Kayaking the Chipola this weekend.

[Raven]

We were told it's been that way for 15+ years, they will never clear it again, due to the park rangers, deputies and game wardens spending every night looking for last people.

Yeah I was told by 911 in the middle of the night around my campfire waiting for dawn that the paddler that spent the night there before me had to be helo extracted right off his boat in the middle of the swamp and they left the boat that quitter never did find the dirt roads that I found in the Hutton unit, which go to Highway 90 and also go to Blackwater Canoe rental. I knew around about where I was, from being raised in the area, and I walked out the 5+ miles to 90 in the morning, after telling 911 that night to leave me there, that I was not paying them if they came to get me, and I don't care who called them before me and told them whatever they told them! I had found out in conversation that my best friend had called 911 on me. I found out the next day that they spent all night looking for me in the wrong hunting unit and had I stayed put like they told me to they would have been a couple weeks trying to get to me with a grid search. 911 had triangulated my cell phone signal to a different cell phone tower that was further away, and nobody had believed that I had gotten as far down the river into the swamp as I had

 

[Bamaboy19]

I would definitely recommend going with a double ended paddle. I prefer sit-on top kayaks they are not as hot as the sit-in style. I have (2) sit-on Lifetime Tamaracks that are good all purpose. I have had Ocean Kayaks as well. They are good and very durable. This is on the Magnolia River very clear! Enjoy your trip!View attachment 288008

My son's best friend is on the blue SOT, he complained that sitting up so high was a challenge, especially going upstream, and he has to work harder and paddle more to keep up with my son, even though he in a tandem with a passenger. I'm still convinced I like a canoe better and will continue searching for one, easier to mount/dismount, my legs aren't confined & I can tuck them under me, I love my homemade paddle and doing the J-stroke!

 

[Bamaboy19]

Yeah I was told by 911 in the middle of the night around my campfire waiting for dawn that the paddler that spent the night there before me had to be helo extracted right off his boat in the middle of the swamp and they left the boat that quitter never did find the dirt roads that I found in the Hutton unit, which go to Highway 90 and also go to Blackwater Canoe rental. I knew around about where I was, from being raised in the area, and I walked out the 5+ miles to 90 in the morning, after telling 911 that night to leave me there, that I was not paying them if they came to get me, and I don't care who called them before me and told them whatever they told them! I had found out in conversation that my best friend had called 911 on me. I found out the next day that they spent all night looking for me in the wrong hunting unit and had I stayed put like they told me to they would have been a couple weeks trying to get to me with a grid search. 911 had triangulated my cell phone signal to a different cell phone tower that was further away, and nobody had believed that I had gotten as far down the river into the swamp as I had

As we were talking that evening, my son asked what I would've done had we been stranded? I said abandon boats and walk, we all had plenty of gear, food & water. And all three adults had a compass, and 2 phones with GPS. I said last resort would be to call for help, only if someone was injured.
A friend didn't even know he was lost, they just stayed late fishing until it was too dark to see so he made camp. When they showed up at the boat ramp, he was showing off their mess of catfish to the news crews, lol! Emergency responders were not amused, his reply was I didn't call you!?

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Need to shark fish in one! at night...

 

[MarkS]

I'm home and still alive! Wasn't sure I was going to fess up, but what the Hell?
As we passed the last stop, someone from shore yelled out "Hey! stop this is the end, where are you going?!" To which I cleverly replied; further, there's still water...
It was my son's idea not to believe the stories of the log jam. We went about a 1/2 mile and traversed over 1 small jam, only to find another 1/2 mile further down. My son walked through the woods and seen that this one went all the way around the bend, and saw "THE" fabled jam, he said it looked like the forest was growing across the river. This picture is after we paddled back upstream, the takeout sandbar was back around a few more bends. And we actually got to meet the guy, yay, who yelled out! He worked for Blackwater canoe rentals. I think we may have almost reached legendary status, as we could hear we were the hot topic amongst them as they loaded their last trailer of inner tubes, that and their boss striking up a conversation the next morning. He said the river stopped at that big jam and dispersed into a gator infested swampland, some as big as 14-15'! I did see tracks almost as big as my hand, but no actual gators. That's my son in the yellow tandem with the youngest grandson. My fingers were numb from that paddle. My neck, shoulders and elbows don't hurt today, but I my wrists are still a little sore this morning. We're thinking Peace river next year? I'm gonna step up and plan that trip, to include my brother and my other grandson with his best friend. I can't remember which river we did for my son's 50 miler, it was the other side of Tallahassee and it was crystal clear, maybe the Seminole?

