Happy New Year to everyone! As I look back on photos from this past year, I am thankful for so many things, but this amazing paddling community comes to mind first!

We look forward to our Springtime on the Chipola plus Dead Lakes trip in March! If you haven’t had the opportunity to paddle this beautiful spring-fed river and the peaceful magnificence of Dead Lakes, now’s the time to register. We’ll be moving to another river next March.

These trips take a village and Paddle Florida appreciates everyone who makes them possible. We were featured on PBS WUFT in December and you can find out more about us by clicking the link below. Thank you and we hope to see you on the water soon!

“Greater Good” is a new WUFT-produced half-hour series showcasing non-profit organizations in the North Central Florida community. Each participating organization will lead the viewer on a journey of their organization’s mission, their day-to-day community engagement and their impact on the community. This series will highlight what makes our community great.

https://youtu.be/osmIXozO5n0

Included in this issue are the Dead Lakes, the amazing Tupelo Honey, Wood Ducks of Florida, and how to kayak in current.

There is no better place to experience nature in such an untouched serene state. And, while the Tupelo and Cypress trees may look desolate, the Lakes are full of life. Gliding through the water you’re likely to see an osprey or an eagle roosting on a branch. Maybe a wild pig or an alligator will watch you from the shore of a tiny island that won’t be there tomorrow. And the way the sun plays with the fog, you’ll swear it’s alive, too.

Did you know Gulf County is the home of famous Tupelo Honey? It is harvested from White Tupelo Gum trees and they are most content when standing in several feet of water. Many of the stumps and trees you see standing in the Dead Lakes and the Apalachicola River Basin are Tupelos. Beekeepers have been riding barges for years following the bees up and down the waterways.

 [Read More…]

Though most people think tupelo honey comes from Mississippi, it actually comes from the swamp-loving white tupelo tree. White tupelos only grow densely enough to produce honey in south Georgia and northwest Florida. While some beekeepers in Georgia make tupelo honey, most of it comes from the Panhandle — and more specifically, Gulf County.

Wewa, as locals call it — about 30 minutes from Port St. Joe on the Gulf of Mexico near Florida’s largest river, the Apalachicola — is the unofficial tupelo honey capital. Beekeepers have set up hives in the swamps here since the 1800s to capture honey that has a color, taste, and chemistry that sets it apart from all other honeys. [Read more…]

Image credit: Jessica Bradley Wells & Aileen Perilla

Many species have distinct plumages that change according to the season, from breeding to winter plumages and eclipse states.

The state holds many protected areas that are excellent birding locations. The total number of birds seen in the state is close to 550 species. Included in that number is a large diversity of ducks that belong to the Anatidae family.

The male Wood Duck has complex iridescent green plumage on the head and back, a chestnut chest and lower neck and bold markings throughout the body. The head is distinctly crested. The belly and throat are white, while the underwings are grey. The flanks are buff. The eye is bright red, and the bill is white and red.

The female is primarily brown with a greyish head. The breast has white specks. A white eye ring that tapers off behind the eye is present. The speculum is dark blue with a white edge.

[Read More …]

Get your very own Camp Coffee Mug! $20 to help support our environmentally friendly dish program

How To: Kayak on Rivers & Current

Click here for the article.