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Thursday, June 18, 2009
"Paddling With a Purpose"
Perhaps the most important thing you can do this year for the OWLS ministry and for the disinherited inner-city kids we scholarship on numerous adventures each year is to support my participation in the "Paddling With a Purpose" canoe marathon, being held this year on the Current River in MO, July 21 - July 30. With your help and that of the friends you encourage to partner with us, the funds raised during this epic journey will determine our ability to meet the programming needs for the remainder of the year.
By now, you should have already received my email explaining the various ways you can partner with me in "Paddling with a Purpose": Paddling your own boat and raising sponsors for your physical efforts, Contributing $X.00 for every one of the 125 miles that I will paddle, Organizing a team of supporters to pledge contributions and prayers for this event, Sharing the news with everyone else on your email list, etc. If you didn't get that email or cannot locate it now, please send me an email (BenSimms@aol.com) requesting it NOW, before any procrastination has a chance to interfere. As we are warned in Galatians 6:9-10, it is crucial at times like this that we do not grow weary in doing what God has called us to. I cannot do that without your help. Thank you and God bless you! - Ben
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Worship, Paddle, and Camp on the Nolichucky - April 17-19, 2009

Brandon at Big Rocks. Hey, doesn't it work better with the boat on top of the water?
The April WPC on the Nolichucky River with Paddlers 4 Christ was absolutely fabulous! Sounding somewhat like a soundtrack from the musical "Oliver," many of the participants reportedly had been heard singing "Rain, Glorious Rain" as bucketfulls fell on the days and weeks before the weekend but then stopped just long enough for us to enjoy our choices of runs on good water before raining again on our way home. God is so good!
Our group of 19 divided up into three parties paddling different stretches of the river. Several opted for a rather relaxing trip by just putting in at Sawmill and paddling the river down to our camp at Big Rocks and spending the rest of the time in camp, tending fires, fellowshipping, and enjoying the beauty of God's creation and the soothing effects of the river's flowing water.

Scott enjoying his Viper on the Noli.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Spring Break Adventure in the 10,000 Islands
While we are never really certain of what our Creator will show us on any particular trip, some of the things we remember about this one were the unbelievably fantastic weather, the manatee swimming right up under one of our canoes, the ospreys warning us away from their nest, the porpoises racing in circles around us and then jumping for the sky, sand bars with so many fiddler crabs that the entire surface seemed to move, a bull shark sharing a quiet cove with us, colorful sunrises and sunsets, pelicans everywhere, sandbars covered with birds and sandy beaches with nothing but the finest white powder sand, mangrove trees growing so close that even the fish and crabs sometimes had trouble working their way out, sea shells everywhere we turned, ducks, cormorants, egrets, herons, and many more birds that we are still trying to identify.

Egrets were seen tending their young, catching fish and rodents, and flying high overhead as we traveled the Blackwater River out to the Gulf. Nests were built on signposts and treetops; wherever they felt they could be safe and see the approach of any possible danger. The Bible tells us to soar like the eagle and it's no wonder why these big raptors are often mistaken for just that.
Birds of a feather usually flock together but there were those rare occasions where pelicans and cormorants would share the same roost.
We couldn't escape the watchful eye of this pelican as he allowed us to scare up a meal or two for him in the protected lagoon he seemed to prefer.
We launched from Collier-Seminole State Park, located on Royal Palm Hammock, which is the site of the largest grove of native Royal Palms in the country.

The porpoises seemed to enjoy playing with us as they would sneak up and surprise us by blowing air and making sounds that reminded us of a horse's snort. Several even performed some aerial maneuvers such as high jumps, flips, and their own version of the belly flop.
Royal Palms are known for their distinctive green headstalks and consistently shaped tops.
These red mangrove trees were right in front of our base camp location and provided a great example of how the 10,000 Islands are continuing to form with each passing year.
Here is a view of the same trees from my tent at low tide with the customary orange Florida sunset.
This photo shows just how clear the water in the 10,000 Islands and Rookery Bay area can be. It has the same appearance as some of the springfed freshwater Florida streams.
One last shot as we finished taking down the tents and packing for the paddle back home. Beach camping just doesn't get any better than this!
We had a driftwood fire to sit around each night and discuss all the days sights and lessons.
On the way past Turtle Key, I shot this photo of side-by-side black (on the left) and red mangrove trees. Notice that the red mangrove has the distinctive prop roots whereas the black mangrove has smaller air roots somewhat like the cypress knees we were more familiar with.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Caving Trip to North Georgia
Thursday, January 22, 2009
MLK Weekend - Canoe-Camping in Ocala

Over the long MLK, Jr. weekend, January 16 - 19, a group of 21, mostly members of Men's Fraternity in Atlanta joined by family and friends, enjoyed camping and canoeing with OWLS in Florida's Ocala National Forest. We operated out of a base camp set up at Fore Lake, just off Hwy 314, which allowed us to reach the Silver River and Juniper Springs access points with very little effort. Friday evening when most of our group arrived was on the chilly side, reminding us to thank God for our warm sleeping bags and the gift of fire.

Saturday morning, was spent enjoying breakfast, checking out gear, waiting for the few who had opted to stay in a motel the previous night, and telling tales about other people and paddling trips we had enjoyed. After everyone had assembled, PFD's were distributed and tried on for size, we said a prayer of praise, thanks, and for safety through the day, and then we headed over to Ray Wayside Access to the Silver River.
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Last minute safety review and pre-launch prayer at Ray's.

Unloading the canoe trailer went smoothly and everyone was quickly headed down the canal to meet the Silver River where we would paddle the five miles upstream to Silver Springs. These springs gush forth 550 million gallons (over 2 billion liters) of crystal clear water every day creating the largest natural artesian spring formation in the entire world. The waters of Silver Springs and the Silver River are so transparent that this has become a favorite location for the filming of underwater scenes in many movies and television shows, most notably Tarzan and SeaHunt. In fact, the Rhesus monkeys which populate the jungle-like surroundings are, by most accounts, descendants of escapees from the filming of the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movie series.