The reason I know about the river disappearing into the swamp is a couple of friends but their boats in above Deaton Bridge and thought they were going to float down to Blackwater Bay then run down to Yellow River and go up to Millers Bluff. They got got down to where the river peters out into the swamp and got very lucky. There was a young boy who saw them and he ran to tell his dad who owned land there. Dad drove down to see what his son was talking about and gave them a ride to get there trucks after laughing at them and extracting a promise from them to never try it again. My buddy was sore at a coworker who didn’t warn him after being told what they had planned to do. Coworker told him he thought they were canoeing and knew about the long portage through the swamp. This was over 30+ years ago so I’m sure y’all didn’t get to where they did

 

[Bamaboy19]

The reason I know about the river disappearing into the swamp is a couple of friends but their boats in above Deaton Bridge and thought they were going to float down to Blackwater Bay then run down to Yellow River and go up to Millers Bluff. They got got down to where the river peters out into the swamp and got very lucky. There was a young boy who saw them and he ran to tell his dad who owned land there. Dad drove down to see what his son was talking about and gave them a ride to get there trucks after laughing at them and extracting a promise from them to never try it again. My buddy was sore at a coworker who didn’t warn him after being told what they had planned to do. Coworker told him he thought they were canoeing and knew about the long portage through the swamp. This was over 30+ years ago so I’m sure y’all didn’t get to where they did

No, thank goodness, only because we had kids. My son just had to see the BIG jam, which he did after walking through the woods scouting out the one before it. He's pretty adventurous, I used to be more so. And his best friend was a Marine forward scout. We had a hatchet, machete, spear & a 357 but no proper hiking boots, only Tevas. I think we did the best thing in turning around where we did. It was a beautiful trip and a great time with family, which is precious these days.

 

[MarkS]

I can understand why your son wanted to see it for himself 30-40 years ago I probably would’ve done the same thing.

 

[850guns]

I'm home and still alive! Wasn't sure I was going to fess up, but what the Hell?
As we passed the last stop, someone from shore yelled out "Hey! stop this is the end, where are you going?!" To which I cleverly replied; further, there's still water...
It was my son's idea not to believe the stories of the log jam. We went about a 1/2 mile and traversed over 1 small jam, only to find another 1/2 mile further down. My son walked through the woods and seen that this one went all the way around the bend, and saw "THE" fabled jam, he said it looked like the forest was growing across the river. This picture is after we paddled back upstream, the takeout sandbar was back around a few more bends. And we actually got to meet the guy, yay, who yelled out! He worked for Blackwater canoe rentals. I think we may have almost reached legendary status, as we could hear we were the hot topic amongst them as they loaded their last trailer of inner tubes, that and their boss striking up a conversation the next morning. He said the river stopped at that big jam and dispersed into a gator infested swampland, some as big as 14-15'! I did see tracks almost as big as my hand, but no actual gators. That's my son in the yellow tandem with the youngest grandson. My fingers were numb from that paddle. My neck, shoulders and elbows don't hurt today, but I my wrists are still a little sore this morning. We're thinking Peace river next year? I'm gonna step up and plan that trip, to include my brother and my other grandson with his best friend. I can't remember which river we did for my son's 50 miler, it was the other side of Tallahassee and it was crystal clear, maybe the Seminole?

HAHA, We tried to warn you!
Great memories though.
Jeff showed me where the river ends. There's a huge black hole and the river turns into a forest. Always have wanted to put a camera up to see what creature lives in the hole where the Blackwater River ends...

 

[Bamaboy19]

HAHA, We tried to warn you!
Great memories though.
Jeff showed me where the river ends. There's a huge black hole and the river turns into a forest. Always have wanted to put a camera up to see what creature lives in the hole where the Blackwater River ends...

No denying we had ample warning. Honestly the river from that takeout spot down was really beautiful! Not much in the way of sandbars though, but it widened, & straightened, out to about twice what it was above there.