Journey Details:
Registered paddlers go here
Day One — Thursday, March 19, 2009
Participants in Paddle Florida will arrive at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park the day before the start for a night of camping and orientation for the adventure to come.
Paddlers will either drive straight to the starting point and park their vehicles there for the week, or take advantage of the River’s End Shuttle. If you are driving straight to the starting point you will need to find a way to get back to the starting point at the end of the week. A shuttle at the end of the week will be available for those who need to get their boats and gear back to the starting point.
If you would like to have your car waiting for you when you finish the trip, you may drive to Manatee Springs and park your vehicle there (a $50 fee is required for shuttle service). After having your boats loaded onto our truck, you will be shuttled to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park to check in.
Day Two — Friday, March 20, 2009
(Go to an interactive Google Map of the day's track)
The first morning of Paddle Florida will have us leaving the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park on March 20. You will notice the distinctive aspects of the Upper Suwannee; a narrow riverbed and increasingly steeper limestone bluffs. After paddling a distance of 7.5 miles, we will stop for lunch at Holton Creek River Camp, which is part of a series of hubs, cabins and river camps that comprise the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. All lunch stops will offer healthy "snack food," various fruits and drinks (all you can eat). Everyone should be fortified for the rest of this 21-mile day. We will be establishing a stagger to avoid bottlenecks at rest stops.
In the afternoon, our intrepid paddlers will arrive at the Suwannee River State Park for overnight camping. One of Florida’s most visited parks, it sits at the confluence of the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers. On the way, if you are lucky, you will be treated to springs visible at the bottom of the limestone cliffs, as well as a wide variety of wildlife native to the Upper Suwannee River.
Day Three — Saturday, March 21, 2009
(Go to an interactive Google Map of the
day's track)
Paddlers should
remember that the Suwannee River Valley at this time of year can
be cold, at least by Florida standards. Temperatures can range
from 60-80 degrees during the day, and 35-55 degrees at night.
When we depart the Suwannee River State Park this Saturday morning,
we will embark on the longest day of the trip, 25 miles. Participants
should be prepared to cover this distance in 8 hours or less.
Our rest stop comes at the Advent Christian Village (ACV) in Dowling Park, Florida, approximately 14 miles into the day, where ACV has made their property available. A soon-to-be-built river camp on a beautiful sandbank is just downriver from ACV. For those who would like to finish this day's paddle at the lunch stop ACV has agreed to provide a shuttle to the next overnight stop at Lafayette Blue Springs State Park. Eleven miles farther down river, our overnight stop will again be hosted by the Florida Park Service as we disembark at Lafayette Blue Springs State Park. Dinner this evening will be a welcome comfort as you rejoice in completing a 25-mile day on the Suwannee River.
The fire each night will provide light, heat, ambiance, trash disposal and olfactory delight. Be sure to bring cameras in order to capture and preserve some great moments. And remember to take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints. Activities will be planned for each night.
Day Four — Sunday, March 22, 2009
(Go to an interactive Google Map of the
day's track)
We will compensate for yesterday’s long paddle with the shortest leg of the trip at a relatively easy 13 miles. Our rest stop will be at yet another Florida Park Service River Camp at Peacock Slough and we will spend the night at a beautiful facility: River Rendezvous at Convict Springs.
Camping will be under a canopy of oak trees on a bluff overlooking the river. On this day you will see the river begin to widen a bit as we make our way down this world-class waterway. You will also be treated to a few areas of "fast water" and several springs.
Day Five — Monday, March 23, 2009
(Go to an interactive Google Map of the
day's track)
Another short "sprint" of 14 miles this day. We have our rest stop nearly nine miles into the trip, but it is well worth it, as we take a break for lunch at Little River Springs, currently a Suwannee County Park, but soon to be an additional property of the Florida Park Service. This site is popular with cave and cavern divers.
The spring is the entrance to a cave system more than 1,200 feet long and 100 feet deep. After visiting this picturesque location, the final five miles will be a breeze. On the way, we will also pass Royal Spring, Troy Springs and Ruth Springs, before we camp at Ivey Memorial Park in Branford, Florida. When you get off the river, you are nearly in downtown Branford. This may be a good opportunity to pick up some additional supplies.
