Kayaks on the Suwannee
The Fellowship of Men on the Suwannee River - FOM Photo
By John Palmisano
As I floated in the river current, at times lightly paddling to straighten up my little kayak, I found my eyes drawn to the movements and sounds around me. Nine other men in their own kayaks talked with each other. Our guide Rob gave us a constant preview of upcoming sights
and features: springs, trails, campground facilities, and more to explore. The sound of the water was ever-present, and the view of the water-eroded banks changed every minute. The Suwannee carried us downstream on her back as if we were as light as the golden leaves that floated with us in the current.
The weather was excellent—we couldn’t have asked for better. The Suwannee River was a bit low, but the conditions were very good for a 6+ mile float. A group of ten men met at the Hal Adams boat ramp early on a cool Saturday morning for a Fellowship of Men event. We unloaded kayaks, met and shook hands, and gathered the gear that would be needed for our expedition. There was a mix of ages from young to not-so-young: college students to the retired. Each of us was brimming with expectation, some had never been on the river before.
We explored Charles Spring where we learned Reuben and Rebecca Charles (some of the first colonists in North Florida) operated their trading post and ferry nearby. They settled here before statehood and before Florida was a territory of the United States, purchased from Spain in 1821. Their family cemetery is a few hundred miles away from the spring named for them, and we learned from our guide why visitors hang red scarves there to this day.
Some of us got in the water at Turtle Spring where you can swim through crystal-clear water in a limestone tunnel. A real treat!
At another spring one of our party accidentally lost his eyeglasses unexpectedly, and three or four others took turns diving for them in about sixteen feet of spring-clear water. The glasses weren’t recovered—but one of the youngest men came up with a long-lost ultralight rod and reel that had been on the bottom for years! Another diver noticed some good-sized fish cruising the river bottom there.
The river connects us to those that came before us and is a legacy that will continue after us. The high banks hide much of the current development and on the river we felt as if we stepped back in time.
Our very enjoyable float trip ended at the Hardenbergh Boat Ramp. A friendly river dog, a white retriever, met us as if he was the ambassador of river goodwill, and made the rounds to be petted by each of us. Together we carried and loaded up our boats, looking forward to our next expedition.
We extend a friendly invitation to all men. There are many activities to choose from, and you can even start your own group! Join us, your brothers, and let’s set about the task of filling our lives with what we know is the important stuff.
Learn more about The Fellowship of Men by going to thefellowshipofmen.com. There you’ll find events like our Kayak Outing and groups that you can join in fellowship with other men. We believe that men’s activities promote maturity, strength, courage—and above all, faith. The purpose of the Fellowship of Men is to reconnect men, old and young, with one another and with the Body of Christ.
To contact Suwannee River Expeditions go to suwanneeriverexpeditions.weebly.com, or call Rob at 786-452-2729. Email him at