While most visitors to Silver Springs go there to ride the glass-bottom boats, visit Ross Allen's Reptile Institute, Deer Park, the antique car collection, or even play at the Wild Waters water park, we all agreed that the best part of the paddle was the travel up the river. It was here that we could see so much of God's creative genius and also acquire a better understanding of our place and His plan for us.
After reaching the Springs, we noticed the sun sitting lower in the sky and the wildlife, particularly the many alligators, starting to become restless as it neared feeding time for them. We judiciously made our way back downstream, up the canal, loaded up our gear, and headed back to camp, where we enjoyed huddling around the campfire while waiting for the genuine low country boil to get just right for our consumption.

After such a busy day, eating and discussions soon gave way to checking our eyelids for leaks. Saturday night was comfortably warm compared to the previous night and everyone slept comfortably until daybreak.
We started Sunday morning, of course, with a fireside worship service with several members of our party leading discussions and reading Bible passages concerning the Lord's use of parables, creation, and our experiences to teach us things He knows we need to understand, drawing strongly from Romans 1 and Psalm 19. Some of the living parables observed and discussed included:
1.) The “Laodecian Syndrome” as demonstrated by that uneasiness when we are not fully in or out of our canoes.
2.) The wide and narrow paths as illustrated by strainers across the wider river.
3.) The universality of God’s laws as seen in the rain or the flow of water downhill.
4.) Our need for a Savior related to our need for our PFD’s.
5.) Our place as members of Christ’s body illustrated by rain, springs, tributaries, etc.
6.) The armor of God as it relates to the paddler’s outfitting requirements.
7.) Encouragement, Teamwork, and Goalsetting as these relate to tandem canoeing.
8.) Importance of seeking the good and making every effort count re: paddle strokes.
9.) God’s untiring grasp of us as we consider the unrelenting grip of the alligator's bite.
10.) His lighting the way for us and His showing navigators the way with the stars.
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Much of our worship time was spent pondering parable of the "Living Water" as we discussed the triune nature of God as displayed in the immense hidden resource of the underground river, the springs which show us the power and character of that otherwise hidden resource, and the stream banks which channel that refreshment and power right to where it is needed. We also noticed how, even though the water may be right at our feet, many will choose not to drink from or cool off in it's regenerating flow.
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Following are just a few photos of some of the participants on this outing:
Three generations of Turner in one canoe!
The other two Turner boys paddling Juniper Creek.
Proof that "Yours Truly" really does go on these trips.
Clay and McClain Bradley heading to Silver Springs.
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The Ritchie girls on the Silver River.
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Todd and Preston Blair getting the requisite whistle before launching.
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Bob and Jackie Tolford (w/Big Red) at Ray's Wayside.
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Ron and Griffin Holmes assist in unloading and staging the canoes.
Vicki and Jackie reflecting the sunshine back at us in Silver Springs.
Ross Bickers waits to lead the charge up the river to Silver Springs.
Joel, Aaron, and Zachary heading up the Silver River.
Todd and Preston are all smiles as they search for the monkeys of Silver River.

Ron Holmes wins the undisputed title for the "I'd do anything" award as he searches for Griffin's lost glasses.

Griffin looks back toward the camera as he starts down Juniper Creek.
Bob was moved to play "How Great Thou Art" for us during a pause in our paddle through the Juniper Prairie Wilderness Area.

Tom, Ron, Tim, and the boys watch as a couple of kayakers move out ahead of us.
And, of course, most people look at this blog to see photos of some of the abundant wildlife we encountered while paddling thorough the streams of Ocala National Forest. The following are just a few of the literally hundreds of pictures we took during the trip. I trust you will enjoy what you see here.


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Monday, January 5, 2009
You're Invited!
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In just a little over a week about 20 people, most members of the Men's Fraternity at Atlanta's Church of the Apostles and their sons, will be canoeing and camping with OWLS in the Ocala National Forest. We will paddle the Silver River, Juniper Springs and Creek, and the Ocklawaha River before returning home. Be sure to check back soon for a detailed trip report.
Our Presidents' Day weekend was holding hopes for a snowy experience as we backpacked some of the higher elevation trails in the Carolinas - until I realized that this was also Valentine's Day and that I had Jury Duty that Friday. Oops!

For Spring Break, we will return to the southwestern gulf coast of Florida for an awe inspiring 6-Day adventure canoe-camping the uninhabited 10,000 Islands region of the Everglades. Here's an introductory paragraph from our information sheet:
"Explore the 10,000 Islands section of Florida’s Everglades with the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School on one of our more exotic adventures, as we canoe freshwater swamps, tidal rivers, and brackish estuaries on our way to the pristine white sand beach paradise of uninhabited gulf shore keys. Paddle through a maze of islands and mangrove estuaries, looking for dolphins, manatees and pelicans. Seek out white ibis, blue herons, pink spoonbills, and a colorful variety of other birds in this sub-tropical world where air plants and unusual flowers thrive. Visit one of the largest remaining stands of native Royal Palms and then the National Wildlife Refuge where endangered birds, alligators, manatees, and other creatures may be found. Join us on a trip you are sure to treasure the rest of your life!"
If you want full details or want to reserve some spots, get in touch right away as group size is limited and deadlines are imminent.
Also, please help the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School and our work with inner-city teens by sharing this information and the link to this site with all your contacts. It makes a much bigger difference than you might imagine.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Odds and Ends at Summer's End
Thankfully it usually takes many seasons before we have to retire a boat, but retirement does come regularly to several each year. Much like the rotting wood of a dead tree gives life to a new seedling, this kayak still lives on in the repairs it enabled which allow us to use others even longer.
Providence Canyon - little wonder why this modern phenomena is also known as Georgia's "Little Grand Canyon."
Over 300 feet deep and caused by erosion over a period of less than 50 years!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Middle School Odyssey Trip for Hill Country Montessori

Pre-launch safety and other important trip details are given due attention by most (all but one) participant.
On the afternoon of July 28, we finished setting shuttle, packing the canoes, and set out from the boat ramp at Chickasaw Trace on what was supposed to be a five day journey down the Duck River. The intent was to help the students bond as a team and challenge themselves with new experiences and, with a cooling swim in the river and a relatively easy paddle, when we stopped to make camp that first night, it looked like everything was right on track. After a quick lesson in how to set up the tents and deal with bathroom needs, everyone ate their fill of a good hot chicken, rice, cheese, and vegetable meal, discussed our plans for an early start the next morning, and retired for the night in our tents.

