Trip Archive

April 7, 2007, Juniper Creek, FL

Even though the weather had turned unseasonably cold, 9 hardy paddlers met at Subway for a pre-Easter trip on the Juniper Creek. We met 2 more people at Red Rocks and drove to the put-in at "Jan's Landing," where we found a big group of young folks sitting around a campfire to keep warm. The cool weather wasn't deterring people from enjoying the holiday weekend. We put on the river with a fairly strong, cool tailwind, good water level, and sunny sky. The spring flowers were out in force with mountain laurel, trumpet vines, and dogwoods blooming. We picked trash out of strainers and off sandbars as we floated downstream. After we passed Red Rocks we started meeting up with some livery paddlers, who seemed to be fairly successful threading their way down river. But then I rounded a sandbar to see Austen assisting with a rescue--emptying out an aluminum canoe. Apparently some of the weekend paddlers were not as successful as I had thought!

About lunch time a bank of clouds rolled through and it really cooled off again. We paddled on down, enjoying the scenery, picking up some trash, watching some buzzards and crows floating on the wind currents. By mid afternoon the clouds had moved on, the sun came out and cheered us all up again. Chris and Charles had decided to climb some of the clay cliffs past Red Rocks and we left them to their fun. We pulled out about 4 pm with 5-6 bags of trash and a healthy appetite. So, we ended the day at Dave's Catfish House in Milton.

Thanks to all who joined the trip and helped clean up our Juniper Creek, and special thanks to Sandra for the shuttle. - Jan heart

April 14, 2007, Frankie Faith Memorial Paddle, Majors Creek, FL

Even with a forecast of strong storms on Saturday, April 14, six paddlers met up at the Stagecoach Café in Stockton to paddle Major's Creek. We left at 9 a.m. for the put-in and were on the creek by 10 a.m. We would all like to thank Jay, a prospective club member who volunteered to shuttle the drivers back to the put-in. The creek was up about an inch so there was enough water that we didn't need to walk our canoes.

The first half of the creek had a couple of pullovers, and the second half had pullovers every two or three bends. With about an hour left to go, the storm hit and we were caught in a heavy downpour. Even with the rain and the occasionally bold of lightening, it was a good trip. It was especially nice to see Robert Faith on the creek in memory of his son Frankie. - Charles Gable

April 21, 2007, Shoal River, FL

The day of the Shoal River paddle had the type of weather every trip leader dreams of - sunny skies and moderate temperatures, Add to this a river with a good current, few obstructions and blooming Mountain Laurel and one has the ingredients for a great trip. Fifteen club members met at the Shoal River Boat Landing on Highway 90 east of Crestview. After getting our boats ready to go, the drivers made their way to the Shoal River Wayside Park and Boat Ramp on Highway 85.

The club stopped several times on the sandbars along the river. Riley and Doug Waggle used some of this time to float down the river using their life jackets for buoyancy. Since there was a good strong current, they had a delightful time.

Linda stopped at the confluence of the Titi and the Shoal, which helped Frances and Judy find the branch and paddle upstream to the place the water from the Titi pours through the trees and finally into the Shoal. The river became deeper after this point, and we met a few powerboats and fishermen on the river.

After reaching the landing, and loading our gear, the food came out. Everyone enjoyed boiled shrimp that Linda brought up from Santa Rosa Beach, and all the side dishes provided by the club members. We sat around the picnic tables, and enjoyed the end of a perfect paddle with good food and good companionship. - Austen Asquith

Mardi Gras Paddle, February 17, 2007, Coldwater Creek, FL

It was a cold morning (high 20s) at Subway meeting place where 8 people met to paddle the Coldwater Creek. Our numbers doubled to 16 at Adventures, Unlimited, where we put in canoes and kayaks, decorated boats and folks (and 1 dog), and then drove cars down to Hwy 191 where the Adventures bus shuttled the drivers back to the put-in. By the time we set out on the creek the day had warmed nicely and we had completely blue sky, a perfect water level, a good current, and a tailwind! We were joined by 2 new prospective club members and 2 guests of Frances Stone, and welcomed Judy and Pierre from cities west and north. The Coldwater was really pretty and clear, the huge sandbars inviting to stop and socialize, which we used frequently. We did take time to pick up some trash along the way, the telltale results of the busy summer livery business on this section of the creek. At the lunch stop we built a fire, mostly for the "ambiance" because the sun was out and plenty warm by that time. Linda shared an apple-filled King Cake with all of us ... never did put that baby in the cake, did she?

After lunch we floated on down the meandering creek, enjoying the day and watching some buzzards float on the air currents pretending they were eagles. To my knowledge, no one got really wet (minus Linda plopping down into the creek at the put-in), although Charles' hair-raising story of trying to retrieve a treasure out of a logjam was a close call. At an afternoon stop Sandra brought out a red Valentine heart filled with chocolates that she passed around to everyone. Brings out the little kid in everyone, as they looked 'em all over and decided what shape chocolate they'd try.

Rounding that last bend around 3 p.m. and seeing the bridge, we knew the trip was over, as always too soon. Everyone helped haul boats and gear out of the water, and all were accounted for at the take-out. Thanks to everyone who joined the paddle and hope you all had as nice a day as I did! - Jan Heart

January 27, 2007, Styx River, AL

Saturday, Jan. 27, we met at the Wilcox Rd. exit off I-10 across from the Oasis. We put Jan and Susan's canoes on our trailer and left their vehicles at the take out on Wilcox Rd. We headed for the put in at the Buzzard's Roost, above the Hwy. 68 Steel Bridge. Wes, Jane, Chris, Susan, Jan, Carl and I were the paddlers. It was cold and cloudy. Chris was the only one brave enough to run the drop. He said he had never run anything like that before. He did a great job. Once wasn't enough for him. He pulled his canoe back up and ran it three times. We enjoyed watching him, but opted for portaging on river right. It was just too cold for us to chance swimming.

We had a few rain drops as we stopped for lunch. We all pulled on our rain suits, which worked to keep the rain away until we ran the shuttle. Carl and Wes stayed and carried our canoes up to the road while the rest of us hopped in Jan's Jeep to go get our vehicles. We got back and Chris showed us how his Jeep could make it through the giant mud hole back to the creek. The rain really started to fall just as we all finished loading our canoes. It was a short, but enjoyable day. We'll do it again soon. - Miriam Stewart

September 23, 2006, Little River

Mark's Little River trip was terrific. We met at Stagecoach and headed out. The river was clear and pretty. Water was a little low for kayaks, but George, Jack and Nancy were up to the challenge. Charlie swam quite a bit of the river while Bud rode with Judy. Sheila celebrated a new job. Jane left her ailing husband to enjoy the beautiful day. Carl followed the ball game with a hands free radio. Miriam took pictures while Chris enjoyed dropping into the river from a rope tied to a tree and cutting branches with a machete. A big treat was sighting two little spotted fawns on river right near Lester's house. A super day came to an end with a feast at Street's. - Susan Guttmann

Holmes Creek Downstream from Vernon

We were a group of intrepid kayakers (and one canoeist) who made our way through the mini-hazards of Holmes Creek as it meandered through fallen trees and overgrown brush making navigation a challenge at many turns along the way. As soon as we left the landing at Wayside Park and headed downstream a Belted Kingfisher spotted us and enticed us into playing a game of chase as he flew from tree to tree waiting for us to catch up to him. Then he was off to the next tree and on and on it went for at least an hour down the creek. Finally he perched on an extended tree limb overhanging the water and posed long enough for me to snap a few photos of him. He must have tired of our game as he took a short cut through a narrow channel too overgrown for us to manage. We could imagine him waving to us as he got to the next stop point.

We circumvented large islands of swamp plants and fallen trees making some areas almost impassable until the last minute when we would find a narrow channel that we could barely squeeze through as long as we sucked in our breath. It really did not matter which direction one looked to see a panoramic postcard view. The cypress trees and native plants were lush and many in bloom and the sunlight filtered through the leaves making interesting patterns on the water.

Dottie Doherty and Susan Benz had mentioned they wanted to stop to swim and John Veasey had plans of fishing along the way so the four of us - Don and Paula Warren and Sharon and JVO Weaver- were the trailblazers. But the trail was not always an exact science. Knowing when to turn left or right was not clearly marked at many of the junctions as the current played tricks on us. But I was fairly certain we were headed in the wrong direction and we asked Paula to remain at the turn until we knew for sure which way to go when I spotted the creature from the black lagoon. Ok. So it was only an alligator…but it might as well have been the creature. I did not know I was capable of turning our tandem kayak in a 180 all by myself. Of course, Don had to paddle his canoe on down to inspect the creature before turning back. There were no other undesirable creatures to report.

There was absolutely no litter on this pristine creek but John said he did cut one tree that was down in the water preventing passage. That was the point of the paddle where Don said for us to just make our own pathway and paddle through the trees to get to the other side. Talk about BEAUTIFUL!

Along the way, there were a few local swimming holes equipped with long ropes suspended from trees and even a park with a pavilion and tables where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and floor show - or water show -three local boys jumping from the tree or swinging from the rope into the water 40 feet below.

We saw Great Egrets and White Ibis fishing along the sandbars …and Great Blue and Little Blue Herons scurrying off as they heard our kayaks slicing through the growth...and happy chirping birds all around. Except at the end of the ride, three Pileated Woodpeckers crossed the creek right in front of us, making quite a racket as if to say we had interrupted their picnic in the trees.

Five hours after putting in, we took out at High Tower landing where the local law drove down to meet us…just checking to make sure we had had a good day on the water. And that is exactly what we had…. a good time on the Holmes! - Sharon Weaver

Lazy Day on Big Lagoon, FL

The sun shone Saturday on Big Lagoon. The kayaks headed for Johnson Beach through crowds of mullet jumping for joy. The sands were white as sugar and the sea oats waved in the breeze. Jan pulled her kayak up high among the dunes and sternly commanded it to stay. Last trip it wandered down the Intercoastal Waterway without her. The waters of the Gulf were crystal clear. Paddlers ventured into the water and watched fish, crabs, and rays scatter as the kayakers walked along. A number of pelicans floated along as seagulls flew overhead. The group wandered to Big Lagoon and climbed the observation tower to eat lunch in the breeze. Sharon insisted on paddling deep into Big Lagoon State Park, under bridges and through tall grass to the old picnic pavillions. I found a flashlight in the water and turned it on...what a treasure! A huge white heron kept watch while mullet danced and tried to get into our boats. We heard ducks and spotted a kingfisher. After swimming and relaxing in the sun, we paddled back along the north shore and checked out all the new homes going up in Grande Lagoon. Mike pulled our boats up the grassy hill with the lawn mower and we rejoyed in our lazy day on Big Lagoon. - Susan Guttmann

September 9, 2006,Juniper, Blackwater and Elected Officials, FL

It takes your breath away. Juniper from Highway 191 is super right now. Recent rains have made it fast and clear. It has plenty of downfall to make it a challenge and tons of wildlife. The ducks and kingfishers, hawks and herons kept us entertained. We thank Sonia and her crew for clearing the pullovers. It makes a great paddle and is remote enough to see creatures without a long drive.

