Newspaper Page Text
Page 14 — Wednesday, June 9, 2021, The True Citizen
STALLINGS ISLAND
OUTDOOR
ADVENTURES
with Mary Griffin
Paddler near whale rock at spillway.
SERENE PADDLING
This summer, you may want
to try to complete Columbia
County’s Serene 18 paddle
trails, four distinctive paddling
trips all within day trip distance
from Waynesboro. Columbia
County even offers a free t-
shirt to those who complete a
stamped paper passport, mak
ing the adventure fun for kids.
Of the four Serene 18 paddle
trips, the 2.7 mile Stallings
Island trip is the most challeng
ing for a beginner. The paddle
starts at Savannah Rapids Park
above the head gates of the
Augusta Canal Diversion Dam.
To launch, you’ll carry your
kayak upstream on a walking
trail about M mile.
In my younger days, I
thought schlepping my tan
dem canoe was easy. It was in
fact easy, because back then,
as one of only a few twenty
something women in the sport,
I needed only to start lifting
my boat, and a male would
assist. Recently, a man my
age claimed he was praying
when I gazed hopefully his
way while struggling with my
boat. His wife smacked him,
but pray on he did as I lifted
my kayak singularly. A change
of tactics has been required for
my middle aged boating adven
tures. I’ve gone with a light
boat, cheap in kayaking terms;
the Pelican Trailblazer model
from a sporting goods store.
This kayak costs under $200
and weighs in at under 26 lbs.
Although it lacks many bells
and whistles of finer models
and is not nearly as stable as a
heavier fishing kayak (upwards
of 50 lbs.), I find that this
Chevy Spark of boats meets all
my needs in the CSRA. Most
specifically, I can unload it
and carry it alone. Portaging
this kayak really isn’t bad as
long as I don’t bring too much
extra stuff, but I can’t make this
Stalling Island portage in one
trip if I bring a heavy cooler.
Once you’ve portaged and
launched, you must paddle
hard enough upstream so that
you don’t drift downstream to
the Augusta Canal Diversion
Dam head gates and waterfall.
This feat may sound scary, but
I seriously doubt the paddle
would have made it onto the
Serene 18 Passport if injury
were imminent. The current
is slow, and you can see the
bottom of the river — you can
literally stand up in the channel
if you tip over. I would equate
the danger with a nighttime
walk in a graveyard: nothing
bad is actually going to happen,
but why not scare your kids
with possibilities?
Once you’re settled into your
upstream paddle, the view is
quite spectacular. The riparian
zone is dense and shady, and
the area is perfect for the ter
ritorial kingfisher; the water is
clear, allowing the birds to see
their prey, and the banks are
earthen for nesting burrows.
With their ungainly heads and
graceful aerial dives, kingfish
ers are the pelicans of fresh
water. Turtles,fish, and snakes
abound.
As it crosses the fall line,
the river forms rapids and
shoals, and you will paddle
upstream among many small
islands. (There is map at the
launch that shows the figure
8 pattern in which you will
travel.) Thousands of years
ago, the undammed river here
was dominated by riffles and
pools and boulders, and only
the river’s bluffs offered refuge
from floods. Prime hunting
grounds for mussels, fish and
turtles, the area was highly
valuable to local Native Ameri
cans, who were later described
as “The People of the Shoals”.
Stallings Island is owned
by the Archaeological Con
servancy, which has restricted
visitors to protect burial sites
and pottery created during the
Late Archaic Period (3000-
1000BC). These are the earli
est documented pottery sites in
all of North America. Stallings
Island is currently home to 3
donkeys and a small herd of
goats. You can’t disembark
on this island’s banks, but
the animals are frequently on
the shores begging for tossed
apples and carrots.