The hot summer days made an occasional cooling dip in the water almost irresistable.
The following morning I had breakfast prepared by 6:30 AM and the middle school girls and their teachers were up and packed just as planned. The boys, on the other hand, showed absolutely no desire to exert themselves in the least. After much too long a delay, apparently expecting others to pack their gear for them, they complained that the breakfast had been packed away before they were ready to eat, and then only halfheartedly moved to put their gear in the canoe I decided to put the two of them in together. I sent the others on ahead so they wouldn't have to paddle so long in the heat of the day, certain that these young men would jump into gear in their effort to outdo or at least catch up with the girls and everyone else. Was I ever wrong!
Two computer crashes after entering all the sordid details has saved you from reading about the miriad of problems caused by the lack of teamwork and the self-absorbed attitudes shown by some members of this group. The remainder of the trip left no doubt that, when God and the purpose He gives is removed from life, the result is a collection of meaningless actions without any real purpose. If you really want all the minute-by-minute, blow-by-blow details, give me a call and we can discuss it over lunch.
Clifford, who runs the "Sense of Place Institute" demonstrates his excellent sense of place when it comes to tent site selection
It took an act of God but finally we got to see the kids working together as a team.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
July 2008 Paddlers 4 Christ WPC on the Duck River
As it turned out, this WPC made the record books in three different categories. It was the longest timewise with 11 days, it was the longest in terms of river mileage at 177 river miles covered from initial launch to final take-out, and it was the smallest turnout of any uncancelled WPC, particularly if you consider the average number of participants per day paddled.
The Lord was my constant companion and encourager along the way and He regularly brought others alongside to make the trip easier and more pleasurable.
The first really neat example of this was, on Day 1, about a mile or so above the first dam I would have to portage, I came upon Brian Wofford, a teacher at The Webb School in Bell Buckle, and a couple of his kids. Brian had heard of OWLS and been studying our programs to see how they might enhance what he is doing with Project WILD, the Webb School's outdoor program. They were a lot of fun to talk with and a great help in negotiating the portage around the Lillard's Mill dam.
Not only did they help carry my heavily loaded canoe around the dam but the following morning Brian met me at a bridge farther downstream and helped me relocate my car in a safer spot farther downstream.
As I landed at the Shelbyville dam, the blessings came in the form of a number of the town's homeless men. They showed lots of interest in my "expedition" and then offered to help me portage around that dam. One of them, which I turned down, even suggested that I should stop over for the night at his campsite under the next bridge.
It wouldn't be right to enter this trip report without mentioning Doug Murphy, Director of the Tennessee Duck River Agency, who helped make this trip possible in numerous ways. He encouraged me time and again by showering accolades on his river. He provided detailed maps and information concerning access points, portages, mileage, and other crucial data. He offered to provide quick response in case of emergencies. After a very expensive and exasperating day including having my car break down and having to have it towed to Columbia, he also bought me lunch and helped me set shuttle in Centerville where I finally took out.
It was a long trip and toward the end my goal turned from enjoying the scenery and marking potential campsites to making more miles each day and getting back home. I was able to accomplish my goal of determining the best section for the upcoming "Odyssey" trip and plotting enough campsites on my maps to offer the kids plenty of flexibility during that trip.
Below are a few of the many photos I took during the WPC. I certainly hope you make the next one with me!
The upper sections of the Duck River were often lined with rocky bluffs.
Some of the riverside bluffs were deeply undercut providing comfortable sheltered campsites.
Other bluffs were pockmarked with cave entrances. Some were dry and others, like this, had small streams of water flowing out of them all the time.
This Great Blue Heron seemed to stay just ahead of me throughout the entire trip. He always saw me coming long before I spotted him, making photographing him a real challenge.
This little fellow and several of his older relatives were my companions during the first few evenings on the Duck River.
Most of the older bridges have been replaced with new concrete structures but, in many locations, the old steel frames of the original bridges remain like giant erector set projects.
The deer were everywhere along the river and I spotted several of them each day.
Spotting a family of Bald Eagles near Williamsport and following the big male for another mile or so downriver was really exciting.
When approaching shoals or one of the dams, the river often took on a mirror-like appearance.
The mussels found in the banks and along the gravel bars grew to 6" or more in size. If the water was a little bit cleaner, each one would be a meal in itself. There must have been lots of chubby Indians living along this river in years gone by.
A week on the river without a mirror and without anyone telling me what I looked like can create some pretty scary results.
At my final takeout, in Centerville, TN, just down the road from Grinders Switch and 177 river miles downstream from Normandy Dam where the trip began, it's just Minnie Pearl and me.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Paddle GA 2008 on the Flint River, June 21 - 27
Without mentioning specific names of the youths, some of the ministries and churches which had kids which were and then were not participating were Lindsay Street Baptist Church, Sandy Springs Mission, Peachtree Presbyterian, Techwood Girls Ministry, Christ Church, Perimeter Church, ReCreation Ministries, and the Salvation Army. By the time we arrived for on-site registration on June 21, we were still trying to figure out who was using whose prepaid registration and whose meals they would be eating during the week. Even after the final registration we had changes as participants altered their schedules and, in the case of one challenged young lady, had to be hospitalized on their way to our campsite.
With the low and slow water, the days were difficult and hot but, with the addition of each little tributary, just like additional members joining a team or workgroup, as we made our way downstream each day's paddle was a bit easier than the day before.
Discussions of the area's previous inhabitants, their use of the resources, and their interaction with each other (both ethical and unethical) demonstrated how people really haven't changed at all over the years but also how God provides all that we truly need. Now if we could only somehow allow everyone to capture Paul's ability to be satisfied with any situation in which we find ourselves.
Some of the discussions I had one-on-one with some of the kids were pretty different from what I usually experience. Statements like, "None of this is real. I and this world don't really exist. My mind only dreamed all this up." or more mundane topics like the intricasies of operating a group home for kids and incorporating foster children into a home can certainly get your mind off the tedium of flat water paddling for longer than you might imagine.
Despite the struggles of Paddle GA 2008 - 95 miles on the Flint River before the last day of the trip, at least seven people had already made tentative plans to be part of the OWLS flotilla in Paddle GA 2009 as we paddle the Broad and Savannah Rivers. I hope you will contact us soon to join in as well. If you can't join us, be there in spirit by sponsoring one or more impoverished youths who would otherwise have to miss out on this adventure.

