7/14/2015 Paddle Florida's monthly Enewsletter

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Inspiring.Meaningful.Adventure.

2015­16 Schedule Suwannee River WildernessTrailOctober 22­27, 2015Celebrate Florida's version ofautumn on its most famous river.The trip spans 67miles of thescenic Suwannee RiverWilderness Trail, as well as 12miles of the northernWithlacoochee River. Both riversfeature dozens of clear bluesprings perfect for swimming orsnorkeling.

NEW Next Season: Great Calusa BluewayFebruary 13­19, 2016

Experience the beaches of Fort Myers and Gulf islands through

the eyes of the Calusa, the area’s first inhabitants. Picnic and tent

camp in some of coastal Lee County’s most beautiful parks and

campgrounds. Taste local flavors and enjoy evening campfires,

reflecting on the natural wonders you have seen each the day.

During this six­day trip next February, paddlers will explore 57

miles of the Great Calusa Blueway. The stops along the trail will

give you a sampling of everything these backbay estuaries offer,

including fish houses, artist communities, and historic sites.

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7/14/2015 Paddle Florida's monthly Enewsletter

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Register by: October 8

St. Johns History PaddleDecember 4­8, 2015Follow in the wake of famednaturalist William Bartram as weexplore Putnam County'shistorical sites and springs along55 miles of the St. Johns River ina manatee and bird lovers'paradise!Register by: November 20

Florida Keys ChallengeJanuary 15­22, 2016Enjoy a true island paradise,paddling beside sea turtles andrailroad visionary Henry Flagler's'Eighth Wonder of the World'in the azure waters of the FloridaKeys. We'll journey 77 milesbeside white sand beaches andmangrove islands, from Long KeyState Park to Key West. Register by: January 1

The Great Calusa BluewayFebruary 13­19, 2016Bask in the history, culture, andbeauty of the southwest Floridacoast as we explore 57 miles ofLee County's rivers, bays, creeksand mangrove tunnels, aquaticpreserves, Calusa shell mounds,and pristine white­sand barrierislands.Register by: February 1

Dam to the Bay on theOchlockonee

The Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail is a 190­mile marked

canoe and kayak trail that meanders through the coastal waters

and inland tributaries of Lee County. It attracts everyone from first­

time kayakers to advanced paddlers and is home to abundant

marine life, shore birds, and crustaceans. Fishing is great and

wildlife will be easy to spot as you paddle along the Blueway. You

may meet a 1,200­pound manatee or an elegant roseate spoonbill

on your trip. You will also get to see some of Lee County’s richest

historical sites, including the Koreshan State Historic site, Mound

Key Archeological Park, and Matanzas Pass (believed to be the

location of fighting between the Calusa and Spanish when they

tried to settle here). The region is also home to one of the largest

shrimp fleets on the west coast of Florida.

As you cross Pine Island Sound on the final day, tides will dictate

your path. Shallow and dotted with Calusa Mounds, this estuary

was home to a vibrant community of nearly 10,000 Calusa who

spent several centuries here. Your last stop on the trail is Cayo

Costa State Park, the largest undeveloped barrier island in

Southwest Florida. The island features six miles of hiking trails, a

campground, and some of the best shelling in Florida. You will

spend two nights here and enjoy swimming, biking, day paddles to

other islands, or just relaxing on pristine white sand beaches.

Check out this video preview of what awaits you. Click on the trip

link in the left column for more details on this epic paddling

adventure.

7/14/2015 Paddle Florida's monthly Enewsletter

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March 12­18, 2016From wild Tupelo honey to freshGulf oysters, experience thePanhandle's Ochlockonee Riverwhich winds through state andnational forest lands on 76 milesof Florida's most remotewilderness river trail.Register by: March 1

Suwannee River PaddlingFestivalApril 1­3, 2016The fourth annual SuwanneeRiver Paddling Festival will takeplace at the Suwannee RiverState Park near Live Oak. Thefestival will feature supported 12­20 mile trip options on the scenicSuwannee and WithlacoocheeRivers, a concert featuring someof Paddle Florida’s favoriteentertainers to benefit waterwaysprotection, and an opportunity tohear from regional water andwildlife experts.Register by: March 18

Worth ViewingCall of the Ancient Mariner

The Guide's Corner:Lessons of the Dune

Lars Andersen is owner and

paddling guide for Adventure

Outpost in High Springs, FL.

He outfits and guides kayak

and canoe tours on over 40

waterways throughout North

Florida's "Springs Country."

The story of the demise of Florida's Timucua people began and

ended in the dunes near St. Augustine. They were the first thing

Ponce de Leon saw when he arrived in 1513 and the last thing the

natives saw as the last 89 Timucuans sailed away 250 years later.

It was the perfect setting. The story of these dunes is, in many

ways, a microcosm of the story of Florida itself. Most of this land

was, at one time or another, covered by dunes. They represent

Florida’s essence—raw and elemental.

