Two deadlines this month!
Our St. Johns River Ramble trip (December 27-30, 2010) on the Wekiva/St.Johns rivers is filling up. The deadline to register is December 13th. When we finish that trip, we won't have much time to get back, reload and prepare for the Peace River and our second annual Peace, Love, Paddle (January 14-17, 2011). The deadline to sign up for that trip is December 31st.
 
We are busy with logistics and atmospherics for both of these trips, as well as our other adventures in February and March/April.
We will do The Keys Challenge over President's Day weekend, the Ochlockonee, Dam-to-the-Bay trip March 12-18, and the 4th annual Spring Paddle Florida on the Suwannee River, March 26-April 2nd. Generally speaking, the deadlines for all trips are 2 weeks prior to the each event. Please visit www.paddleflorida.org for more information or to sign up.
Happy Holidays from Paddle Florida!
We hope everyone one had a great Thanksgiving and wish everyone a Merry Holiday Season. Please consider giving a Paddle Florida adventure for that intrepid outdoor enthusiast on your list. Any one of our upcoming five events would be a great way to show you care.
Remember, you can subscribe to Paddle Florida's monthly eNewsletter, The Happy Paddler from the homepage of the Paddle Florida website, www.paddleflorida.org.
Paddle Florida embracing social media
As many of our readers may know, we have been utilizing Facebook for quite a while. What ya'll may not know is that Paddle Florida tweeted for the first time last week. What a thrill! No seriously, we may be old-fashioned, but we are going to make an effort to reach a wider audience via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the 'blog' section of our website. So keep an eye out for our occassional tweets, and more info from all these sources, as we work to make Florida a paddling destination known the world over.
Remember, you can subscribe to the Happy Paddler, Florida's Monthly eNewsletter from the homepage of the Paddle Florida website.
|
Click on the link below to view
our monthly
video short
This is footage and stills from our recently completed adventure on the Suwannee River. It was created by our Fall intern, Melissa Rigas. Melissa, we salute you!
Paddle Florida signs agreement with
Necky Kayaks to promote paddling in Florida
Johnson Outdoor has signed an agreement with Paddle Florida. As a result, Paddle Florida will be giving away a new Necky Manitou 14. Those interested in putting their name in a drawing for the new boat can register from the Paddle Florida homepage. We are asking contestants to relate to us in 50-100 words, why, where or how they paddle. We will post some of the more interesting essays on our Paddle Florida blog, or on other social media. The actual boat will be given away during our Peace River trip in January, when one lucky person will be the proud owner of this shiny, new Necky Manitou 14, with a retractable skeg. Good luck!
Paddle Florida participates in the Great Suwannee River Clean Up
Special thanks to all the paddlers who participated in the Great Suwannee River Clean Up. Scott Jantz and Jill Lingard, from Current Problems, Inc., joined us once again on our Fall Paddle Florida trip to lead an effort to pick up trash on the river. From Lafayette Blue Springs to the Suwannee River Rendezvous Resort & Campground on Sunday and then on to Branford on Monday, paddlers accumulated more than 1100 pounds of trash over 29 miles of the Suwannee. Thanks to all who participated.
This month's featured entries
My first Paddle Florida was the January trip down the Peace River. The trip, aside from being extremely fun, offered many laughs for my family and me. On about the third day one of the Paddle Florida Staff members was at the back of the river with us slow pokes, which was a surprise that someone was as slow as us! We we're paddling at the same pace and heard her singing and creating lyrics; the song was a skewed version of "coming around the mountain", and instead was "coming around the river". At some point the lady said she would have us sing with her on stage that night. We all laughed and thought nothing of it. The night came, the folk music started, and toward the end she got up on stage with a "specialty". Immediately she points to my family and me that she spoke to earlier that day on the river, saying "c'mon up guys". We looked at each other laughing as if none of us would get up. Then my family starts yelling at me and my friend to "GO up and sing, like you  said you would". How evil! There was no way! However, I felt that we would seem like miserable teens had we not, like party-poopers. I got up, my friend got up. We hopped on stage and I can honestly say I have NEVER felt so humiliated. All I could do was glare at my Aunt and Uncle who made it all happen as they laughed hysterically. Undeniably, all I could do was laugh along with them.
— Bianca, Sarasota, FL
It started with a simple kayak provided by a boyfriend...who turned into a significant other. That began a journey into kayaking! He bought me my first real kayak and I was off and paddling. Next came a string a various river and lake paddles. Due to time constraints of work, I couldn't participate in the many organized paddles my partner was able to enjoy. So he talked me into my first sojourn on the Swannee River! A 5 day adventure down the river...just the two of us, our kayaks, and gear. It turned into a trip of a lifetime! What a great adventure! Each days paddle was weather and conditions perfect. The camping accomodations provided through the State of Florida River Camps was excellent...down to the potpourri in the bathrooms! It was a good trip had by all and a fine Bob and Sandy adventure! — Sandra, New Braunfels, TX
|