The buzz among the paddlers was that shirts would be produced that said, "I Walked the Flint, Paddle GA - Drought 2008." Yes, as a result of the extended periods of drought we had had, the water level was very low. Everyone, myself included, had to walk some of the route, especially in the upper stretches.

Eli, Brad, and everyone else for that matter enjoyed escaping the summer heat by cooling off in the swimming holes we found all along the way.
"Look out below" as Ashleigh enjoys a cooling leap from one of the many rock outcroppings found along the Flint River.

Brad and Warren approach the "finish line" after spending a week together paddling the old reliable BlueHole canoe.
Eli (and I'm sure - although his arms were probably too tired to show it - Leonard) celebrate their approach to the final boat ramp at the end of Paddle GA 2008.

Here's a shot of those in our group who made it all the way down the Flint River, shortly after our final take-out in Oglethorpe, GA. From left to right: Christy, Brad, Warren, Eli, Leonard, Emma, and Ben. (Not here at the final day's take-out were Anne, Allison, Bath-Shebba, Victor, Mahogany, Ashleigh, Lizzy, and Vicki.)
One of the most memorable experiences for some of the OWLS group was being able to see, meet, talk to and eat with former GA governor and US president, Jimmy Carter, at the "River's End" celebration.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Kayak Camp at Buffalo Mountain
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Canoes for Summer Camps for the underprivileged

