2007 Trip Schedule - What a Great Year.

. Your boat is waiting............................to go on a trip!

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This is a dynamic post, so please check it frequently as trips may be changed or added.

E-mail the club at backcountrykayakadventures@yahoo.com with any suggestions for trips or to volunteer to organize and lead a trip.

See you on the water.

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----------------------- APRIL ------------------

Little Talbot Island - Monday, April 30 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

----------------------- MAY -----------------------

Full Moon Marsh Paddle - Tuesday, May 1 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

Matanzas Inlet - Tuesday, May 15 (Canceled)

Lake Ponte Vedra / Guana River - Saturday, May 19 (Canceled)

Blue Moon Marsh Paddle - Thursday, May 31 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

------------------------- JUNE ------------------------

Little Talbot Island - Wednesday, June 27 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

Full Moon Marsh Paddle - Saturday, June 30 (Canceled)

------------------------ JULY ------------------------

Matanzas Inlet - Thursday, July 12 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

Princess Place Preserve - Saturday, July 21 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

Little Talbot Island - Wednesday, July 25 (Trip Canceled)

Full Moon Marsh Paddle - Sunday, July 29 (Trip Canceled)

---------------------- AUGUST -------------------------

One of Florida's First Magnitude Springs - Location TBA - Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26 (day trips with overnight option)(Trip Canceled)

Full Moon Marsh Paddle - Tuesday, August 28 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

-------------------- SEPTEMBER -----------------------

Full Moon Harbour Paddle - Wednesday, September 26 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

------------------- OCTOBER --------------------------

Pumpkin Hill Preserve - Saturday, October 13 (Trip Canceled)

Princess Place Preserve - Saturday and Sunday, October 20 and 21 (day trips with an overnight option) (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

Howl and Growl at the Full Moon Party - Thursday, October 25 (Party Completed)

--------------------- NOVEMBER ---------------------

Ponde Vedra Lake/Guana River - Saturday, November 17 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

Full Moon Paddle - Saturday, November 24

-------------------- DECEMBER -----------------------

Christmas Lights Tour - Monday, December 10 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

Okefenokee Swamp - Sunday, December 16 (Trip Completed - See Trip Report)

Holiday Lights Paddle

***** TRIP COMPLETED *****


***** TRIP REPORT *****

We had a wonderful night on the water. There were 10 club members in attendance and the conditions could not have been any more perfect. Not too cold, Not too hot, no wind, a star filled sky, wonderful Holiday decorations to look at and most interesting, an appearance of a comet!

We left the Ross Residence and paddled the length of the Harbour, enjoying the Holiday lights along the way. Then one, two, three and four people noticed it - a comet in the sky. It was quite a site. A Christmas Star? After the paddle we had a lovely time sipping Gluhwein and chatting with each other. This was one of our best night paddles yet - thanks to the following...... (info provided by David Bauman).....

......The comet we saw during the evening was 17P/Holmes, the 17th periodic comet to be discovered. Unlike most comets, which have highly elliptical orbits and visit us from the far reaches of the solar system, Comet Holmes lives in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Normally, Comet Holmes can only be seen with a telescope. Holmes was last visible to the naked eye in 1892.

Why the comet is now visible to the naked eye is a bit of a mystery. Suddenly during the night of October 23/24, 2007, the comet's luminosity increased by a factor of almost a million, or about 15 magnitudes. The comet is now gradually fading.




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Date: Monday, December 10, 2007

Time: 6 pm

Level: Beginner/Easy

Location: Ross Residence located at the north end of Queen's Harbour Boulevard

Length of Trip: 2 hours

Trip Leader: Glenn and Debbie Ross

Gear: Be sure to have your Coast Guard regulated PFD, whistle and flashlight.

You will see the Lighted Boat Parade on the 8th, now join us for the Kayak Club's private "Lighted Home Parade" as we paddle in the harbour to view all of the holiday season decorations from the water.

To make viewing the homes even more beautiful, we have arranged to have a new moon, so there will be no moonlight to take away the splendor of the decorations! (In case you were wondering, this was quite difficult to arrange - but we did it!)