The September 9th trip on the Blackwater near Baker reminded me of the differences between the two. While the Blackwater is pretty, it is much slower with lots of big fish and without the many fallen trees that make the Juniper so interesting to negotiate. I was glad to note that Ross Goodman who was recently elected Circuit judge seems pretty good with a canoe. Wife Marcie is on the bench in Santa Rosa County and is pretty speedy in a kayak. It is a good sign when elected officials are looking at new paddles for Christmas. - Susan Guttmann

August 26, 2006, Big EscambiaTrip, FL

Driving through heavy rain to the meeting place in Flomaton Alabama I was wondering if anyone would be crazy enough to paddle on such a day. Much to my surprise there were several vehicles carrying boats in Hardee's parking lot. Within the next twenty minutes eighteen club members and guests had assembled, some from as far away as Fort Walton Florida. By 9:15 the main part of the storm had moved off to the northeast and with a light rain falling our trip leader Jan Heart declared it was time to head for the creek.

The plan was to paddle from Sardine Bridge to the highway 24 bridge in Flomaton, a trip of about twelve miles. We left two shuttle vehicles at the take-out and drove the remaining nine to the put-in. By the time we arrived there was just a sprinkle of rain continuing to fall. Carrying our boats under the bridge to a small sandy beach we launched our canoes and kayaks. In spite of the earlier morning rain the creek's water level was still lower than normal but a channel of deeper water could be found most of the trip. It was great to be on the water and paddle under any conditions.

After about half an hour almost all precipitation had ceased and the overcast sky made for a comfortable day. The current was running less than three miles per hour by GPS calculations as we navigated around sweepers and across shallow gravel shoals. About half mile from the put-in is the "chute" which usually has a small drop and some faster water running through a deep narrow channel. This day the drop was about a foot high and the water wasn't that fast…it was still fun to run.

There were plenty of broad sandbars down stream where we occasionally stopped to relax and enjoy one another's company. By 11 we passed the newly built Creek Indian campground where there was only one group of tenters. They waved as we floated by and asked where we were going. Perhaps in the future we can paddle the upper part of the creek, stopping to camp here over night on a two-day trip. About noon we were all hungry and looking for a place to stop for lunch. We pulled out on a big sandbar and sat down to eat. By now the sun had come out and it was starting to get hot. I finished my sandwich quickly and downed a sports drink about the time that Mark Vance was passing out some Heath bar cookies…they were good!

The next three hours we slowly paddled, swam, and relaxed as we made our way toward the take-out. Along the way we spotted a few kingfishers, a duck or two, and a young cottonmouth crossing the river. Perhaps we frightened most of the wildlife as we talked and laughed because didn't see that many animals. Most of the blooms along the banks had faded by this time in the summer. The Titi trees had gone to seed and there were very few waterlilys along this creek.

About 4:15 we were getting tired and hungry again when the Flomaton Bridge came into view. After dragging our boats a short distance to the dirt road, the shuttle crew Delbert Jackson and Doug Waggle took the drivers back to their vehicles at Sardine. After a forty-five minute round trip everyone was back at the take-out and loading up their gear. From there it was a three hundred yard drive to the local Pizza Hut where most of the paddlers gathered for…yes, you guessed it…pizza.

Special thanks to trip leader Jan and shuttle drivers Doug and Delbert. Join us next time we have a club trip. Don't let a little rain stop you from paddling. - Wes Mosteller

August 19, 2006, Boiling Creek, FL

The water was murky, not clear like it usually is. We didn't see any turtles, or snakes. Must have been too hot. There were some good size fish and Lou said he saw a sturgeon on the Yellow. We didn't see it, but he was way ahead of us. We stopped to swim several times and stopped at the usual lunch spot. We didn't have any wind on the Yellow, like we usually do. All in all, it was a very relaxing, but hot trip. It was 99 in Milton on Saturday.

August 19, 2006, Holmes Creek, FL

On Saturday, August 19th, twenty-one paddlers met at the Vernon Park and Boat Landing on Highway 79 at the edge of town for a paddle upstream to visit two springs, Magnolia/Becton Springs, and Cypress Springs. The trip was led by Frances Stone and Susan Sasser.Since there has been a less than normal rainfall this summer, the river level was low, the water clear, and the upstream paddling fairly easy. We had a diverse group of paddlers with ages ranging from 12 to 80 and had no incidents or difficulties.

To reach the springs and stay in open water without any pullovers, the paddlers stayed to the left at any diverging branches of the river. The Magnolia/Becton Spring Run actually looks like the main branch of Holmes Creek, but in a very short distance one comes to the springhead, and a dead-end. The east side of the spring is not posted, and the club members pulled their canoes and kayaks over to the side and snorkled and swam in the spring.

After a short break, the group went back down the spring run, took a sharp left turn and continued up Holmes Creek. There is a county public boat ramp on the right side of the river called Culpepper Landing. After Culpepper Landing it is a 20 or 25 minute paddle to the spring run for Cypress Creek. Just past this opening there is a huge tree down blocking Holmes Creek, so that is a visible sign that one has reached the Cypress Creek Spring Run. The water in this run is sparkling clear, shallow, and swift, but it isn't very far to the spring itself. Again the east side has not been posted, and although it is a little muddy, there was plenty of room for the 14 canoes and kayaks that our club had used on the trip, in addition to local craft and swimmers. A favorite activity of locals was to bring lawn chairs and sit in the shallow spring run.

Two of the group had brought Scuba equipment, many members had snorkles and face masks, and additional members of the group swam and waded and chatted during lunch. After a lengthy time at Cypress Springs everyone loaded up and headed back downstream. There is one spot in the river where the main channel takes a sharp right turn. It would be easy to want to veer left where there is a significant run, but this channel of the river has a tree blocking the river, and also a very swampy area that was impossible to pass at the low water level.

On an earlier trip, Jim Neutzel, founding member and first president of the WFCKC, used his new GPS which notated actual distance paddled. The entire trip in Holmes Creek to Cypress Springs is 2.2 miles. Paddling upstream takes an hour and a half to two hours, and coming back downstream is easier, but not a whole lot faster, because of the slow current. Paddlers on a scouting trip did the entire paddle in three hours, but the August 19 trip took five hours because of the time spent in spring exploration.

On trips in past years with high water levels, Holmes Creek was a muddy brown, so the beauty that we saw was significantly enhanced by the low water level. Birds sighted were: Brown Pelican, Kingfisher, Cattle Egret, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron and White Ibis. There were many large fish visible in the clear water, and turtles. On three trips in the last month, no one saw any snakes or alligators. At the present time most of the creek banks are wooded and in the morning hours provide significant shade.

The Vernon Park and Boat Ramp is not marked with a sign, but it is on the left side of State Road 79 approximately 15 miles South of I-10. The drive into the park goes downhill and is difficult to spot the first time. If you go over the long curved bridge into town, you have passed the entrance and must make a u-turn in town and come back and watch for the entrance which is immediately after the bridge.
- Frances Stone

August 12, 2006, Major's Creek, AL

Major's Creek was super today. Lots of sunshine and no thunderstorms. The first part of the little creek was shallow and totally clear. Sometimes we walked along the sandy bottom and led out boats. Little fish were everywhere. Big fish lurked in the holes near fallen logs. Deer bounced away as we came down the creek. A huge blue heron flew just ahead of us. Birds came whirling out of the bushes. This creek is great because it is so remote. It is heavily canopied and silence except for the birds. No paddling through back yards here. Carl and Miriam had a large turnout for the trip. Sonia and Barb picked up cans. Jim sawed away at logs that crossed the creek. The rocky shoals were in low water, so many walked their boats through that gurgling area. Some downed trees required a little climbing. Over, under, around and through, we made our way down the lower part of the creek. Bob and Sarah had help from the local guys lifting their tandem up the steep bank at the end. This trip a bit of a challenge and loads of fun. It was good to see Scott and Laura back on the river. Thanks to Delbert who ferried shuttle drivers Charlie and Jim and me back to our cars. For new paddlers who found this creek somewhat difficult, I would urge a return trip in the fall when there is more water and you can paddle much faster. It's great to see new faces and some kids on the river.

July 22, 2006, Chipola River, FL

Ten and ½ eager paddlers put in eight boats at the Hwy 278 bridge Saturday morning. The river was slightly murky at the put- in, but quickly cleared up down stream. The low water made for some exciting shoals through out the paddle. Making this river a great summer paddle were the rope swings and good swimming holes through out the trip. One of the best swings was at our lunch spot that swung out to a deep hole. Other lunch stop entertainment included swimming out to a large limestone outcropping in the middle of the river and looking for treasures in the limestone holes with mask and snorkels. Of course those chocolate brownies were pretty high on the list too, thanks John.

We saw several grouping wading birds fishing in the shallow shoals, including white ibis and little blue herrings. The take out was the infamous "look and tremble" rapid. The low water proved to make this "class one rapid" exciting with the high waves. Unfortunately, the rain cut us short on our play time in the rapid. Justine, you will have to work on your eddy turns next time.

Thanks Frances for braving another day of paddling and helping with the shuttle. And a special thanks to everyone that came over to share this great river with us. - Jimmie j

July 5, 2006, Bayou Chico, Pensacola, FL

Tina Murphy's kayak rebellion went off without a hitch A group of 15 paddlers proved their committment to the first Wednesday by coming to the Oar House at five for feasting and paddling. The mellow paddlers ate well...yes Laura...the Forklift is a sandwich...a big sandwich. After a consuming a ridiculous amount of grilled grouper, chicken, shrimp and salad in the breezy waterfront restaurant, we hit the water. Chris was a standout in his inflatable kayak. Francis experimented with Robert's Pungo and Tina and her mom had a blast in a tandem kayak on loan from Pensacola Kayak and Sail. Thanks to Bob for providing kayaks to those of us who arrived without our craft. Everything from sleek sea kayaks to sit on tops was appropriate for this trip on Escambia Bay and into Bayou Chico. We saw osprey, geese, a weird variety of ducks, blue heron, green heron and a lonely hawk.. Sonia amazed us all with her true story of watching an osprey snag a large fish. Unable to lift the fish, the osprey drowned when the fish pulled him under and he was unable to release the fish from his talons. The paddle was cool and breezy despite the heat earlier in the day. The mellow paddlers stayed on the water until dusk enjoying the long summer day. Thanks go out to our fearless leader Tina who proves once again that the midweek paddle is alive and well. - Susan Guttmann

April 28-30, 2006, Okatoma River, Mississippi

What a super trip! Mark Vance had us camp at Okatoma Outpost...like any decent campsite, it has a large live bear in residence. We camped on a sunny hillside and had a great weekend. Friday's trip on the lower Okatoma was loads of fun. Little rapids and small drops made the trip a lot of fun. Mark identified all the strange plants along the way.

Saturday we paddled the river above the campground. It was very exciting. The first drop took us down at a high rate of speed toward a tree with a dogleg right. One paddler took a refreshing swim and Larry and Delbert formed a successful kayak retrieval squad. We encountered several other challenges and had a ball watching boats from the livery run the drops backwards and upside down. Larry cooked sausages on the sand bar, so we ate like royalty.