Sunday, May 11, 2008
English Avenue Community Revitalization
Sunday, April 20, 2008
OWLS Coastal Island Adventure with Sandy Springs Mission
This is what "Jed Clampet" Simms looked like April 9, 2008 as I finally headed out Wednesday afternoon for Laurel Island after working for a couple of days, disassembling the bikes so they would fit in the bottom of the canoe trailer, packing tents, food and other gear all the way to the roof inside the car and then putting the kayaks on the roof. I got lots of incredulous looks on the way down but miraculously didn't lose anything.
Pastor Felix Lora drove the bus down Thursday morning with all the kids aboard, making a stop on nearby Jekyll Island so everyone could stretch their legs on the wide beaches and cool off in the sea. Felix later told me that some of the kids had expressed surprise at the saltiness of the sea water. This demonstrated once again how experience truly completes the education that is only started in a typical classroom. I took that time to unload the boats (with help from Jim on the last few), reassemble the bikes and check their operation, unload and spray down the bike helmets, hang up all the PFDs and paddles, begin setting up tents, do some litter collection, run to the store for some of the food and fish bait that wouldn't fit in the car on the way down, lay a few logs in the fire pit, and start preparing the chicken, rice, and vegetable casserole and the beef stew I brought for everyone's dinner.
About 6:30, April 10th, the bus pulled into our campsite at the end of Laurel Island and out stepped Felix, shortly followed by Johnny, Natalia, Pamela, Esther, Jesus ("Chucho"), Leonel ("Chuchito"), Jiselle, Esteban, Alvaro, Jenny, "The Siamese Twins" Damali and Tito, Rubi, Jose R., Ednand, Elsa, Bryan, Antonio, Emanuel, Juliana, AJ, Jose, Enmanuel, Evelyn, and Luis. The boys jumped into helping complete setting up the camp and the girls surveyed the area and lined up for the blessing and dinner, followed shortly thereafter by the boys. It always amazes me how these kids can eat and the complements they give my cooking. After allowing seconds in an orderly fashion, I opened up the leftovers for anyone who wanted them and hardly had to clean the pots afterward. I also realized right away that keeping them hydrated might be an issue on this outing since they couldn't seem to make themselves drink the strong smelling coastal well water, even when mixed with PowerAide or lemonade mix. I must confess my disappointment when I think about the money needlessly wasted on bottled water due to finicky taste buds.
After dinner, a number of us went over to get the fire started and, in keeping with Felix's stated theme for the retreat of "Being an Influencer," discussed how the various pieces of wood would share the heat they had with others around them, influencing them to also burst into flame and spread the warmth to that many more. They indicated they saw the application of how the influence they had on those around them would eventually spread to many more people and how much more beneficial it would be if that influence was warm and loving rather than cold and cruel.
Felix took the last bit of afterglow to try his hand at fishing and soon had his first of many fish on the hook.
Here is a picture of Felix showing off his first fish in front of the Laurel Lady, a beautiful Chris Craft reportedly built in the 1920's.
Kids always enjoy poking sticks at a campfire. It is such a relief when the campfire is surrounded by sand and we don't have to be concerned about starting a wildfire with all those sparks. How I love beach and sandbar camping!
We all woke up to a very foggy Friday morning. Visibility was realistically only about 30 feet! Right after a breakfast of French toast and bacon, Felix led everyone in a time of Bible Study and devotional discussing what it means to be an "influencer" and the importance of keeping with our God-given purpose of being the "Salt of the Earth."
After the devotional, we divided up the group and traded turns at paddling and biking. The wide waters of the coastal rivers might have been intimidating but the weather was beautiful and the wind was rather mild. We did have a few of the guys discover firsthand what can happen to a boater when he paddles the shallows on a falling tide but they were shortly back afloat and the mud will eventually wash off. Thank goodness the way they influenced others was to demonstrate the sticky, uncomfortable, messy situations that result from taking the wrong path with the result that the others stayed in deeper water. The tandem canoes also gave each of them chances to feel the influence of the other paddlers, the wind, and the current on the boats. These feelings created conversations (and some slight arguments) over the positive or negative influence each was having and also comparisons of what happens to people who just go wherever the winds or currents of society make travel easier for a time, in contrast to those who have specific goals and take the appropriate strokes (or actions) needed to efficiently reach those goals.
Felix and the girls take a break on the main road through the island during their time on the bikes. Some of the many issues we always have to deal with when biking can also be the source of parables expressing the importance of our part as members of a team or the Body of Christ. So many little parts seem so insignificant and yet, when removed from the whole, the body cannot function properly. Take a tube out of a tire, a bolt from a clamp, or a link from a chain and the negative influence of that missing "insignificant part" is felt immediately. Conversely, when replaced, the bike (and likewise the body) can function as was intended.
Everyone seemed to enjoy fishing! Even when I was too tired to take another step, I could look toward the dock or the edge of the island bluffs and find scenes like this of the kids and Felix pulling in fish and crabs.
Sometimes the crabs took some retaliatory action as proven by the blood you can see on Felix's thumb in this photo.
Friday night, with the aid of Don Drury's gas burner and Mark Drury's extra large pot, along with some helpful reassurance from Cicero, I did my part to get everyone in the proper coastal mood by cooking a low country shrimp boil. As everyone scooped up the spicy shrimp, corn, potatoes, carrots, celery, crawfish, and even Felix's crab, I was pleased to hear more praise for the cooking and the God who made it all possible.
Mike Timma who I met through our Paddlers for Christ group arrived just in time to enjoy dinner with us and then spend some real quality time with Alvaro talking about our assurance of heaven, what part God plays in that, and just how much of a difference our efforts and hard work play in the process. Without realizing it, Mike did a wonderful job of introducing Felix's devotional the next day which included the fact that we are all sinners and yet we can, through God's grace, continue to be the Salt of the Earth.
Saturday morning, after a quick breakfast and hurriedly packing all our gear (with lots of much appreciated help from Mike), we headed over to Jekyll Island to hitch a ride on the Miss Lillie Carol for our ride across St. Andrews sound to the island where we would spend the rest of the day and the night. The photo above is of the first half of our group waving to the others as they made the trip to Raccoon Key. Some of them told me that this was the first time they had been "on a boat out in the ocean."
Raccoon Key was a private hunting and fishing preserve for many years and its attraction for wildlife is quite evident today. With a combination of fresh and salt water ponds, reeds, grasses, wildflowers, and even a few trees, it is home to entire flocks of Blue Heron, White Heron, Egret, Ibis, Cormorants, Hawks, Red Winged Blackbirds, Anhingas, Mallards, Coots, Black Ducks, and the usual Seagulls, Sand Pipers, Pelicans, and other birds commonly found along the coast. Four legged animals we noticed were numerous relatively small lizards, Alligators, Raccoons, rats, and mice.
Looking carefully at this picture you will notice one of the rare times Tito was able to be found apart from Damali, although I'm sure she was nearby on the shore waiting for his return. In the background is the famous Cumberland Island.
The refreshing ocean water was lots of fun and most of the kids apparently preferred swimming to showering in the "smelly" water even though Don had convinced some of them that there was a major shark danger in those waters.
When not swimming or playing in the water, the beach provided a great place to enjoy the sun, build sand castles, and build friendships.
Here's another shot of the sand castle engineers working together. Note that Damali has caught up with Tito on shore again.
We should probably call this photo "With a little help from my friends" since it took several friends to pull him out after breaking through the crust into the muddy ooze below while chasing a ball into the ocean. As the tide continued to run out, it looked as if we could have walked across the sands for a quick visit to Cumberland Island.
Here's Felix during Saturday evening's devotional in the lodge at Raccoon Key. See if you can make out the impressive duck and fish mounts on the wall behind him. Yes, we did do some fishing while at Raccoon Key also.
Here are the few, the strong, the brave who accompanied me to the beach to light our driftwood bonfire so the others could find their way to us. We had many more in our company when we started our hike out to the beach but the masses turned back when they began to notice the quantity of red eyes watching us as we slowly made progress between the ponds.
Once again realizing how the fire demonstrates the influence each of us has on those around us, we pulled up some logs and sat down to see what God might have in store.
As our eyes adjusted to the darkness we saw the clouds moving across the night sky, noticed a shooting star, and then entered a conversation dealing with knowing which way to go, how to find Polaris, the North Star, and how God has, from the beginning of time, provided us with everything we need to make the right decisions and become the people He wants us to be.
We also reflected upon how easy it was to see after we had spent some time in the darkness and how God might want us to realize how unaware we can become of sin if we spend to much time surrounded by it. It is the "Light of the World" which we need to see everything as it truly is.
This is what the kids learned to look for in the water as they walked around the island together. More importantly, they learned to look underfoot and nearby for the tire-tread appearance of an alligator basking in the sunlight.
This was taken as we shared stories and fun while our driftwood fire slowly burned down during our last night together on Raccoon Key. Once again we realized that God was providing us with what we needed to stay warm and enjoy His creation. There wasn't anything in this fire that wasn't found washed up on shore or growing on the island.
Our Sunday morning worship included a responsive Bible reading by Pamela, the song "Lord We Lift Your Name On High" accompanied by yours truly on a twelve-string guitar loaned to us by Don, and a message by Felix dealing with patterns, history, habits, and how we don't need to abandon our heritage but do need to break destructive patterns we may have grown up with.
As we waited for our ride back across the sound, some of us sat and talked, others sat or lay down and rested, and others took the time for one last walk on the beach. Continuing the devotional topic somewhat, several of us sat on the dock and discussed our past and how it affects our ability to be a positive "Influencer." As I listened to the boys, I was drawn to pick up one of the many plain, unattractive oyster shells lying nearby. I reminded the young theologians that it isn't the fancy conch shells or even the sand dollars which usually make the most difference. Instead it is the unseemly oyster which often contains the valuable pearls. In the same way, God looks deep within us and sees a far greater worth than can be seen by those just looking at surface things. Furthermore, the pearl is a response to some bit of dirt or irritation entering the life of that oyster. In the same way, our past, even our mistakes and sin, can be transformed by God to make us even more able to glorify Him. The last of our group approaching the Jekyll Marina safe and sound on the Miss Lillie Carol, at nearly 4 PM, after delays caused by Coast Guard inspections, low engine oil levels, fuel shortages, and the Sunday schedule in general. It was pretty obvious that Felix would not be making his originally planned 7 PM arrival back at the Sandy Springs Mission. I think that makes our record 100% for them returning late from OWLS adventures.
Here is one last shot of most of our group before boarding the Bluebird for the long ride home. I'm sure it was hard to get up the next morning and be excited about going back to school. But then again maybe not - they probably have more to talk about concerning what they did during Spring Break than anyone else.

