Coronavirus Pandemic Forces Cancellation of Spring on the Satilla
Following U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommendations, Georgia River Network (GRN) has rescheduled its annual Paddle Georgia Spring on the Satilla canoe/kayak journey originally scheduled for April 3-5.
Spring on the Satilla is now September on the Satilla and will take place Sept. 4-6. The Athens-based river protection organization also rescheduled its March 22 Brews, Boats and Bands fundraiser featuring singer-songwriter Rob Jordan and friends for June 14 at Pontoon Brewery in Sandy Springs.
GRN is closely watching federal and state recommendations as it plans for additional river adventures scheduled later this year, including Paddle Georgia 2020, a week-long journey on the Flint River that is expected to draw more than 300 participants June 20-27.
“Georgia River Network’s mission for healthy rivers is based in science, safety and love for our natural world and the humans and critters that inhabit it,” said Executive Director Rena Peck. “We’re uniting with others across this country to stop the spread of this virus so that we can all get back on the river sooner rather than later.”
Registered participants who cannot join GRN for September on the Satilla Sept. 4-6 can request full refunds of registration fees. Likewise, supporters who have already purchased tickets to Brews, Boats and Bands can request full refunds if they are unable to attend June 14.
Registration for Paddle Georgia 2020 continues, but the organization is developing contingency plans in the event that large gatherings remain unsafe through June.
GRN’s other planned river adventures include Paddle Georgia Fall Float on the Flint, a three-day journey on the Flint River near Albany set for Oct. 9-12 and St. Marys-Okefenokee Hidden Gem, a two-day exploration of the famous swamp and the St. Marys River which flows out of the swamp, that is set for Nov. 6-8. Additional information about these trips can be found at www.garivers.org/paddle-georgia
More than just paddle trips, GRN’s river adventures feature education programs, entertainment, visits to sites of historic, cultural or natural significance, river cleanups, stream monitoring, catered meals and on-river campsites.
GRN’s week-long Paddle Georgia excursion this year charts a 99-mile course along the Flint River from near Thomaston to Oglethorpe. With more than 300 participants annually, it is considered the largest week-long canoe/kayak camping adventure in the country.
“Participants have described it as summer camp for adults and families,” said Joe Cook, Paddle Georgia Coordinator. “It’s a unique alternative to the typical summer family vacation.”
GRN is the state’s only non-profit organization dedicated solely to protecting the state’s rivers and promoting recreation use of those rivers. It organizes the annual event to bring attention to rivers and promote the development of recreational boating trails.
The group’s river adventures also serve as fundraisers, supporting its work and that of local river protection organizations. Since 2005, GRN’s paddle trips have introduced more than 5000 people to Georgia’s rivers while generating more than $500,000 for river protection and water trail development.
Sponsors of GRN’s river adventures include Hennessy Land Rover, Baxter & Harbin LLC CPAs, Mill Creek Environmental, Fruit of the Loom, Jerzees, CYA Insurance Agency, Turner Foundation, Terry Pate CPA, China Clay Producers, Georgia Mining Association, Colonial Pipeline, Brown & Caldwell, Cedar Creek Outdoor Center, Nestle Purina, Oglethorpe Power, Rain Barrel Depot, Stream Techs , Siegel Insurance/Auto Owner’s Insurance, Pond Engineers , Coca-Cola United , REI, Patagonia , Miller-Coors, Hike Inn, Bass Pro Shop-Cabela’s and Vibe Kayaks
Georgia River Network is a non-profit 501c3 organization working to ensure a clean water legacy by engaging and empowering Georgians to protect and restore our rivers from the mountains to the coast.
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