This is a trip every club member would enjoy. Hats off to leader Mark who bought a car Thursday night so he could attend and Delbert who aired up Marks's flat tire and changed one for Susan. Charlie enjoyed his first Class II drop and used his golden retriever charm on teen-aged girls along the river. Our youngest and most enthusiastic paddler was Jake, age 12 who paddled the big tandem with Larry and Judy. - Susan Guttman

April 22, 2006, Earth Day - Pensacola, FL

Saturday was a beautiful day, sunny, warm, and a light wind at the Community Center on Bayou Texar. Sixteen of our club members unloaded boats, paddles, and PFD's and introduced Panhandle residents to the joy of kayaking and canoeing. We had many kayaks, ranging from one as small as a whitewater boat to Laura's two 17' sea kayaks, 2 tandem canoes and 2 solo canoes.

The kayaks were the choice of most, but surprisingly people were waiting in line for the two tandems. We handed out newsletters to people interested in our club and answered many questions about boats, rivers and creeks in this area. We had one person join the club and Sandra sold two more T-shirts. About 3:00 p.m. the wind came up and it was time to call it a day. We probably had over 100 people (adults, teens, and kids) try out the boats.

Many thanks to Barb and Charlie Stecz, Sandra and Oren Castille, Sara and Bob Williamson, Jan Heart, Chris Lee, Mickie Fox, Austin Asquith, Tina Murphy, Laura Hiltabrand, Linda Taylor, Larry Burner, and Wes Mosteller for all their help. - Jane Mosteller

April 13-16, 2006, Silver River, FL

The weather was gorgeous (50s at night 80s during the day, clear skies).

The company was wonderful and included the Jarratt's, Nikki Johnson (Jessica's long-time friend and canoeing partner), Paula Saunders, The Sasser's, the Fulford's (Tina's brothers), and the Murphy's including Bob on his first WFCKC trip.

The rivers were beautiful!!! The lovely green Silver River with its bounty of fish, gators and turtles was a delight and was Aden's (Jessica's 1 year old son) maiden canoe voyage. We stopped and snorkeled twice - the quantity of fish was impressive - must be due to the "No Fishing" signs. Robert Murphy perfected the upside-down rope swing technique where one's head is at the bottom of the rope near the knot and one's feet are clasping 6' nearer the top of the rope - in his case, up near the palm fronds. We did make it upstream 4+ miles to the blue/green headsprings - the headsprings being the same color as the eyes of the double-crested cormorants which were nesting in a tree nearby. The Jarratt's spotted three monkeys, the Fulford's/Murphy's heard a group of monkeys having a family spat, and Paula found one of the boats we were looking for and pointed it out to each of us. Surprisingly, we heard Bob Murphy wonder aloud about the possibility of trying a tandem kayak in the future.

Note: The Silver River State Park, where we camped, also has a put-in to Silver River that is advertised as approximately ½ mile from the parking lot. Ginny, Dillon, and Cory Fulford with Tina and Robert Murphy took a nice stroll down this trail where we saw two young armadillos - one of which walked right up to Cory Doolittle to be petted. Then it cantered off. Cory also spotted bear tracks along the Silver River where the trail ends. It is a nice place to hike but I think carrying a boat to the put-in would feel like 2/1 miles - instead of ½.

For dinner, old-time club member Don Hagg recommended Harry's in Ocala - a New Orleans restaurant chain that serves seafood, steak and sandwiches. We were joined by Don, the Sasser clan (Susan Sasser, her mother and father, Sue & Shaver Sasser, and her brother, Jason) along with more Fulford/Murphy relatives from Alachua for dinner at Harry's Friday evening. Add this one to the log book for it was very good.

The Juniper Springs trip started and ended by boozing it up………………………not our group this time. A couple who put in on the river a short time before us apparently decided to guzzle their liquor when they found out they could not take it on the river - in containers. Methinks the drinking started prior to this event as one could smell the liquor when one passed them earlier on the walkway while unloading boats and equipment (8:30a.m.). Well, you can guess what happened with the combination of inexperience, drunkenness and a sandy-bottomed, palm-tree lined, twisty creek. It was not long after embarking (maybe 15 - 20 minutes) before we passed the sopping wet woman who was walking up stream proclaiming she was headed back to the truck - she was done paddling for the day! Shortly thereafter, we passed her bloodshot-eyed male partner trying to paddle a 15-foot aluminum canoe solo up the creek. By the time he passed the last person in our party, I heard he too was walking up stream. So we paddled on. Justine, who started out kayaking, decided to help her dad, Russell, paddle the tandem canoe so her mother could have a go at kayaking awhile… or something like that. Jason Sasser demonstrated his new water tennis shoes from L.L. Bean (they worked just as advertised - from river to hiking without changing shoes). Jessica and Nikki were quite the troopers as they helped our group plus some other folks over/under the one log that blocked our path. They then later spotted a deer - good Karma at work! Maybe we should not have taken the plight of the inebriated couple so lightly, as bad Karma fell on our group when one of our members went swimming fully clothed three times. Even so, good attitudes prevailed and we enjoyed a terrific trip on this peaceful, pristine creek that flows through a subtropical jungle remote from houses, cars, civilization, etc……………………….. until the end : "HEY YA'LL LET'S PARTY!" We ended our trip at a bridge which also doubled as the biggest redneck party going down in all of Marion County that afternoon - one that would rival some of the best our good ol' boys can throw together right here on the Panhandle.

From there, we drove to Alexander Springs (also in the Ocala Forest and another $4.28 per person entrance fee) and snorkeled an underwater sandy mountain where Michael Fulford found several fossils. The boardwalk at this park leading through the local flora is a must-do! From the campground approaching the walkway, it does not appear to be anything special. But once you enter the palm forest along this wooden boardwalk, you are transported into another world with delicate springs, a natural stream, lush ferns, a variety of palms and surprisingly, no insects. Susan Sasser, our head photographer, stayed busy taking photos. (So many photo opportunities, so little time!). Along the boardwalk are two decks overlooking the springs where Sue Sasser spotted a large fish. Shaver Sasser kindly watched over our belongings at the picnic table and waited patiently for his family and friends as they enjoyed the park.

Each evening back at the campground we were bathed in the light of the full moon and the cloudless heavens were full of a multitude of stars. And then on Easter morning while still in his tent, Barry Fulford was serenaded by the calls of two owls - each one a short distance from the opposite sides of his campsite. And most importantly, that same Easter morning the Easter Bunny found his way to Silver River State Park campsite #1 for Aden's second Easter! - Tina Murphy

Porpoise Frenzy on Big Lagoon, FL

We wandered out just after noon on a sunny Sunday. Not 100 feet from the dock we saw babies jumping and stopped to watch. Little porpoises...big porpoises...all jumping...rolling.... turning flips...They are totally out of the water...swimming on their backs.... showing off pink tummies...two are totally airborne...they fly in tandem...porpoises swirl all around us...I watch the ones beside us...Mike sees the ones behind...why are they so crazy...oh...I think I understand...porpoises in love with springtime...we seem to be in the midst of a madcap dance...in 18 years we have never seen anything like this...the people on the shore are attracted to the wild chaos in the water...they just keep rolling...there are so many and they aren't afraid of the boat...this is the middle of the day and yet they continue...there is loud huffing and puffing all around us as they do these wild flips...there is twisting and turning and crazy leaps...they are not going anywhere...but they are having a blast ....For thirty minutes we watch ...mesmerized...as the play gets wilder and more reckless...never have we seen so many together in the lagoon...they aren't hunting the mullet as usual...there is total joy and abandon today and the big animals play in the warm waters of the lagoon. - Susan Guttman

April 5, 2006, Annual Club Photo Contest Results

The club's annual photo contest was a huge success at the April meeting. The following list contains the winners and rankings in each category:

Many thanks to those who entered the contest, participated in the voting and especially to Barbara Stecz for organizing the event and Jan Heart of assisting in counting the votes.

March 17 - 19, 2006, Aucilla, Wacissa, and Slave Canal, FL

More than two dozen club members, their families, and guests camped at the group area at Goose Pasture southeast of Tallahassee and enjoyed three days of paddling and togetherness. In the evenings we gathered around a big campfire and swapped stories of past trips and humorous personal misadventures. The nights were cool and the bug population was low which made for good camping. The nearby public camping area was filled with trailers and lots of generators and airboats. The power equipment made for some noise problems during the night.

The first day's paddle was on the Aucilla River, a blackwater stream with limestone banks and canopied by palms, cypress, and red maples. The group of eighteen paddlers put-in at the bridge on County Road 14 and paddled past a few houses, which are widely scattered just down stream from the bridge. The highlight of the Aucilla is the short whitewater section about half way through the trip. Water levels were just right; the water was deep enough to completely cover the limestone rocks and fast enough to create a nice train of standing waves. Some folks elected to portage around or line their boats down the rapids. Only one person who ran the section turned over but some got a little wet from water coming over the gunnels. The rest of the trip was over all too soon. Afterward some folks tried to visit the Hickory Impoundment, which turned out to be closed for road repairs.

Saturday about two dozen paddlers did the Wacissa from the headwaters back to Goose Pasture, which according to the tracking feature on Jim's GPS is 9.7 miles. The Wacissa is famous for it's waterfowl and alligators which seemed to be less numerous than on previous trips. This may have been due to the number of airboats and outboard motor boats on the river that day. However a new club story did come about during the paddle. Which is sadder, losing a dog or a club member? An unnamed person paddled into a slough with his dog Tippi and apparently became lost forever while the unnamed person's wife Lois waited at for him at the slough's mouth and worried about the dog. You'll have to see the video of this real life near tragedy with a happy ending. The video was conceived, written, filmed, directed, produced, marketed, and reviewed (two thumbs up) by one of our trip leaders (the female). This video is not sold in stores anywhere and is recommended for immature audiences.

Sunday was the trip through the Slave Canal with about 18 people paddling including Edwin McCook (a water district official who helped us get the group camping area at Goose Pasture) and his friend John. This canopied canal is about a 5 mile paddle through a shallow, clear water extension of the Wacissa River to the Aucilla River and not passable by power boats. Wild blue irises were in bloom and the forest was full of small birds singing. Again we had great weather, which made for a pleasant day. At lunch we pulled our boats onto the muddy bank and sat on logs or other dry places while eating. The forest floor was heavily shaded so the numerous flowering plants scattered among the trees had not yet bloomed. Continuing down stream we realized that this wonderful weekend would soon be over. When we reached the intersection with the Aucilla River and started paddling up stream toward the take-out we were happy that the current was not as swift as usual. Some of us had already broken camp that morning and had all the gear in our vehicles ready to hit the road. This couldn't end so soon, it wouldn't be an official club trip if we didn't eat at a restaurant before calling it a day. So…there is this biker bar called Otz's in Newport…

Special thanks to our trip leaders Sonia McCrory and Jim Goff for making all the arrangements, handling the shuttles, and providing such great weather for the trip.
- Wes Mosteller

March 11, 2006, A Day at Hurricane Lake, FL

Six people showed up for a day of R & R at Hurricane Lake in northeast Santa Rosa County. Some got there by about 9:00 am and paddled the shoreline looking for wildlife and avoiding the numerous fishing boats. There were several places along the south lakeshore where hundreds of toads were in the water and calling for mates. The noise was incredible! No alligators were seen but numerous turtles and waterfowl were present in the more remote western part of the lake. A lone bald eagle was seen soaring high above that area.

