ORLANDO, Fla. — Eleven Florida paddlers have completed a 310-mile journey down the St. Johns River, traveling nearly the entire length of Florida’s longest river in just over four days.
The group launched from Blue Cypress Lake near Yeehaw Junction at 6 a.m. Sept. 4 and reached the mouth of the St. Johns River near Jacksonville around 10 p.m. Sept. 7.
Along the way, they stopped to sleep only once.
The rest of the time, the paddlers took turns resting in the bottom of a 29-foot Voyageur-style canoe while their teammates continued paddling through the day and night.
A 29-foot canoe became their home
The group made the trip aboard a canoe named Peacemaker, which was loaned by StirringWaters, a Central Florida organization that works to make aquatic activities accessible to people with disabilities.
For four days and nights, the canoe became essentially a floating home.
The paddlers ate, rested and carried their supplies aboard the vessel while navigating darkness, heat, heavy rain and thunderstorms.
A 12th member of the team drove a support vehicle and met the paddlers at designated locations along the river with water, food and other supplies.
Sanford photographer Reg Garner also met the group along the journey and captured images of the expedition.
Seeing the St. Johns River from end to end
Organizers said the goal was not simply to cover the distance, but to experience the St. Johns River as one connected landscape.
The roughly 310-mile river winds through wetlands, forests, ranchlands, conservation areas and communities as it travels north through Florida before reaching the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonville.
The St. Johns also serves as an important part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, connecting natural habitats across east-central and northeast Florida.
The paddlers completed the journey in approximately 88 hours.
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