Paddling up beyond Stalling
Island, you reach the Stevens
Creek Dam. The dam was
originally permitted by the
U.S. War Department in 1910
to provide electricity to the
then rapidly industrializing city
of Augusta. A lock allowed
boats to pass upstream until
the 1950’s. Located 13 miles
below the J. Strom Thurmond
Dam, the Stevens Creek Dam
now controls the peaks and
valleys of the Thurmond Dam
discharge, which can range
from 3,800 to 35,000 cubic feet
per second. The dam can still
produce electricity.
Below the 2000 foot spill
way, you will see a series of
large granite rocks, perfect for
sunbathing. The most famous
is the large whale rock, which
makes excellent snacking habi
tat. You can paddle directly up
to the misting spillway of the
Stevens Creek Dam (the cur
rent is not swift) for photos.
When you’re finished here,
double back along your path
and head downstream back to
the start.
For an easier trip, Cole Wat
son tours and Augusta Out
doors both offer two hour kaya
king tours of Stallings Island
($50 and $40 respectively). For
further information, including
maps of the boating trails and
passports, visit https://www.
visitcolumbiacountyga.com/
serene 18-paddle-trail/.
Stallings Island donkeys along river
Newly weaned heifers relaxing under shade tree to stay cool
A county full of cattle
MARY BETH MALLARD
marybethmallard@uga.edu
Cereal and milk for break
fast, hamburgers for lunch, a
juicy steak for supper and a
big bowl of ice cream for des
sert. Sounds good right? None
of these great meals would be
possible without the dairy and
beef farmers who work tire
lessly to raise quality cattle.
The USDArecently released
the 2020-2021 Georgia Cattle
estimates, and I am proud to
share that Burke County has
the most cattle in the state of
Georgia totaling 30,000 head.
Burke County is also the lead
ing county in the state for dairy
production. The Burke County
UGA Extension family is so
proud of our farmers on their
accomplishment.
The University of Georgia
animal and dairy science pro
gram professors are constantly
working with their students on
research the UGA Extension
offices across the state can
share with their community
members. Data was released in
March of 2021 explaining the
effects of heat stress on dairy
cows. UGA Professor Sha Tao
was the head investigator who
worked with his team to deter
mine installing fans and sprin
klers for dairy cows can help
reduce heat stress and make
them more comfortable. As a
result, this helps them produce
more milk and improve their
overall health.
The process of milk produc
tion is natural and healthy for
cows. When they eat, their
bodies begin several chemical
processes that cause heat build
up. These chemical processes
occur naturally as the cow
is producing milk, but their
bodies can get overheated and
tired due to those processes.
Heat stress is only magnified
by our southern climate and
humidity rates. Farmers want
to keep their cows happy and
healthy so they rely on this re
search in order make decisions
that are best for their cows and
operation.
While we are the leading
county for dairy production,
the beef production is just as
valuable and important to our
local economy and of course,
our stomachs. I know I was
excited to move back home
from Athens for the summer
because my dad serves beef for
supper in all the best ways. My
personal favorite, hamburger
steak on a bed of French fries
covered in gravy. Local beef
farmer Tommy Mead runs a
very successful operation and
is nationally known for his
prestigious cattle. You can visit
Waynesboro’s own Good Day
Cafe and try a Mead Burger
made from the cattle produced
on his farm in Midville. The
reality is, the only time many of
us come in contact with cows
is when they are already on our
plates. UGA Extension encour
ages you to learn more about
your beef and dairy products
while they are still mooing.
There are several resources
in the Burke County that are
affiliated with cattle such as
Burke County Cattleman’s As
sociation, FFA and 4-H. These
programs work to educate
others on farming practices
and cattle health and safety, as
well as spread awareness in our
community about local cattle
operations. Be on the lookout
for fundraisers put on by these
organizations so you can help
support them as they add value
to our community through ag
ricultural education.
For more information, please
visit the UGA Extension web
site where you can find the lat
est on dairy and beef research,
or call ANR Agent Peyton
Sapp at 706-554-2119.
Tommy Mead and Mary Beth Mallard at Mead Cattle Enterprises
visiting the cows
JENKINS COUNTY
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931 East Winthrope Ave.
Millen, Georgia 30442
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