At noon we all gathered at the crowded camping area for lunch and decided the wind was much too strong to continue paddling the lake. A vote was taken to paddle Juniper Creek from Red Rocks Bridge to Indian Ford. After unloading our gear at Red Rocks we shuttled our vehicles to the take-out where we encountered a nearly full parking area and a large crowd of people from a livery exiting the river. It seemed that on this particular Saturday the lakes and streams were very popular.

Our paddle turned out to be better than expected. Down in the creek bottom we were protected from the strong winds and there were not as many people along the way as we had expected. One of the livery canoes turned over in front of us so we got to rescue some gear and help the couple get back underway. Juniper Creek was lovely as usual and the water level just right. The best part of the day was when we all went to dinner at the Red Barn Restaurant in Milton…love those baby back ribs.
- Wes Mosteller

Read about more past trips in the Archives

February 18, 2006, Chipola River, FL

Six members of the WFCKC arrived in Three Rivers State Park in Sneads, Florida on Friday afternoon for a weekend camping and paddling trip in Jackson County. The park is located on Lake Seminole, which is created by the Jim Woodruff Dam. The three rivers are the Flint and Chattahoochee, which is dammed to create Lake Seminole and then converge below the dam to create the Apalachicola River. There is a boat ramp in the campground for the use of paddlers.

Eight additional paddlers joined the campers Saturday morning at Yancey Bridge, 1 mile north of Marianna, on SR 166 for a trip down the Chipola River. The weather conditions were excellent with temperatures in the high 60s at the time of put-in, and slightly overcast skies. The river was up because there had been 2.76 inches of rain in the first two weeks in February, and there was flooding in the river forest and the current was moving along at a much faster rate than the previous October 25th Reunion Trip. During the first hour paddlers avoided downed trees and stumps, but after passing under the Highway 90 Bridge the river opened up, and many of the group paddled side by side and chatted while floating down the river. There was a lunch break at Lamont Springs, and another diversion as paddlers entered Spring Creek that empties into the Chipola.

At 1:45 a cooler blast of air from a northern front reached the group, which quickly made its way to the Magnolia Landing public boat ramp on CR 280 for take-out. After a chance to rest and clean up, everyone regrouped at Bays Seafood in Grand Ridge and crowded around a table for such southern delights as fried dill pickles, blooming onion, cheese grits, steak, and seafood. - Frances Stone

February 18, 2006, Big Lagoon, FL

Today the light was silver on the lagoon with no discernable sun...water like a mirror...clear as a bell...no waves of any kind...loon emerges as and gives a loud and lonely cry. Paddling along the edge in water about 12 inches deep... a huge fish hangs suspended...silver ones 18 inches long with fat black stripes dart wildly toward me and away...this continues all day...the jellyfish are red and silver...they pump slowly through the water...big old pelicans look down from pilings in disapproval...they don't bother to leave...the pretty ducks have fancy topknots...they paddle quietyly while the larger black ones flap frantically away...the blue heron flys and lands just ahead...fog closes in tightly...you can't see ahead or behind...no worry...what boat could bother me in the shallows...It is magic...so quiet...these fish keep zooming around...so weird to see them so clearly...strange to paddle in shorts and tee shirt in February...goofy seagulls dive and wheel looking for a free meal...the jelly fish are so pretty moving through the water...power boaters curse the fog...we are lucky to live on the lagoon

February 17, 2006, Ingram's Bayou Paddle, FL

As you will recall, this weekday trip was planned in an effort to see Ingram's Bayou in its pristine state, to look for wintering snowbirds of the avian variety, and to hopefully see mother/baby dolphins. Here is how the trip played out.

Friday morning started off cloudy and gray as we milled around the Exxon Station in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in southern Alabama. In the short time it took to drive from the Exxon to the put-in, Bob Andrews (the trip leader), must have been doing some heavy-duty praying. Like Noah parting the Red Sea, God parted the clouds and let the sun shine about the time we reached the put-in. God usually smiles on Bob's trips, it seems. Ingram's Bayou was still pristine - most of the downed trees we saw were due to natural causes - namely, hurricanes. While searching the waterway for dolphins we came upon a pair of wintering snowbirds on board a trawler named "Ballou." They hailed from the northern latitudes of our country (Wisconsin) and were passing a good time in the Florida waters living aboard their Ballou of a Boat. As if Florida was not paradise enough for one wintering season, they were heading out soon to the Bahamas and then Quebec. The captain assured us he had two very large paddles aboard to put his house-sized boat in motion. Sure! His first mate told us she saw the dolphins recently in the bayou. But apparently, like George Bush's administration, we have a leak in our organization, for someone let the word out that a contingent of the Mobile Bay Canoe & Kayak Club along with the West Florida Canoe and Kayak Club were sending 19 of their best paddlers to search for small cetaceans (Bottlenose Dolphins.) And what would a momma dolphin do in that situation? Like any other mammal momma - they skoodaddled.

Meanwhile, the sun was still shining and the temperature hovered at 70 degrees. Not bad for the middle of February. And we paddled on… Joan Grey swept across the water in a "real" kayak (we like her Keowee too); Susan Sasser, practiced refining her paddling technique in her new fashionable lime-green (this year's hottest color) Necky Zoar Sport LV along with her mother, Sue Sasser, who got did a great job of playing caboose. Sandra and Oren Castille set the upper limit of paddling style with their fancy beaded seats they found in the automotive section of the Nameless Big Box Store. Thanks goes to Nancy Burner who was home babysitting her and Larry's grandson, Rhen. Larry (granddad) was able to bring along their daughter, Kerry Burner & her husband, Kenny Reeves. Next time maybe Rhen can join us with a toddler-sized paddle and his pint size love of the water.

We gladly welcomed new West Florida members Margaret Haynes (Pensacola) and Mickie Fox (Lillian, AL) along with their friend, Candee Abercrombie to the sport of kayaking. And we were happy to meet Tony, a former Alabamian and a new member of the Mobile Club. He has just retired and moved permanently to Fairhope, AL from somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Ohio - one of those snow-covered states in the northern reaches of our continent. Welcome back to the Great South, Tony. Another snowbird, Adrian Denhaan, a retired engineer from the Dearborn, Michigan, Ford Motor Company left his kayaks back home to hibernate in the snow and brought his Boston Whaler to the condo for the winter. We bet he brings the yaks and the Whaler next trip.

As most of you have heard, our dear friend Susan Guttman has returned to the hallowed halls of law and is making her contribution to society as a full-time public defender. We have missed her greatly on these weekday paddles. So to ease the pain, she sent her personal representatives and neighbors, Dave & Lindy Kirkpatrick. Dave performed a valuable service by staking out and valiantly guarding the only beach available for a lunch spot. On behalf of the 19 hungry paddlers, we grant Dave the Community Service Award for Hunger Prevention. Susan will be proud!

While we are handing out awards, we must give one to Sara Williamson, who maintained her honor and dignity through sheer grit and willpower. You see, Bob Williamson stripped down to his shorts at the put-in and treated all the women to some of the sexiest male legs that this club has ever seen. How Sara can control her desire in the mist of this display, we will never know.

Pulling into the take-out, as if on cue, God closed the heavens and let the clouds connect, blocking out the sun. But Bob had asked for one more favor - and the rains held.

Though we did not see dolphins, Bob had already made each person a winner when he handed out the new issue of Southern Tide and Trail magazine to all participants as we arrived that morning.

Good trip and many thanks to Bob Andrews for a great Friday in the South. -Tina Murphy

February 11, 2006, Coldwater Creek "Almost" Campout, FL

The hoped-for overnight paddle trip on the Coldwater Creek turned into a day trip; ten hardy paddlers turned up at the Subway, two with camping gear in spite of weather predictions of 30 mph winds and 29 degree temperature. And it WAS cold, cloudy and windy but, by the time we ran the shuttle and put on river, there were patches of blue sky overhead. The river was running faster due to rain Friday night, but not too high -- just "right" for a great float through a Florida winter forest and around huge white sandbars. There was even some color along the way with some maples tricked into budding out early due to our warm January weather. We took nice breaks, welcomed a visiting paddler from Illinois (who shared Dove chocolates and his flask -- knows how to make new friends, doesn't he?), passed Chewy-dog around from canoe to canoe (that girl knows how to make the most of a canoe trip!), and had an altogether enjoyable day. Thank you, my friends, for once again turning a disappointment into a great time. And special thanks to Sheila, the Shuttle Bunny. Jan Heart

February 4, 2006, Blackwater River Paddle, FL

Seven people showed up on Saturday at the Deaton Bridge parking lot in Blackwater River State Park to paddle ten miles of the Blackwater River. The group included Sandra and Oren Castille, Jan Heart, Sheila Small, Susan Benz, Jane and Wes Mosteller. It was a windy day, blowing from the northwest, so we decided to paddle with the wind and did Juniper Creek from Jan's landing north of the Red Rocks Bridge to Indian Ford instead of the Blackwater. The trees along the creek banks formed a wall which blocked the wind almost the whole trip. The day was mostly cloudy until lunch when the sun shined warmly for the rest of the trip. Water level was good and the current was running about 3 to 4 miles per hour making for ideal paddling. There were two minor float-overs where the boat bottoms scraped sunken tree trunks...no big deal. Maple seeds were coming out in the trees scattered along the creek banks giving a touch of red color and signaling that spring was not far off. We all had a good time and spent a lot of time on sand bars eating, telling jokes and laughing. - Wes Mosteller

February 4, 2006, Boiling Creek, FL

Ah, yes! Boiling Creek...as usual the creek was pretty on Saturday...what it lacked in pitcher plants was made up for in lilies, big blue herons, and a wide variety of sleeping turtles. Doug, Bill, Austin, television star Rich Brinkley,two young recruits, Gary, and several members of the Mobile Club hit the creek on a lovely sunny Saturday. Whereas a few weeks before pitcher plants were everywhere, this time the stars were lilies. One large alligator examined Rich closely, chose not to eat him and wandered off into the forest. An enormous blue heron flew along in front of us. He seemed interested in our progress and stayed with us much of the way. One very large and lazy turtle stayed suspended on a branch basking in the sun and ignored the passing boats. A breeze made the Yellow River more interesting than usual. Gary and his crew attacked the river while a contingent of lazy paddlers meandered along stopping to nap and sun. Nobody swam and no rescues were performed to the relief of all. I have seen the waters of Boiling a little clearer than they were today. Recent rainfall clouded it a little, but a good time was had by all.

January 28, 2006, Turkey Creek, FL

Hats off to Sheila for another super trip. The Turkey Creek paddle was perfect for a sunny January day. We found the water clear and the paddling easy until we reached the open water at the end. With a brisk wind we had to shift into high gear. Trip highlights included Linda's encounter with a wild pig, Cliff's return to paddling and fishing (trip leader requires a percentage of all fish caught), and Susan's spotting a deer as she drove her car to the hippy hole. Thanks to the boys for collecting a surprising number of nice bullets...a visiting law enforcement person said only the ones with orange tips are really dangerous. Condolences to Rich who lost his shoes. Jan kept order and prevented unauthorized lunching on the island and Wade enforced frequent beverage breaks. As usual the Turkey was interesting and pretty. A good time was had by all.

