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 me up the stairs to the office, and more signs sent me out the back door and down to the storage area to pick out my life jacket and paddle. It promised to be a busy day on the river!
Coldwater Creek originates in the Conecuh National Forest in Georgia. Eighteen of its 28 miles are a state-designated paddling trail. Its cool waters travel south through the Blackwater River State Forest and eventually join the Blackwater River as one of its major tributaries. (Carmichael)
I boarded the bus with about 10 others—all carrying coolers and other supplies for a fun day on the creek. The Adventures Unlimited folks dropped us at their privately-owned property off Christmas Tree Road—giving us about a 7-mile paddle back to the outpost.
Paddling away from the put-in, I could see the sandy gravel bed of the creek through the shallow tea-colored water. The sun shone hot, and I dangled my toes in the coolness beneath me, silently thanking the AU staff member who talked me into a sit-on-top kayak. Lush foliage surrounded me—tall long needle pines, oaks, and cypress. A magnolia tree peaked out here and there. I paddled around a bend in the creek and faced tall sandy bluffs. An “ahhh” moment.
However, soon enough, I realized the thing about paddling on the weekend—it’s not a serene, peaceful paddle and the only wildlife to be seen comes equipped with coolers. Wide sandbars poked out into the creek, creating perfect nooks for family get-togethers. Children splashed in the water while their parents chatted and sipped cool drinks. Tubers began to show up in large groups just past the Springfield Road put in—about four miles from my AU destination. I quickly learned to maneuver around them, 20 or more at a time.
So many of these folks traveled by canoes, and with the loads they carried, I understood why. However, the low water level meant frequent portages for canoers, no doubt. Even in a kayak, dodging the deadfalls and scooting around the wide sandbars challenged me, and more than once I got out and dragged myself to deeper water.
But what a beautiful creek! Paddling this gravel-lined waterway, I could feel the downhill flow (a 2.8 gradient), and I sometimes felt as if I was sliding down someone’s flooded country driveway. As I neared the end, I took a sharp left at a fork in the creek, where, for just a few moments, the swift waters hastened my journey and then delivered me safely back to the main waterway—a fun ending to my day on the creek.
(Outfitter: Adventures Unlimited Outdoor Center. 8974 Tomahawk Landing Road, Milton, Florida. https://adventuresunlimited.com/. (850) 623-6197 or (800) 239-6864)
Footprints and Ripples 