TRIP INFORMATION:

We will meet at the Ross Home at 5:45 pm and launch from their dock at 6 pm, paddle the harbour for about 2 hours, then return to their dock and have an all time Bavarian Favorite -- Gluhwein, a spiced red wine, served hot, that will be a perfect "warm us upper".

Please click on "comment" and leave a message if you are interested in participating or e-mail the club at backcountrykayakaventures@yahoo.com

See you on the water.

Okefenokee Swamp

***** TRIP COMPLETED *****


***** TRIP REPORT *****

With the threat of high winds and some rain from a passing frontal system, we all arrived to the launch site not quite sure what kind of day laid ahead. But to our delight, the front passed as predicted and we had a BEAUTIFUL day.

There were 2 Club Members and four guests, including the Grinch. We paddled the swamp for 5 hours exploring the orange trail and Chesser Prarie. There were a few aligator sightings and plenty of birds to see. The group stopped in the prarie for a coffee break and the guys took a walk on some floating peat moss.

After the paddle, most of the group met at the Ragtime resturant, in Jacksonville Beach, for some dinner.

It was a lovely day.

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Date: Sunday, December 16, 2007

Time: 9 am

Length: 6 hours

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (if there is wind)

Location: Okefenokee Adventures at the East Entrance to the Swamp

Leader: Lisa Beardsley

Cost: Free at this time. (there was a $5 entrance fee)

Gear: Be sure to bring plenty of fluids, sun screen, rain gear, bug spray (may not be needed this time of the year) and don't forget a hat and lunch. Also have your Coast Guard regulated PFD and whistle!

Due to the major fires we had this year, I have no idea what awaits us. This section of the swamp was in the center of the fires, although I am told that the swamp has grown back rapidly.

TRIP INFORMATION:

We will meet at the far end of the paking lot of Okefenokee Adventures, located at the east entrance to the swamp at 9:00 am and be ready to launch by 10 am. We will paddle along the orange trail and venture out into the praire if the winds allow. We will follow the orange trail and return to Okefenokee Adventures around 3 pm. There is a toilet along the way around mile 2 from the launch site. Other than this, there will be no where to get out of your kayak for the duration of the trip.

Kayak Rentals: Rental kayaks are available on site from Okefenokee Adventures. They rent single kayaks with paddle and PFD for $25.00/day and tandem kayaks with paddle and PFDs for $30.00/day.

SITE FACTS/INFORMATION: (info taken from Wikipedia and Shepra Guides.)

Location and history:

The Okefenokee Swamp is the largest peat-based "blackwater" swamp in North America. The name comes from the Hitchici okifanô:ki, meaning "bubbling water", a reference to its spongy bogs. Other people feel the swamp is named from the cherokee/swanee/creek word that means "land of the trembling earth". The swamp was formed over the past 6,500 years by the accumulation of peat in a shallow basin on the edge of an ancient Atlantic coastal terrace, the geological relic of a Pleistocene estuary. The swamp is bordered by Trail Ridge, a strip of elevated land believed to have formed as coastal dunes or an offshore barrier island. The St. Marys River and the Suwannee River both originate in the swamp. The Suwannee River originates as stream channels in the heart of Okefenokee Swamp and drains at least 90% of the swamp's watershed southwest towards the Gulf of Mexico. The St. Marys River, which drains only 5 - 10% of the swamp's southeastern corner, flows south along the western side of Trail Ridge, through the ridge at St. Marys River Shoals, and north again along the eastern side of Trail Ridge before turning east to the Atlantic. The Suwanee Canal was dug across the swamp in the late nineteenth century in a failed attempt to drain the Okefenokee. Local ledgend has proclaimed that a Georgia Man was working as a digger for the company and noticed that the water "wuz flowin' the wrong way". After the company's bankruptcy, most of the swamp was purchased by the Hebard family of Philadelphia, who conducted extensive cypress logging operations from 1909 to 1927. Several other logging companies also ran train tracks into the swamp until 1942, remnants of which can still be seen crossing swamp waterways. On the west side of the swamp on Billy's Island, logging equipment and other artifacts remain of a 1920's logging town of 600 residents. Most of the Okefenokee Swamp is included in the 403,000 acre Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

