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Way Down upon the Suwannee
by Paul McLellan
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The bateau.com F-11 rowboat, Little Happy Adventure looked out of place in the blowing snow and cold north winds but was pointing south and heading for the origins of the Suwannee River. Made famous by songwriter Stephen Foster the Suwannee River bubbles out of the amazing Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia. For years I had dreamed about the Okefenokee. “Winds Across the Everglades ” was a movie I saw as a boy and was about the everglades but I believe filmed in the great swamp in 1958. It starred Burl Ives as “Cottonmouth” the poacher and Peter Falk as the Govt. man out to stop him. Unforgettable movie, and it was now the time to find the origins and explore points of interest following its meandering flow as it snakes about 240 miles through north Florida to the Gulf of Mexico emptying at the small town of Suwannee.
 Getting there is half the fun. The person who said that doesn’t drive a 1984 Winnebego with a boat on the roof, two bikes and a 2 h.p. Honda 4 stroke on the back bumper. The 2.067 litre turbo diesel engine is a champion performer but was designed in the era of energy conservation and will go forever at 55 to 60 mph. I can remember when 60 mph was quite fast but competing with the world on I-81 and especially I-95 with our little rig does cause white knuckles and I sometimes felt like the nerds in Road Warrior. The beauty of living long enough is that you get to see things happen over and over again. Hang on, we might end up driving 55 mph again and the little winnepooper will be back in fashion.. It was a pleasure to arrive at Santee S.C. and pull off the big rush. No visit to Santee would be complete without a Pilgrimage to the chocolate outlet and a few days putting and rowing about Lake Marion.
 As most of you know, having a funny little homemade boat draws attention and I was soon befriended by “The Reverend”, a traveling preacher in a 50 foot fifth wheel. He was a quick convert to the fun of a cheap, light boat that launches anywhere. It was a treat to see the birds and turtles in the quiet bays of Lake Marion and slowly forget about the cold north winds and the horrors of I-95 even if we were boating directly under it.
 As most of you know, having a funny little homemade boat draws attention and I was soon befriended by “The Reverend”, a traveling preacher in a 50 foot fifth wheel. He was a quick convert to the fun of a cheap, light boat that launches anywhere. It was a treat to see the birds and turtles in the quiet bays of Lake Marion and slowly forget about the cold north winds and the horrors of I-95 even if we were boating directly under it.
Highway 301 becomes interesting at Santee. First of all the pace is sustainable and the rolling countryside is sparsely populated with ordinary, wonderful people. They may chuckle at your Renault drive train but will fix anything and only charge a fair price. At the Georgia border it can’t get much friendlier, with a free coke, a big smile and some local wisdom such as “ya’ll watch out for them ticks ya’hear”.
 Just inside the Georgia Border is the town of Millen on Highway #25 and is home to a famous civil war camp, Magnolia Springs State Park. It is a fantastic wayside spot to dunk your boat (under 10 h.p.) and catch a few crappie. They have cabins, campsites and boat rentals on a small made lake originating from the huge spring. Highway 301 has many special points of interest for us and stopping in the small towns, roadside peanut farmers shops and enjoying the southern hospitality slowly removes the remaining cold ache of a northern winter.
 Getting to the Okefenokee Swamp is not a straight line and you have to really want to go. At Jessup GA. Take #84 west through Waycross, then turn south on #441 to Fargo. Make sure you have plenty of beans and bacon then take the last 17 miles into the Okefenokee National Wildlife refuge to your destination at Stephen Foster State Park. As the morning sun warmed things up, the great swamp came to life with its own special smells and sounds. Our first visitor to the campsite was a luna moth and a mourning cloak butterfly.
 We immediately took the guided boat tour with an excellent historical and natural interpreter. In his flawless smooth Georgian accent, we heard about the history of the swamp and the important role it plays in the health of the fresh water supply. We heard about the logging railways of the 1920's and the formation of the National Wildlife Refuge in 1928 which was an inspirational gesture for the future, which is us. The big old pontoon boat with a 9.9 four stroke was very stable and robust for our first journey into the swamp but it only fired up our appetite to get the Little Happy Adventure wet, explore the swamp with the Cyprus trees and nose up to some gators.
