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Continue reading →: Coldwater Creek (07/21/12)I drove down a long leaf pine-lined country road to reach Adventures Unlimited, the outfitter for Coldwater Creek. I felt “at camp” when I arrived. Young boys directed me through a crowded parking lot. Teens and families had lined up for the bus to the drop off. Bold signs directed…
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Continue reading →: Wakulla River (07/19/12)The Wakulla River surprised me—in a nice way. I knew enough about the river to know that it is wider and busier than most rivers I paddle, and I expected to see summer homes along the banks and boats in the water. However, I did not expect the Wakulla to…
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Continue reading →: Econfina Creek (07/18/12)I stopped my car and read the sign at the entrance to the outfitter: Econfina Creek Canoe Livery “Go With The Flow.” I briefly reflected on the river-life metaphor as I drove down the driveway and parked. I chose Econfina Creek as my second river to paddle in the Panhandle. …
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Continue reading →: Chipola River (07/17/12)Summer vacation, here at last! I headed to the Panhandle to paddle a few rivers. These would be my first in this area, and first up—the Chipola River. I rented a kayak from Bear Paw Canoe Rental in Marianna—a local outfitter with a good selection of kayaks. The owner, Ricky, drove…
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Continue reading →: Manatee River (07/05/12)Afterwards, I questioned my determination to paddle the Manatee River during the hot summer months. However, having run out of new rivers to paddle close to home, the Manatee seemed the obvious next choice. In retrospect, it would have been a lovely paddle during the fall or spring months. The…
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Continue reading →: Turkey Creek (05/28/12)At last, the sun graced Southeast Florida for a day, so I took off from work and headed to Palm Bay for a paddle on Turkey Creek. This is an out-and-back paddle, with a put in on either end. I put in at the Palm Bay Marina on U.S 1. …
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Continue reading →: Spruce Creek (05/20/12)The more time I spend on Florida rivers, the more I’ve come to feel that the river cannot be rushed, that the longer the paddle, the better. However, with this paddle, I discovered that when time does not allow for a long, leisurely paddle, a “quickie” paddle can still satisfy…
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Continue reading →: Arbuckle Creek (03/17/12)What a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day paddle! I kayaked Arbuckle Creek with a friend, Rick Murphy. (Rick paddled Fisheating Creek with me as well.) We paddled from the boat ramp in Avon Park on Arbuckle Road, north to Lake Arbuckle and then back, about five miles total. What a sweet…
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Continue reading →: Tomoka River (03/05/12)On Monday morning, I headed to the Tomoka State Park in Ormond Beach to paddle the Tomoka River. I had attempted to paddle this river twice before, but I could never find the outfitter in—the drats for not bringing my own kayak with me. This time, I spoke to Billy by…
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Continue reading →: Little Manatee River (02/18/12)The fog had begun to lift, as the sun struggled to peak from the clouds. A few sprinkles of rain tapped my windshield, as I pulled into the Canoe Outpost. I didn’t know what to expect from this river, and I realized how much I loved the anticipation and the…
Footprints and Ripples 