Thursday, April 3, 2008
– – OWLS 2008 Spring Paddle Marathon – – – – – Trip Report

I paddled a Necky Looksha V kayak during this trip. It’s a relatively heavy, rotomolded, expedition kayak but, with its pronounced raised bow, steerable rudder, and high volume, I thought it would give me what I needed if the wind and waves turned nasty. As it turned out, the worst weather was during the times that I was off the water, and a canoe would probably have been a much more user-friendly selection. Mileage paddled was calculated with a Garmin Vista HC Global Positioning System.
Paddling Day 1
The Paddle Marathon to help raise support for the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School’s programs for disinherited, at-risk teens started on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 with a very busy day which included driving, paddling, hitchhiking, driving some more, pre-running the last leg of the journey via motorboat, procuring a return ride for the following day back up to Live Oak, FL to meet up with the inaugural Paddle Florida contingent on Thursday, and trying to sleep through a tropical storm/hurricane while lying in a hammock behind a mobile home. Thank goodness the rest of the trip was much more relaxing!
I unloaded my kayak at the newly rebuilt Woods Ferry Access located at river mile 158. With all the work done there by the Florida Parks personnel and the very high water in the river, I hardly recognized it as the same place I had put-in during a canoe-camping trip back in February. The beach where I had launched before was completely underwater and I found it easier to just slide through the Palmettos into the rain swollen river than try and use the stairs which simply disappeared into the dark, tannin stained water flowing down from the Okefenokee Swamp. About 8 miles but only an hour and a half downstream, I was surprised to see the abandoned bridge which reminded me to look back over my shoulder on river left for the old Suwannee Springs site, usually high and dry but, on this day, only the very top edge of the old limestone ruins were visible.
After paddling (and feeling like I should duck) under the old Suwannee Springs bridge and, shortly thereafter, the following Hwy 129 Bridge, I realized just how close to flood stage the river was. All the usual spots to stop for lunch, set up camp, or just go for a cooling dip were gone and the trees that usually shaded us would now be obstacles to avoid as I paddled the recently swollen river. The good side of this was that the river was flowing at such a pace that the amount of paddling it usually took to go 2 or 3 miles per hour would now allow me to progress at about 6 miles per hour. Since my goal on this trip was to put river miles behind me, God was certainly answering my prayers and the prayers of those who were paddling along with me in spirit!
I pulled up (actually paddled over) the landing area at the Spirit of Suwannee Canoe Outpost and found a sturdy tree to which I could cable my kayak. Miraculously, a music fan, disappointed by the cancelled concert that weekend, was sitting there by the river with nothing better to do than run me back up to Woods Ferry to retrieve my car. Shortly I was on my way back down the highway to Suwannee, FL, the last bit of land before the Suwannee River runs into the Gulf of Mexico. Total mileage paddled this day was 8.9 miles.
The following day I was able to catch a ride back up to Live Oak with a delightful Russ McCallister, who along with his wife (and boss) Kay operate Suwannee Guides and Outfitter (352-542-8331) which organized the “Finish the River” event for those who didn’t see enough of the Suwannee during Paddle Florida. I highly recommend Kay and Russ if you are interested in fishing, paddling, sightseeing, or just happen to be in the Suwannee area for any reason at all. Once back at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, I made sure I was registered with Paddle Florida so I would be assured of the meals and campsites needed during the Paddle Marathon.
Paddling Day 2
The next day on the river was billed as a 21 mile paddle from Spirit of the Suwannee, with a rest stop/lunch break at Holton Creek River Camp, roughly 7.5 miles downstream. The night before had been frosty and the river was shrouded by thick fog as I approached the put-in spot.

Paddling Day 3
The trip from Suwannee River State Park, past the confluence with the Withlacoochee River, under the railroad bridge and the nearby Hwy. 90 Bridge, as well as I-10, and down to the lunch stop at Advent Christian Village, a retirement community in Dowling Park, took me as far downstream as I had ever paddled on the Suwannee River before. This segment of the trip was followed that afternoon by eleven more miles on the river, finally reaching the evening campsite and a much appreciated warm shower at Lafayette County’s Blue Springs State Park. Total mileage logged on Saturday was 24.7 miles.
Easter Sunday – Paddling Day 4
Sunday started with my conducting a “Sonrise” service on a bluff overlooking the first magnitude Blue Spring which discharges up to 168 million gallons of water in a typical day. That’s over 7,100 cubic feet per second! Definitely no water shortage in this part of Florida! The topic of the lesson was “The Case for the Resurrection” and, in spite of the long mileage paddled by everyone the day before, about 60 people were there to sing (led by Charlie Cottingham on the guitar), worship together, and consider for themselves the importance of the empty tomb. A number of people asked for copies of the sermon and if you want one just email your request to BenSimms@aol.com and I’ll be glad to send you one as well. The woods around the site were full of some pretty, white, Atamasco lily flowers with six petals just beginning to bloom. It seemed especially fitting for an Easter morning.


