GA Park Paddlers Club Series - Paddle 3 Robert L. Smith and Tybee

Your TL's are experienced paddlers and enjoy planning and experiencing areas outside of metro Atlanta.  Both have kicked around the idea and 2017 is the year we get the shirt offered by GA State Parks.

 Join us for our quest to earn the coveted Park Paddlers Club T Shirt!  The GA State Park system has identified 6 waterways, 22 miles total,  at various locations around the state, that comprise the Park Paddler Club. These parks are Chattahoochee Bend, Crooked River, George L Smith, Reed Bingham, Stephen Foster, and Sweetwater Creek. If you’re familiar with the Canyon Climbers Club or Muddy Spokes Club, this is the same idea. We will be scheduling various paddles/camping events based on locations and weather throughout the year. The official number is 22 miles, we see this as a minimum and intend on doing much more dependent on parks and conditions.

How it works: You purchase a Park Paddlers Club card ($10) from a ranger station at any participating park or online at http://gastateparks.org/ParkPaddlers  then visit each park and paddle the specified waterway and minimum length. The ranger will then stamp your card. Once all 6 stamps are collected, you send the card in and receive a Paddlers Club T-shirt by mail.

Our intentions are to offer camping opportunities at each event, these will be posted accordingly. At each event all paddlers will be expected to have their own boats and equipment and be able to paddle a strong D3 or D4. Our paddles will involve currents, wild animals, and many hours in a boat – it is not an advanced series of events, but the paddles also will not be beginners’ paddles in most cases. We hope to complete the series within 2017, but dates will be subject to locations and geographical considerations (i.e. we won’t paddle the swamp during yellow fly season, etc.). So join us for one, join us for all, just join us and paddle!

Our first paddle was Chattahoochee Bend park, a 5-mile day trip which will began at McIntosh Reserve Park, just off Highway 5 south of Whitesburg, Georgia. Our second was Sweetwater Creek, where we had an easy paddle around the reservoir, got out of our boats and stretched near the spillway, saw some beaver dams, etc. These were good warm up paddles, our next stop takes us down to The Old South.

Paddle number 3 – George L Smith Park / Savannah area. Smith is the paddle needed to receive a punch in our cards. This paddle is a 6 mile flat water paddle with a slight current. There will be no shuttle. The website suggests "The peaceful natural beauty of George L. Smith State Park and the serene, cypress filled water of the mill pond offer you a tranquil escape where a small town, down home atmosphere provides both recreational and historical experiences." Sounds like a great paddle! But wait, there’s more! We will be camping at Skidaway Island State Park. We plan on paddling the Tybee area as well. We will all meet at Skidaway Friday afternoon / early Saturday morning and paddle in the Tybee / Savannah area, possibly Skidaway river Saturday and paddle Smith on Sunday on way back to Atlanta. Details for Smith paddle requirements can be found online at http://gastateparks.org/ParkPaddlers .

Lodging:

Due to the location of this paddle, we have secured camping at Skidaway Island State Park in Savannah. We will camp at Skidaway Island in the Pioneer camping area on Friday and Saturday nights (standard $5 parking fee or use parking pass – free from local library). As part of your Park Paddlers Experience, we will be supplying breakfast and lunch items on Saturday and Sunday, Dinner on Friday is on your own and Saturday night we'll visit Savannah. Bringing snacks/dishes to share is encouraged, as well as firewood. This is a walk-in site, please be prepared to carry you gear to site. The cost is $25 per person. Those choosing to stay at a local hotel are welcome to do so. We'll discuss a meeting time with anyone choosing to stay outside our Pioneer camp. The cost will remain the same (simplicity and extra $ goes to the AOC) and all will be welcome to share the food items.  

All members are welcome to register and participate in this event. When registering all members will go to a wait list. However, those who have participated in the first 2 will have priority followed by those who completed one of the first 2. After those registrants have been added, other registrants will be added in the order they have registered. It is not unusual for people to sign up and not pay by the deadline, at which point we will offer their spots to others, so be sure to remain on the waitlist.

May cancel in case of inclement weather

If bringing a dog, be sure your friend is well versed in your boat

Dogs must have PFDs also

Please realize other paddles in this series are not suitable for dogs, especially when we visit the Swamp areas which are inhabited by many predators.

We will meet at Skidaway Island State Park in Savannah

Park Paddlers Club Cards may be purchased in advance online or at Ranger Stations http://www.georgiastatepark s.org/ParkPaddlers

Please feel free to set up your own carpool - plan on being 30 minutes early to the event.

Cost includes camping 2 nights, 2 breakfasts, and 2 lunches

There will be NO refunds unless another member signs up and pays, essentially taking your place if you should drop the event. If a refund should be allowed, it will be minus a $5 service fee for the club. 

**Cost does not include State Park Parking Pass Fee ($5) or Park Paddlers Card ($10)**

This event may be cancelled due to inclement weather