Suggestions for Florida float trip

[Ctaylor]

I'm headed south for the annual family Florida vacation. I will be staying at Seaside which is just down from Destin. I am needing to know what are some good rivers or creeks down there to put my canoe in? I'm going to try and at least paddle three or four so if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears!

[Jim Krueger]

If you don't mind driving about fifty miles or so, check out Holmes Creek in Vernon, Fla. Holmes creek is spring-fed, very clear, and cold. It also features established canoe trails and outfitters if needed.
I spent my Jr.&High school years in S. Alabama and our family kept a beach house in the late sixties just West of Panama City. At any rate, I would often stop at the city park there in Vernon on my way home from the beach just to take the plunge After a day of swimming in the gulf, it was a real delight to wash the salt off in Holmes Creek!
Just West of Panama City about fifteen miles, Hwy 79 heads North from the beach, it's about 30 miles or so to Vernon.

Best Regards
Jim

[Deuce]

Don't forget the numeous dune lakes. I've been down there several times and am going again in a month. I'll be taking a tandem canoe and a kayak and plan to take my daughter and her friend out a time or two.

[Ctaylor]

We will be down there the first week o August so if there are anymore ideas that come to mind please send them my way. I canoed black water two years ago and it was amazing to I want to see what Florida has to offer.

Thanks for the heads up!

[Canoe_Codger]

I did a two day solo trip down the Black Water in 1996 (I lived in Gulf Breeze) and it was interesting. I wish I had known more about the "march of the fireants" before that trip though. A floating "antball" landed on the little sand beach I camped on, found the clothes I had hung up in the tree and climbed the ropes into my canoe. I found them after I had broken camp, donned my clothes and launched the next morning. And it is true that you can't drown the little buggers. You have to swim to shore, pants yourself and pick the little *@!@*** out of your britches one by one. Don't negllect all the hidden seams and crevases or you will do a repeat performance. Other than that, it was great.

Michael

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide/de ... _guide.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ctaylor]

Correction! I paddled Holmes creek two years ago when I was down there. If you get a chance to go it is well worth it! It has a spring that fed it with rope swings. It was so much fun. I would like to find some springs down there to paddle this trip. The water at Holmes was amazing! The locals said that's where Nestlé water is bottled.

[Chicago Bob]

For more than 10 years my Illinois canoe club has been running a three week long paddle trip in Florida. I have participated for the past 2 years. Last year we paddled for a week in the Panhandle. The following is a list of what we paddled. The Blackwater, Coldwater, Turkey Creek, Titi Creek, Little Boiling Creek, Boiling Creek, and Yellow River. Several of these are located within the boundaries of Eglin AIr Force Base.,a permit is required to access these. Any of these may be closed because of Air Force use (bombing). Permits are available at their office located on highway 85 just north of Valparaiso. As part of the permit you will watch a 10 minute on unexploded ordnance. They are also the source of information on any areas that maybe closed. The streams themselves are small and winding, with clear water. Most have good flow but little gradient. My favorites were Titi, Boiling, and Turkey, with Turkey being the closest to the permit office. If you would like more information P.M. me with phone number and we can discuss it further. BOB