Paddling Day 5
Monday morning I left my campsite near Convict Springs and continued downstream, stopping for lunch at Troy Springs, another of Florida’s thirty three 1st magnitude springs and site of the submerged remains of a Civil War era steamship, the Madison, sunk there by its Captain, James M. Tucker to keep it from falling into the hands of the invading Yankee troops. The original plan had been to lunch just beyond here at Little River Springs, a favorite spot for cave divers as the spring is the entrance to a cave system more than 1,200 feet long and 100 feet deep but we learned from one of the Park Rangers that the high waters had completely flooded that park and had caused Little River Spring to reverse flow creating a whirlpool flow somewhat like a giant bathtub drain.
"The Roost"As I headed on downstream to the Paddle Florida campsite in Branford’s Ivey Memorial Park the numerous buzzards overhead and lining the ever widening riverbanks seemed to be hoping I wouldn’t make it. There were at least two types of buzzards sharing the trip with me: the larger Turkey Vulture with its red head which we see all around the southeast and the smaller but more aggressive Black Vulture which lives in FL all year long. The Black Vulture is easily distinguished when flying by the white tips on the underside of their wings. I understand from the rangers that, despite their nasty reputation, buzzards like to be clean and try to bathe daily. I often spotted them perched on a tree with outspread wings, waiting for them to dry. My theory however is that their penchant for baths is a result of their keen sense of smell and that, after eating, they just can’t stand themselves. When pulling out of the river just beyond the Branford Bridge that day, I had logged an additional 16.0 miles for the kids. Once there, the buzzards were replaced as my companions by numerous lizards, including Chameleons, Pine Lizards, and Skinks.
That evening I enjoyed a visit with Dr. Kenneth J. Sulak, perhaps better known as Florida’s “Sturgeon General.” He discussed various theories of why these strange looking fish have a habit of jumping straight up out of the water and falling back with a belly flop motion that makes a splash and noise that could just about cause a heart attack in those of us paddling alligator filled waters and have actually caused several deaths and injuries to motor boaters colliding with these aerial performers. Let me assure you that this is nothing like the Mullet which jump constantly or even the larger Bass or Mackerel. The Gulf Sturgeon grows to 8 feet in length, 200 pounds in weight, and jumps six to eight feet out of the water! There are signs at most boat ramps warning boaters to be careful not to collide with these giant fish.
The next day I decided to make my put-in a bit easier by doing a rapid seal launch off the fifteen foot bluff above the Branford boat ramp. This resulted in a near mystery move and a splash that would have made any Gulf Sturgeon proud. Today the Buzzards and the occasional Great Blue Heron would escort me on a paddle down the Suwannee to the Santa Fe River where I would turn upstream for about a mile, making my lunch stop Sandy Point at Ellie Ray’s River Landing. Since the Suwannee had backed up into the Santa Fe, it took on the character of a swamp with the water covering any land one might otherwise have been able to see between and beyond the trees. I was particularly amused by a sign posted on a tree, completely surrounded by water for a far as you could see, reading “Beware of the Dog.” Must be quite some dog!
After taking a break along the Santa Fe, I headed back to the Suwannee, pushing ahead some Snowy Egrets as well as a number of Ibises with their distinctive long curved orange beaks, paddling under the Rock Bluff Bridge, on down to our campsite at, depending upon who you ask, either Guaranto or Gornto Springs, and bringing the day’s paddle to 23.4 miles.
Paddling Day 7
Leaving the park in Dixie County was done at a leisurely pace on Wednesday, since the high levels and fast flow of the river continued to allow me to reach the lunch spots by mid-morning. Today’s lunch spot was worth every minute spent there however. Although much of it remained underwater, Hart Springs Park and Campground is a real gem of a facility in Gilchrist County offering all types of recreation and relaxation. Go to http://www.hartsprings.com/ to read about it all. Since last night’s showers were cold and those at Fanning Springs tonight promised the same, I took my time to enjoy the warm showers and the cold Diet Cokes available at Hart Springs; truly “the pause that refreshes.”
More Buzzards overhead urged me on downstream and, just below the 19/26 Bridge between the communities of Old Town and Fanning Springs, I pulled off the river to set up camp for my last night with the Paddle Florida folks. While waiting for dinner and the remaining Paddle Florida festivities, I walked around the park, inspected the swimming area built around the springhead, and noticed some really strange looking growths on many of the trees in the area. I asked around and eventually learned that these sea urchin or porcupine lookalikes were an epiphyte in the bromeliad family usually called an air plant. Epiphytes (like the Spanish Moss and Resurrection Ferns which are so prevalent in this region) are plants which grow on another plant, generally for support or protection, but not as a parasite.
Grand finale entertainment for Paddle Florida was provided by a band comprised of various people working in the Florida Park Service playing a range of popular songs but the cold night air and the 21.6 mile paddle earlier that day took their toll and I found my sleeping bag much more appealing.
Paddling Day 8
The portion of Thursday’s paddle from Fanning Springs State Park down to Manatee Springs was peaceful, relaxing and generally uneventful until I started paddling up the spring run and noticed the river bed through the clear water. The 80,000+ gallons of water per minute flowing from this spring was finally sufficient to hold back the dark brown water of the Suwannee River. Furthermore, its constant 72 degree temperature provided the warmth required by the warm-blooded mammals for which this spring gets its name. As I approached the landing, I could see around and under my boat eight or nine of these monstrous animals. They were very large, some perhaps more than 1,000 pounds, but seemed to move in slow motion. They must move in this fashion out in the river as well since a number of them had long and deep scars, apparently caused by their inability to avoid speeding motorboats. There is also lots of archaeological evidence suggesting that the early Indian inhabitants of this area found manatees to be an abundant and easily harvested resource.
After saying good-bye to the Paddle Florida participants, I continued my journey downstream with eight others who had decided to “Finish the River” as it had been billed by Kay and Russ McCallister. We were originally planning to stop that evening at Yellow Jacket Campground, however, when arriving there, there was just too much daylight left and it was just too far from the river to the campsites, so we paddled another six miles to a spot on river left called Treasure Island. Along the way, I saw several derelict boats, an occasional refrigerator, woods full of colorful wildflowers in yellow, purple, white, red, blue, orange, and more turtles and butterflies than you can imagine. Total mileage for Thursday, March 27th was 17.9 miles.
Paddling Final Day 9
This was not only the last day of my journey but definitely the most interesting. Remembering the 4-1/2 foot swells we had fought in the motorboat just over a week earlier, I was up early and ready for an exhausting day fighting wind and waves. Instead the water was still flowing smoothly downstream and the winds were generally mild. As I cut a corner off the journey passing through the narrower, river left side of Turkey Island, I had my first really clear alligator sighting of the trip.
Once into Shingle Creek, I had another reason for making this decision every time I’m down here from now on. It was like entering the pages of a National Geographic Magazine. The creek closed in bringing the trees and woods that much closer. Alligators peered at me around every bend and often swam under my boat, birds sang and flew with me through the bends, the marshes and woodlands were full of blooming flowers and unusual tropical plants, fish jumped all around and even over my boat at times, and the mirror-like water multiplied all these scenes for even more pleasure. When I came back out into West Pass, it was difficult leaving this all behind to continue on into the town of Suwannee.
Suwannee, FL is an interesting place in its own way. It has two restaurants (one of which is closed most of the time), one convenience store (but it doesn’t have gasoline), two places in town to buy gasoline (both catering to marine traffic rather than cars), lots of very friendly people, and every lot in town is a waterfront lot. There are more canals here than in Venice, Italy. I saw numerous pelicans perched on dock posts and flying overhead as I paddled through the various canals approaching the final take-out at Anderson Landing where my GPS reported 15.4 miles for that final day. Anderson Landing is a public landing, ramp, and park where Suwannee Guides and Outfitter is in the process of moving their operations. It is right on the side of the main road into Suwannee and I’m sure Kay and Russ McCallister would be glad to help you with whatever you need in the area. And no, this is not a paid advertisement but it is a strong recommendation for http://www.suwanneeguides.com/, P.O. Box 304, Suwannee, FL 32692.
Spring 2008 Paddle Marathon
Day 1 8.9 Miles
Day 2 20.8 Miles
Day 3 24.7 Miles
Day 4 11.8 Miles
Day 5 16.0 Miles
Day 6 23.4 Miles
Day 7 21.6 Miles
Day 8 17.9 Miles
Day 9 15.4 Miles
Total 160.5 Miles
S.Y.O.T.R. - Ben
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Latest Letter from the Director of OWLS
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Reflections and Campsites
Sandy Springs Mission at the Etowah waterfall campsite just upstream from Amicalola Creek

