| Florida Trail Association
Western Gate and Choctawhatchee Chapters Chipola River Paddle April 25-26, 2008 |
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| The camping group
arrived at Florida Caverns State Park on Friday, April 25, and set up
camp. Some sported shiny new campers and others roughed it in
tents. The group included Harlan Welch, Ann Welch, Susan Fishbaugh,
Paula Fries, Richard Kersten, Wallis Mayo, Paul Mayo, Dottie Doherty,
Linda Taylor, Susan Berg, John Veasey, and Ed Williamson. On Saturday,
we were joined by Susan Creel, Randy Creel, Trudy Walden, and John Carson
at Yancey Bridge in Marianna. The weather was ideal and we launched
around 10:00. The paddlers had a very enjoyable float with stops
at several points such as Sandbag Spring and some of the group explored
caves in the limestone rock formations. We stopped for lunch at
Maund Spring and some hardy swimmers went for a dip and explored the bottom
of the spring. At the end of the 10-mile paddle, we took out at
the SR 280/Magnolia Road Bridge between 3:00 and 4:00. On Sunday,
after planned activities were over, campers were on their own and enjoyed
hiking or fishing in the park and one group joined up with Frances Stone
of Marianna and did a paddle down Dry Creek. |