The Paddle Georgia Fall Float on the Flint River is about to make a big splash! Georgia River Network (GRN) — creator of Paddle Georgia, an annual week-long summer canoe/kayak camping adventure — hosts this four-day event from October 10-13, 2014.
The course covers about 70 miles of the southwest Georgia river, beginning at the Flint River Hydro Dam in Albany and ending in the backwaters of Lake Seminole, near Bainbridge.
“Response to our annual Paddle Georgia events has been so strong that participants encouraged us to plan additional paddles throughout the year,” said April Ingle, Executive Director at GRN. “We’ve responded with this trip and hope it will encourage more people to explore Georgia’s rivers and spawn more interest in developing water trails across our state.”
The group had no trouble filling all 175 spots available for the trip. Previously, more than 800 people signed up to participate in Paddle Georgia 2014 on the Chattahoochee River, vying for only 450 available spaces.
“Demand for educational adventures on our rivers is what’s driving this,” said Joe Cook, Paddle Georgia Coordinator. “More and more people are looking for fun, accessible adventures.”
In addition to providing participants with opportunities to learn about the importance of the Flint River and Georgia’s other rivers, the event also serves as a fundraiser for Georgia River Network and Flint Riverkeeper.
“We’re excited about partnering with GRN to bring people to the beautiful Flint,” said Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper. Flint Riverkeeper will provide assistance to GRN during the event and receive a grant as part of the partnership.
Paddlers will camp at Chehaw Park in Albany and Rocky Bend Flint River Retreat in Newton; organizers hope to make the trip an annual event.
“We chose the Flint for our initial fall float because of its beauty and because of the availability of sites like Chehaw and Rocky Bend,” said Cook. “These campsites on and nearby the river provide us with the ability to run a trip like this, and ultimately we hope to see similar private and public access to rivers increase all over the state.”
Georgia River Network is leading an effort to establish water trails on many of the state’s rivers in which boaters can easily access and travel along these liquid paths. The trip is suitable for novice paddlers as well as experienced paddlers. Paddlers range in age from four to 84, with many families participating.
About Georgia River Network & Flint Riverkeeper
Georgia River Network is a non-profit 501c3 organization working to ensure a clean water legacy by engaging and empowering Georgians to protect and restore our rivers from the mountains to the coast. Flint Riverkeeper is a 501c3 organization working to restore and preserve the habitat, water quality and flow of the Flint River for the benefit of current and future generations and dependent wildlife.
Click Here for Paddle Georgia’s Fall Float on the Flint River