January 27, 2006, Escambia River to Thompson Bayou, FL

Eight lucky slackers floated lazily UP the Escambia River with 10-15 mph winds at their backs and the tide coming in (moving upstream) under their boats as they headed north towards Thompson Bayou. Wes spotted an EAGLE flying low over the water. That American icon somehow morphed into a brown pelican as it neared the members of the canoe club. Soon thereafter Jane spotted an EAGLE ----that Wes sadly confirmed to be an osprey. It did have a white head and it is a beautiful creature.

Not many boats were on the river but the Fish and Game boat passed us very slowly eyeing each and everyone in our party. They must have counted enough life jackets because they soon mosied on down the river in a strictly business-like manner.

Once in Thompson Bayou, everything changed. The water was calm and the wind noise was non-existent - we had just exited the Escambia River wind tunnel. And now the true sportsmanship of our club members came out as they had to actually pick up their paddles and put them to use. Bravo!

Suzie Weathers had a teaching engagement (water aerobics) so she, Audrey Owsley and Tina Murphy headed back to the boat ramp leaving Jane, the Multi-Tasker, to keep the boys (Wes, Larry Burner, Ritch Brinkley & Austin Asquith) in line while running alligator patrol and sweep simultaneously. Way to go, Jane!

The trip back was eventful for both groups. Suzie, Audrey & Tina spotted a dear swimming in the water in a little inlet of Escambia River. Jane spotted another osprey, which Wes, using his binoculars, soon confirmed to be an EAGLE! This time it did not morph. And this bird had a white head and a white tail. Fantastic!

Other avian species of note: belted kingfishers, pied billed grebe, double crested cormorants, duck, ospreys pairing up.

Larry, the Fisherman, caught some good photos. Austin, the New Yorker, is ready to move permanently and become a Florida transplant. And Ritch, in his camo kayak, effortlessly kept the fish and alligators out of his boat but did not enjoy quite the same success in fighting the waves from entering.

A good time was had by all the fortunate paddlers and suffice it to say, everyone received an adequate upper body workout on the return trip.

January 1, 2006, Juniper Creek, FL

Twenty-seven of us started 2006 with a paddle down Juniper Creek in Santa Rosa County about 15 miles north of Milton. There were folks from Alabama, Louisiana, New York, and Tennessee as well as the usual Florida suspects.

In the past Boiling Creek on Eglin AFB has been the stream to paddle January first. The poor condition of Eglin Road 211 and the limited parking at the put-in on Boiling seemed to call for a change this year. Juniper was our first choice because of the good parking areas, nice sandbars for lunch and breaks, the beauty of the creek, and it's closeness to Pensacola.

The shuttle left Beall's parking lot in Milton at 10 AM and we started down stream by 11. Clouds and fog earlier in the morning may have discouraged some who had signed up for the trip but the weather turned out to be better than expected. As we launched our boats and drifted under the Red Rocks Road Bridge all worries were left behind. The creek was running clear and the solitude of the surrounding state forest had a calming effect the further we traveled from the road. There were not any sounds of birds or other wildlife along the stream banks perhaps because we were engaged in conversation with our fellow paddlers.

After about an hour and a half of paddling we stopped for lunch at a huge point bar and set up tables that were piled full of all types of special dishes and many bottles of champagne. Everyone gathered around to toast the New Year and resolve to paddle more often this year. From that point there was a feeding frenzy for which our club is noted. Mexican salad, pickled herring, sliced ham, corn salsa dip, shrimp, cheese ball, pasta salads, and desserts of every sort were just some of the foods that disappeared from the tables in a matter of minutes.

The rest of the afternoon was spent casually meandering downstream, taking pictures of each other taking pictures, and enjoying each other's company. Oh yeah, it did rain several times for a few minutes, just long enough to put on rain gear and then have to take it off before getting too warm. Chewy the paddling pooch was a big hit in Sonia McCrory's rain hat and jacket. Paddlers reached the take-out at their own pace and lingered to help later arrivals pack up their gear before leaving. Some of the last to take-out were greeted with a short but heavy downpour. No big deal when you are on the river. By 4 PM the last car was headed home.

May 2006 be a great paddling year for each of you. Keep your paddle in the water and butt in the boat. - Wes Mosteller

August 27, 2005, Majors Creek

Presidents Miriam and Carl Stewart hosted a super paddle on Major's Creek Saturday. The creek is remote and beautiful with a wide variety of shoals and little rapids. Paddlers enjoyed weaving in and out of trees and obstructions. The creek was canopied and temperatures moderate. The trip included a wide variety of kayaks and canoes. The canoes seemed best adapted for the shallow waters and obstructions.

From grandparents to ten-year-old kids and 10-month old puppies this creek was an interesting challenge. Golden retriever Charlie elected to swim and walk the creek. Presidential hopeful Mark Vance plied the group with peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies. Miriam and Carl brought more cookies. Water moved quickly and the day was lots of fun for the paddlers. Despite the super muddy put-in and rocky takeout, this creek remains a personal favorite.

August 6, 2005, Turkey Creek, Eglin AFB

The forecast was for rain but this didn't stop ten club members from meeting at the Hardee's south of Crestview. Jim Nuetzel drove over 200 miles from Columbus, Georgia to paddle Turkey Creek, one of his favorite streams. Yes, it was raining lightly as we shuttled to the put-in at the Hippie Hole but it soon stopped and the day turned out great. Three people went by Jackson Guard Headquarters to get Eglin permits before meeting the shuttle at the old Chamber of Commerce boat ramp in Niceville.

By the time we had all gotten back to the put-in it was about 10:30 with no rain and a relatively cool overcast morning. The water was crystal clear and running higher and faster than most of us had ever seen. Water was coming into the current from small hillside springs and sheets of clear water were running through the trees between the creek meanders. Small numbers of wildflowers were blooming along the banks and the snakes and spiders were out in numbers.

After quickly arriving at our usual lunch spot we decided to continue on the first bridge before eating. Stopping at this bridge for lunch turned out to have both good and bad points. It was good to have a grassy area to sit down and relax. It was not so good to have a very small landing area where only one boat at a time could be unloaded. After lunch we started encountering spider webs at face level about every ten yards. I was in the lead and soon looked like a silk cocoon with threads wrapped around my hat and head.

By the time we had gone through the culverts the sun was trying to peek from behind the clouds. We stopped there for a break before our last hour of paddling to the take-out in Niceville. As we exited the creek into the bay about 4:00 in the afternoon the sun was shining and it was starting to get warm. After loading our gear seven of us decided the perfect way to end the day was to stop at LaBamba for Mexican food and Margaritas. It was just another day in paradise. - Wes Mosteller

July 2, 2005, Juniper Creek

Seventeen intrepid paddlers gathered at the Shell in Milton to paddle Juniper 191 to Indian Ford. The current was swift and the river was up. Paddling was very easy until we hit a few downed trees. We went over, under, around and through for about a mile. New member Frances was game for all of it and visitor Greg enjoyed the challenge so much he bought a new kayak at Adventures on Monday. The group had a ball and a few took a swim. Fresh blueberries made a yummy addition. Sea kayak people were not thrilled with the pullovers while sit on tops and canoes seemed okay with this adventure paddle. It was definitely doable for all. Red Rock to Indian Ford was a little less eventful. The lower part had plenty of sandbar campers enjoying the weekend. - Susan Guttmann

May 29 - June 2, 2005, Wacissa and Aucilla Rivers

There were eleven people who showed up Sunday afternoon at the Econfina River Resort ignoring the seventy percent chance of rain forecast for Monday. We had a few sprinkles in the early morning and the sky was overcast when we put-in at Goose Pasture. After launching our boats we paddled about one and a half miles on a side branch of the Wacissa River to get to the Slave Canal. Along the way we saw several baby alligators while we enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the slow current.

The entrance to the Slave Canal is marked with double red stripes painted on two trees at river right. The canal is canopied with a sandy white bottom and tannin colored water. The canal is lined with palm trees, sweet bays and cypress. We had several pullovers, but with the help of Robert Murphy and his cousin Alex they weren't a problem. The bugs were out and the edges of the canal were very muddy so we opted to have lunch in our boats.

As you approach the south end of the Slave Canal where it enters the Aucilla River you have to turn and paddle upstream to the take-out. On this day the Aucilla's current was not running swift so the three hundred-yard paddle wasn't difficult. All in all it was a beautiful day and a great paddle by all.

However… the following day the sky opened and heavy rains fell. Some of the paddlers left for home but the more hardy souls (soon to be institutionalized) stayed and paddled part of the Aucilla the next day and the upper Wacissa the day following that. We were told that they also had a great time and didn't get too wet.

May 22, 2005, Juniper Creek Cleanup

Eleven boats, eleven big bags of trash collected, and a cleaner stream to paddle. Thanks to those who helped.

May 2005 Photo Contest Winners

Flora

1st Place: Scott Plowman "Look At Me"
2nd Place: Wes Mosteller "Red Maple Seeds On Water Bonnets"
3rd Place: Sonia McCrory "Field Of Promise"

Fauna

1st Place: Martha Szymoniak "Sea Lions"
2nd Place: Miriam Stewart "Smoking Crab"
3rd Place: Wes Mosteller "Young Cottonmouth"

Scenic

1st Place: Judi Russell "The Depth Of Nature"
2nd Place: Barbara Stecz "The Grand"
3rd Place: Wes Mosteller "Reflections In Flooded Forest"

Action

1st Place: Jimmy Mclean "Solitude On The Swannee"
2nd Place: Sonia McCrory "Hormones Gone A Muck"
3rd Place: Judi Russell "The Chase"

Driftwood

1st Place: Mark Vance "One Good Tern"
2nd Place: Charlie Stecz "Prehistoric Bird"
3rd Place: Miriam Stewart "Fish"

Congratulations to all our winners, who received ribbons and a $10 gift certificate from Academy Sports for the first place winners. All the entries were interesting, talented and enjoyed. We had 28 entries and I thank you all for helping make this a great photo contest once again. Special thanks to judges Angelenia Edwards and Gordon Levi.

April 16, 2005, Boiling Creek, FL

Twenty people met at the Yellow River Bridge and paddled Boiling Creek. It was a beautiful day with no wind or bugs. We encountered road crews on the way to the put-in. They were adding a clay base and grading Eglin road 211. The stream level was high at the wooden bridge on 211 due to the heavy rains in early April and the water was not very clear.

Pitcher plants were blooming as was the fragrant water lilies, and spatterdock. It was obvious the creek had been a couple of feet higher in the recent past; debris was in tree branches and dirty watermarks were on the trunks. The Yellow River had also backed up into the lower reaches of Boiling and there was very little current for about a mile above the traditional lunch stop.

