Third Annual Fall Paddle Florida
October 14 – 21 2010 Trip Overview

Capacity: 200 people
Distance: approx 123 miles
Registration: $300/Adult; $275/Senior, College Student;
$250/Youth 8-17; Child (7 and under)/free
Meals: $150/person
Paddle Florida Lite: Four days or less: $60/day; Meals: $30/day

Day One — Thursday, October 14, 2010
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
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 –$25/person, $25/boat– 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.

At the music camp cabins and golf carts are available on-site; call 386.364.1683 for details and pricing or click on the Suwannee Music Park logo to jump to the Website.

Day Two — Friday, October 15, 2010
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park to Suwannee River State Park
(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. 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, October 16, 2010
Suwannee River State Park to Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
(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. 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, October 17, 2010
Lafayett Blue Springs State Park to Suwannee River Rendezvous Resort and Campground
(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: Suwannee River Rendezvous Resort and Campground.
    Camping will be under a canopy of oak trees on a bluff overlooking the river.

Suwannee River Rendezvous Resort & Campground, 386-294-2510 for reservations and price or click on the logo to jump to the Suwannee River Rendezvous Resort & Campground Website.

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, October 18, 2010
Suwannee River Rendezvous Resort and Campground to Ivey Memorial Park (Go to an interactive Google Map of the day's track)

Another short "sprint" of 16 miles this day. We have our rest stop 11 miles into the day's adventure, 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, October 19, 2010
Ivey Memorial Park to Gornto Springs
(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. About 13 miles into this 21-mile day, we'll stop for lunch. After lunch it's 8 miles to go to 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, October 20, 2010
Gornto Springs to Fanning Springs State Park
(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. Fanning Springs, like Branford will afford participants the opportunity to pick up supplies or maybe patronize one of the local restaurants. About 11 miles into today's paddle we'll stop along a Dixie County river bank for lunch. Turner Point landing will serve as host. We are nearing the end of the trip; Only a nine-mile morning paddle into Manatee Springs State Park remains.

Day Eight — Thursday, October 21, 2010
Fanning Springs State Park to Manatee Springs State Park
(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 Spirit of the Suwannee Music Camp. 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 one of Florida’s best rivers.

WHAT HAPPENS HERE STAYS WITH YOU.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME . . . GOING WITH THE FLOW!