Life at 60, (mph)

– post 8 of 8 –

A RIVER OF TIME

Anderson Landing

(GPS – 18 SE 225 St, Old Town, FL)

Suwannee, Fl

The reward.

Day 10 – after 225 miles of paddlin this was the perfect layover – Suwannee, the town.  I would suggest to others arriving in like-manner to take an extra day here, ‘stop and put your ‘feet-up.’

Just outside of those two little portholes are the comings and goings of the folks that live with this area’s blessings – leading to another perception gained while paddling the Suwannee’s length – I wouldn’t hesitate to eat anything that comes out of these waters.  Throughout the distance of the Suwannee I never noticed an industry along her shorelines, and only heard a single voice of concern over the nutrients originating from mid-Florida livestock – I couldn’t help but to feel that whatever comes from the Suwannee’s waters is quality food!

I even tasted some excellently seasoned ‘gator-tail’ while at the Salt Creek Shellfish Co.

While ‘putting your feet-up‘ there are four possibilities, (1) – paddle westward through the canals and into the saw-grass maze towards the Gulf

Its gator habitat too – while paddling toward the flats I did notice a gator with only a third of a tail – knowing that their tails are an important factor of propulsion, I later posed the question (for conversation) to a ‘local’ while ‘bellied-up’ at the Salt Creek bar – wondering too if anyone knew of this particular gator.

“Could a gator survive in the wild without it’s tail?” the ‘local’ said “sure” they could, and “that was probably his tail that I was eating.”

another possibility is (2) inward and paddle ‘canal world’ where almost everyone has a boat garage’ – each with their own version of a fish-cleaning station; old and new.

It must feel like this in heaven.

or (3) the eastward direction back onto the Suwannee’s main flow to maybe say “adios” Poseidon for sharing ten days from the ‘topside‘ on her waters.

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Which I did also – with the incoming tide and the outgoing wind I sat motionless on the Suwannee – held in check by opposing forces.  In research for paddling the river, advice to check the tide direction was noted; – I thought about this as I paddled the last leg from Fanning Springs yet really did not believe that the tide was a factor until reaching this point, the town of Suwannee.  The tide at this point could be a strong ally with running to the Gulf and back – Bills Fish camp has tidal information available for the asking (its shorter if you paddle through the town to the Gulf).

The Cape Coral

The delta landscape of the Suwannee River near the Gulf.

or (4) just sit back and enjoy the world in front of you.

It was the best ten bucks that I’ve spent in a long, long time.

Ten bucks for camping two nights at a place you can paddle through the canals of the little town; head out into the marshes, or the river, or out to the Gulf. Take some ‘no-see-um’ spray….

Eats; In walking distance is Sarah’s Suwannee Cafe (breakfast/lunch), a Post Office, and the Salt Creek Restaurant (diner/bar), spend the savings from the room to replenish what you’ve burnt coming down the river.

A small example of the homes, there were many more conventional.

Double-wide on stiltz

I like how they ‘jacked them up’ and screened in the area below, nice.

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but I guess I can’t stay forever, “I got boats to build” (jb)……..

Facebook Post; “Took the day off and paddled the flats of the Suwannee delta”……..

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Paddling Live Oak to the Gulf

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Suwannee River Mile References 

Georgia to the Gulf, 225 river miles, 10 paddle days

Links to the other posts of this paddle trip;

• Days 1 and 2 – Fargo Ga, to riverside camp to just above Big Shoals (178rm)
• Day 3 Big Shoals to Woods Ferry River Camp (159rm)
• Days 4 and 5 – Woods Ferry to riverside camp (136rm) to Dowling Park River Camp (113 rm)
• Day 6 – to Adams Tract River Camp (85 rm)
• Day 7 – to riverside (56rm) just above Gornto Springs (56rm)
• Day 8 – to Fanning Springs (34 rm)
• Day 9 – to Anderson’s Landing River Camp

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