How did you celebrate Father’s Day? For Paddle Georgia participants, it was with a 17 mile float, making today our longest day. The many sweepers and strainers slowed the day down but brought us paddlers together on this long stretch of river. It’s easy to spread out along the water but the jams, after causing short frustration, spawned a new sense of comradery. Paddlers shared sunscreen and jokes referring to the hold up as “worse than Atlanta traffic”. With lots of strainers, miles, and boat traffic, a popular rope swing was a welcomed distraction from this hard paddle. 
Paddlers challenged each other to see who could jump farthest or who could do the best back flip. We also kept cool with frequent and welcome water gun wars. There is nothing like a little rivalry to boast morale.
This hard paddle took time to tackle, causing the buses to pull us straight into an evening full of great food and riveting talks. 
Megan Desrosier, the Executive Director for 100 Miles, presented about Georgia coastal conservation and activism. Tim Echols from the Georgia Public Service Commission spoke on the rising electric car usage in Georgia.
Finally, it was time to retire after a long day. Paddlers went to back to a village of temporary homes, commonly known as Tent City. a unique site created by paddlers. Tents are huddled in the shade, leaving the football field wide open and the goal post to be used as a makeshift clothesline. A strong sense of community is created here, as people sit outside tents in circles sharing opinions and telling stories. Neighbors with portable fans are the most popular. When one woman was attacked by a hill of ants, her neighbors in Tent City came to the rescue with unique home remedies to fix the problem – one of the many instances of generosity and helpfulness exhibited in our temporary home. Other campers have chosen to stay inside the cool gym, turning it into a mattress lined “refugee camp”. 
After a hard day of paddling, both Tent City and the cool gym are great places to conclude our successful Father’s Day on the Ogeechee River.
Amelia Lord and Jamie Rogers, Paddle Georgia Enthusiasts
the water- smiling from ear to ear. Be sure to check out the 
own exponentially in popularity in recent years, and Paddle Georgia paddlers are no exception.
elease of water from the bottom of Buford Dam, which has changed the historic warm waters of the river to a chilly 48 degrees and in turn the species of fish that are able to live here. Participants learned more about this at 
the Buford Trout Hatchery today, where millions of trout are stocked into the Chattahoochee and other Georgia rivers each year.
What an amazing first day on the Chattahoochee river…
Greetings fellow river rats!
The 23.8 mile Dub Denman Canoe Trail located on the Tallapoosa River is soon to be officially on the map after years of planning. Five sites along the Tallapoosa River are being considered for trail access, including two on county property and three on private property. Two of the three access point require stream buffer variances which are awaiting approval. Tallapoosa Planning Coordinator, Patrick Clarey, explained that the city has been moving forward with two of the original five proposed kayak and canoe launch sites with the help of a $51,150 Georgia Department of Natural Resources grant awarded to the county. The launch sites will include concrete staircases and wooden canoe launches, where needed, as well as gravel parking lots, trash receptacles and signage.
Legendary musician Otis Redding is memorialized in a life size statue at beautiful Gateway Park, trailhead of the Ocmulgee River Heritage Trail.
Georgia River Network is encouraging river lovers to celebrate Georgia’s rivers – from wild places to urban waterways – by taking 13 people, who might not otherwise go on their own, paddling in 2013.
Get your tickets NOW for our 
In 2013, Weekend for Rivers is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act by focusing on “The Value of Water.”
Each paddling trip will include lunch and presentations along the way ranging from natural history and water quality testing to river cleanup training and kayak fishing.
Announcing the Georgia River Network Guidebooks series!
Georgia Environmental Protection Division Outreach Unit and Georgia River Network are working in partnership to develop web-based interactive maps for Georgia‘s water trails. Our goal is to create an interactive map for all water trails throughout the State.Water trails that satisfy the 
You can now experience the new National Water Trails System through an 
The message that “trails don’t just happen” is vital in nurturing public support for the funding sources behind trails. The source of funds for land acquisition as well as facilities is also important. Some programs are specific to a locality, such as sales tax support. Other projects are funded by state sources, such as lotteries. Many trails are partly funded by grants from federal funds, such as the Recreational Trails Program and the Land & Water Conservation Fund.
Stand-up paddling exercise has been described as everything from great, fun and exciting to calming and intense. Stand-up paddle boarding is an ancient form of surfing, yet it is most widely enjoyed on relatively flat water.
Paddle Georgia, A Project of Georgia River Network - Weblog 