The Okefenokee Swamp, “The Trembling Earth,” is a place unlike any other in the world. It’s the largest intact blackwater wetland in North America and a mecca for research scientists from around the world. It’s also in the heart of an economically depressed region and under pressure from extractive industries. How can the Okefenokee be conserved for future generations – and what lessons can we learn to keep from repeating our past mistakes?
“Okefenokee Destiny,” a 14-minute PBS EcoSense for Living documentary, addresses these questions as it takes viewers on a journey through the swamp and introduces them to Okefenokee experts. Beginning in August, Georgia River Network will present the short film at locations across Georgia to help spread the movement to conserve the Okefenokee and protect it from mining.
All showings are public. Click here to view the full tour schedule.
GEORGIA RIVER NETWORK PRESENTS:
Screening tour sponsored by:
Back by popular demand, Fall Float on the Flint is an annual favorite of Paddle Georgia participants. The event features two days of paddling the lower Flint River with on-river camping. The 36-mile route is highlighted by playful shoals, unique limestone bluffs, beautiful blue hole springs and abundant wildlife. Our campsite is Rocky Bend Flint River Retreat with tentsites, RV sites and cabin rentals. The route is mostly flatwater with some sections of Class I swift-moving water.
Registration fees include campsite, six catered meals, shuttle and guide services, Paddle Georgia swag and decal and river maps.
Click here for more information and registration.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOUR TICKETS!
Join us at St. Marys Little Theatre for this 14 min. film about the swamp which is threatened by mining. After the film, join us for Q & A.
Join Georgia River Network and the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) as we celebrate the launch of the latest edition of the Canoeing and Kayaking Georgia guidebook with author Suzanne Welander!
Participants will join the author on a gentle six-mile paddle on the Okefenokee Wilderness Canoe Trail followed by a book signing in the Refuge’s Richard S. Bolt Visitor Center. The trip departs at 2pm from the Main Entrance of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge near Folkston, GA. Participants will learn about the rich history of the swamp while traversing water lily-lined trails to visit the open swamp prairies—some of the most iconic habitats in the Okefenokee Swamp.
This event coincides with the nearly 50-year anniversary of the federal designations protecting Southeast Georgia’s iconic wilderness treasures: the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the Cumberland Island National Seashore.
Participants are welcome to bring their own boat or can secure a boat rental from Okefenokee Adventures at okeswamp.org/rentals/ or (912) 496-7156. All attendees must sign a liability waiver. Please look for a link to the waiver in your confirmation email.
Event registration does not include the cost of the Refuge entrance fee ($5) or cost of a rental boat (if applicable).
The Canoeing & Kayaking Georgia guidebook provides paddlers of all stripes with the descriptions, data, and resources needed to plan self-supported river trips throughout the state of Georgia. The 2022 edition builds on the book’s 40+ years experience, now covering nearly 4,000 miles of waterways from mountain whitewater to peaceful calmwater and coastal forays.
Meeting location: OKE NWR 4155 Suwannee Canal Rd, Folkston
Suggested meeting time: 1:15pm
WHAT TO BRING: Our trip will be mostly through the unshaded prairies of the swamp where the afternoon sunshine can be intense. Even though October is Georgia’s driest month, rain is still possible. The trip will proceed in rain unless conditions are dangerous or excessively windy.
Required to Bring: PFD (life vest), paddles, boat (or rental), plenty of drinking water, sunscreen, bug repellant, hat, clothing appropriate for the weather, water shoes (not flip flops), snacks if you need them, rain gear.
Recommended (optional) items: change of clothing in dry bag, camera, extra rope, first aid kit.
We’re going coastal on this three-day, two-night excursion to Ossabaw Island near the mouth of the Ogeechee River. The trip begins Friday morning, Oct. 28, at about 10 a.m. at Fort McAllister State Park as we paddle Redbird Creek and the Ogeechee River with the outgoing tide to Ossabaw Island’s north end. From there we will set up camp and continue exploration of the island. Saturday will be a day of paddling, hiking and touring this famed barrier island. Sunday, after breaking camp, we will follow the incoming tide back to the mainland, arriving with the high tide about 1 p.m.. This trip is a rare chance to experience one of Georgia’s wildest barrier islands and the unique natural and cultural history associated with the island.
This paddle route is in tidally-influenced coastal water along the intercoastal waterway and the Ogeechee River. Participants should have strong open water paddling skills.
Registration fees include campsite/accommodations, guide services, six catered meals, island tours and educational programs, Paddle Georgia swag and decal and river maps.
“OKEFENOKEE DESTINY” VIRTUAL SCREENING
Join Georgia River Network on Tuesday, November 1 from 12 – 1 PM for a free, virtual screening of Okefenokee Destiny, a 14-minute PBS EcoSense for Living documentary.
Okefenokee Destiny, presented by Georgia River Network with the generous support of Okefenokee Swamp Park & Adventures and Georgia Canoeing Association, invites viewers to discover how the Okefenokee Swamp, “The Trembling Earth,” is a place unlike any other in the world. It’s the largest intact blackwater wetland in North America and a mecca for research scientists from around the world. It’s also in the heart of an economically depressed region and under pressure from from a proposed titanium mine that threatens to harm the swamp and the region’s ecotourism. The film explores which lessons we can learn from past mistakes, like ones made in the Everglades, and how the Okefenokee can be conserved for future generations.
Register today to join Georgia River Network for this free screening of Okefenokee Destiny. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with experts featured in the film.
Learn more about the fight to protect the Okefenokee at: https://garivers.org/protectokefenokee/
GEORGIA RIVER NETWORK PRESENTS:
Screening tour sponsored by Okefenokee Swamp Park & Adventures and Georgia Canoeing Association.
Join us at Okefenokee Swamp Park for this 14 min. film about the swamp which is threatened by mining. After the film, join us for Q & A.
A favorite from our Paddle Georgia 2021 schedule, this two-day, two-night paddle camping adventure features some 21 miles of paddling within the Okefenokee Swamp and along the Suwannee River as it emerges from the swamp. The adventure begins at Stephen C. Foster State Park and takes in some of the Okefeokee’s most scenic corridors before slipping through the Suwannee River Sill and continuing down the Suwannee. Day two takes us down 14 swampy, scenic miles of the Suwannee as it winds toward the town of Fargo. Yes, you will likely see lots of alligators…and a ton of other wildlife to boot! Camping will be at historic Griffis Fish Camp, an old-school camp that has been located along the banks of the Suwannee River since the 1930s.
Registration fees include campsite, six catered meals, shuttle and guide service, education programs, Paddle Georgia swag and decal and river maps.