Chassahowitzka River Paddle — June 19, 2023

The Chassahowitzka — the “Chaz” — is one of those Florida rivers that can feel completely different every time you paddle it. On this hot June day, we launched from the Chassahowitzka River Campground with friends and worked our way through the clear spring runs, shaded side creeks, and the broader river downstream.

Kym is at the heart of many of the photos from this paddle, often in her beautiful wooden kayak, with Buddyboy never far away. It was exactly the kind of summer paddle we love: plenty of time in the water, plenty of stops, and no reason to hurry.

All photos are clickable for the full-size image.

Kym, Buddyboy, and a day on the Chaz

Days like this were especially fun with Kym and Buddyboy along. Kym's wooden kayak always looked perfectly at home against the greens and browns of the river, while Buddyboy treated the bow of my Necky as his personal observation deck. He would sit up front watching everything, then jump off whenever we found a sandy bank or shallow spring.

Tim, Kym, and Buddyboy together in the shallows.

Tim and Kym at the spring with Buddyboy keeping close.

Kym and Buddyboy enjoying the cool water before getting back in the boats.

Buddyboy keeping watch from the bow as we moved deeper into the creek.

Following friends through one of the narrow, wooded side channels.

The view from behind Buddyboy — his favorite seat in the kayak.

The Chassahowitzka River Campground store and office — our familiar starting point for a day on the Chaz.

Starting at the Chassahowitzka

The campground launch puts you immediately into the spring-fed headwaters. From there, the river begins as a maze of clear shallows, palms, old oaks, and narrow openings that invite you to wander. On busy days it pays to arrive early, unload efficiently, and get onto the water before the launch area fills up.

Heading out beneath the live oaks and palms, with the spring-fed river still quiet around us.

A shaded stretch of the upper Chassahowitzka, where the river feels more like a jungle creek than a Gulf Coast waterway.

Wildflowers along the edge of the spring run.

Seven Sisters and the spring runs

Our first stretch was the familiar upper river and the spring areas near Seven Sisters. These are the places where everybody naturally slows down. The water is cool and clear, the limestone bottom shows through, and it is almost impossible not to get out of the boat for a swim.

We spent a good part of the day doing exactly that — paddling a while, pulling into a shaded opening, and getting back into the water. The small side creeks are part of what makes the Chaz so much fun. You can follow one for a while, turn around when it gets too tight, and find another one a few minutes later.

One of the beautiful wooden kayaks catching a perfect reflection in the tannin-stained water.

Our group settling into the easy pace of the river.

A shallow spring stop beneath a canopy of palms and leaning oaks.

Cooling off and visiting in the clear water — one of the best parts of a summer Chaz paddle.

Buddyboy was never shy about joining the spring break.

Kayaks pulled into the shallows while everyone took a break from paddling.

A long, easy spring break

We were in no rush, and the spring stop turned into one of the highlights of the day. The kayaks lined the banks while everyone swam, talked, and cooled off. Buddyboy moved back and forth between the boats, the beach, and the water as if the whole place had been set up specifically for him.

A favorite kind of Chassahowitzka stop: boats everywhere, people in the water, and deep shade overhead.

Swimming in the spring water while the kayaks waited along the bank.

Clear spring water, limestone, and forest — the Chaz at its best.

Another sandy, shaded spring shoreline tucked away from the main river.

A colorful lineup of kayaks in one of the narrow spring runs.

Downriver toward the Gulf

Beyond the spring runs, the Chassahowitzka gradually widens and changes character. The dense forest gives way to more open water and marsh, and farther downstream you begin to see the old fish camps and signs of the river's long connection to the Gulf.

A typical Chaz day: launch at the campground, explore the upper springs and side creeks, swim at Seven Sisters or another quiet spring, then continue downstream as far as time and conditions allow before returning to the launch.

Manatees are often seen on the river, along with turtles, birds, fish, and alligators. As the sign at the launch makes clear, this is wild Florida. Give wildlife plenty of room and never feed it.

Buddyboy stepping ashore at a little sandy landing under the palms.

A relaxed shoreline stop with the group spread out along the sandy bank.

Buddyboy taking in the river beneath a dramatic old tree draped with air plants.

Kym paddling her beautiful wooden kayak past a lone palm rising from the water.

A good reminder at the launch: alligators and snakes may be present, and wildlife should never be fed.

Farther downriver, the scenery opens toward the old riverfront fish camps and Gulf-bound channels.

Tim and Buddyboy on open water, with the palm-lined marsh behind them.

A perfect summer Chaz paddle

By the end of the day we had done a little of everything — clear springs, shaded creeks, swimming, sandy banks, open river, and plenty of time with friends. We finished with food and a cold drink, which is a pretty good way to close out a June paddle in Florida.

The Chassahowitzka remains one of my favorite places to bring people because you do not have to cover huge mileage to have a great day. The best parts are often the little detours: a spring you almost paddle past, a narrow creek that disappears into the woods, or a sandy spot where everyone decides to stop for “just a few minutes” and stays for an hour.

A well-earned seafood lunch after the paddle.

A cheerful group shot in the spring — exactly the kind of day the Chassahowitzka is made for.

Tim and Buddyboy together in the Necky as the late-day light warmed the river.