On a cold January weekend nine friends ventured to the beautiful Suwannee River to paddle this historic river and camp along it’s high bluff banks. What follows is a collage of photos from this challenging and fun-filled weekend!
The trip was to begin at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park near Live Oak, Florida. Having heard of the park but having never been there before it was a huge music venue with hundreds of campsites and cabins. There was a concert starting at 7pm featuring Snake Blood Remedy but unfortunately paddlers opted to go eat Bar B Que and miss the concert.
DAY 2
Day 2 saw paddlers leave the Woods Ferry River Camp and paddle about 12 miles to the landing at the Suwannee River Music Park. It was a beautiful day but the weather was changing, the winds were picking up and rain was forecast for later in the day. This stretch of the river consisted of miles of limestone walls on both sides of the river. Low water levels greatly exposed these walls!
This was an incredible two day paddle trip. The river was flowing slow and the water level was low! Paddlers encountered six “shoals” which pushed the boats forward however at no time did paddlers need to portage their boats. Very few other outdoor enthusiasts were seen during this trip. Wildlife was also pretty much unseen. The weather cooperated and the rain didn’t begin until about an hour off the river. It is always a great time to get outdoors and paddle the incredibly beautiful Suwannee River!
Blackwater Images 