"Paddling With a Purpose"

Reading and Responding to This Message is Crucial

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

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.

Some paddled that section as a warm up and then joined a few others on a descent of the Nolichucky Gorge led by Wes Bradley and "Wayner" Dickert.

Scott enjoying his Viper on the Noli.

Four of us, Britt Lassiter, Andrew "The Author" Smith, Rob "Chicago" Wilkinson, and myself, Ben "Flowmaster" Simms took the longer Class II, III paddle by putting in at Chestoa and paddling all the way down to Big Rocks. At every rapid or bend in the river, Andrew enlightened us with detailed descriptions, nearby attractions, and the history of the area. He has paddled this river literally hundreds of times and written a guidebook which I believe he must have recited in its entirety to us as we paddled.

Taking a lunch break on a river left sandbar, from left to right: Britt, Rob, and Andrew with their kayaks. I, as the only open boater (canoeist) in our group was relegated to picture taking.

For our Sunday morning worship, Wayner delivered a thought provoking message from God's Word just as was expected after hearing him at several "River of Life" services up at NOC.

Special mention must be made of Cheryl Killman who did almost all the planning for this WPC and unfortunately ended up only being able to paddle a short distance due to a combination of leaky raft and the time it took to get her back to the campsite. She took most of the photos during the weekend and, as usual, always put forth a joyful attitude regardless of the circumstances.

Rob, by the way, earned the persistence award by driving the 11 hours it took him to get from Chicago, IL down to Jonesboro, TN. He sent us back a long message of thanks and praise, starting out with, "I had an awesome time paddling and was really encouraged to be paddling with other Christians." Then adding, "I enjoyed seeing God's creation and talking to Ben, Britt, and Andrew." He finishing up by saying, "It was great to meet other (paddlers) who love Jesus and (I) want to say I had a great time and I hope to make it to another WPC."

Thanks Rob! I pray that everyone had a great time and a Godly time during this beautiful weekend and I know we all hope to paddle with you again soon.

Spring Break Adventure in the 10,000 Islands

We've returned from the Spring Break '09 trip and it couldn't have been much better! If you missed out on this trip and want to be sure space is available for this trip next year or if you want to join us on any of our upcoming adventures, don't wait to contact me to register or schedule a custom trip for you, your family, or your group. (BenSimms@aol.com)

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.

God has done some amazing work in sculpturing landforms in the area, both for our delight and for our challenge. This sandbar was about 1/2 mile long and the tide was still over two hours away from complete low tide. Rather than portage the fully loaded canoes over the rough sand and shells, we elected to explore another hidden bay in search of a short cut. It was shorter but, in the process, we ended up paddling in about 5" of water over some very sticky mud for about an hour.

Although we often imagined ourselves as being alone, we had to admit that we were always being watched.

The protected waters of the tidal river basin were glassy as we paddled back up on a rising tide.

Caving Trip to North Georgia

During the weekend of January 24th, I caught up on my 2 hour per week commitment by accompanying an active group of Boy Scouts on their exploration of several caves including Pettyjohn's, Howard's Waterfall, and Tumbling Rocks. We were inside all day but, by the time we climbed back to the surface, our clothes showed proof that the rain outside had worked its way down into the caves.

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.



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.



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.




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.


The Ritchie girls on the Silver River.



Todd and Preston Blair getting the requisite whistle before launching.


Bob and Jackie Tolford (w/Big Red) at Ray's Wayside.


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.

You're Invited!

More and more people every month are finding out what a rewarding change of pace participation in an OWLS adventure can provide. Whether just for yourself or with a group of friends and family, the many trips we have open to everyone can provide a chance for spiritual renewal, strengthening family bonds, encouraging friendships, opportunities for outreach, or an adventure eco-tourism vacation experience you'll want to share with everyone.



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.

Odds and Ends at Summer's End

Following are a number of photos taken during other miscellaneous outings this summer and early fall. Some are identified and others are left for your guessing. I hope you enjoy the photos. If you do, why not come along with us sometime soon?

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!

Hikes along the streams of North Georgia always have a way of providing relief from the summer's heat.

Possibly the Chattooga II at low water.

My favorite plant to avoid in summertime.

Exploring the "South Metro 'Hooch" and its surprising beauty.

Discussing plans for the new county park during our lunch break along the Chattahoochee with the Southeastern Sense of Place Institute.

The Great Blue Heron is one of our regular participants on all river trips.

God paints His own "stained glass" along Amicalola Creek as fall makes its appearance.

