corridor on the way to
Columbus.
 Day #1 : Columbus City Docks to River Bend Park (25 Miles) – This day
will begin just below the last historic mill dam on the Chattahoochee
River. Much of the river along this
stretch is part of the Fort Benning military reservation. Lake Eufaula actually backs up water all
the way to the mill dam when the lake is at full pool, so there is not much
of a river flow. As you paddle this
streatch of the river you will watch it transition from the high banked and
deep valley of the Columbus fall line river course into the broad flood plain
and alluvial sedimentation area near River Bend Park. There are many interesting geological
features notable during the transition from the fall line into the coastal
plan. And don’t worry about the length
of this paddle run and the absence of moving water, as we have our fourty
USCG certified 40 passenger catamaran, the Starfish Enterprise, to provide a break
for any paddler that would like to hop a ride and put the kayak in tow.
 Day #2
: River Bend Park to Florence Marina State Park (15 Miles) – This day will take us from the
alluvial area at the very beginning of Lake Eufaula into the main body. You will paddle past some very interesting
limestone bluff areas with deep ledges going into the water and notice
meandering tributaries that are backed up with lake waters. During the days of gravel operations, much
aggregate extraction came from this area which was transported via barge down
to the Chattahoochee gravel operations.
We are hopeful that, given the season,
we will get a nice Northwesterly backing wind for this stretch of the paddle
trip as lake paddles can be very demanding in the event of a head wind. Either way the Tiger Lilly will offer a
break from the rigors of an open water paddle should it be necessary. Florence Marina is an attractive state park
with nice facilities for the evening we will spend there. A truly picturesque little marina store and
a boat basin with many wooden classics.
 Day #3
: Florence Marina State Park to George Bagby State Park (30 Miles) – This day
takes us through the main body of Lake Eufaula where we will traverse past
the mid lake ridge and by the large bluffs on the Western shore where the
city of Eufaula is located. The lake
passage is a beautiful one with mostly wooded shores, beaches and lots of
wildlife. George Bagby park is another
very nice facility with nature trails and nice accommodations. This is very close to the dam and locks and
the historical river crossing at Ft. Gaines.
 Day #4
: George Bagby State Park to Smith’s Landing Sandbar (20 Miles) – This day
will transition our adventure from a lake trip back to a steep bluffed river
corridor. Going through the locks will
drop us 88’ from the lake level to the river.
This is the longest lock drop in the Eastern US. Upon emerging from the locks into the river
basin, the steep vegetated banks provide a stunning variety of plant and
animal life. This portion of the river
is subject to changing river levels due to the power generation at the
dam. We will traverse a good distance
down river where the rises and falls are somewhat moderated and camp at
Smith’s Landing sandbar. This landing
was a significant stopover on the riverboat passages as it provided a safe
mooring and enjoyable leisure area. It
has been owned by the same family since those times and is still place for an
afternoon or evening stay. There is at
least one of the old paddle wheel boats sunken in the bend across the river.
 Day #5
: Smith’s Landing Sandbar to Coheelee Creek Public Use Area (15 Miles) – This day
will continue our southward trek through the river corridor where we will
pass many of the historical riverboat junctions and landings. The river banks are sparsely populated with
only an occasional cabin along the shore.
Most notable along this stretch is the abundance of nature in the
river basin. Around mid day we will
pass through the shortest “lake” along the river trip where the George
Andrews lock and dam raises the river level over the rapids that once made
this river treacherous for steam boat traffic.
 Day #6
: Coheelee Creek Public Use Area to Neal’s Landing (15 Miles) – This day
will take us past the Georgia, Alabama, Florida tri state border and into
Florida. The river at Neals’s Landing
is just beginning the transition into Lake Seminole. Another day of incredible natural beauty
and easy river paddling, this is a river day to enjoy the ever broadening
Chattahoochee as she meanders on her way to Chattahoochee.
 Day #7
: Neal’s Landing to Chattahoochee Landing (25 Miles) – This day
will take us through Lake Seminole and the confluence of the Flint
River. We will stop off at one of the
fish camps along the way for a luncheon in what was once a Corps of Engineers
construction camp when the lake was being built. Lake Seminole is a broad and very shallow
lake where you will see huge broad pans of water lily and forests of stumps
in what was once a forest of pine and live oak. We will pass through the lock on Lake
Seminole and emerge into the Apalachicola River where we will make the brief
paddle to Chattahoochee Landing.
