Santa Fe River Paddle

*** TRIP COMPLETED ***

*** see TRIP REPORT and PHOTOS below ***

***** TRIP REPORT ***** by Glenn Ross

The Queen's Harbour Kayak Club members set out from the Queen's Harbour Sports Complex at 7:30 on Wednesday, July 23rd under cloudy skies. Though most of the day was overcast the trip was great. We launched at Poe Springs with help from the staff of Santa Fe Canoe Outpost. After a short delay, as we had to wait for 1 missing kayak to show up, the trip was underway. The members of the group were Mary Domask, Holly Taylor, Denise Pointner, Lisa and Shannon Beardsley, Glenn and Debbie Ross, Steve and Donna Yablonski, Dave O'Hara and Jackie, Hope Evans, Harold Smith, Doug Izard and Bill MacLeod.

The river was a little low, but it did not create any problems for anyone. A few members of the group traveled up the inlet to visit Naked Ed and were not disappointed, as Ed didn't put in an appearance. Ha Ha. Rum Island Spring was beautiful, but a bit chilly and crowded due to summer visitors. After stopping for lunch at Ginnie Springs, Lisa and Shannon showed everyone techniques for assisted deep water rescues, essentially righting, empying water and reentering a kayak in deep water. It was a great display and we learned how to kayak more safely.

Many in the group stopped at Ginnie Springs while Lisa, Shannon, Glenn, Debbie and Holly traveled down to the Highway 47 Bridge. We were able to get back to the Outpost and load our kayaks for the trip home just as the rain began to fall in earnest.

The trip was beautiful and peaceful. Our group had the river to ourselves for most of the trip. Our only company was the birds, turtles, fish and one small alligator that were enjoying the river along with us.

We hope more of you will join us for the next trip.

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Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Time: Meet at 7:00 am, at the QH Sports Complex to Car Pool. Arrive at Santa Fe Canoe Outpost around 9:00 am, shuttle and launch from Poe Springs by 10:00 am.

Pick Up Shuttle from Ginnie Springs and Highway 47 Bridge will be determined and there will be one shuttle from each end point, allowing time to swim and play once you arrive. Tentative pick up times are 2:30 pm for the Ginnie Springs Bunch and 4:00 pm for the Bridge Bunch. (please keep in mind these times are not exact but estimates.)

Level: Easy/Beginner - Moderate/Intermediate

Location: Santa Fe River

Length of Trip: approximately 6-8 hours

Trip Leader: Glen Ross and Steve Yablonski

Trip Info:

The plan is to travel to the Canoe Outpost, http://www.santaferiver.com/, and purchase the trip and rent kayaks, if needed. Then the staff will load us into their vans and take us to Poe Springs. Poe Springs is a very nice YMCA camp on the river with a large spring for swimming and viewing. Starting there will also allow us to miss most if not all of the low water portage locations. From there we will kayak down river to Ginnie Springs for lunch and a short swim. If you wish, you may end your paddle here stop here and arrange for shuttle service back to your vehicle, but the group will continue to our scheduled take-out at the Highway 47 Bridge.

The fee schedule is on the web site above.

Outpost to Poe Springs by Outpost Van ride. If we stay at Poe Springs there is a $6.00 per person entrance fee. If we just launch-and-go the fee can most likely be waved.

Poe Springs to Rum Island . 2 miles, approx. 1 hours paddling time.

Rum Island to Ginnie Springs. 1.5 miles, approx. 45 minutes paddling time.

Ginnie Springs charges a $10.00 entrance fee per person for anyone who wish to stop and take-out there. Outpost may also charge a small pickup fee (estimated at $10.00 per van-load).

Ginnie Springs to Highway 47 Bridge. 7 miles, approx. 1.5 hours paddling time.

The price of the trip will vary depending on the options selected above.

The estimated cost of the entire trip - Outpost to Poe Springs by Outpost Van ride then take-out at the Highway 47 Bridge – will cost $20.00 per person for the shuttle service and if you need to rent a kayak a $35.00 kayak rental charge ($40.00 for a tandem).

Technically if we stop at Ginnie Springs for lunch we should pay the $10.00 park fee for a total of:

· $35.00 with your own Kayak
· $50.00 with a rental Kayak / $65.00 for a tandem Kayak

We plan to meet at the QH sports complex about 7:00 a.m. on July 23rd and carpool.

Glenn Ross has room for two more kayaks on his truck and an extra sit on top that someone may borrow.

Lisa Beardsley also will have room on her truck for an additional kayak and has a sit on top someone may borrow.

Please e-mail the club or sign up on the blog if you are going to participate.

You may also be interested in viewing the following link:

http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/

See you on the Water!

