Fort Clinch to Cedar Key
This just might be the toughest stage of the whole challenge. Certainly it is the
longest consisting of 90 miles upstream on the St. Marys River, a 40-mile portage
from St. George to Fargo, 220 miles
downstream on the Suwannee River, and a final 20 miles to Cedar Key for a grand
total of over 370 miles. Several miles on the rivers can be extremely difficult depending
on water levels any given year. If the water is too low, you end up pushing and
pulling your boat for mile after mile. If the water is too high, first you are fighting
a strong current on the St. Marys. Then you are dealing with white water at Big
Shoals and other spots in a loaded boat designed for straight line cruising.
But there is some good news. The upper St. Marys and Suwannee Rivers have some of
the most interesting and beautiful campsites you will find anywhere.
Did I mention alligators? Cottonmouths? Rattlers? Pray for cold weather
so these critters are slower than normal.
So are you ready for some fun!
This stage does have some checkpoints along the way:
- Stage 4, CP1 - Traders Hill on the St. Marys River, Georgia side
- Stage 4, CP2 - St. George on the St. Marys River, Georga side
- Stage 4, CP3 - The landing on the Suwannee River at the town of Fargo, GA
These checkpoints will NOT have a lock box at the location due to theft during previous
challenges. Instead, your SPOT OK Message sent from these locations will confirm arrival. In many cases race
officials will be at these checkpoints when you get there, but that is not
always going to be true.
Fort Clinch
Fort Clinch State Park is located at the very NE tip of Florida near Fernandina
Beach which is north of Jacksonville.
New Option: Any Class may swithc to any other Class at Fort
Clinch.
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You must have your shore crew meet you at Fort Clinch to make the switch.
They will meet you again at Cedar Key to switch back to your original boat.
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You must carry all gear that you need for stage 4 for the entire challenge. The
only thing that can be switched is the boat and paddles. Everything needed for
the stage 4 boat must be carried the entire race. All of this will be checked at
inspection.
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Boat switchers are not allowed to use a bike for the portage. You must walk.
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Class 4 and 5 challengers that do not switch boats will get a special designator
in the race results.
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If you are planning to switch boats, you must describe both boats in the boat
description section of your registration. For example, beach cat switching to
Seda kayak for stage 4.
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Note the Hobie AIs and TIs may remove all aka, ama, and sail parts instead of
switching boats. Then the boat description might say, Hobie AI stripping down
for stage 4.
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Note that you must switch to a Class 1 boat which means you can still have a
downwind sail up to 1 square meter per paddler, but this sail must be carried
the whole race.
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A race official MUST be present at Fort Clinch before the switch can take place.
You may have to wait several hours for the official to arrive. DO NOT MOVE
ANYTHING until the race official is there. Instead of getting mad about
any delay that might occur, take the time to rest, eat, and recover.
St. Marys River to Traders Hill and St. George
Here is a pdf showing the river route from Fort Clinch to Traders Hill and St. George.
Fort Clinch to St. George
You must paddle upstream from Traders Hill to St. George.
You started in Florida but the first checkpoint for this stage is on the Georgia
side of the river. Traders Hill is a historical site that has been used by the Indians,
the Spanish, the English, and American Colonials. Even Daniel Boone used this site
on some of his southern hunting expeditions. Sailors came up this far to get fresh
water that was known to stay "fresh" for long periods. Known in the 1700 as Fort
Alert, early settlers used the fort as a refuge during the Indian Wars.
Its location at the head of navigation on the St. Marys River made it one of the
most important trading centers in the Southeast. In 1854 it became the county seat
of Charlton County, and maintained that distinction until 1901 when Folkston, flourishing
along the old S.F.W. Railroad from Savannah to Jacksonville, became the new county
seat. Traders Hill Park has been developed at the site of the old courthouse.
It continues today as a popular recreation site with a nice boat ramp and a small
campground.
There are several miles left to go on the St. Marys before you reach St. George
and the take out for the portage to Fargo.
Lat/Lon of Traders Hill Landing is 30.782833° and -082.024167°. This is the canoe
landing on the St. Marys river at the Traders Hill checkpoint. IMPORTANT: Go past
the dock and the cement boat ramp. Go just past a cypress tree/stump. You will find
this nice landing. You can't see this until you pass the cypress tree/stump.
St. George to Fargo
Finally you get to the 40-mile portage route. Here is a pdf showing the portage.
The Portage
Fargo is five miles north of the Florida/Georgia line. After you finish your long
trek from St. George your access point is on the NW side of the river just off of
GA Highway 94. There is a paved launch ramp and a sandy area to camp, but camping
NOT allowed right at the ramp or near the park office.
Fargo is a small town with a good size convenience store (hours are roughly 6 to
11 most days.) and a couple of country restaurants. It is perhaps 1/2 mile from
the canoe landing. Although camping at the landing is not officially allowed, if
you arrive late at night and apply a bit of stealth, you can probably take a break.
If you walk up to the store for re-supply, be sure to take all valuables with you
and leave your boat hidden. Don't be gone too long. It is best to help keep honest
people honest.
Lat/Lon of Fargo Landing is 30.683° and -82.5595°.
Fargo to White Springs
The Suwannee River has the only class 3 rapids in Florida called the Big Shoals.
Clyde C. Council in his book, Suwannee Country says,
"I do not recommend that you shoot the rapids with a loaded canoe. Unload and with
a Life Preserver try your luck if it looks safe. Shoot the right side of the rapids.
Don't use a fiberglass canoe. I found half of one down river from the rapids one
day."
There is a portage around these rapids. Also, if the water is low you can line your
canoe along the left bank. If you decide to run it, you should scout first and watch
for trees and roots that can snag your boat or you and create very dangerous situations.
The general layout of Big Shoals from upstream to downstream is as follows:
- White warning sign
- Portage takeout on the left bank
- Upstream riffle
- 1st drop
- 2nd drop
- Downstream riffle
- Portage put in
What's a riffle? It's a term for ruffled water due to fast current over rocks but
no real standing waves. Kind of a warning of what is to come. If the water level
is higher, you might not see these riffles.
Note this could have changed since it was last scouted a few years ago.
White Springs is a great place to resupply and maybe get a nice meal. This is a
call in checkpoint. You must call in a report from White Springs.
White Springs to Suwannee River State Park
The Suwannee River State Park marks a transition for the river. The upper Suwannee
is fairly remote. From here to the mouth there is more boat traffic so be careful.
Numerous springs and some great scenery sprinkled between housing development make
up for the increased population and boat traffic. You have another 130 miles to
the Gulf.
The Lat/Lon of Suwannee River State park Boat Ramp Landing is 30.387667° and 23.26° and
-83.169000°.
Suwannee River State Park to Cedar Key
Cedar Key is roughly 20 miles south of the mouth of the Suwannee River on Florida's
west coast.
(NOTE: This is the new location as of the UF2010.)
The finish line will be at the Faraway Inn on the beach at the corner of 3rd and
G streets in Cedar Key. There is a gazebo immediately in front of the beach that
will have the lockbox. This location is much simpler to find and reach especially
during low tide than the old location.
This is a very nice motel and you might want to call ahead to get a room once
your ETA is known.
The Lat/Lon of the Beach at the Cedar Key CP is 29.136° and 83.036°.
If you switched boats at Fort Clinch, you must switch back to your original boat
at this SP.
You are almost done with the Toughest Small Boat Race in the World. On to the finish!