Welcome back to Blackwater! Let's clean it up!
I'm thinking this will be one of the easiest CITOs I have ever hosted, as this river is seldom paddled. Still, it does need a little bit of TLC. Cleaning up Momma Nature's home is never a bad thing. This is one of the most amazing stretches of natural Florida you will ever see. Commonly viewed critters include aligators, manatee, deer, black bear and otters.
If you have a bow saw, or some loppers, feel free to bring them. We'll trim back the route as we go.
As mentioned above, you need a permit in order to attend this CITO. In the past, I could simply call the Florida Forestry Service, and tell them how mant folks I was expecting, and they would issue me a permit, which I would make copies of. For reasons unbeknownst to this member of the Riffster Clan, bureauracracy has reared its ugly head, and those days are no more. Now, each individual going through the gate needs their own permit. Don't sweat it though. Permits are free, and easy to obtain. Simply call Kassie at the Florida Forestry Service, 352-360-6675 during banker's hours and tell them you want a permit to paddle Blackwater Creek on 12-22-15. She will email you a PDF file with your permit in it. You can also email Kassie at Kassandra.Kristensen@FreshFromFlorida.com and ask for one. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.
Our plan is to meet at the South Entrance waypoint around 8:30, then drive in as a group. Once we drop all our boats at the posted coordinates, we'll shuttle as many vehicles as possible over to the Landing waypoint, Highbanks Marina, in Debary. Then we'll head back to the forest to begin our journey. To log an attended, there are a few options. First, join us on our paddle. It really is an amazing place. Second, for folks who either don't have boats, or don't feel like paddling with huge alligators, you can meet us at either the posted coordinates for some schmoozing and cleaning, or meet us at the landing for more cleaning and schmoozing. Those folks who just want to schmooze at the posted coordinates will need a permit, as mentioned above. Those who want to schmooze at the landing will not need a permit. The 3:00pm landing time is just a guess. We might be a bit earlier. We may be a bit later.
Things to bring, if you are paddling: A change of clothes, in case you get wet. Water. Snackage. Hat. Pokey Stick. Long sleeve shirt or sunscreen. Bugspray, because, Florida. Camera. Grabbers. Cell Phone. Navigation rules also require a PFD and a whistle.
See y'all there!
-Sean
Post script: The 1/1 D/T rating reflects the posted coordinates, which is mostly wheelchair accessible.