Middle School Odyssey Trip for Hill Country Montessori

If Ayn Rand had written her own version of Lord of the Flies, the final work would very likely have been a perfect retelling of the Odyssey Trip for the Hill Country Montessori School. Unlike any of the other adventures we have been asked to plan for groups, rather than focusing on God, His character, and His plan for us, this group actually asked me to avoid discussing Him. Well, as Jesus is quoted in Luke 19:40, if we don't speak even the stones will cry out His praises. It may not have been the stones but God did show Himself in the storms He brought this group, both figuratively and literally!


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.

July 2008 Paddlers 4 Christ WPC on the Duck River

My calendar had July 9 - July, 20 2008 scheduled for the July P4C WPC. For those who aren't familiar with the notation, P4C stands for Paddlers for Christ which is a group of Christian Paddlers who desire to find opportunities to share the "Living Water" with others as they paddle and fellowship in various locations. WPC stands for Worship, Paddle, and Camp which are the three major focuses of these P4C fellowships. While most WPCs are only over a weekend, particularly with the increasing gasoline prices, requests had been coming in for longer periods of time to be devoted to these opportunities combined with more unfamiliar rivers. Summer vacations and Tennessee's Duck River seemed like the perfect combination for answering these requests. Also, since the next OWLS outing was tentatively planned to take place on the Duck River, this gave me the chance to scout out the best sections of the river for that trip, locate potential campsites, and discover any river hazards we needed to avoid.

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.

Paddle GA 2008 on the Flint River, June 21 - 27

Just as in previous years, the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School was represented in Paddle GA 2008 by a flotilla of canoes, kids, and mentoring adults. Unlike other times however, this year the number of participants and the organizations served changed so many times that I often found myself cycling wildly between not knowing if we would have enough boats, tents, and other gear to not knowing if we would have anyone at all.

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.

Here Warren helps identify and count the fish, snails, and other creatures found in the river. They were particularly interested in seeing some of the indiginous Halloween Darters which provided the basis for some mighty strained humor during the week.

This picture of Lizzy and Ashleigh being followed by Christy and Vicki, as they paddled by some of the wide Flint River sandbars, must have been taken around midday on Day 3 of Paddle GA 2008.

The "Dripping Rocks" waterfall was a pleasant side hike for those of us who figured hiking in the woods made as much sense as hiking down the river.

Vicki and Lizzy paddle intently as they finally find some deep and fast flowing water.

On day three of the trip, a number of us stopped along the way to tour the mock-up of a Creek Indian settlement as it might have appeared in the days of local Indian Agent and trader, Benjamin Hawkins.

Here is Lizzy giving it her best as she tried to duplicate the flight of the birds who easily soared from the rocks and trees along the Flint.

Looking like something reminiscent of a commando training maneuver, Leonard and Warren tried to sneak up on me as I photographed the others.

Ashleigh, Christy, and Lizzy provide a lovely backup trio to the lead singer, Eli, as he enjoys his moment of fame leading everyone in several Karaoke tunes.

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.

Kayak Camp at Buffalo Mountain

June 1 - June 6, 2008 I answered the call to help introduce a special group of boys and girls in Buffalo Mountain's Kayak Camp to whitewater kayaking. The camp theme for the summer was a direct quote from John 7:38, "If you believe in me, streams of living water will flow from within you" and kayak camp provided many wonderful opportunities for discovery, investigation, and discussion of the "Living Water" (Holy Spirit). Our experiences on the river mirrored the Bible studies done back in camp and everyone grew closer to the Lord and to each other as we noted how God's love for us was revealed at every turn.

Some of our time was spent fitting kayaks to campers and developing some familiarity with the Jackson Kayaks on and around the camp's pond but most of our time was devoted to paddling in moving water on the Nolichucky River which flows nearby. The Nolichucky, like most southeastern rivers, showed the effects of our lengthy drought. Since several of the kids were not comfortable with either their wet exits or rolls, and since the water was relatively low, we aired up an inflatable raft, placing it in duty alongside the kayaks, providing a change of pace and a moving playground as we made our way downstream.

Here I am in the big green Jackson Super Hero which I paddled all week long at Kayak Camp.

Jess Christian, shown here making good eye contact as she helps a paddler learn to roll, has directed Buffalo Mountain Camp's whitewater paddling program for a number of years and her love for the Lord, love for the sport, and love for the kids shows in everything she does. It is always a pleasure working and/or paddling with her.

