LUMBER CITY – Over 250 people will participate in a Georgia River Network 7-day canoe/kayak journey down the Altamaha River.
Release:
This summer, more than 250 people will travel nearly the length of Altamaha River during a 7-day, 107-
mile canoe/kayak journey set for June 15-22—an adventure that ranges from near Lumber City to the
historic coastal town of Darien.
Billed as an environmental education adventure by its organizers, Georgia River Network, the event
immerses—both literally and figuratively—participants in the Altamaha River and its wild 137-mile
corridor that is often referred to as Georgia’s “Little Amazon.”
Registration for the event opens Feb. 12 at 8 a.m.
Among other things, the trip aims to cure society’s growing disconnect with outdoor play, especially
among youth, something researchers have called “nature deficit disorder.” Children who spend too little
time outdoors and too much time in front of screens are more prone to obesity, attention disorders and
depression, researchers have found.
Organizers are offering registration discounts for family groups with two or more children and hosting
special youth groups through scholarships offered by event supporters and sponsors.
“Over the 18 years we’ve organized these trips, we’ve seen families grow up. The young children during
those first years in 2005 and 2006 are now starting careers and contributing to the communities where
they live,” said Paddle Georgia coordinator Joe Cook. “It’s a small sample size, but we believe that kids
who spend time outdoors succeed. If you run wild, you finish first. Getting out in nature is good for all of
us, but especially kids.”
Indeed, many Paddle Georgia participants return to the adventure year after year, including a handful
that have paddled all 18 years. The event has grown into an annual summer pilgrimage and friend
reunion held on a different Georgia river each year.
This year’s sojourn takes place on three rivers, plus a few creeks and even a mile-long canal dug in the
1800s as the flotilla makes its way down the Oconee, Altamaha and Ohoopee rivers to the trip’s final
destination in Darien. It all starts on the Oconee, but within the first three miles, that river collides with
the Ocmulgee and paddlers will then continue down the Altamaha. A side trip on the Ohoopee, a
blackwater tributary of the Altamaha, follows. Then, from the Ohoopee’s mouth, adventurers will stroke
down the lower Altamaha until it spreads into a wide delta of islands and marshes near the coast.
Paddlers can participate for two, three or four days or join for all seven days. Adult registration fees
range from $155 for two days to $455 for the seven-day option with reduced fees for youth. Special
discounts of 40 to 80 percent are available to families with two or more children. Additional details and
registration information can be found at www.garivers.org/paddle-georgia.
The trip includes off-river camping at Watermelon Creek Vineyard near Glennville, Martha Puckett
Middle School in Jesup and Altamaha Regional Park in Glynn County with catered breakfasts, lunches
and dinners; full shuttle services to-and-from the river each day; nightly educational and entertainment
programs; daily special activities for youth and even a river cleanup.
“It’s much more than just a paddle trip,” Cook said. “At Georgia River Network, we want people to
connect with Georgia’s rivers and understand how we depend upon them. We incorporate lots of
educational programs into the journey, ranging from Georgia Adopt-A-Stream water monitoring training
to tours of facilities that make use of or impact the river.”
Paddle Georgia serves as a fundraiser for GRN and local watershed protection groups. Since the
inaugural Paddle Georgia in 2005, GRN has introduced nearly 7,000 paddlers to Georgia’s rivers and
raised close to $800,000 for river protection projects. In addition to supporting GRN’s river advocacy
efforts, proceeds from this year’s event will support Altamaha Riverkeeper.
Sponsors of the event include Hennessy Land Rover, Georgia Power Company, Southwire, Colonial
Pipeline, RYAM, Purina, Southern Gas, Oglethorpe Power, Alston & Bird, Cedar Creek Outdoor Center,
Butler Prather LLP, Georgia Kayak Fishing, Baxter & Harbin LLC, Terry Pate CPA, Mill Creek Environmental, Public Lands, Troncalli Subaru, RES, Georgia Mining Association, Siegel Insurance, Auto Owners Insurance, Stream Techs, Storm Water Systems, Fruit of the Loom/Jerzees, Patagonia, REI, Adventure Keen, The Hike Inn, Southeast Adventure Outfitters, Oconee Outfitters, John & LA Spears Foundation, Wildwater, The Canoe House, Murph’s Surf, Kayak Trips and Training, Appalachian Outfitters, Whitewater Express, Mustang Survival, Jim and Kim Butler and Tom Cofer and Café Campesino. Partners include American Canoe Association, EarthShare Georgia and Georgia Adopt-A-Stream.
In addition to hosting this week-long event, this year Georgia River Network will organize some 20 other
on-water events ranging from day trips and kayaking skills/water safety classes to weekend paddling
adventures. The full paddle trip schedule can be viewed at www.garivers.org/events
About Georgia River Network
Founded in 1998, Georgia River Network is a non-profit 501c3 organization that works to protect and
connect people with Georgia’s rivers. Those interested in participating can get more information at the
Paddle Georgia website at http://www.garivers.org/paddle-georgia or by contacting Joe Cook at 706-
409-0128 or joe@garivers.org.
