Georgia River Network is encouraging people to explore Georgia’s rivers during its guided 2023 River Adventures Series and Paddling Safety Classes scheduled for April through August.
Georgia River Network is a non-profit organization based out of Athens that seeks to ensure a clean water legacy in Georgia by empowering people to form relationships with Georgia’s rivers, Paddle Georgia Coordinator Joe Cook with GRN said.
“If you have a relationship with someone, if they’re in trouble, you’re going to help them out,” Cook said. “It’s the same thing with our rivers when our rivers are in trouble. They need advocates to help them out.”
GRN will guide folks through five Georgia rivers that span nearly 50 miles of water that range from South Georgia’s Little River to North Georgia’s Chestatee River. The Flint River, Etowah River and Chattahoochee River are among the three other river destinations GRN will guide people down during its River Adventures. Nearly all the trips are beginner-friendly, Cook said.
“The Flint River trip is on some white water that people need to have some experience to come on that trip, but our other trips are pretty easy paddling,” he said.
GRN’s River Adventures are completely guided by staff members and include shuttle services, river maps, guides and educational programs.
“We like to think that our trips are more than just getting out in a kayak and more than just paddling a trail,” Cook said. “We try to educate people about our rivers to help them understand how we use our rivers, how we depend upon our rivers and why they are important to us.”
GRN also holds Paddling Safety Classes to help people build their confidence and skills on the water. Classes are offered throughout the months of May to August and are led by Community Program Coordinator Andrea White, who is also a certified kayaking instructor by the American Canoe Association.
“If you could have even just a half day or a day of training, it can make the difference between somebody who just paddles around a little bit for a summer and somebody who does this for the rest of their lives,” White said.
Strength and Stretching for Kayaking; Intro to Kayaking; Intro to River Kayaking; and Rescue for Rec Boaters are safety courses GRN offers. Classes are held at lakes and rivers in Georgia and focus on curriculum like correcting posture, avoiding tennis elbow, learning how to help someone who has flipped their boat, avoiding hazards and rescuing boaters in flat, slow-moving waters.
“We’re trying to catch folks on the front end and say, ‘Hey, why don’t we just prepare for things that you might run into and then you’ll have control of it from the very beginning.’ It’s a whole lot better to come home with a smile on your face so that you can have more days of paddling and smiling,” White said.
GRN’s River Adventures Series will run in conjunction with the Paddle-A-Thon. Miles covered during group trips may be logged and entered into the competition with a chance to win $8,000 worth of prizes.
Tickets to attend the River Adventure Series run between $35 - $70. This fee does not include kayak rentals; however, kayaks may be rented separately.
For tickets and more information, visit Georgia River Network online.
