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KAYAK & SNORKEL FIELD TRIP for the Southern Association of Marine Educators & the Environmental Education Association of Alabama
Econfina Creek, Chipola River, Holmes Creek and Seven Runs Creek all north of Panama City, FL
Date: June 10 - 12, 2005
Time: Noon on Friday through Sunday afternoon
Join us for three days of fun and exploration in the creeks and springs of northwest Florida! We have put together a kayak trip for SAME & EEAA members. The trip is also open to all other paddlers as well. It will be held Friday, June 10th through Sunday, June 12th and will be led by Sonya Wood Mahler.
On Friday, beginning at noon, we will paddle along Econfina Creek, the drinking water supply for the city of Panama City. We will tuck into several gorgeous springs where you can swim, snorkel, or just play with the tadpoles. On Saturday morning, we will launch at the boat ramp in Florida Caverns State Park near Marianna. We'll paddle up the Chipola River and explore cypress-lined inlets. Saturday afternoon, participants can go on a 45-minute tour of the caves and hike the nature trail that takes you up the rocky bluffs towering over the river. On Sunday morning, we will paddle up Holmes Creek just south of Chipley, FL to Cypress Springs, another great place for snorkeling. On the drive back, for those who haven't gotten enough of crystal-clear water, we will stop and paddle for a couple of hours on Seven Runs Creek, located just south of I-10 near Ponce de Leon Springs.
The size of the group will be limited to 18 people to insure that we have a good experience and have the opportunity to see some wildlife. For those who do not have their own kayak, we will rent single sea kayaks from Gulf & Delta Canoe & Kayak Co., in Whitehouse Fork, AL. Sonya will lead a session for beginners on how to paddle and how to get in and out of the boats. The minimum age for participants is 12. We will spend Friday and Saturday nights in a motel in Chipley, FL, just off I-10. Chipley is a three-hour drive from the Daphne/Spanish Fort I-10 exit in Alabama.
The registration cost of the field trip is $25 per person. This fee covers guide service, insurance, bottled water and fruit juices, and first aid supplies. Add $30 if you would like to rent a kayak. Add $10 if you would like Sonya to transport the kayak that you rent or your own kayak from Baldwin County, AL. Each person should make their own motel reservations (Super 8 at 850-638-8530: $64.99 + tax per night or Holiday Inn Express at 850-638-3996: $79.95 + tax per night) by May 20th.
For details, contact Sonya at 251-937-7176 or smahler@aces.edu and Rhonda Bryars at 251-937-7176 or bryarrm@aces.edu. Rhonda will mail you a registration confirmation, a map showing where to meet at noon on Friday, a paddling resource packet, and information on how you can join SAME or EEAA. The deadline for registration is May 20th.