Interesting fact some of you may remember:
Dupont titanium mining operation:A 50-year titanium mining operation by DuPont was set to begin in 1997, but protests and public/government opposition over the possibly disastrous environmental effects throughout 1996-2000 caused the company to abandon the project in 2000 and retire their mineral rights forever. In 2003, DuPont donated the 16,000 acres it had purchased for mining to The Conservation Fund, and in 2005, nearly 7,000 acres of the donated land was transferred to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

WILDLIFE:

The Okefenokee Swamp is home to many wading birds, such as herons, egrets, ibises, cranes, and bitterns, though populations fluctuate with water levels. Other birds making the swamp their home are various owls, anhingas, and vulchers. Okefenokee is famous for its abundant American alligators and is home to the bobcat, racoon, river otter, white tailed deer and is a critical habitat for Florida black bear, panthers and the red wolf. Many types of frogs, turtles, snakes, fish and insects also call Okefenokee home.
The swamp is relatively low in diversity of plants because of the acid water, low nutrient levels, and sandy soil. There are no known endemics (species found only in the Okefenokee Swamp), perhaps due to the young age of the swamp estimated at less than a million years. Because of the acid water, the swamp is dependent on physical processes to convert and release nutrients. Water depth and cycles of flood and drought, known as hydroperiod, are very important, as are UV light mediated decomposition, and fire. Some scientists are concerned about the upsetting of these physical processes due to man's control of the swamp's water level by the construction of a dam, and fire prevention. Approximately 600 species of plants are found in the Okefenokee swamp. The most interesting are the Carnivorous Plants - the pitcher plants, sundews, butterworts and golden clubs.

DIRECTIONS:

There are a few different ways to get to the East Entrance - I find the easiet is:

* I-95 N to Georgia Exit 3 - Kingsland and Highway 40
* Drive 40 west to Folkston
* In Folkston, GA – .
* Take I 40 through Folkston until it ends at a T intersection. Make a Right at the T, then make an immediate Left onto Main Street.
* At the third light on Main Street, turn Left onto Okefenokee Parkway, also called 121 South.
* Follow this road about 7 miles to the big wooden Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge sign on the right. Turn right here and follow this road about 4 miles to the end. You will see Okefenokee Adventures on the left in the last parking lot at the boat basin we will meet there.

Another Route - more stops/starts - From Hwy 1 heading North:
* On Hwy 1 North, drive through Callahan, Hilliard and Boulogne, FL and across the St Marys River into Georgia. Folkston is the first town you come to once you cross the river.
* In Folkston, GA – Left at the 2nd light onto Main Street.
* Left at 2nd light onto Okefenokee Parkway, also called 121 South.
* Follow this road about 7 miles to the big wooden Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge sign on the right. Turn right here and follow this road about 4 miles to the end. You will see Okefenokee Adventures on the left in the last parking lot at the boat basin.

Lake Ponte Vedra

***** TRIP COMPLETED *****

**** TRIP REPORT ****

Two club members (Steve and Lisa) and two social members (Lisa's parents - Ron and Carole) participated in the day's events. Steve and Lisa enjoyed a lovely day paddling under the cloudless, blue sky, while Ron and Carole explored the park on foot, then drove to the take out site to meet the kayakers. Due to Duck Hunting Season we were not permitted to paddle in Lake Ponte Vedra and thus, there was a slight change of float plans. We drove 6 miles south to our newly determined launch site - the dam/boat launch at Guana River State Park. The new float plan led us south along the Tolomolto River to the Intracoastal and then onward to Cap's Restaurant, where we enjoyed lunch. Along the way we did not see much wildlife, but our efforts were rewarded when a pod of dolphins swam right to us! A female dolphin surfaced for air in between our kayaks! She was a mere 4 feet from each of us! What a way to end a paddle.

The Boat Ramp Launch Site at Guana River State Park

Exploring the park.
One of the Dolphins that swam past us.

Almost to Cap's Resturant.


A "Birds Eye" view.

The little beach at Cap's.

The end of a nice paddle.

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Date: Saturday, November 17, 2007

Time: 10 am

Location: 6 Mile Landing - West side of A1A just south of Ponte Vedra.

Difficulty: Moderate if there are winds, Easy if there is no wind.

Length:: 2-4 hours

Leader: Lisa Beardsley

Gear: Be sure to have your Coast Guard regulated PFD and whistle. Also bring plenty of fluids, lunch, sun screen, bug spray and a hat and for this trip, your binoculars.

