Sept. 3, 10, 16, 2001
Unicoy State Park, Lake Lanier, Lake Occone
On Sept. 3 while on a weekend retreat to the mountains, Martha and I stopped at the lake on Unicoy State Park and rented a canoe. This 15' gramman allumunum boat was very noisy but handled very well. This is a beautiful little lake and well worth a morning paddling time.
Sept. 10 found me at the big creek boat ramp launching my coleman into the big water of Lake Lanier. The water was glassy smooth and power boat traffic was light on this Monday morning. The highlight of this day paddle was a small island. It was very small and rocky with a beach on the north west corner and topped with small bonsai pine trees.
Sept. 16, Doug and I took his canoe to Lake Occone. This is a shallow lake but fairly large. We paddled about 3 miles north to a small island. Just before we got to the 278 bridge a large bird flew out of the brush on the eastern shore. It was a bald eagle! This is the first bald eagle I have ever seen.
After circumnavigating the tiny island, we skirted the eastern shore watching birds and just kind of drifting with the wind.
Returning, we cut back toward the island to put the wind at our backs and surfed the now rising swells back to the boat ramp.
The highlight of this trip was the varied bird population including sandpiper, blue heron, white heron, pidgeon, chicken hawk, wood duck, and the majestic bald eagle.
April 8, 2002
Towaliga River
I met Doug at High Falls park at around 11:30 AM. Daylight savings time has just started so we knew that we had enough light and some to spare to make the 9 1/2 mile trip to GA 42. We drove down to the bridge and left my truck, then went back up to the park and launched just below the rocky section beneath the falls.
For about the first mile the water was mostly flat and the current was moderate. The shoals we encountered (they were few) were easily and expertly run. Suddenly an island appears. Very small with one fairly large pine tree on it. There were shoals and an accompaning 3-4 foot drop. This was run just to the left of the island with only a leg out for a small course adjustment.
This time of year brought pink honeysuckles and wild azaleas blooming all along the banks of this beautiful river. Ducks (mallards) and canadian geese led us down most of the way.
The going to the flat bridge was pretty much more of the same. Beautiful banks, lazy flat water, and easy shoals.
Past the flat bridge the river widened and shoals became too shallow to run. They were not, however too numerous to make the trip unenjoyable.
At the 42 takeout we were able to actually drive down to the river to get the boat. It was undoubtedly the best take out we have yet to find.
This was a beautiful, fun river. The shoals were for the most part enjoyable and runnable. The current, ideal, and the banks pretty.
