Post-Hurricane Michael Trip on Chipola River
By Doug Alderson
The shoreline forest showed evidence of severe impacts during the recent Chipola River Apalachicola Riverkeeper trip, nearly a year after Hurricane Michael. Nine people paddled ten miles from Yancey Bridge to Magnolia Bridge near Marianna led by Riverkeeper Georgia Ackerman and eco-educational outings volunteers Mike Mendez and Doug Alderson. The river was low but passable with no major snags thanks to a multi-million dollar clean-up effort by the state. More than fifty percent of the shoreline trees appeared to have been felled by the hurricane, but many of the river’s large cypress trees weathered the storm in good condition.
The Chipola is still a scenic water body with its blue and green hues, high banks and side springs. The Ovens cave area with its moss-covered limestone boulders was in good condition, although there was not room for everyone to land.
The Riverkeeper crew lunched at Maund Springs and a few enjoyed a swim over the 30-foot deep fissure. We also stopped at the confluence of Spring Creek and shared a swim with several tubers from Florida State University. The area’s eco-tourism businesses are slowly getting back on track and tubing Spring Creek is a favorite warm weather activity for many people.
It will be interesting to watch the Chipola River’s recovery over the next few years, so come see for yourself by joining the next Riverkeeper paddling trip down the Apalachicola River’s primary tributary.
Doug Alderson is an author and naturalist. A long- time outings volunteer at Apalachicola Riverkeeper, he also co-coordinates the annual RiverTrek campaign.
