On The Georgia Coast

Sorry for being out of touch the last couple days.  We’ve been in an AT&T zero-G service area---no phone or air card access.  The lull, however, gave us the chance to visit two close friends we hadn't seen in about four years, Dave and Margie Hawkins, south of St. Augustine.   After leaving Newport, we stopped in Perry for a presentation to about thirty members of the Perry Rotary Club.  They held their meeting at the Rosehead Junction, at Jefferson and Green Streets.  They were all great folks, and if you want a nice buffet lunch, I posted a position on the SPOT map Tuesday to show club members how the SPOT works, and it gives you the exact location.

L-R, Debbie Bassett, of Capitol City Bank, Club President

and Jean and myself at the Rosehead Junction.

On Thursday, I did a previously scheduled phone interview with Radio 1620 in Pensacola.  If you’ve never done a live radio or television interview before, it is the ultimate “quickie”; three minutes and you’re on and gone.

I was lucky enough to speak with Danny Grissette at Altamaha Coastal Tours in Darien.  He was most gracious about taking the time to walk me up the coastal waters and point out a number of possible stopping locations.  Even while pointing out the ones that are illegal or restricted in usage, he still added a lot of possibilities that made me feel a lot more positive about this stretch of water.  He added that the Georgia Paddling Trail is new, and while it doesn’t have many camping sites, efforts are ongoing to make agreements with property owners that will add more.

http://www.altamaha.com/kayaking.htm

(912)437-6010

Meanwhile, Michael, from Southeast Adventure Outfitters at Brunswick and on St. Simons Island, also responded with added positions for rest stops and campsites.  He even posted his on a Google Earth map.  Check his filming site below for some great pictures of the area. 

(912)638-6732 

http://southeastadventureoutfitters.blogspot.com/2011/05/filming-georgia-outdoors-w-ga-public.html

http://www.southeastadventure.com/index.html

While all too many people are in business just to make money, there are still the few sterling examples of those who really work to benefit the community they serve, in this case, the paddling community.  If you wish to take a tour on the Georgia Coast, both of these gentlemen have shown they are willing to go the extra mile for you.  My sincere thanks to them both.

We are now at Crooked River State Park, just north of St. Mary’s, GA, and will launch from the town ramp there tomorrow for the start north.  This will save the balance of Florida until winter when conditions are more favorable and safer.  The object now is to get north ahead of what is predicted to be an active hurricane season.