The Yellow was just below flood stage (41') but the current was not much faster than normal. We checked out our favorite short cut at the narrow neck of the bend and found it was clogged with down trees and limbs. In spite of the abnormal stream conditions we had a good time and look forward to paddling Boiling when the water is clear again. - Wes Mosteller

April 23, 2005, Earth Day Pensacola, FL

In spite of the wind, it was a beautiful sunny day at the Community Center on BayouTexar. Ten of our club members unloaded their boats, paddles, and PFDs and introduced Panhandle residents to the joy of kayaking and canoeing. The wind was a factor for sure, two kayaks flipped and Charlie Stecz and Larry Burner had to rescue them. One young man floated across the Bayou and had to be towed back to shore by Charlie. We had young families and teenagers paddling the tandem. Some adventurous youth even tried the sole canoes, but the kayaks were the hit of the day. At 3:30 p.m. we put the boats to rest with a few people still wanting to try them out. We handed out Newsletters to people interested in our club and answered many questions about boats, rivers and creeks in this area.

Many thanks to Barb and Charlie Stecz, Tina Murphy, Jan Heart, Mark Vance, Sandra and Oren Castille, Larry Burner, and Wes for all their help.

February 19-21, 2005, Coldwater Creek, FL

Saturday was beautiful - sunny and cool, just perfect for camping. Wes and Jane Mostellor came for a day paddle, Jan Heart and Laura Hiltabrand did three days on the river and Mark Vance, his three month old puppy, Charlie, and I did two days. Coldwater Creek was back to normal levels and very, very pretty. Jan was surprised to hear there was a possible pullover, but actually as it turned out, there were three pullovers because of the lower water level. Being a playful puppy, Charlie didn't want to wait in the boat until Mark had negotiated one of the pullovers and decided to hop out of the boat, walk down the log and help him...then Charlie learned what happens when you fall off the log into the river. In the afternoon, we located a nice sandbar where we decided to camp for the evening. We said goodbye to Wes and Jane who paddled out to Adventures Unlimited and then shuttled my truck down to Adventures from the put-in (thanks, guys!). We had a great evening on the sandbar with plenty of wood for the fire, courtesy of Ivan. Shortly after we retired we heard a lot of loud splashes down by the boats, which was probably a beaver who didn't like us invading his space. It woke everyone up but we were so nice and warm in our sleeping bags no one decided to investigate. The only one who slept through it all was Charlie, our ever diligent watchdog. We set off late the next morning and drifted down to Adventures where we browsed through the store and walked around a little. We ran into a lady in the campground who had lost her husband in the woods after he went chasing after their escaped cat, but she seemed a little more worried about the cat than the husband. Jan and Laura continued on and Jan told me later that they drifted down the river, had a leisurely lunch, found a great sandbar to camp on and enjoyed a beautiful evening with the moon slipping in and out of the clouds And even though this was a notorious "Jan Heart" trip, we encountered no hail, floods or locusts. Good job, Jan!

January 24, 2005, Juniper Creek, FL

On January 24th Sheila led a trip on Juniper Creek. The weather was outstanding and a fine time was had by all. No one practiced swimming and the current on the river was swift and lots of fun. Juniper Creek remains a club favorite.

January 15, 2005, Big Escambia River, AL

Thank God, we didn't even lose our allowed ten percent. It was a beautiful day in South Alabama with cool temperatures when 13 brave paddlers and puppy, Charlie, took to the water. The water was up and fast. Of the 13 paddlers, six swam. We had discussed different trips, such as, Jimmy trips or Jan trips and I assured them my trips were always easy. We had paddled only a few minutes more when we encountered a tree across the creek with only one narrow place to paddle thru. We had two boats over and people trying to rescue the paddlers and the boats. We learned some valuable lessons. Everyone needs floatable painters(ropes) on both ends of their canoes. We need to practice rescuing others in good conditions so we will be better prepared when we have emergency conditions.

We did make it off the water just before dark and had to use headlamps to load up. We all agreed it was a great trip with more adventures to talk about in the future.

January 8, 2005, Mystery Paddle

The mystery is solved! Saturday six canoes and a kayak embarked on the mystery paddle. The group headed for the horse stables on Coldwater Creek and paddled down to Adventures Unlimited. The Coldwater, generally a gentle slow creek had taken on rainwater and was ripping along. The paddlers had such good current that the ten miles went by easily with very little paddling. Two deer swam across in front of us. Trees had fallen in many places, but there was only one place we had to pull over. It was easily accomplished on a sandbar beside the tree. We recovered a lost kayak paddle along the way. Once again the paddlers had a blast despite an early morning lightning storm that discouraged a few would-be participants. The storm passed before we hit the river and we had only a gentle shower right before the takeout. For January you just can't beat Pensacola. It was 72 degrees when we came off the river. Thanks to Sheila who took over when Mark had to stay home with his sick puppy. A great day was had by all.

January 2, 2005, Big Lagoon, FL

January 2 a group of seven kayaks took on Big Lagoon. The day was sunny and the paddlers headed east enjoying a little white water supplied by a large fishing boat. The group explored a section of Johnson Beach east of the old turnaround. Many treasures were discovered including a very large conch shell, stainless steel mixing bowls, and some pretty driftwood. The lagoon birds were out in full force, but no porpoises appeared. The area is recovering from the effects of Ivan. Lunch at Hub Stacey's suggested a paddle from Galvez Landing as a future venture.

January 1, 2005, Boiling Creek, FL

New Year's Day the weather was warm and a wide variety of kayaks and canoes hit the creek under the direction of Wes and Jane Mosteller. The paddlers shared champagne and celebrated surviving 2004. The creek was gorgeous. The water was crystal clear and many pitcher plants decorated the banks. The feast was tremendous from George's spectacular spinach dip to some very suspect pecan pie. With water up and moving fast on the Yellow River the trip deserved its easy ratiing. The short cut remains blocked. Wes took the group through the cut before lunch and discovered one good-sized snake, but no gators. WFCC is off and running for the new year.

December 26, 2004, Big Lagoon, FL

Sunday's paddle on Big Lagoon was exciting as usual. A north wind pushed the kayaks over to Johnson Beach in record time. After a leisurely trip along the beach, the paddlers headed for Big Lagoon State Park and a sunny excursion to Grand Lagoon where the seabirds have taken over. Blue herons, geese, brown pelicans, large white herons, kingfisher, osprey, laughing gulls, mallards, and loons were among the few we could identify. All paddlers complained mightily of getting way too much sun. After the rainy Christmas, sunscreen had been forgotten.

December 11, 2004, Styx River, AL

On Dec.11 twelve brave souls paddled the Styx. The day was beautiful with water high and swift. Five kayaks and seven canoes approached the infamous drop. With the water roaring it was quite entertaining. Three kayaks and three canoes ran the drop while the remaining six lined around. Two swimmers advised that the water was actually much warmer than it looked. A great time was had by all.

December 10, 2004, WFCC Christmas Party

Once again the food and door prizes and brown bag gifts were great. We're sorry if you missed it. Seville Inn was the location and candles burned bright on tables decorated with candy and small "blue roof" decorations. Great idea Laura! The group was small but all had a great time. Maybe we will see you there next year. Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

Your Christmas party committee: Barbara Stecz, Laura Plowman and their great husbands- the porters of goods. Happy New Year to all in 2005!

December 4, 2004, Big Fork - Titi Creeks, Eglin AFB

Seven canoeists met at Hardee's in Crestview. The day was cloudy but in the sixties. Jimmy McLean wore a wet suit for the anticipated getting into the creek to cut fallen timber. This trip was a combination "let's clear the creek and watch for deer sign." We didn't see any wild life probably due to the chain saw noise, but we did see wild pig sign and also some evidence that deer have been in this area. Big Fork was high with a good current, many twists and tight turns.

The women never had to get out of their boats thanks to Jimmy, Scott and Charlie getting the fallen timber out of the way. Clearing the creeks took longer than we anticipated so we didn't get to the take out until after dark. The Big Fork and Titi are beautiful creeks to paddle whether in the summer or winter. If you have never had the chance to paddle these creeks, try to make the next trip.   -Jane Mosteller

September 11, 2004, Little River, Baldwin County, AL

About 10 people met at the Stagecoach Inn in Stockton for the paddle down the Little River. The water was a little higher than usual with a good current. There were a few limbos and scoot-across's, but nothing difficult. Our little friend "Lester" the canoe chasing dog was not seen. After our leisurely 5-hour paddle we all stopped at Street's to top off the day with a delicious fish dinner. - Jane Mosteller

August 14, 2004, Titi Creek, Eglin AFB

Thirteen people met at Hardee's in Crestview to shuttle to the put-in on Titi Creek on Eglin road 207. It was a beautiful morning with low humidity and temperature (unusual for August) which made for a very pleasant paddle. At the put-in the water was running fast and deeper than normal. After unloading our boats and gear, we took the vehicles to the take-out. It is at the park on the northeast side of the Shoal River Bridge, just south of Crestview. In twenty minutes the drivers were back and ready to launch the boats.

Sonia McCrory and Laura Plowman went ahead of us to clear branches and obstructions. The creek was relatively clean and no pull-overs were encountered. Where we launched our canoes and kayaks the creek is narrow, twisty and canopied. Good paddling skills were needed to keep out of the bushes and avoid stumps in the middle of the stream.

After a couple of miles of paddling we were starting to feel hungry; some of us had a very early breakfast and our fuel tanks were running low. We were all looking for Honey Creek which enters the Titi on the left. That is where the lunch stop was. Honey is crystal clear and about eight inches deep. We poled and paddled upstream about a hundred yards or more to a small landing on our left. We got out of the boats and sat around in the grass while we relaxed and ate.

Continuing downstream we floated more than paddled. There wasn't much wildlife to be seen except a few birds and one large brown water snake. As the Titi approaches the Shoal River it's channel becomes less obvious where it starts flowing through a cypress and blackgum swamp. This is probably the most interesting and fun part of the trip. There are many routes through the swamp and it is easy to get lost if you haven't paddled it before or don't have a guide.

On reaching the Shoal we started looking for a sandbar where we could stop and relax. There were very few sandbars but we found a small one. As we were getting out of our boats a young cottonmouth swam across the river right between the beached boats. This caused a minor panic with one canoeist screamed and used her paddle to flip the snake away from her boat. Scared the hell out of the snake!

On reaching the take-out everyone was hungry again so we stopped at LaBamba restaurant in Crestview for Mexican food and margaritas.

Great trip. - Jan Heart

June 6, 2004, Summer Party, Blue Angel Recreation Area on Perdido

My thanks go out to those of you who attended the Summer Party. If you were one of the ones who left early, you missed out on the "SUN and LIVE MUSIC" provided by "The Three Amigos" Yes, the sun finally did come out and the water calmed enough for people to paddle their kayaks and sail their canoes. The rest of us sat in the sun, slept or visited with friends we hadn't seen in a long time.

For those of you who did not attend, you missed out on: great food, a storm that brought 40-50 mile per hour winds, a sand storm, rain, white caps on the bay, cooking under an umbrella, sun, live music and good friends.