Anyone hoping to gain a true understanding of Florida and the

people who live here should begin by studying the plants and

animals that live in the dunes. Ponce de Leon would have done

well to heed this advice. Imagine how differently things might have

gone if he had spent his five "lost days" learning the lessons of the

dunes and taken those lessons to heart. He wouldn’t have had to

look hard to find them. [read more1]

7/14/2015 Paddle Florida's monthly Enewsletter

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Man's love affair with turtlesgoes back thousands of years.For over 150 million years, seaturtles have flourished, yettheir fate is uncertain given theenvironmental challenges theynow face. How can we reaffirmour ancient connections to thisiconic creature for the benefitof them ­­ and ourselves aswell. This documentary filmwill leave you renewedappreciation for this gentlesea creature.

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Do you provide a paddlingoriented product or service? Consider placing an ad in ourmonthly newsletter, whichreaches over 6,000subscribers and is growingevery day! Contact BillRichards at (352) 377­8342 or bill@paddleflorida.org fordetails.

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Paddler Profile:Roger Cayer, Savannah, Georgia

Where are you from? Your profession? I am from the

Northeast. Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. I was an

ob­gyn for 38 years. The last eight years of my career were spent

working for the Choctaw Nation Indian Healthcare System as

Director of their Women's Health Center in Talihina, Oklahoma,

way too far from the ocean! I have been retired for three wonderful

years and my wife Ellen and I are living on Skidaway Island,

Savannah, Georgia.

Can you describe a Paddle Florida trip highlight? My best

highlight from a trip came on the PF Keys Challenge. Emily, with

limited kayak experience, and I were on the final leg of the trip off

of Smather Beach, Key West. The water was roiling, the wind was

howling and we had to deal with clapotis. Emily asked me if I was

scared. I lied and answered "no,” yelling above the howling wind,

"keep a paddle in the water and you will be fine!" I was somewhat

7/14/2015 Paddle Florida's monthly Enewsletter

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FacebookOver 18,000 fans & counting

Reconnect with paddlingfriends and make new ones onPaddle Florida's Facebookpage. Our daily feeds provideupdates on the newsimpacting Florida's waterwaysand wildlife as well as ourupcoming trips. Send us yourfavorite photo depictingpaddling in Florida and itmight be selected as our'Picture of the Day!'

Help Us ProtectFlorida's Water

You can help us meet ourwater conservation missionsby (1) joining us on one ormore paddling adventuresscheduled annually onFlorida's wild and scenic riversand coastlines, or (2)donating to Paddle Florida viaour secure PayPal connection.

worried because these were not beginner conditions. She made it

just fine while believing my white lie; I really was a bit nervous.

Once we landed safely she confessed that she had shed a few

"tears of fear.” It was a precious moment! [read more2]

Focus on Florida ArtistsDelany Dean, Sanford, FL

Delany Dean has joined us on a couple Paddle Florida trips and

hopes to return for our Great Calusa Blueway trip next season. In

addition to kayaking, Delany is a talented photographer.

Unsurprisingly, some of her photography features the Florida

waterways she enjoys paddling. What inspires her? “Florida

waterways have a compelling primeval feel that resonates with

me. I have long been inspired by artists that have captured the

awesome primitive beauty of our springs, rivers, and lakes. One of

my artistic goals has been for others to see this in my photographic

7/14/2015 Paddle Florida's monthly Enewsletter

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work, as well.” You can enjoy the diverse array of Delany’s work

on her beautiful website.

Kayak Florida's Forgotten Coastby Conor Mihell, Sierra Magazine, July/August 2015

Conor Mihell paddling past the limestone of Rock Island on the Big

Bend Saltwater Trail | Photo by Fredrik Marmsater

Dressed in camo fatigues, Billy Sullivan tends two pans of sizzling

oil in his one­room "fish camp" on the Gulf of Mexico. He

reminisces about a childhood spent running wild in boar­ and tick­

infested swamps ("I never knew what underwear was 'til I joined

the navy"); shows off his collection of rattlesnake tails and raccoon

penises; and insists that I, the gun­shy Canadian, gaze through

the scope of a high­powered rifle.

"I'm gonna see just how Southern y'all are," he hollers, piling

7/14/2015 Paddle Florida's monthly Enewsletter

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Styrofoam plates with deep­fried mullet, venison, french fries,

cornmeal hush puppies, baked beans, hot dogs, coleslaw, and

locally harvested (i.e., poached) "swamp cabbage"—the tender

shoots of palm trees, chopped and boiled. He instructs me to lob

my empty beer cans off the deck, where they join dozens more in

the bed of a pickup truck. [read more3]

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Our mailing address is:Paddle Florida, P.O. Box 5953, Gainesville, FL 32627

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