 The tea like water brilliantly reflects the majestic trees in the still waters of the Okefenokee. The mirror like view is confusing sometimes and you are not sure just where to point the boat but as you get close to a channel it is easier to navigate. With the 2 h.p. at idle we cruised for many hours visiting the island where homesteaders lived for generations and saw canoeists traveling from headwater at Folkston to the town of Suwannee and groups of children enjoying their outdoor classes with their brave guardians shepherding with oars. The historical “Bee Tree” was particularly interesting having come from a family of beekeepers. It was still a little cold for many alligators but we did see an occasional one.
There are many memories of the swamp and they would stay with us on the next few stops along the way down the Suwannee.
The Suwannee River is fed by many gigantic freshwater springs along the way. Each major spring has become a focal point for nature lovers and tourists of all types. Many of these springs host State Parks and are quite busy at times so be sure to use the online or phone access booking systems in place by the State of Florida. We travel at our own pace and pleasure so sometimes have difficulty getting the exact spot we want but with a small boat and bicycles, access to almost anything is both easy and usually free. Our next stop was in the other Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs Fl.
Here the banks of the SUWANNEE are very high and steep bearing the many scars and markings of previous floods. Now, in the non rainy season of March the tranquil tannic waters are so inviting and cry out for a boat. Launching is not quite as easy here and it is advisable to use one of the many Launch ramps and take outs. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Suwannee River Water Management District (800 226-1066) will provide you with an excellent map of the upper and lower Suwannee depicting all the points of interest for boaters
The spring blooms of the wild wistaria, the forsythia and alcea were everywhere as we motored upstream from white springs to the only rapids on the Suwannee at Big Shoals. The fast water here is not formidable for experienced boaters but we only looked at it then slowly drifted downstream for a few hours soaking in the hot sun. The buzzing insects were all friendly as there were no biters at this time of year. Locals informed us the insects were very bad most of the year.
Boat traffic on the river was light but on the weekend, several small craft were out enjoying the early heat. A few groups of hardy canoeists on their way to the gulf, a family fishing for “cats”, kids swinging on a rope out over the clear dark water, the tangled growth and the swirl of water over a submerged log held our attention for hours of pure boating pleasure.
The next stop was Manatee Springs State Park where the beloved sea cows congregate during the very coldest part of the winter. There were no manatee present in March but the constant 72 degree water is a pleasure of swim in and the forceful current of the spring exiting the cavern gives you a good workout swimming on the spot. No boats are allowed at the spring mouth but just a few hundred yards away is the ever widening and beautiful Suwannee.
Our final destination was the town of Suwannee, located on the great tidal marsh and up stream a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico. The town is all about boats, fishing, and keeping things dry and yourself away from the biting insects. Luckily during our visit things were dry and no bugs present.. The maze of small canals is perfect for small boats although there seemed to be a lot of great big plastic jobs that were hung up over the water alongside big homes with no one present. One of the locals told me the average time people owed these places was about four years. I guess that is what it takes for most people to figure out this is really a hostile place in nature and not much there other that the fishing. Of course none of this bothers us and we really enjoyed the whole scene and in particular the boating.
The month went by in a blur and it was time to head back north and into the mad max scenario. A few stops along the way include a mandatory one at Bruinswick Ga. To the Colonels BBQ for the best pulled pork south of the 45th parallel. Spending a couple of days playing near the ocean and taking in the shrimpers and other boats is a therapy fix prior to heading back on I-95.
The Boat
 The F-11 from bateau.com was my first attempt at boat building and to date has been well used for five years. It is very sturdy and robust made from 1/4 inch sides and 3/8 bottom, glassed everywhere outside and the floor inside. It was made with polyester resin, which I later covered with epoxy. It has been damage several times and easily repaired. This type of flat skiff is excellent for a first time builder and serves very well as a rowboat or motor boat with a small 4 stroke. In year three I gutted all the seats and extra weight to make it easier to load on the winnie. We use the shorter beach chairs or shortened milk crates depending on the type of activity and agility of the occupants.
Crew
Captain |
First Mate |
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