Many thanks go to the folks who helped with the cooking, Lou Cook and Steve Gramo (he brought deer-meat sausage with peppers and onions). I am grateful to all the folks who brought a dish to share and helped to clean up.   -  Thanks, Jerry Carrier

May 21-23, 2004, Okatoma, Hattiesburg, MS

 Five boaters showed up on Friday afternoon to paddle the lower Okatoma River.  Despite our lack of displacement, the water level was a little high.  Many of our drops were washed out so we spent much of the two and a half-hour trip admiring the numerous wildflowers.

 Water levels dropped slightly overnight producing very good flows for the upper section.  We took long and frequent breaks at the drops where we playboated and watched the “aluminum carnage.”

 Sunday’s trip was on the Leaf River…HO HUM. Birds, wildflowers, toad stools (eroded rock formations), and whitewater (including a class 3 drop…got to know that station level) made the day very interesting.  You should have been there! - Mark Vance

May 14-16, Abbey & Omussee Rivers,

SE Alabama

 Once again the weatherman was good to us. Thirteen boats and fourteen people paddled the beautiful canopied Abby Creek on Saturday. Jim Nuetzel our first president joined us from Columbus, Georgia and Barbara Fitzpatrick came from Jacksonville; both are club members and it was good to see them. The Kruts and Castilles were first time paddlers on these rivers and really enjoyed them.

The Abbey trip was measured to be seventeen miles by the GPS folks in our group. All these years we thought it was a tough fourteen miles.  No wonder we were so hungry on Saturday night for those potluck suppers. Speaking of food (as we often do), what a grand spread we had and then followed by a great campfire.

Sunday was another spectacular day with lots of shoals and beautiful scenery.  The big surprise came when we discovered that no water was running in the riverbed at the old hydro plant and much of the big curve and fun area had washed away.  A small amount of water was diverted through the plant but overall there was a major change of scenery for us old timers.

Charlie and I camped four nights at Kolomoki Mounds and as usual camping was great there.  Trip summary: a good group and a fun time!  - Barbara and Charlie Stecz

May 14-16, Slave Canal, Wakulla River, HuManatee Festival, St. Marks FL

 Y’all missed a great trip to Saint Marks. On Friday we left bright and early at nine AM to paddle the Slave Canal and Wacissa River. There was an abundance of wildlife on the water including alligators, turtles, and lots of fish. After that, we took out and went spring hopping to the headspring of the Wakulla.

 Saturday we put in at highway 365 and paddled down to highway 98.   We had three canoes and two kayaks.  Later that night we had a potluck dinner at Aunt Mickey’s house.  The weather was beautiful, with very few clouds. We enjoyed beautiful sunsets and great times at the local spot, “Posey’s”, where we danced the night away. I must say for those who missed the trip that they must come with us on our next adventure. 

• – Jessica Jarratt

April 30-May 7, 2004, Current And Jacks Fork Rivers

Amazing, no one got lost and all 12 of us met at the Montauk State Park near Salem, Missouri, well before dark on Thursday, April 29th. Weather forecast was "iffy" but we had the "paddle fever," so by about 12:30 p.m. next day the shuttle was run and we were putting in on the Current River with thunder heard overhead and rain coming down. What a beautiful river, even in the rain!  It has nice little shoals and runs, and is small and very scenic at the first National Scenic Riverways landing (Baptist), gradually getting wider and deeper as it courses down toward Van Buren, MO, approximately 85 river miles southeast.  There are numerous springs along the way dumping millions (yes - millions!) of gallons of water into the river daily.   Generally these springs are crystal clear and have that deep azure-blue color that makes one want to don a mask and snorkel. However, we had rain ....and a portage over a road bridge, and advice by our friendly, helpful "Ranger Bill" that more rain was coming and we needed to camp high off the river.  Yes we had rain that night after dark, lightening like strobe lights most of the night, and lots and lots of rain!

Next morning the river rose 2 feet (stick at river's edge) in 2 hours, so with caution and wearing our PFDs, under light sprinkles of yet more rain, we put on river. We stopped at a waterfall and a bat cave (closed due to bat mating season), enjoyed the fast current and beautiful scenery along the river, and when we reached Akers Ferry landing our friendly Ranger Bill was there with more news and advice.  More rain was coming, the river was closed below Pulltite landing, and we should camp safe, preferably at Pulltite, that night.  We paddled 17-1/2 miles in about 4-1/2 hours (moving time, per GPS) - honest! - and camped 2 nights at Pulltite.   Ranger Bill checked in and shuttled 4 of us to the take-out to get vehicles in case we decided to change our plans. We set up camp in the rain.  A cold front was moving in. We helped some high school seniors who came off the river nearly hypothermic. And this was only the 2nd day of our trip!

Thank goodness for the sun the next day! We dried out, took showers, hiked, ate at a local Bar-B-Q, and got our spirits back.  Day 4 we put back on the river with caution to camp safe, and headed for Jerktail landing.   We paddled, but the river did most of the work. Some spelunkers explored a cave for about an hour, some of us hiked to Round Spring. And we logged about 22 miles in 4-1/2 hours (moving time, per GPS)!  The day started cool and misty and ended sunny and warming. Birds were greeting us, turtles were everywhere, and we were smiling.

Next day we only had about 7 miles to our take-out.  Decision had been made to change rivers and paddle the upper Jacks Fork River, which can only be safely done with enough rainfall -- and we certainly had had enough rainfall! Some of us camped at Alley Springs and some stayed in motels, but we managed to meet at the T&T Restaurant in Eminence for meals and planning.

The next 3 days we did day trips on the Jacks Fork River, totaling about 25-30 miles.  Pretty river, lots of runs and shoals, rock bluffs, caves, and sunny warm dry days.  Perfect paddling weather. As a matter of fact, all 12 of us paddled one extra day, a short 1/2-day run from Alley Springs to Eminence, and what a trip that turned out to be! You'll have to get those details from the survivors.

What a great group of people we had. Everyone pulled together (took out their frustrations on the trip leader, ha ha), helped each other, took each day as it came and made the best of it.  We got to know some new people, strengthened the friendships we already share, and made paddling memories. A huge warm hug and "Thank you!" to all of you for making this trip fun and memorable.   - Jan Heart

Majors Creek April 10, 2004  (See Photos)

We started the trip by eating breakfast at Street's in Bay Minette. We left there at 9:20 and put on the creek around 10:30 with 15 paddlers. It was a beautiful day with low water, but enough to paddle and use your maneuvering skills. There was lots of Titi and some Mountain Laurel. Some saw deer, birds, and fish. This is a beautiful stream, untouched by many.
We discovered a road being built thru the creek, with huge rocks and slab daming up the water. Mark and Wade removed some to let our canoes line thru.

We were thrilled to have Joy Himes, who will turn 80 on the 24th of April, paddle with us. She is a great lady and a "joy" to be around. She looks great paddling her Solo 14.

Thanks to Cliff and Denise for being our sweep and Sheila and Susan for running the shuttle. Thanks to everyone else for coming and making this another great day on the river. To end the day, we stopped back and had another meal at Street's. Our favorite waitress, Dot, took care of us. She always wants to know where Bob Andrews is.

Miriam and Carl Stewart
 

March 6-7, 2004, Big Fork & Titi Creeks

This weekend camping and paddling trip began Friday afternoon (March 5) as folks arrived at Junior Walton Campground on Eglin Airforce Base. Friday night featured championship campfire stories, howling coyotes, and pre-dawn rain. By breakfast the rain had stopped and it looked like a great day ahead. By 8:30 we had loaded our boats and gear and were ready for the marathon 25-mile shuttle.  There were fourteen boats and only two shuttle vehicles which may be a club record for the “fewest with the mostest.”  After our long shuttle we arrived at the Big Fork Creek put-in on AF base road 207. This turns out to be about four miles upstream from where we were camping. The Big Fork is a narrow, very twisty, clear water stream in pristine condition. The only signs that people have traveled through the area are the cut branches and creek clearing done by Jimmy McLean and friends. The twists were so tight that you often could see other paddlers moving in the opposite direction sort of like the line at the airline ticket counter. There are not many places to get out of your boat except one on river left about two miles into the paddle. That is where we stopped for lunch.  From there it is a short paddle to the confluence with Titi Creek. The Titi is a wider creek with great scenery.  Some of us explored a shallow tributary creek flowing in from our left.  After about three yards it became too shallow to paddle or line our boats so we gave up and returned to the Titi.  A good current carried us to our take out-out at “the concrete bridge.” Saturday night was a rerun of Friday night except there was no rain.  Sunday we paddled Turkey Creek from the Hippie Hole to the old Chamber of Commerce park in Niceville. It was a beautiful as always.

Special thanks to Jimmy and Lois McLean for leading and planning the trip; and thanks also to the shuttle drivers.   – Editor

March 5-6, Women’s “Cabin” Out #2,

We had a great time and good weather for our Cabin Out weekend. We started out on Friday with a few Challenge Course activities and a tour of Adventures Unlimited. After our potluck dinner we had an evening of fellowship and games.    On Saturday we paddled from Pond Eddy to our cabin on Coldwater Creek, about 7 miles. We spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the deck, food and spirits before the chili supper. The evening was spent around the campfire.Sunday we put in at the cabin and head to Munson Hwy. After stopping for lunch on a sand bar we were surprised to round the bend in the river and see the take out. A trip too short again! Thanks to all, the food was worth the trip alone, but it is the people that make the weekend memorable. We had fourteen ladies in total. I have a yellow foam sleeping pad and a bear golfing beach towel if any one is missing them let me know. Martha Szymoniak.

March 29th Scouting Trip, Sipsey River, Bankhead National Forest (See Photos)

Before leading a trip, especially a trip that involves travel outside the region, it’s always a good idea to do a scouting trip.  Denise and I decided that we wanted to lead a trip to Northern Alabama. We were motivated to do this after reading one of the club’s newer library books titled Paddling Alabama.  The write up on the Sipsey River made it sound like a beautiful trip and one that we would be interested in setting up as a club trip this spring.  Some additional web research led us to an outfitter in Moulton, Alabama. Lamar with Warrior Mountain Trading Company was extremely helpful. He agreed to provide a shuttle for us (CHEAP!) and recommended a hotel nearby.  We drove up on a Friday afternoon and, after fighting a traffic jam in Birmingham, arrived in Moulton 7 hours later. Saturday morning we met with Lamar at his trading company, loaded our gear in his truck and followed him to the take-out.  It was at the take-out that we realized that there could be a problem with this trip.  I wanted to set a waypoint on my GPS so we headed down to the river.   The road to the take-out was extremely steep and washed out, not even passable with a 4 wheel drive.  We hiked down to the river to set the waypoint and huffed back up to the cars.

Lamar sped us to a put in at Borden Creek, refused to accept a tip, helped us haul boats to the put-in and bid us farewell.  The first thing you notice about the terrain is the beautiful rock formations and the canyon setting. The next thing you notice is that this is a very shallow creek, impassable most times of the year. If you ever attempt this trip, do it in the Spring or after a good rain. Borden is a beautiful drop and pool type creek the banks of which are hiked regularly due to the beauty of the creek.  After 2 miles we reached the confluence of the Sipsey River.  Sipsey is a little wider and deeper than Borden and includes class 1 whitewater.  Just about the time you think that you are on a leisurely “float trip” you are met with chutes, elevation changes and shaols that include just enough exposed rocks to get your attention.   Although the Sipsey is a popular spot for launching rental boats, the river is amazingly free of litter.  Leave No Trace is preached heavily and, apparently, obeyed in the Bankhead National Forest.

