Return to Florida! | Starting Near Georgia Border | Low Water Struggles | Suwannee River Paddle Ep 1

[@Errcyco]

I paddled the entire Suwannee from the okeefanokee swamp to the gulf. Felt like a Disney ride that never ended and I got to sleep in the park every night. I was only 13 in 1999 but I remember every day of it. I forgot my 37th birthday last year til the day of and I got texts. But I remember eating a snickers the first night from our little campsite on the side of the river looking at alligator eyes floating by. Never had any fear, was just an absolutely amazing experience. My highlight was the 4-5 warm springs you come upon.. I swam with manatees and before that trip I didn’t even know that was a real animal. This was a cool video. Dry bags look like they’ve gotten better since I went too. You all just created yourself some core life memories. 👆🫡❤✌️

[@TheFishingNomad]

Nice video. The Suwannee really is beautiful. Loved the spot you set up camp.

[@butchbinion1560]

Gee Matt I would have though by now you would have prepared for padding your canoe, J stroke my friend. This could be fun hehe. ✌🏻👊

[@fre3radic4l]

nuts, i started following you on your ECT hike and ended up hiking from Key West to Canada in December 2021-22... I then proceeded to the CDT in 2023 and finally just finished the PCT this season. Looks like I'm still following your foot steps, or paddle strokes this time. Glad to see you're still having fun

[@markrenfrow9873]

First found you on the Mississippi, through the time warp I go!

[@barryparris91]

I'm looking forward to Taters Tuesday. I hope you get to do the upper part of the river. The Okefenokee Swamp is one of the few places without mountains that I actually like.

[@coryfierbaugh375]

My wife and I just took this same trip last week. We put in at the same ramp. We were in separate one-man kayaks and had the same problems every time you wanted to take a picture or video. I think kayaks were built to row backwards. October is a much better time to go on this one. The water was at 56 feet and perfect. It’s fun to revisit it even this soon after through your video.

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

We can’t wait to go back and do it again. I do love Florida during the winter

[@Danleone77]

Back at it! Fantastic. I'm really looking forward to the Mississippi River paddle as well. That's something else I'd love to tackle one day.

[@BobBroeking]

I was going to mention this to you when I saw your plans...I was on the Suwannee last week on my jet ski...it was the lowest I have seen. Was also on the Saneta Fe and it became impassible on the jet ski... Cold snap coming in 48 hours!

[@JazzFlop212]

Wow that is incredible!!! Good luck to you guys. Definitely a new goal of mine to canoe the Mississippi! I really cannot express the appreciation I have for your Florida trail videos. I learned a lot and cannot wait to start my thru hike in a week!!

[@ariellevites7450]

Right in my backyard! Love the Suwanee. Spent some weeks paddling out there a few years ago. And of course yall are coming right into a terrible freeze, stay warm.

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

Always something :)

[@heinyhxc]

ah i've missed y'all and didn't realize it bc the YT algorithm has hid y'all away from me until now. i subscribed back during your AT hike, glad to see you around the area i grew up in this time. canoeing these rivers was a big part of my childhood!

[@jgeisler]

All in all, it looks like a great start. Airlines do not take responsibility for damage to luggage, bags, etc. that are checked, but they will cover damage to contents within. A cheap duffel bag can be bought on Amazon to place your bag, backpack, etc in for around $10. Worth it even for a one time use if needed.

[@timfarness9949]

Hope you have a great trip and the weather cooperates . Safe paddlings

[@kmccarr]

Sorry for the bad weather but no worries about those gators. Unless of course, they are looking to keep warm in your sleeping bag. Next week would have been perfect. Oh well, hope all goes well and be safe.

[@Swamp_Shenanigans]

That’s awesome! I’ll live 30 minutes from Fargo and I’ve always wanted to do something like this. I do a lot of camping already and love spending time on the rivers.

[@EzeAdventurer]

LOVE your vibes guys. you have the most important ingredient to successful adventuring. Humour and good spirits! Subbed! I'm considering doing something like this with my son as a last minute trip this month as we'll be in Florida..!

[@Longrangedisco]

Great to see you guys out on the water again. Have a safe trip 👏🏼👏🏼😁🛶

[@patr5810]

Home sweet home... I've missed that.... alright let's Paddle paddle paddle... haha. Have fun guys

[@jenniferblackie2027]

Awe I missed it too! I was so happy saying it again and getting back to our camping routine 😊

[@harryryan2428]

Very cool, we kayak at roline boat ramp and turner bridge often, we don’t go far though, usually north and hour and then back

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

It’s worth trying an end to end. Outfitters can help with the dropoff / pickup and the river is set up for easy camping and reaupply

[@amyzukowski5979]

Merry Christmas and safe paddles

[@carolinenunez3455]

This looks like a really fun adventure! I hope the weather doesn’t turn out to be too bad.

[@SihAza]

Some have done a loop trip from Suwannee Sill at Okefenokee outlet, down Suwannee, 15 miles down Gulf coast to Cross FL Barge Canal, Oklawaha River to St Johns thru Intracoastal Waterway to St Marys then upstream to Okefenokee and across. Might need a permit for the Okefenokee crossing or perhaps not if you stay to the main canal and avoid the canoe trails and their camping platforms. I recall a story documented in the National Geographic in the 1970's, but conditions might have changed. Need to portage around dam at Rodman Reservoir. Why not fly into Jax, FL? The section from Fargo to Big Shoals is mostly sandy banks, then changes to limestone cliffs.

