Suwannee

Put in at Big Shoals State Park Launch. Paddle 20ish minutes down to the rapids. Easily runnable multiple times as you can take out just below the rapids on river left and walk back to the top on the trail intended for portaging. Was fun to see the rapid at 51 feet. Cant wait to get some water flowing and get to see the big wave right side. From what I have seen it is a good surfer. Paddle back up river back up to the launch is easy at this water level. Here is a link to a video of my full run: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wwOY-xBdUUw5Y96zbkDVT2xqSEtlzyoN/view?usp=sharing

Matthew when are you going again,i would please love tag along.

A friend and I ran Big Shoals over the weekend at 60'. That water level was great! The top of the rapid formed three large holes and the bottom had a nice surf wave on river right.

We run this section every now and then. I find that the best level is above 55', and washed out above 65'. At lower levels there are some small surf waves down stream before the take out. We have always enjoyed paddling down to the Big Shoals rapids and setting up camp on river left and walking our boats back up for multiple runs. At low flow the rapid can be a bit retentive for swimmers.

Here are some good videos from our trips

http://vimeo.com/84912051

Is there currently a local group who paddles this section? It would be awesome if anyone in the area could adopt this reach and post some current info on this section. Such as pics, better directions to the put in & take out. I would be happy to make someone who is an AW member a stream keeper so this section could be updated. I have gotten questions from people new to this area. Thanks!

Trip on 11/4/12; 51.86'; 282 CFS

Trip on 11/4/12; 51.86'; 282 CFS

Matthew Cooper writes:
This is a Comment on for the Withlacooche River near Lake Panasoffkee. There is a dam there that feeds all of the water through a 10 foot slot with about 3 feet of drop. There is a beautiful 3 foot standing wave/hole very similar in size to that of Hell Hole on the Ocoee. I was there back in March when visiting grandparents and running Big Shoals. The Withlacoochee hole has three problems with it that could be fixed to make it a very real whitewater destination for the SOUTH SOUTH East!
1. To kayak the dam in not legal, but there is a lock for small boats and a propeller boat ramp there.
2.There is metal pipe of no observable use extending vertical out of the wave close to the cement walls. Pin potential because of this pipe looks horrible, but the pipe could be removed.
3. About 50 ft back where the flow of water pushes is a large wooden fence in the river. Its made of telephone poles and a few cross beams. It would be easy for an experienced kayaker to avoid by paddling into the massive eddy just to the surfers right. Also, a boater could fit between the poles of the fence but could get banged up or temporarily pinned against the fence.

I took some cell-phone pics back of the spot, but lost the cell phone. On my next visit down there I will do some visual reconniasance and documentation.

I ran Big Shoals alone on March 1st at a level of 63.5 feet (maybe 5000-6000cfs). My overall opinion of the whitewater run is that the Big Shoals shows a lot of potential as a fun playspot, but is more or less washed out at 63.5. There is a big green wave and a bunch of wave trains but the ratio of white to green is meager. The water flows fast and there are two big eddies on either side of the river. One of which provides eddy service and has a very strong eddy line which can yield serious squirts and pirhouettes.

I would believe that at levels of 61 feet or so the waves will become more like reciprocating holes and could prove some great play. Or bring a surfboard and get up on the big green wave!

The river is quite beautiful. The water is black and the flatwater offers crystal clear reflections of the scenery. Big Shoals is easy to find and the trailhead is a well maintained park with friendly people about.

I suggest you go, at 61 ft of water.

Alot of rain the week before caused the level to be too high until this Friday it was perfect. First time I had run the rapid. Sign upstream says 'WARNING: Class III rapid ahead.' Could this be the southern most III in the US?

alot of paddling but a sweet Florida surf just below Big Shoals

Don't get to see too many rapids in Florida, especially one this nice at the level

Surfing the bottom wave at Big Shoals.

water level here shows shoals as it is just getting large enough to run and be fun, but still a little shallow.

Water level was reported as just high enough to create the nice surfable wave, but low enough you wanted to avoid rolling (limestone bottom makes for nasty scrapes). Photo by Tim Shields of Ted Jean