Place-based Learning in the Great Outdoors ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏

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May 2025 ~ Volume 192

Inspiring. Meaningful. Adventure.

 

Place-based Learning in the Great Outdoors

We ended the season with our Suwannee River Paddling Festival & Suwannee River Wilderness Trail trips!  It was wonderful to have a clear spring at Madison Blue Spring State Park and to be back on the Suwannee River with its wonderful beaches and crisp morning air!  Thanks to everyone who supported us this season. You are appreciated!

Our 2025-2026 Season is below!  We will be celebrating our 94th to 99th multi-day trips this upcoming season and we hope to see you there!

We look forward to seeing you outside soon.

 

2025-2026 Paddle Florida Season

Santa Fe Springs Celebration - 3 nights of optional cabins! - Our 94th multi-day trip!

November 3-8, 2025

Come celebrate one of Florida's prettiest rivers, called "Holy Faith" by the Spanish, which lives up to its name with its quiet beauty. The Santa Fe boasts dozens of significant springs, including the celebrated paddleable Santa Fe tributary the Ichetucknee River.

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Florida Keys Challenge - Base Camp Cabins - Our 95th multi-day trip!

January 12-18, 2026

Join us for a cold weather escape as we paddle the Florida Keys and explore some of the most beautiful turquoise waters in the State of Florida! This year’s trip includes both short and long paddling options, from our basecamp each day, and an educational component provided by Seacamp Association, Inc. From our homebase cabins at Seacamp Association, we will enjoy glorious sunrise and sunsets, and paddle out to explore the area each day. This is a spectacular location for us to call home during our visit to the Keys! Nature beckons you as you cross paths with Key deer, sea turtles, dolphins, and egrets. You will make memories grounded in nature, with an eco-friendly Florida charm in an area that is known as a paddling destination.

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Rivers Exploration - Blackwater River & Coldwater Creek - 1 night of optional cabins! - Our 96th multi-day trip!

February 16-22, 2026

The Blackwater River in Florida, particularly within Blackwater River State Park, is known for its unique contrast of dark, tannic water with pristine, white sandy beaches and large sandbars, making it a popular spot for swimming, paddling, and hiking. Coldwater Creek, a major tributary of the Blackwater River, also features sandy bottoms and broad sandbars, offering a similar experience for paddlers. Join us as we explore these riverways and Blackwater River State Forest close to Pensacola!

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Kissimmee River Restoration Paddle - Our 97th multi-day trip!

March 9-15, 2026

Partnering with the Riverwoods Field Lab, paddlers will explore the Kissimmee River and its restoration journey. The adventure includes a side trip to the beautiful Arbuckle Creek and its world class nature. This year's trip includes a stay at Kissimmee Preserve State Park and offers the "dark sky" experience.

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Suwannee River Paddling Festival - Our 98th Multi-day trip!

April 10-12, 2026

With camping atop the bluff overlooking two beautiful rivers, our season-capping festival takes place at Suwannee River State Park near Live Oak. The weekend will offer supported 12 mile paddling options on both the Suwannee and Withlacoochee Rivers, a concert featuring Paddle Florida's favorite musicians, and educational presentations from regional waterway experts.

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Suwannee River Wilderness Trail - Our 99th Multi-day trip!

April 10-15, 2026

Celebrate Florida's version of autumn on its most famous river. The trip spans 65 miles of the scenic Suwannee and a portion of the (northern) Withlacoochee, from Madison Blue Spring to Branford. This section features dozens of clear blue springs perfect for swimming and snorkeling.

 REGISTER FOR TRIPS HERE 
 

News Articles of Interest

Read Smart Start For Safe Paddling

Image courtesy explorepawaters.com

Paddling is a diverse and rewarding outdoor activity with a large variety of crafts, landscapes, waterways, and on-water adventures to explore. Tens of millions of people around the world enjoy paddling canoes, kayaks, stand up paddleboards (SUPs), and rafts each year. The American Canoe Association’s (ACA) vision is to engage millions of paddlers with safe and healthy opportunities for challenge, learning, service, and enjoyment. 

The ACA is pleased to share core paddling principles that will keep you, your friends, and your family safe on the water and creating lasting memories for years to come. Learning the principles and information presented here will help increase fun and decrease accidents on the water. ACA’s Smart Start for Safe Paddling is a holistic program which features comprehensive books, student activity workbooks, free online coursework, instructor’s guide with presentation slides, and a wide collection of complementary resources. [Read More …]

 

Read about Striped Mullet

Image: Richard Bejarano

Along the Florida gulf coast, the striped mullet is regarded as an excellent food fish. They are also used as bait for a variety of fishes, including billfish, commonly bringing a higher price as bait than as food fish. In fresh and brackish waters, they are caught with a hook and line. Popular bait includes earthworms, oatmeal, and chicken feed. Mullet caught in freshwater often have a muddy or sulfide-like taste. In saltwater areas, mullet are snagged with hooks or captured with cast nets, seines, gill nets, or trammel nets. A net ban has been in effect in the state of Florida since 1995. Prior to the net ban amendment, mullet were severely overfished throughout the state. Currently, mullet are on the road to full recovery. Large numbers of mullet are taken during the migration to spawning grounds offshore. These fish are prized for their roe. The striped mullet is marketed fresh, dried, salted, and frozen with the roe sold fresh or smoked. This fish is also used in Chinese medicinal practices. It is a very important commercial fish in many other parts of the world. [Read More …]

 

How To: Care For Your PFD

Click here for the article.

 

Support Paddle Florida

Paddler Raffle To Help Protect Florida's Waterways

PRIZE PACKAGE: $3,300 VALUE

Tickets available here!

 

Donate. Introducing our NEW Long Sleeve Dri-fit Shirt. Support Paddle Florida by purchasing our NEW Paddle Florida Dri-fit shirt for $40 (add $10 to have it shipped to you), or we can bring it to you on your next trip! Donate online here or mail a check to Paddle Florida, PO Box 840205, St Augustine FL 32080. In appreciation of your donation, you will receive a special gift!

 

Advertise With Us. You can reach over 7,500 monthly subscribers for $75/month, or get two months free by promoting your paddling-oriented product or service over 12 months for $750! Contact us here for details. (Subscriber number updated annually on January 1st)

 

Paddle Florida, Inc., PO Box 840205, St Augustine FL 32080, USA

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