Get out of the cold and get outdoors on Florida's most beautiful rivers!   Our third annual Spring Paddle Florida will be held March 18-25, 2010 on the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers. Unlike in years past, we will begin the trip at Madison Blue Spring State Park on the Withlacoochee River. After paddling 12 miles on the wondrous Withlacoochee, and traversing some great 'fast' water, we spend the night at Suwannee River State Park near the confuence of both rivers. We will then paddle for 6 more days until we reach Manatee Springs State Park; 115 miles in all. Deadline for registration is March 5th.   Both the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers are high and flowing beautifully. For all Paddle Florida veteran's, you know that means we will not be paddling as much as 'steering' our way down the river!

Rebecca Zapen added to entertainment lineup!

Rebecca will be playing for us at the Suwannee River Rendezvous Campground and Resort on Sunday,
March 21
photo: Joe Parker

Violinist, vocalist, and songwriter Rebecca Zapen won Best Album & Song (cabaret genre) in the Just Plain Folks Awards 2009, receiving 5 nominations. A classically-trained violinist and versatile musician, Rebecca was named Jacksonville's Musician of the Year 2008. Recent career highlights include her performance as the musical guest on Public Radio International show Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?; original songs in a national promotion for Crocs Shoes; winning 2nd in the Bushman World Ukulele Video Contest and her resulting endorsement with Bushman Music Works. Zapen was a Finalist in the 2007 DiscMakers' Independent Music World Series. Other highlights include appearances as jazz vocalist with the Hollywood Philharmonic Orchestra, and as the mandolin soloist in Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra's production of Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. She is an award-winning composer, earning the Silver Medal of Excellence for Best Use of Music in a Short Film at the 2008 Park City Film Music Festival. Her original songs appear in Look Both Ways, which won for Best Music in the 2009 San Francisco Seven Day Film Festival. As a session musician, Zapen has composed for and performed on recordings for soundtracks, television, public radio, theme parks, and various musical groups. Her music has been featured on NPR's All Songs Considered: Open Mic. Past performances include Florida Folk Fest, Gamble Rogers Fest, Jacksonville Jazz Fest, and venues such as Hotel Cafe (L.A.), The Bitter End (NYC), and Paganini Auditorium (Italy). www.zapen.com

Paddle Florida in February:
Rally for the Rivers/Palatka
Springs Rally/Tallahassee

On February 13-14 Paddle Florida staff attended the Rally for the Rivers in Palatka in order to take part in the festivities surrounding the efforts by the Putnam County Environmental Council. Held each year, the Rally seeks to draw attention to the politics of water in our region. Specifically, the opposition to plans by the St. Johns Water Management District to withdraw millions of gallons of water daily, from the St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers for development in central Florida. The other issue yet to be resolved, is the matter of the Rodman Dam, which prevents the Ocklawaha from flowing naturally. Special thanks to Brack Barker of Wild Florida Adventures for assisting with the paddling workshop at the Rodman Dam on Valentine's Day.

On February 16, we traveled to Tallhassee in order to take part in the Springs Rally. Springs advocates from across Florida converged on the Capitol courtyard to call on the Florida Legislature to pass meaningful springs protection legislation this year. For the last five years, legislation reining in nutrient pollution of these special places has failed to pass, in large part because of opposition stemming from the economic concerns of the regulated community. In response, speakers at the Rally made a very articulate case for the cost of inaction: the overgrowth of algae, the decline of species dependent upon these special places, the loss of our natural heritage, and the decline of the aquifer that feeds both springs and the drinking water upon which our communities depend. Senator Lee Constantine (R-Altamonte Springs, and chair of the Senate Select Committee on Florida's Inland Waters) has signaled his intention to introduce legislation in the coming weeks to improve the condition of Florida's springs. A House sponsor for companion legislation has not yet emerged.

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