Those floating dock systems are not cheap! Are they alligator proof?
Those trail maintainers are great, but paddling on the trail before the debris resinks can be almost impossible.
Yeah we did have to deal with the debris after the rotorooter boat thingy went past us. No the alligators could if they wanted get up on the platform, they climb up on logs and such, a couple of the platforms had alligators in close proximity, swimming or sun bathing
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I got caught behind one once (they’re called a trail cutter) while leading an overnight trip, boy that sucked! I’m a local licensed guide and outfitter in Okefenokee (my company is Okefenokee & Satilla Expeditions LLC), so I work in the Refuge and know the trail crew. They’re good guys and do hard work keeping those trails open for us to enjoy… even if the trail cutter can make things pretty unpleasant on a trip! Love Cedar Hammock btw, I’m leading a group of 7 there in 2 weeks on one of my public guided trips! The views are great, and the 3 mile paddle out the next day is perfect for beginners (which many of my guests are).
So on my solo Jan. trip I was really touched by how Joy (refuge permit person) wanted to make sure I understood the weather forecast and we texted some back and forth prior to me paddling into a storm and after I made it to the platform I let her know I made it safely to maul hammock. She had the trail maintainer who lives near Kingfisher Landing check me out prior to launching, all out of concern for my safety. He was a good guy but don’t remember his name and he gave me his personal cell # in case I had trouble.
Good folks but the system for permits isn’t exactly user friendly. I’ve learned to call, stay on the line until Joy answers even if it is busy and just take what is available. It took some convincing to get Joy to let me paddle from Big water to Canal Run in a day on my Jan. trip. On this last trip (feb.) my buddies were dropping off like flies. They were all whitewater guys and flatwater wasn’t their domain. They all enjoyed it and talked about coming back but the paddling did them in. We were supposed to paddle from cedar hammock to round top and then from round top on out to refuge headquarters for the end of our trip. Close to the end I was down to just one other person and we rode together. He let me know he was done so we skipped roundtop and left a day early. That got me home a day early so I just paddled in my home state of wv on the birch river yesterday.
I met your competition, an outfit from Cumberland island who was scouting for a commercial trip to cedar hammock. They ate lunch on the platform and the owner was an old ocoee raft guide so we had some good conversation.
This last trip made my 7th multi day paddling trip to Okefenokee. My first trip to the swamp was to the commercial park when I was 12 years old. The one place I never got to was the platform in the northwest corner. That trail is always closed.
It is really wild if you paddle off trail out into the hammocks and just how disorienting it can be. Now I always take the gps and track my progress. Pre downloading google earth on the phone is always great as well. This last trip I discovered traders hill campground, perfect for tent camping outside the park. The Satilla isn’t on my radar. Tell me about it.
Oh I love Joy. She and her husband are my mentors and close friends, and I had the pleasure of working for them as their Lead Naturalist at Okefenokee Adventures (and for the Okefenokee Swamp Park) for years before creating my own outfitter once Joy had moved on and began to work for the feds. The Campbells are wonderful people. I was actually in the Visitor Center with Joy when you were about to go on that trip, the Refuge workers were discussing the upcoming storm and your trip was mentioned. The trail maintenance ranger who lives near Kingfisher is Zach, such a nice guy.
Trader’s Hill Campground is beautiful, and the St. Marys right next to it is lovely too. You may already know too about Griffis Fish Camp on the Suwannee River, just a few miles down from Stephen C. Foster State Park. Tent camping is available there.
The Satilla is the only blackwater river entirely in Georgia alone, and is just beautiful. It is very similar in appearance to the St. Marys, Suwannee, and Alapaha with its blackwater and dazzling white sandbars on (nearly) every bend at mid-to-low water levels. I grew up just a few miles from the Satilla, and it and the Swamp always played a big role in my life. My ancestors settled along the Satilla, the Withlacoochee, and the Okefenokee in the mid 1800s, so I consider what I do as a guide to be family business and in my blood. I studied Wildlife Management and Biology in college, and have been a professional naturalist for 16 years now. I hold NOLS, ACA, and NAI certifications, and absolutely love what I do!
The only unfortunate thing about the Satilla is how flashy it is and how few campgrounds there are along the way. Lots of public landings, though. I now run the only outfitter for the entire Satilla and the only one that I know of offering shuttle service for every landing throughout the year. I’ve only been open for business for a few months but it’s been going well. I’m so excited and proud to offer my services to my home county and region!
If you ever need shuttle service in southeast Georgia, give me a holler!
- Jenny
I’m a little jealous of where you get to work, it is a uniquely beautiful place.
I’m jealous as well but might change my tune a bit in july and august. I know about Griffs and the races they used to hold on the suwanee and all the taxadermy animals. I never camped there though. It has been a few years but the old guy was quite a character. With the closure of stephen c foster campground for renovations I imagine they are doing a good business right now.
The only part of the suwanee I’ve paddled is from the sill to fargo but enjoyed it. It was in march and the maple trees were putting out lots of pollen which is my worst allergen. Even with sunglasses I had to squint through slits from an allergic reaction that made my face swell up. When I got back to the car benadryl took care of the problem pretty quickly.
Thanks for sharing your link. I use quite a few commercial and livery shuttles around the country when I’m alone. So don’t be surprised if I contact you in about 10 months about the Satilla or St. Mary’s.