TRIP INFORMATION:

We will meet at 9:45 at 6 Mile Landing and will launch at 10 am. Hopefully we will see tons of birds here. Last time I was here I could not see any grass through the birds. I even saw some endangered white pelicans! Hopefully, it was not just a lucky day. I am told this area has tons of alligators, but I saw none on my last trip (although, I cannot accurately say how many alligators saw me). Depending on water levels and wind direction, we will determine what we are going to do when we get there....

SITE FACTS/INFORMATION:

The Guana River begins north of the National Estuarine Research Preserve in Ponte Vedra Beach and flows south to join the Tolomato River. In 1957, an earthen dam was constructed across the Guana River creating the largest wetland area in the preserve. Called Lake Ponte Vedra, this wetland is approximately 2,400 acres, and provides both open water and marsh habitats. This shallow lagoonal lake extends 10 miles north from the dam.

DIRECTIONS:

Six Mile Landing is located off of A1A on the west side of the road, just south of Mickler Drive in Ponte Vedra Beach. There is a small sign for a boat ramp launch site.

Please click on "comment" below and leave a message if you are interested in participating.

See you on the water!

Full Moon Marsh Paddle Off Those Turkey Pounds

***** TRIP CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER ******

YOUR ON YOUR OWN TO GET RID OF THOSE ADDITIONAL TURKEY POUNDS!



Date: Saturday, November 24, 2007

Time: 6 pm

Length: 2 hours on the water

Difficulty: Moderate/Intermediate due to being out at night.

Location: Queen's Harbour Lock Dock

Leader: Lisa Beardsley

Gear: Be sure to bring your Coast Guard regulated PFD, whistle and flash light.

TRIP INFORMATION:

We will meet at the lock dock at 5:45 pm and be ready to launch by 6 pm. We will cross the Intracoastal and explore the marsh to the east of Queen's Harbour.

Please click on "comment" and leave a message if you are interested in participating.

See you on the water.

Pumpkin Hill Preserve - A Location for the Season

TRIP CANCELED -- NO ONE HAS SIGNED UP FOR THIS TRIP.

Date: Saturday, October 13, 2007

Time: 8:30 am

Length: 2-4 hours

Difficulty: Intermediate/Moderate

Location: (An option is to meet at Queen's Harbour Real Estate Office Parking Lot and car pool to)- Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve; 13804 Pumpkin Hill Road

Leader: Lisa Beardsley

Gear: Be sure to bring your binnoculars, plenty of fluids, sun screen, bug spray and don't forget a hat and lunch. Also have your Coast Guard regulated PFD and whistle!

Cost: At this time, there is no cost to use the park, although a day use fee may be implemented as they have just upgraded the canoe/kayak launch site.

TRIP INFORMATION:

We will meet at the Queen's Harbour Real Estate office parking lot and carpool to the launch site as it is somewhat difficult to find. We should be at the dock by 9 am, get our gear ready and launch as soon as possible. High tide is around 10 am and low tide will be around 4:30 pm so tides should not be a problem for this trip. This will be the first time at this location, so be ready for some adventure and exploration.

SITE FACTS/INFORMATION:

Pumpkin Hill Preserve covers 3,895 acres and adjoins the Timucuan Ecological Perserve, the Nassau River and the St. John's River Marsh Aquatic Preserve.

This area is one of the largest contiguous zones of uplands left in Duval County, and include mesic flatwoods, xeric hammock, scrubby flatwoods, dome swamp, tidal marshes, cypress domes and four different creek and marsh systems.

This is an extremely ecologically signifigant area. Wildlife viewing should be abundant and there will be many scenic natural Florida views!

The park is open from 8am until Sunset.

This will be the clubs first time at this location, so be ready for some exploring and adventure.

DIRECTIONS:

From either I-95 or State Road 9A, exit east onto Hecksher Drive. Turn left onto New Berlin Road. At a sharp right in the road, turn right onto Cedar Point Road. Turn left on Pumpkin Hill Road. Follow the road to the end to reach the launch site.

For more information:Call Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park at (904) 696-5980.

Please click "comment" below and leave a post if you are interested in participating.

See you on the water.