By Peter Clayton
Wow, what a trip. The With North, with the water level about 4 ft higher than in Oct 2018, was totally a totally different river. It had fewer and milder shoals and we were able to paddle into several creeks and springs that obstructed in 2018. On Day 2, look at the difference (photos below) between Hardee spring in 2018 and 2021. On Day 3, look at the difference between Pot Spring 2018 and 2021.
The drive to Madison: Things got interesting from the get-go. Steve Lawrence, making his first overnight, opted to ride his Triumph motorcycle there, taking back roads to heighten the experience. Craig alerted Theo early on that I-95 was a parking lot due to an early morning fatal accident in the north-bound lane around SR 210, so we took US 1. Bud, who was driving solo, didn’t have the benefit of that intel and got stuck for about an hour. By 10:30, all except Bud assembled at the Days Inn and most were able to check into our rooms.
Day 1: By 11:30, Bud arrived and got his room while the rest of us went to the nearby Subway and ordered lunch; then it was off to the pull-out to drop Tom’s car as the shuttle before crossing the GA line to the launch. The water was about 4′ higher than our prior paddle and the current was moving apace. After eating lunch, Theo poured some of Pedro Spiller’s ashes into the river according to Pedro’s wishes. By 1:30, all were in the water where we averaged just over 3.1 mph despite a 12-15 mph wind in our face – ran a couple of shoals but nothing like the exposed rocks we dodged last time here. The temps were perfect as were the partly cloudy skies – visual highlights included some springs we hadn’t explored before, high banks of limestone and occasional sand dunes, pink wild azaleas, copious numbers of Florida sand plum (a large shrub with delicate white flowers like cherry blossoms) and brilliant green new tree leaves. We made one rest stop after which one member tipped over as he was launching – by 4:45 we pulled out.
Ned Skinner arrived just before we returned and joined in the post-paddle cocktails which started pool-side at 6:00, celebrating Steve’s B-Day, featuring amazing appetizers courtesy of Ellis, and, the awarding by Theo of special MCKer stickers for flipping (MCK Dunk Club) and doing it in Juniper Run (since that’s been the scene of the most turn overs). By 6:45, we were en route to town and C&D Bistro which had opened just after our prior outing here three years ago. It was a small building which had converted an abutting grassy area into outdoor seating covered by corrugated tin with Italian lights hanging around the perimeter and well spaced picnic tables for seating. The atmosphere and food were most enjoyable but the service terrible because they were converting to a new computerized ordering system which the servers hadn’t mastered. By 9:30 the day ended with a hard core group pool-side by nightcaps.
Day 2: By 8:00, all had gathered for the short trip to the Waffle House for breakfast, then to the Subway in town to pick up lunch, followed by a drive to the pull-out where Ned and Tom left their cars and finally the launch due east of Pinetta – all were in the water by 11:11. Once again we enjoyed great temps, a strong current and partly cloudy skies – but the winds still blew in our faces. We made a couple of stops including one for lunch, but covered the 8.9 miles by 3:00, averaging just over 3 mph. There were several springs and shoals but again the higher water made the latter merely interesting vs. exciting.
Post-paddle cocktails included Theo’s display of a second whiskey bottle identical to the one he found during the first With North trip with Pedro Spiller which held Pedro’s ashes for yesterday’s “return to the river” – Theo’s writing a separate piece about this. For dinner, we returned to Rancho Grande, a Mexican place where, once again, we enjoyed super food and margaritas followed by a stroll around the town center highlighted by the county courthouse, Four Freedoms Park, the Confederate soldier memorial and a beautiful anti-bellum home. The nightcap group gathered pool-side the solve the world’s problems.
Day 3: We started at 7:00 with Waffle House, then to the pull-out to drop the shuttle car and the launch – in the water by 10:00 and out by Noon with one stop – 5.6 miles at 3.4 mph. We hoped to have lunch at the 406 on Duval in Live Oak, but it’s temporarily closed, so Big Buffalo BBQ was the choice – great meal – then home by 5:30.
Looks like quite an adventure! Thanks for sharing Peter.