Canoes for Summer Camps for the underprivileged

Once again this summer, literally hundreds of underprivileged and inner-city kids had the chance to try their hand at paddling, learning to communicate with each other, and determine their destination as the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School made our tandem canoes, kayaks, and Sit-On-Tops available to a number of summer camp programs. Sometimes only 12 or 16 at a time but often 30 or more boys and girls would eagerly fill the boats and race across the lake or down a river.

English Avenue Community Revitalization

On May 10th the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School was pleased to be part of the 150+ volunteer force which responded to requests from the English Avenue Community Development Corporation to work on eight specific problem sites within the neighborhood. Our specific area of concern was to clean weeds, bottles, cans, wire, drug paraphernalia and other debris from around an abandoned and boarded up apartment project at 744 North Avenue. It was hot, dirty, and difficult but, at the end of the day, the impact of our labors was evident. As a matter of fact, it was our site that was chosen to be featured in the organization's followup newsletter!

OWLS Coastal Island Adventure with Sandy Springs Mission

The Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School owes thanks to quite a number of individual people willing to share their blessings so that the Spring Break retreat provided to the middle school and high school youth of the Sandy Springs Mission might be the effective, thoughtful, and fun time that it was. First of all Chip Drury and his family for making their unique properties available for our use, to Chuck Stutsman and the boys of Scout Troop 40 in Mountain City for lending OWLS their cargo trailer so I could round up all our remaining mountain bikes, to Buz Stone and the other members of the Lake Rabun Foundation for purchasing that trailer for the Scouts and then letting me know of its availability, to Mike Timma who volunteered to pull that trailer back to Atlanta from the coast and, even though that eventually became unnecessary since nobody volunteered to pull it down, still drove over from Jacksonville to fellowship with us and spend time discussing some key spiritual matters with the kids. Esther and Elsa came along to chaperone and mentor the girls. Then there are the faithful ministry partners whose regular monetary contributions help keep the OWLS ministry going by providing the funding we use to provide these learning experiences. I'm sure others will come to light as I write this entry into the blog and the greatest thanks of all goes to our Lord, our Creator, and our loving Savior who allows OWLS to be used for His glory and to show others how to spread the Light of the World wherever they go.

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.
Here are the rest of the boys and girls, traveling in a tightly packed group with Felix, like a giant centipede, on their tour of the "Red Eye District," searching the darkness with their flashlights for the alligators which are much easier to spot now than during the daylight. With the weather rapidly warming, we probably could not have safely done this in another three weeks or so, as the mature alligators would be nesting and becoming aggressively protective of their territory.

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.

– – OWLS 2008 Spring Paddle Marathon – – – – – Trip Report

Well, it’s almost April and I do believe I’ve fully recovered from paddling 160.5 miles along the Suwannee River from Woods Ferry Access to the town of Suwannee, FL. I’d go ahead and publish this report right away if it weren’t for the fact that there might just be more than a reasonable number of doubters if I posted it too close to April Fools’ Day.

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 should take this time to let you know that, if you didn't make a sponsorship pledge before I left, you can still do this now as we have a long way to go to cover all program costs for the OWLS courses. Or, better yet, consider partnering with us and make a monthly contribution so we have a better idea of what we will have to work with in coming months!

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.

My kayak was right where I had left it but was now in the company of over 100 other colorful boats awaiting the first day of the first Paddle Florida. Paddle Florida introduced many people to the Suwannee River and to paddling in general but I think the greatest benefit was the way it served to introduce the new improvements along the “Suwannee River Wilderness Trail” maintained under the auspices of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The paddling went quick and I arrived at the lunch stop by 9:45 that morning and had my tent set up by 2:30 at our campsite in Suwannee River State Park. Some of the memorable sights along the way included the fisherman pulling in a fish while sitting right where I had parked my vehicle a month earlier at the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch, the boat ramp under water at Gibson Park, a fast flowing Alapaha River actually adding enough flow to the Suwannee to be noticed, the numerous Live Oak and Cypress trees adorned with flowing gray beards of Spanish Moss, and an abundance of blossoming Wild Azalea, Hawthorne, and Dogwood. It was definitely early spring as demonstrated by the tiny, almost fuzzy beginnings of the Cypress needles beginning to form on the otherwise dead-looking branches. The GPS told me I must have been able to cut a few corners and that I paddled a total of only 20.8 miles on Friday.