This is our last day on the
Chattahoochee River and the start of the Apalachicola River, which is formed
by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers at approximately the
center of Lake Seminole. The Jim Woodruff Dam and lock were part of the 1950s
era project that established the shipping channel which extends all the way
to Columbus, Georgia.
Everyone will boat across Lake
Seminole aboard the Starfish, with options to either remain aboard the Starfish
or paddle through the lock to Chattahoochee Landing.
This day concludes the first week of
the river trip with participants reaching Chattahoochee Landing to meet up
with folks joining us for the second week of the trip. After arriving at Chattahoochee Landing, we
will tour the Jim Woodruff Dam at Lake Seminole and the historic city of
Chattahoochee. For those ending the trip here, a van shuttle will return you
to Apalachicola, Columbus or Atlanta.
Later in the evening, spend time
getting acquainted with new campers and enjoy a cookout 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. It is situated on a
high bluff overlooking the limestone banks where multiple clear freshwater
springs come forth to create the spawning habitat of the endangered
sturgeon. This was a major steamboat
junction in the 1800s, and the frames of several of the steamboats can still
be seen at the river’s edge.
 Chattahoochee Arrival and Departures – For those
joining us for the second week of the trip, please 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 plan 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. For those with us on the first week of the
trip, we will arrive at Chattahoochee Landing via the river. Plans are to
traverse Lake Seminole aboard the Starfish. Those wishing to paddle a portion
of this day will have the option to kayak or canoe through the locks and
paddle to Chattahoochee Landing.
If you are
departing after the Columbus to Chattahoochee section of the trip, a shuttle
will return you to Columbus, Atlanta or Apalachicola. If you are continuing
the paddle trip, simply find a spot to pitch your tent and get ready for
afternoon activities in Chattahoochee.
This day concludes the first week for the trip with
participants reaching Chattahoochee Landing to meet up with participants
joining us for the second week of the trip.
After arriving at Chattahoochee Landing, we will tour the Jim Woodruff
Dam at Lake Seminole and historic Chattahoochee. Later that evening, spend
time getting acquainted with new campers and enjoy a cookout 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
steamboat junction in the 1800s, and the frames of several of the steamboats
can still be seen at the river’s edge.
|
Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
|
Friday
|
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7
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10:00
AM
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Apalachicola
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Maritime
Museum
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Optional
Shuttle for participants/kayaks/gear to Chattahoochee Landing. The departure point for the shuttle will
be the Apalachicola Maritime Museum at 103 Water Street in Apalachicola.
|
|
|
|
|
12:30
PM
|
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Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Camp
Site and parking
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|
Meet
at the Chattahoochee Landing site for lunch, welcome to new participants
& shuttle to Jim Woodruff Dam, Nature and Historic Tours
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|
|
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1:30
PM
|
|
Jim
Woodruff Dam
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Dam
Tour
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|
Park
in top level parking lot
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|
|
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3:00PM
|
|
City
of Chattahoochee
|
Nature
Walk and History Tour
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|
Local
historian will lead historic tour of Chattahoochee; Hiking tour of nature
park
|
|
|
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|
:4:00
PM
|
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Shuttle
Departure
|
|
Shuttle
north for Columbus and Atlanta, GA
|
|
|
|
|
6:30
PM
|
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Dinner
|
|
Greetings from Chattahoochee Leadership
and Cookout
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|
|
|
7:30
PM
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Chattahoochee
Landing
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Education
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|
Local
edible mushrooms
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Week 2 –Chattahoochee to Apalachicola
 Day #8
: Chattahoochee to Blue Spring Run (10 Miles) – This first day on the Apalachicola
River 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 confluence 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
|
8
|
7:00
AM
|
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Breakfast
|
|
Breakfast
at the camp site
|
|
|
|
|
8:00
AM
|
108.0
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Gear
Check & Safety Review
|
|
Gear
check, safety review, break camp & preparations for departure.
|
|
|
|
|
11:00
AM
|
108 W
|
Chattahoochee
Landing
|
Historic
Steamboat Landing & City Park
|
Yes
|
Boats
in the water leaving Chattahoochee Landing.