[@cgriggsiv]

There are definitely beautiful reflections in that water

[@barbarataychert4910]

Hope it's fun. Merry Christmas.

[@jackiehalunen7795]

Just watched this. There's a bathroom at Little Shoals. Couldn't tell if you guys are beyond the Shoals. Anyway, if you have time go back and do the Okefenokee. It's so much fun, whereas the Suwannee is usually so mellow. Rain. Blah.

[@glennedgar5057]

Good video. Brings back memories. I live in La Cresta Cal. I spent considerable time in Tallahasse wor

[@glennedgar5057]

Workin a remote job. In winter sometimes the water would freeze on the surface. Also, a few friends took me to fishing camps on the Apalachicola river. There are a lot of back water regions on that river.

[@RS-pk4mp]

Cool start! Looking forward to more opportunities to watch Taters ram the shore while Masochist walks the river as a result. Always fun guys! Paddle on! Tortoise

[@spannymakronkeep8673]

Sweep, pull, push and j stroke. Bow can steer too

[@johnmys5am]

Love

[@cgriggsiv]

Merry Christmas to both of you safe travels

[@proanswers]

Hope you are.prepared.for the FL artic chill.

[@PedroNord]

🦋

[@SMjerZgirl]

Safe paddling!

[@sandythiessen9375]

The adventure begins!

[@markcrance3564]

Spoke to John yesterday at the canoe outfitters and he told me they had just dropped you off. Not sure what your schedule is but the offer to host you at the White Springs B&B is still open, I text the owner Judy today and let her know you might be coming by. Couldn’t believe how low the water was. There are five of us that are starting our trip down the entire river ( or what is available) on Jan. 19th. I wouldn’t worry about going all the way back to the Okefenokee to cover that 35 or 40 miles. I know you are a purist but save the money for the Big Muddy ( Mississippi) it’s far more fun and interesting. Take care, enjoy the rest of you trip!( You guys brought ice axes and crampons, right?🤪) NANOOK

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

That would be great for when we go back through town after. I never got to stay there when I was on the FT since I hurried through town before the flooding got worse. We won’t know the specific day until we get close to the coast though

[@SDSsongs]

At least with the cold weather, the alligator attack probability dips a couple percentage points... ;)

[@annelawson1966]

Leave Tater’s alone. The person in back steers. Also, look up different types of paddle strokes for a canoe.

[@trudyeagan4336]

I always feel really bad when people I like come to Florida and get hit with freezing weather. At least it’s not a hurricane, but Ian was a very cold hurricane.

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

I’ve been out here 3 times now and it’s been below freezing 2 of them. I’m just lucky I guess…

[@ripvanrevs]

@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes I go down every year for a week or so in January and it can really be hit or miss. If it's cold, I just keep driving south to the warmer weather.

[@benfletcher4581]

I have been wanting to do this trip

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

I highly recommend it. Only better paddle trip we’ve done is the Mississippi Source to Sea which is a bit more of a commitment

[@benfletcher4581]

That's on the list also lol

[@catpatrick3838]

Brave souls you two! I'm in north Louisiana, low tomorrow night/Friday morning is forecast to be 12 freaking degrees Fahrenheit! 🥶🥶🥶 Add in the 15 to 25 mph winds and it's going to be colder than a witch's tit. Here in the south we don't do subfreezing! And you guys have gale warnings and lows around 20 this weekend. Yikes! 🥶 Merry Christmas 🎄🎁. Stay safe.

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

Yea, we’re bracing for the incoming weather. At least it mostly hits after the rain…

[@ripvanrevs]

A few years ago I went down to Arkansas to run a trail race on the Athens Big Fork trail. It dropped down to 5° and they had to cancel because it would be too remote and dangerous for the runners and volunteers. Two days later, it was 60° in the morning!

[@laurabellman7682]

new tent?

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

It’s the Haven we bought on the CDT when our Tiger Wall broke

[@JimBobson-r4y]

Did you encounter any canoes with small motors, is it deep enough?

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

We never saw anyone trying to use a motor on a paddlecraft. I don’t know how deep you would need it to be but anything like that would have just complicated life in the headwaters section

[@JimBobson-r4y]

@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes I am a small motor masochist canoe camper.

[@davidthomson802]

"way down upon the". Someone had to say it.

[@fannypack96]

Taters, where is that famous, efficient J-Stroke?

[@cgriggsiv]

And I happen to be first holy s***

[@davidthomson802]

Maybe she's not stern enough to take up an aft position.

[@fatguyhisbackpack5755]

ANy issues with gators or are you guys too far north

[@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes]

We haven’t come across any yet

[@fatguyhisbackpack5755]

@@FirstChurchofTheMasochistHikes I guess if you did that might take a bite out of your trip

[@kathyandbrian639]

The stern paddler is the one who steers the canoe...don't ya know.

[@nmuguy]

You need to learn how to paddle correctly! At least watch a how to video, or the Mississippi is going to eat you alive. The steering should be done from the bow, and not by paddling harder.

[@freeheel748]

I want to do this paddle. Watching closely from the Adirondacks.