Full Moon Paddle for June

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Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Time: 9:00 pm

Level: Moderate/Intermediate - due to being out at night

Location: Queen's Harbour Lock Dock

Trip Leader: Lisa Beardsley

Gear: PDF, flashlight, whistle

Trip Info:

We will meet at the Lock Dock at 9:00 pm and be ready to launch by 9:15 pm. We will paddle for 1.5 hours through the marsh surrounding Queen's Harbour.

Sunset: 8:30 pm
Moonrise: 8:53 pm
Civil Twilight Ends: 8:58

To participate in this trip: e-mail the club at backcountrykayakadventures@yahoo.com or post a response by clicking on comment below.

See you on the Water.

May Night Time Paddle

We will have a night paddle this month, but it will not be on a full moon. I will need to be out of town and will lead a paddle when I return.

Date: Friday, May 23, 2008

Time: TBA

Morning Coffee, a Symphony and A Starry Night

Star Gazing Paddle Canceled Due to Weather. The Symphony production is still on!

***** Trip Completed *****

*** Trip Report ***

This was a fantastic performance! I went to all three shows! The pieces were simply beautiful and the conductor interacted with the audience, providing insight and humor to the performance.

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Bach Symphony Morning

Date: Friday, March 7, 2008

Time: Meet at 10:00 am, performance is at 11:00 am.

Level: Easy/Beginner

Location: Jacoby Hall, Downtown Jacksonville

Length of Trip: approximately 4 hours

Trip Leader: Lisa Beardsley

Trip Info: As you all know, or may not know, I can only take so much of swamps, alligators, sweat and smelling like an ox. So I am offering the club a cultural opportunity. This trip will be limited to 3 and maybe 5 members, excluding myself. The symphony is gratis, or as we like to say in the back country, free. I will accept responses on a first come, first serve basis, if you would like to attend, be sure to sign up early. The performance is part of the Mayo Clinic Coffee Series, so we will keep with the theme and arrive at Jacoby Hall in time to enjoy a cup of coffee, while we relax and look at the St. John's River. We will then attend the performance of Bach and Sons.

Performance: Bach and Sons
C.P.E Bach - Symphony in B minor
J.S. Bach - Concerto for Violin in E major+
J.C. Bach - Symphony No. 6, Op 18
J.S. Bach - Brandenburg Con. No 4

A Starry Night - New Moon Paddle

Date: Friday, March 7, 2008

Time: Meet at 7:00 ; Launch at 7:15 pm

Level: Intermediate/Moderate

Location: Queen's Harbour Blvd, the grassy bank on the lagoon, across from residence 716

Length of Trip: 2.5 hours

Trip Leader: Lisa and Shannon Beardsley

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

We will meet at the lagoon bank at 7:00 and have everyone in the water and ready to go by 7:15 pm. If you wish to paddle over from your dock, you may meet the group by the bank between those times.

As there will be a new moon, there will be no moon to distract us from the stars!

We will enjoy a leisurely paddle in the harbour and enjoy the starry night, taking a float break or two to sample some wine and snacks.

Please sign up by clicking "comment" below to leave a post, or via e-mail at queensharbourkayakclub@yahoo.com

See you on the water.

Sunset: 6:29 pm
End Civil Twilight: 6:53 pm

Full Moon Paddle for March.

***** TRIP COMPLETED *****
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TRIP REPORT -

The night was absolutely perfect with clear skies and a big, bright moon. Four members and three quests went on this trip. We met at the lock dock and launched just behind schedule, then headed north toward the St. John's River. After about an hour paddle we stopped just south of the River at a small beach, to take a stretch break, chat and enjoy the gorgeous night. We then headed back to the lock, paddling with the moon in our view the entire time! It was beautiful. The boat traffic was almost non-existent and we had the Intracoastal to ourselves. Afterwards a few members went to Al's Pizza to enjoy a snack.

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Date: Friday, March 21, 2008

Time: Meet at 7:45 pm; Launch at 8:00 pm

Level: Intermediate/Moderate

Location: Queen's Harbour Lock Dock

Length of Trip: 2 - 2.5 hours

Trip Leader: Lisa and Shannon Beardsley

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

We will meet at the Lock Dock at 7:45 and have everyone in the water and ready to go at 8:00 pm. We will venture into the Intracoastal Waterway and if the boat traffic is light, will paddle North toward the St. John's River. If the boat traffic is heavy, we will cross the Intracoastal and paddle the marsh South East of the Wonderwood Bridge.

Please click on "comment" and leave a post if you are going to attend or e-mail the club at queensharbourkayakclub@yahoo.com

See you on the water.

Sunset: 7:38pm

End Civil Twilight: 8:02 pm

Moonrise: 7:49 pm