Note that day trippers will be returned to the Chattahoochee Landing
site
|
|
|
|
11:30 AM
|
105.0
E
|
Mosquito Creek
|
Sturgeon
& Mussel Habitat
|
|
Presentation
regarding Endangered Species habitat (Sturgeon and Mussels)
|
|
|
|
|
12:30
PM
|
104.9
E
|
Chattahoochee
Landing Camp site
|
|
|
Lunch
aboard StarFish while finally preparations are underway
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 #9
: Blue Spring Run to Alum Bluff (14 Miles) – This 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
|
9
|
7:30
AM
|
98.0
W
|
Sand
Bar
|
Breakfast
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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
|
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 #10
: Alum Bluff to Estiffanulga (21 Miles) – We 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. Time permitting, we will take a side trip
into either Sutton Lake & Bayou or one of the oxbow lakes created by the
meandering river known as the Poloway Cutoff, one of the few places where the
endangered species of mussels, Elliptoideus sloatianus, can be found.
|
Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
|
Monday
|
21.0
|
10
|
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 & hike in a Cypress swamp that looks like "a
bizarre hobbit-land"
|
|
|
|
|
11:00
AM
|
77.4
W
|
Blountstown
(Neal) Landing
|
Historic
Steamboat Landing & City Park
|
|
Presentation
on River Hydrology by Helen Light, retired USGS
|
|
|
|
|
12:00
PM
|
77.4
W
|
Blountstown
(Neal) Landing
|
Lunch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
71.1
E
|
Poloway
Cutoff
|
|
|
Site
of the endangered mussel 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
|
|
Presentation on private land conservation by Phillip McMillan, Neal
Land & Timber
|
 Day #11
: Estiffanulga to Gaskin Park (21 Miles) – This 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 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 day 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
|
11
|
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
|
|
Presentation on Apalachicola
River by Steve Leitman, Florida State University
|
|
|
|
|
|
45.3
W
|
Iola
Landing
|
Historic
Railroad Landing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
43.1
E
|
Florida
River
|
NWFWMD
Lands
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6:00
PM
|
41.8
W
|
Sand
Bar
|
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7:00
PM
|
41.8
W
|
Sand
Bar
|
Dinner
|
|
|
 Day #12
: Gaskin Park to Owl Creek/Hickory Landing (19.6 Miles) – This 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. We will paddle up Owl Creek to our overnight camping
spot at Hickory Landing. We will see
the continuing efforts of the Battle Bend restoration project to reopen low
flow connectivity to the Battle Bend Slough which had been filled with spoil
from channel dredging operations of years gone by. Time permitting, we will explore River Styx
with it’s clear blue green water flows. This river isnamed after the river in
Hades, according to Greek mythology, across which Charon carried dead souls,
and it 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
|
|
Wednesday
|
19.6
|
12
|
7:30
AM
|
41.8
W
|
Sand
Bar
|
Breakfast
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9:00
AM
|
41.8
W
|
Sand
Bar
|
Break
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10:00
AM
|
41.8
W
|
Gaskin
Park Landing/Wewahitchka
|
Dead
Lakes & Chipola Cutoff
|
|
Apalachicola
River Restoration by River Steward Marilyn Blackwell
|
|
|
|
|
11:00
AM
|
40.3
E
|
Swift
Slough
|
|
|
Reference
slough site
|
|
|
|
|
|
36.5
W
|
Sand
Mountain
|
|
|
Dredged
material disposal site - River
Engineering
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12:30
PM
|
35.6
W
|
Virginia
Cut
|
Lunch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
35.3
E
|
River
Styx
|
|
|
Optional
Side Paddle up River Styx
|
|
|
|
|
3:00
PM
|
29 E
|
Battle
Bend
|
River
Backwater Restoration
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27.9
W
|
Confluence
of Chipola River and Apalachicola River
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26.0
E
|
Kennedy
Creek
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6:00
PM
|
22.2 E
|
Owl
Creek
|
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7:00
PM
|
22.2
E
|
Hickory
Landing
|
Endangered
Red Cockaded Woodpeckers
|
|
Endangered
Red Cockaded Woodpecker Discussion by Chuck Hess, Wildlife Biologist,
Apalachicola National Forest
|
|
|
|
|
7:00
PM
|
22.2
E
|
Hickory
Landing
|
Dinner
|
|
|
 Day #13
: Owl Creek/Hickory Landing to Bloody Bluff (13.7 Miles) – On this
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.
|
Date
|
Distance
|
Day
|
Time (EST)
|
River
Mile
|
Location
|
Points
of Interest
|
Day
Trip Access
|
Notes
|
|
Thursday
|
8.5
|
13
|
7:30
AM
|
22.2
E
|
Owl
Creek/Hickory Landing
|
Breakfast
|
|
Prepared
on site
|
|
|
|
|
9:00
AM
|
22.2
E
|
Owl
Creek/Hickory Landing
|
Break
Camp
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9:00
AM
|
22.2
E
|
Owl
Creek/Wright Lake Nature Trail
|
|
|
| | 