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

A Suwannee River Sunrise

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 on this “day of rest” was billed as “a relatively easy 13 miles.” It turned out to be even easier than that as, after taking time to study the interesting old “turnstile” bridge, compare it to the modern suspension bridge used at the Hwy. 51 crossing, and looking at the baby beaver my new friend, Guerry Bradley, pulled from a logjam, my GPS said I had reached the daily goal of Convict Springs, so named because the State of Florida housed chain gangs and ran a hard labor camp here back in the 1900’s, after only 11.8 miles on the river. Several sets of leg-irons have been found back in the 80 foot main cavern near the Spring Run and it is surmised that some of the convicts may have hopefully but unsuccessfully tried to use this as an escape route to the Suwannee River during low water periods.

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.

Paddling Day 6

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.”

Buzzard Countin'

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.

There he was, sunning himself on a log and not the least bit interested in this bright kayak cruising by. A few miles farther downstream, as I turned back sharply to my right around a point covered in large lily pads and entered Shingle Creek, I heard a strange squeaking sound and looked up to see a pair of Bald Eagles flying overhead. Shingle Creek is not a creek as we usually think of it but a creek in the ocean marsh sense. It was a narrower stretch of water which flowed around some of the numerous islands in the river delta and eventually joined back into the main channel. This decision was made to avoid most of the potential strong winds and waves coming across the nearly mile-wide water found from the split of East and West Pass, through Alligator Pass and on out to the Gulf.

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

Latest Letter from the Director of OWLS

Click on the image below to read my letter about the Spring Paddle Marathon benefitting the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School.




Click on the image to open the letter in a new window. After reading and making any notes, just hit the back button "<" to return here.

Reflections and Campsites

It is during those times of rest, sitting around the campfire, taking a lunch break or a stop to catch our breath during a long active day that transformations really take place. When discussing, meditating, and reflecting upon what the Lord has let us observe during these OWLS courses, participants can search for the life lessons hidden in these experiences, determine applications for their lives, and then develop and refine "Living Parables" which will help them share the love of God and His plan that is continually being revealed through all of creation. Seeing how one OWLS participant can grab onto an idea or theme mentioned by someone else and clarify the truth revealed therein by relating it to the Scriptures and then how others will chime in with names of friends with which they intend to share the lesson is one of the greatest rewards I get from being the director of the Outdoor Wisdom Leadership School.


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

These activities are great for building teamwork and camaraderie. Participants learn that everyone's input or skills can help the entire group achieve things that individually they could not. Encouraging one another, learning to trust their teammates, thinking outside the box, and finding new ways to communicate are all important aspects of C.O.P.E. Understanding that it is crucial to base decisions on (have faith in) facts and not feelings is another key life lesson that everyone takes away from trust elements and rope work.


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

L.D. in the APS - not hardly

Working together to safely travel the islands

Artesian Beams in the woods

All tied up & not thinking outside the box

All smiles - the only hang-up he has is that rope.

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

Paddling and especially tandem canoeing expose us to a myriad of opportunities to discover why Jesus referred to Himself as the "Living Water." For many OWLS participants, it is a big step just to trust their life jacket and do anything in or on the water. When someone goes from being afraid of the water to running a Class II or Class III rapid only a couple of days later, they return home with the understanding that they can accomplish much more than they ever dreamed possible and, with God's help, they can do anything. Goal setting, problem solving, and effective communication are skills which must be mastered for a team of canoeists to successfully negotiate a whitewater stream. Combine that with the requirements of properly packing gear and food, setting up a riverside camp, and feeling comfortably relaxed far from home and these young paddlers are discovering how quickly they can learn new skills, teach each other, and multitask at a higher level. The river itself provides "Living Parables" for us to discuss and reflect upon as we round almost every bend.

It all starts with learning the basics of paddling dynamics.

Learning to help others with a canoe over canoe rescue

We can also learn lasting lessons from our mistakes

Looks like North GA to me

Part of our flotilla on the Etowah River

Paddling the panhandle of Florida

The upper Alapaha with water

Smiles on the Toccoa perhaps

Ben at the Cartecay's Clear Creek Falls

A new day on the New River

Random Biking Photos

Some of the life lessons learned by participants in the OWLS biking activities are that each of us is a key member of the team and we cannot accomplish our goals unless we all do our part, regardless of how trivial it may seem. Perseverance is something else that a long trail ride teaches in a very effective fashion since, if someone decides to quit, their only choice is to remain off the trail in a place that is likely unfamiliar and uncomfortable. Biking also gives the kids a chance to feel good about reaching goals and many opportunities to see facets of creation and the interaction of God's creatures as they make their way at a much slower pace than life in the city usually affords.

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

One of the spots where the New River Trail follows a tunnel through the mountain