Looking at the map it would appear I just dropped down a few miles to paddle the Withlacoochee River. Not so. I had gone to the coast to paddle/camp Cumberland Island. I was able to get one day on the beach and two days back country. When I read the brochure I saw I would have to walk in 5-10 miles to the back country, leaving my kayak on the beach somewhere. I canceled out because the remaining day wasn't worth the effort. Besides it was raining.
I then went upstate somewhat where I found 5-6 small Wildlife Management Areas. A cold front moved in the three days I was there and it rained much of the time. So then I moved down to the Withlacoochee River on the Georgia/Florida border. And of course the cold front followed me. As did the rain. I'm hanging out in the area because I'm supposed to hook up with someone after the Thanksgiving holidays. Otherwise I'd be gone.
Delorme's Florida Atlas shows icons for three scenic trips on the Georgia border just below the Okefenokee Swamp, the Withlacoochee River, the Suwannee River and St. Marys River. I didn't notice them before because the icons don't show up on the Georgia Atlas because they're listed by Florida as their scenic rivers.
This morning started out as another cold (40's), windy, overcast, blustery day; more like a New England fall day than one in the Sunshine State. I was wearing gloves while making breakfast. Feeling pretty antsy after not for a week I headed out for the Withlacoochee River anyway. I was bundled up and looked like the Pillsbury doughboy. I wore a cotton T-shirt (bad), a cotton dress shirt (bad), fleece vest, oversized fleece shirt, Gortex jacket, PFD and spray skirt.
As I launched I notice a lot of shell casings in the water at the bottom of the ramp. Maybe they use paddlers for target practice around here.
Turning west I noticed a slight current but nothing to slow things down any. The five knot wind was annoying in this kind of weather. The river stretched 75-100 feet between banks and varied between two feet and I couldn't see or touch bottom.
The far shore was a continuous wall of Swiss cheese like limestone bluffs, 3-4 feet high. The bluffs shifted back and forth across the river, mostly following the outer sweep of the river. Lots of caves, grottos and unusual formations made them very interesting. Lots of great photo opportunities with the bluffs, large live oaks with their root systems exposed by eroding banks, some toppled into the water, and cypress trees surrounded by their knees. Lots of palmettos too.
Once away from the bridge, it was quiet. Not a sound except an occasional sniffle by yours truly. It's a clean river too with very little trash. I forgot a trash bag so just bypassed the little there was.
Lots of yellow, red and gold leaves along both shores. Dunno what kind they are but they're much duller than the bright shades New Hampshire and Vermont fall foliage. Not much wildlife, a kingfisher, the ever present blue heron and one of those cousins of the cormorant, anhinga or some such thing they call them down here.
I noticed lots of foam and froth on the water. Must be some shoals or rapids ahead. The current was moving at about one knot now and up around two bends I found most of the river blocked off by a sandbar, leaving a 20 foot channel. The current moved through the channel at 3.5-4.0 knots. I worked my way up the tiny standing waves pretty easily without too much strain on my shoulder.
More foam and bubbles covered the water above the shoals too. Uh oh, more fast water up ahead. Sure enough, around the next bend I found a class II rapid. I might have gotten up it with some strain but I could see nothing but rocks and channels ahead for the 50 yards I could see.
I'd had my fix after being on the wagon for a week or more so I called it quits. I'll do the Florida side tomorrow. Well not the whole thing. The Withlacoochee River runs over 100 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. That would be a one to tough to paddle back. If the bottom part is as good as the top it will be a good trip.
A fine drizzle started and the wind picked up. It was really miserable as I loaded the kayak on the truck. A little sun and warmth would be appreciated for tomorrow's paddle.