Day Six — Tuesday, March 24, 2009
(Go to an interactive Google Map of the
day's track)
Again, depending on the weather, we may see a fog-shrouded river in the morning as we move farther toward our destination. Only 10 miles into this 21-mile day, we take a detour and paddle upriver on the Santa Fe River to Ellie Ray’s River Landing. During this one mile detour up the Santa Fe you will be surrounded by Cypress trees. This will be an opportunity to rest and maybe patronize the tavern there. But we still have eleven miles to go to reach Gornto Springs, a Dixie County Park.
Part of what makes this trip unique is that
we camp on the river every night. There are no high school gymnasiums,
buses or cafeterias to navigate. Everything we need will be on the
banks of the Suwannee. Additionally, by now, we should have seen
an alligator or two in addition to other native wildlife, such as
limpkins, snowy egrets, great blue herons, anhingas, roosting bald
eagles and vultures, and turtles by the score.
Day Seven — Wednesday, March 25, 2009
(Go to an interactive Google Map of the
day's track)
We must paddle 20 miles to make it to one of the gems of the Florida Park Service: Fanning Springs State Park, where we will have a final night party. This is the site of the annual Red Belly Days Festival.
Fanning Springs, like Branford will afford participants the opportunity to pick up supplies or maybe patronize one of the local restaurants. On the way, we will stop at Hart Springs, which is another fantastic county park, this time in Gilchrist County. The lunch stop is 12 miles along on this day. But the good news is that we are nearing the end of the trip with only a nine-mile morning paddle into Manatee Springs State Park.
Day Eight — Thursday, March 26, 2009
(Go to an interactive Google Map of the
day's track)
Beautiful Manatee Springs produces over 80.000 gallons of water per minute. In the winter Manatees gather in the 72 degree water and in summer Gulf Sturgeon are jumping out on the river. When we arrive, there will be a bus and our truck to shuttle weary travelers and their boats back to the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, where the Suwannee Springfest will be in full swing.
Paddlers can make their own arrangements with the park
for camping Thursday night, or depart for home with a sense of accomplishment
that you spent a week experiencing the various ecosystems along the way, and
paddled 123 miles on Florida’s signature river.
WHAT HAPPENS HERE STAYS WITH YOU.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME . . . GOING WITH THE FLOW!
At the end of Paddle Florida 2009,
there is still more
Suwannee River to discover...
DON’T YOU WANT TO FINISH THE TRAIL?
You can join Suwannee Guides and Outfitters and
travel 27 more miles and spend TWO more nights on the
river, enjoying a Friday night
“Finish Line Celebration” in the Town of  Suwannee.
All meals, Accommodations, and Transportation
included in this final leg of the Wilderness Trail.
This "Finish the Trail" experience is not
a part of Paddle Florida
2009.
For a fee of $100.00 you can join Suwannee Guides
and Outfitters, traveling 27 more miles to the final landing
of the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. All meals, accommodations,
and Transportation and a “Finish
line Celebration” are
included.
Thursday - Leave Manatee Springs 2:00pm.
Paddle 6 miles to Yellow Jacket Landing for dinner. Thursday
night camping is at Yellow Jacket Landing.
Friday - Leave Yellow Jacket 8:00am.
Breakfast
on site, then paddle 9 miles to the lunch stop. Then go 8 more
miles to Anderson Landing. At the new Anderson Landing State Park,
in the town of Suwannee, you will enjoy dinner, music, and camping.
If you choose to venture out, you will be in walking distance to
local taverns and restarants.You'll spend Friday night in Suwannee.
Saturday morning, with your “Finished the
River” gifts
in hand, Suwannee River Guides and Outfitters will shuttle you
to your vehicles.
Rental Kayaks, Canoes, and equipment are available through Suwannee
Guides & Outfitters.
* WE RECOMMEND HAVING YOUR VEHICLE WAITING FOR YOU IN SUWANNEE,
USING OUR FREE PARKING. SUWANNEE GUIDES AND OUTFITTERS STAFF WILL
TRANSPORT YOU & YOUR
SUPPLIES TO MANATEE SPR. TO JOIN THE “PADDLE FLORIDA” SHUTTLE.
“FINISH THE RIVER” IS LIMITED TO 50 PADDLERS, SO SIGN UP NOW TO RESERVE
YOUR SPOT!
Download the reg. form at www.suwanneeguides.com.
For information & registration for FINISH THE RIVER
Go To:WWW.SUWANNEEGUIDES.COM or Call: 352-542-8331
PO Box 304/Hwy 349, Suwannee, FL 32692
THIS EVENT IS SPONSORED BY:
Suwannee Guides & Outfitters,
Suwannee River Chamber of Commerce,
and Dixie County.
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