We did the 12.5 mile trip in 5.5 hours, (we were driving back to Pensacola as soon as we got off the river, so we didn’t get to play much). Then we were faced with the take out.  What I didn’t notice about the take out when we checked it out prior to the trip, was just how steep the sand bank was. After a great day of paddling, we were now faced with a quarter mile hike up the side of a hill with our boats and gear. The river may have been class 1, but the take out was easily a class 5!  As beautiful as a canyon setting may be to paddle, it isn’t so nice to haul boats out of. Fortunately for us a fisherman and his son helped us haul one of our boats up the last leg of the road. Denise and I agreed that, unless the road to the take out is repaired, this wouldn’t be a good trip for the club. Water levels are also problematic. Several of the shoals were too shallow to run without leaving boat paint on the rocks.

The Borden to Sipsey run is gorgeous (See photos), but probably not a trip that everyone would enjoy due to the extreme take-out.

March 13th & 14th,   Big Escambia Campout

We put on the creek at Sardine bridge around 11:30 on Saturday morning. Thanks to Carl's brother, Bub, running the shuttle for us and Hardee's for allowing us to leave our vehicles in their parking lot, we didn't have to worry about them. It was a very relaxing weekend. We stopped for lunch around noon and then stopped again around 2:00 and set up camp. We enjoyed sitting by the water chatting and had a great campfire Saturday night.
Sunday morning some of us walked to a beaver dam and took some pictures in a fog shrouded setting. We broke camp around 10:00 after our tents were dry. A few raindrops fell on us as we neared the take-out at the bridge in Flomaton. It was a great weekend for the fifteen paddlers. We picked out a different sandbar for our next campout a mile or so down the river, below Sardis. A big thanks to two young men, Philip Rukel and Clayton Dale, for gathering firewood for us and keeping us entertained.

Miriam
Stewart

February 21, Mardi Gras on Juniper Creek (See photos)

Ten revelers showed up for a pre-Mardi Gras paddle on lower Juniper Creek. We met at the Shell/Subway across from Milton High School and shuttled to the put-in at Red Rocks bridge.  The State Forest Service has built large graveled parking areas on both sides of Red Rocks Road that make for easy access to the water.

Sonia McCrory and Jane Mosteller decorated the boats while the vehicles were shuttled to the take-out at Indian Ford. When we returned the boats were trimmed in the traditional colors of green, purple, and gold. A large troop of Boy Scouts were camping nearby and some of their leaders came over to see what this strange group of people were doing.

To our good fortune the day was sunny and warm, a welcome change from the dreary weather which had been dogging us for weeks. The creek was running swift and clear but was not at flood stage. Red seeds on the maple trees indicated that spring was not far off.

Most of the folks had paddled this creek many times in the past but the stream changes character after each heavy rain. On this trip we noticed that some of the large sandbars had been partially washed away and new channels had been formed in other areas.  A short stop to stretch our legs on one of these bars was followed shortly by lunch break were we ran across a club member who was not part of our paddle group…small world.  An incredible number of calories were consumed from moon pies and a very special blueberry King Cake…yum.

From lunch to take-out seemed like a very short time.  Maybe we snoozed through some of the trip; it was warm, we had eaten a lot, and not much paddling was needed to get down the creek. The old take-out was blocked off at Indian Ford Road by a huge pile of sand. The Forest Service has built a new gravel parking area here and it appears that they may be getting ready to reconstruct the old put-in. Where we took out was just past the bridge on river right. There was room for one boat at-a-time to land and the bank was muddy.  Hopefully there will be better conditions next time we take-out there.    – Wes Mosteller

February 9th 2004, - Hotline Big Lagoon

Tina assembled a large group of intrepid paddlers who set off from Big Lagoon State Park. The wind came solidly out of the east and directly in the face of the kayakers. The weather started getting rough...The tiny ships were tossed...but I digress. The motley crew of kayaks, sea kayaks and one enormous tandem equipped with sail bounced over waves and were rewarded with sitings of many sea birds and bottle-nosed dolphin. Lunch at Ryan's Catch was a success and a few suggested that incorporating nice restaurants may be one key to the tremendous response for the mid-week paddles. Future plans include Bayou Grande and Perdido Bay and Tarklin Bayou. Hats off to Marv for providing shuttle service and boat parking during lunch.

Susan Guttman, Queen of the Hotline Trips

February 7 - Hotline Trip, Blackwater

Yes, Blackwater..  You may have read that this trip was going to be on the Yellow River, but mother nature often has a say on these decisions.

A small group of paddlers, Wes & Jane, Jan, Bob & Sarah, Laura, Denise and I, met this Saturday morning at the Waffle House for breakfast and to discuss our plans for the day. Due to a hard rain on Friday, water levels throughout the region were high and rising. It was decided that the road to the take out near Shockly Spings on the Yellow River could very well be impassable. Wes suggested that we try Blackwater from Bryant bridge to Deaton bridge rather than driving all the way up to hwy 2 for a possible wash out. So, that’s what we did.. The Blackwater was quite high, and moving along nicely. (see photos)   Cool temperatures and gusty winds made this trip even more fun!  This wasn’t a leisurely “float trip”. You had to stay on your toes and use every known paddling stroke to overcome weird currents and strong winds.

There was one pullover that forced a portage for some. Others took the “hit it head on” approach and were able to scoot over.  Jan was able to clear some of the debris to make scooting a little easier.

Thanks to Wes for providing Shuttle service. Thanks to Laura for the wonderful snacks and that cream cheese/tomato dip.  YUM!!

For anyone who may have driven to Yellow River to meet us, I apologize. Lesson learned: IF YOU ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN A HOTLINE TRIP, CONTACT THE TRIP LEADER (Or at least meet at the appointed place!) 

GPS Trip Computer Info:  Total miles:  8.79  Moving Time:  2hr 57min Stopped time:  2hr 05min Avg moving speed 3.0

Cliff

January 31 2004, - Hotline Trip, Coldwater Creek

This last minute hotline trip was enjoyed by 8 hearty paddlers.  Although it was a cloudy Saturday, the temps stayed in the upper 50’s and, most importantly, we had no rain.  The great folks at Adventures Unlimited allowed us to use their facility as a put-in. We paddled the nearly 5.5 miles to the Highway 191 bridge.  Due to some recent rain, the creek was a little high and moving quickly. There were lots of sandbars for stretch breaks and lunch.  Thanks to Charlie Stecz for serving as our shuttle driver.   GPS Trip Computer info: Total Miles: 5.48  Total Moving Time: 1 hr, 47 Min  Total Break Time: 1 hr, 6 min  Average Speed: 3.1 mph

To see photos, Click Here

Cliff

January 23 2004, - Hotline paddle from Galvez Landing

Galvez Landing is off Innerarity road. The trip went past a series of small island and through the canals of Ono. The group saw numerous sea birds including loons, osprey, great blue herons, mallards,sea gulls, and pelicans. The small islands like Seven Tree look like excellent locations for a full moon paddle or summer party. We passed several osprey nests, one of which was simply sprawled on a metal boathouse roof. We saw one osprey nest at Glen Ard's home with an attatched surveillance camera such as is used in convenience stores. Talking with Ard later I learned the 24-hour film got him some super tapes of babies hatching and adults feeding the young. This trip does involve crossing the barge channel in a place where it is very narrow. While we got some waves from a barge, this Friday trip did not encounter the large fishing boats that haunt the area on weekends. The group got an easy return paddle courtesy of the strong current. Hub Stacey's Restaurant at Galvez Landing was a super post paddling lunch spot with picnic tables on an open deck and a wide assortment of sandwiches and salads.

Susan Guttman
 

January 19 - Jimmy trip on Big Fork.

Jimmy, Wade and Susan pioneered a new trip on the Big Fork Creek. Located on Eglin, Big Fork Creek runs into the TiTi. The day was rainy and gray, but the rain stopped completely by the time we reached the put in. This was a Jimmy Trip in every sense of the word. The top part was cleared with chainsaws by Wade and Jimmy standing in waist deep water with temperatures hovering in the low forties. At one point an enormous log jam completely blocked the creek. Wade and Jimmy felled trees and cut out underwater logs to make the trip easy for future paddlers and "don't get my feet wet" Guttmann. The process was slow but steady and the creek is now clear except for one spot in the chute where it makes a tight right turn. I got out on a stump and lifted the boat in the air for the tight right angle. Four deer were spotted by Jimmy along with tons of birds. The water was high the day we went, so it may need a little more cutting next time. Wade thinks it will probably still be a Jimmy trip and a chain saw would be a good idea. The creek is breathtakingly beautiful and definitely worth doing. While not for the faint of heart, a Jimmy trip is always an adventure. This trip is very twisty and a regular paddle is definitely better than a kayak paddle for this creek. To the great relief of all, we got into the TiTi and off the river as dark fell. It should be a quicker trip next time. The wildlife and clear water along with the remote location make this a super trip.

Susan

January 10, 2004, Titi Creek, Eglin AFB

 The Titi is a creek that the club hasn’t paddled as a scheduled trip for several years.  This is clear water, sandy bottomed stream on the north side of Eglin Airforce Base. It flows westward for more than ten miles and joins the Shoal River a few miles southeast of Crestview, Florida. The portion of the creek we paddled starts at a low, concrete bridge on a north-south dirt road numbered 207 and ends at the city park at Cox Bridge two miles south of Crestview on highway 85.

 Fourteen people showed up at the meeting place which was also the take-out (Cox Bridge).  The day was cloudy and cold but we didn’t get any rain.  We drove to the put-in at the concrete bridge mentioned above and unloaded our gear. There is virtually no parking space at the put-in so we shuttled most of the vehicles back to the take-out. From the launch site the creek is narrow and twisty with thick shrubs and scattered trees lining the banks. The current is usually moderate except after heavy rains.  That day it was about normal. After about an hour or so we stopped at Honey Creek for lunch.  This creek comes into the Titi from river left and is very shallow and sandy. About fifty yards upstream is a nice landing on the east side with lots of open space to sit down for a snack.

After eating and relaxing for a while we continued down stream at a leisurely pace enjoying the solitude and occasionally hearing dogs barking in the distance.  Maybe they were someone’s hunting pack.  The Titi begins to split into several channels a few miles before reaching the Shoal River. These channels of clear water flow through a beautiful swamp of tall blackgum trees. As we paddled through this area there were signs that beavers had been chewing the bark off small shrubs and trees. For many paddlers this is the best part of the trip; they are challenged by the narrow channels twisting around tree trunks and semi-submerged stumps. Once through the swamp and entering the Shoal River it was about forty-five minutes to the take-out at Cox Bridge.

 After loading gear and boats some of the group decided to stop for Mexican food at the La Bamba Restaurant just south of Crestview and Interstate 10.  This is one of our favorite places to get margaritas, salsa, and heartburn.

Couldn’t make the trip this time?  Well be sure to join us in the future.  – Sonia

January 1, 2004, - New Years Day Paddle, Boiling Creek, Eglin AFB</