Sat, Jun 15 2013 - PADDLE GA 2013! Week of Kayaking & Camping on the beautiful Flint River (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Bobby Marie, Charlie Cottingham Participants: Charlie Cottingham, Bobby Marie, Doris L, Chris Roper, Eric, Joshua Rosen, Sharon H, Glen Smith, lraymer, Karen Talley, Denise Van Huss, Allan, Mary Donaldson, Kenny Donaldson, Suzi P

Our week of fun and adventure on the Flint was a blast, and Bobby is now legendary in Paddle GA history as the kayaker who fought off a huge leaping alligator gar that landed right in his lap!  What a gorgeous river, with its clear springs, towering moss-draped cypresses, and frequent sightings of alligators, ospreys, and other “cool critters” large and small.

With the exception of a single brief thunderstorm we were lucky to have a gorgeous week weather-wise for paddling and camping. Albany’s wonderful Chehaw Park, with its on-site wild animal park hosted us for our first four nights of camping, dining and entertaining programs, Fri-Tue.  One hundred and six river miles later we “tied a bow” on the trip in Bainbridge, GA with a festive “river’s end” celebration and fish-fry feast.

Thanks to Doris Lindsey for sharing her nice photos of the trip!  Here's the link to her Facebook album: https://www.facebook.com/doris.j.lindsey/media_set?set=a.10200788159178736.1073741827.16057

- Posted by Charlie Sun June 23, 2013

Bobby Marie PostScript added June 24:  Alhough one would think that Bobby had already been "descended upon" enough by the giant gar fish, he reports that en route home from Albany Saturday (near Andersonville) he got "buzzed" almost head-on by a crop-spraying airplane.  Below is his account:

"I went "back roads" all the way to College Park before I had to get on I-285 to get up to the house.  ALSO, I made a stop in Andersonville at the POW Camp and Cemetery. Unbelievable and sobering to look at the land and think of the misery that went on there.
 
Also, I had a very interesting encounter with a crop duster. I was driving up the highway and had seen him above the trees before he disappeared.  Suddenly he came around up ahead of me real low and was flying right at me until he veered off to my right and started spraying a new field. He went by so close and so low that I got spray crop crap on my windows and car! When it dried I could barely see out and I was afraid it would hurt the paint so I stopped in a little town car wash in Oglethorpe and washed the car so I could see to get home. It was pretty awesome to have that plane coming at me. I actually thought he was going to land on the highway.