Paddle GA gives lots of opportunities to camp with others and share with others.
Making new friends while relaxing in a group campsite.

A more peaceful campsite near the swinging bridge over the Toccoa River
When spending days in the swamp, you take breaks any way you can.
Here's a neighbor checking us out at one of our Okefenokee campsites.
Refreshing drink and restoring talk with David, one of the OWLS mentors, at a campsite
Prayer for "Paddling Mercies" at the start of a day on the Ocmulgee
A great place to be, especially since it was 102 in the shade that day
A view of one of our riverside campsites from the mountaintop trail above - way above

A beautiful view from one of the Buffalo River campsites
Bill's boys discuss how the "Living Water" can wash the nastiest, ugliest "dirt" away leaving a spotlessly clean result.
Throwing stones all the way from SC to GA along the Chattooga River trail
Time for rest and reflection near High Falls in Dupont State Forest
First opportunity to speak and be heard (listened to)

Reynoldstown had never known a Bible study like this before, seven of this group prayed to receive Christ as their Savior and Lord on this day.
Speak it out, Girl - or something like that

Listening and hearing is so effective in new surroundings
Reflection time as we discuss pattern recognition and the intended pattern for living our lives
C.O.P.E., Climbing, Rappelling, & Initiatives
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Making cookies
Teamwork on the Mohawk Walk
Don't wake the giant
I know I can trust them to catch me
Artesian Beams - and blindfolded too
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L.D. in the APS - not hardly
Working together to safely travel the islands
Artesian Beams in the woods
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All tied up & not thinking outside the box
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All smiles - the only hang-up he has is that rope.
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Climbing the wall is a breeze for this long legged, long armed young man.
Even a game of tag can become a lesson in teamwork
The snake shedding his skin
Random Paddling Photos
It all starts with learning the basics of paddling dynamics.
Learning to help others with a canoe over canoe rescue
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We can also learn lasting lessons from our mistakes
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Looks like North GA to me
Part of our flotilla on the Etowah River
Paddling the panhandle of Florida
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The upper Alapaha with water
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Smiles on the Toccoa perhaps
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Ben at the Cartecay's Clear Creek Falls
A new day on the New River
Random Biking Photos

Tony with some of the kids from the Walton ministry.
"Just how far is it to ride around the block?" Answer - "About 7.5 miles."
Showing biking prowess at Brownwood Park.
Resting on the New River Trail
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One of the spots where the New River Trail follows a tunnel through the mountain




