Registration open for Paddle Georgia on Altamaha River June 15-22
This summer, more than 250 people will travel nearly the length of Altamaha River during a 7-day, 107-mile canoe/kayak journey set for June 15-22 — an adventure that ranges from near Lumber City to the historic coastal town of Darien.
Billed as an environmental education adventure by its organizers, Georgia River Network, the event immerses — both literally and figuratively — participants in the Altamaha River and its wild 137-mile corridor that is often referred to as Georgia’s “Little Amazon.”
Registration for the event is now open.
Among other things, the trip aims to cure society’s growing disconnect with outdoor play, especially among youth, something researchers have called “nature deficit disorder.” Children who spend too little time outdoors and too much time in front of screens are more prone to obesity, attention disorders and depression, researchers have found.
Organizers are offering registration discounts for family groups with two or more children and hosting special youth groups through scholarships offered by event supporters and sponsors.
“Over the 18 years we’ve organized these trips, we’ve seen families grow up. The young children during those first years in 2005 and 2006 are now starting careers and contributing to the communities where they live,” said Paddle Georgia coordinator Joe Cook. “It’s a small sample size, but we believe that kids who spend time outdoors succeed. If you run wild, you finish first. Getting out in nature is good for all of us, but especially kids.”
Indeed, many Paddle Georgia participants return to the adventure year after year, including
a handful that have paddled all 18 years. The event has grown into an annual summer pilgrimage and friend reunion held on a different Georgia river each year.
This year’s sojourn takes place on three rivers, plus a few creeks and even a milelong canal dug in the 1800s as the flotilla makes its way down the Oconee, Altamaha and Ohoopee rivers to the trip’s final destination in Darien. It all starts on the Oconee, but within the first three miles, that river collides with the Ocmulgee and paddlers will then continue down the Altamaha. A side trip on the Ohoopee, a blackwater tributary of the Altamaha, follows. Then, from the Ohoopee’s mouth, adventurers will stroke down the lower Altamaha until it spreads into a wide delta of islands and marshes near the coast.
Paddlers can participate for two, three or four days or join for all seven days. Adult registration fees range from $155 for two days to $455 for the seven-day option with reduced fees for youth. Special discounts of 40 to 80 percent are available to families with two or more children. Additional
details and registration information can be found at www.garivers.org/paddlegeorgia.
The trip includes off-river camping at Watermelon Creek Vineyard near Glennville, Martha Puckett Middle School in Jesup and Altamaha Regional Park in Glynn County with catered breakfasts, lunches and dinners; full shuttle services to-and-from the river each day; nightly educational and entertainment programs; daily special activities for youth and even a river cleanup.
“It’s much more than just a paddle trip,” Cook said. “At Georgia River Network, we want people to connect with Georgia’s rivers and understand how we depend upon them. We incorporate lots of educational programs into the journey, ranging from Georgia Adopt-A-Stream water monitoring training to tours of facilities that make use of or impact the river.”
Paddle Georgia serves as a fundraiser for GRN and local watershed protection groups. Since the inaugural Paddle Georgia in 2005, GRN has introduced nearly 7,000 paddlers to Georgia’s rivers and raised close to $800,000 for river protection projects. In addition to supporting GRN’s river advocacy efforts, proceeds from this year’s event will support Altamaha Riverkeeper.
In addition to hosting this week-long event, this year Georgia River Network will organize some 20 other onwater events ranging from day trips and kayaking skills/ water safety classes to weekend paddling adventures. The full paddle trip schedule can be viewed at www.garivers. org/events