Update: It's with a heavy paddle that I must suggest the canceling of my upcoming trip for Palmetto Paddlers on Black River in Williamsburg County. Our current water level of 1.51 and a flow of 21 CFS would mean more walking than paddling...and the forecast for any rain the rest of this week is dim/weak/poor/slim/not likely/droughtful. I'll try to find another time later in the year to host a trip. In the meantime if any of you need any help getting on Black River one weekend, I'm available to help. Again, I'm sorry to have to cancel at the last minute.

This trip is on beautiful Black River in Williamsburg County near Kingstree, SC. The wildlife and natural beauty of this part of Black River is special. This is one of our SC Scenic Rivers. I recently made the trip seeing many Prothonotary Warblers, Red Headed Woodpeckers, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egrets, Kingfishers, Cardinals, Bluejays, Red Tail Hawks, turtles, beavers, fish, and deer. The many snow-white sandbars made for great picnic /rest stops. This trip will offer a paddling challenge to most of us due to the twists/turns/single file areas/low water and downed trees. This is a trip designed for only boats that can handle shallow water (no canoes). I say this because of the current critically low water levels. The chance of this trip being cancelled due to low water is probable. Keep checking the website for updates.

The trip will run from Mill St. Landing (in the Kingstree city limits) to Turkey Hill Subdivision (private) off of US Hwy 521. If you have a Tide Water Trails map of Black River, this trip ends near sign #6.

You need to be at the starting point by 10:00 AM so that we can shuttle the vehicles, and start our paddling on time. We should be off of the river around 5:00 PM. That would then offer us the opportunity for supper @ Brown's Bar B Que; and you're back home at dark.

Directions:

From Columbia: Go to Sumter, take US Hwy 378 bypass towards the beach, right onto US Hwy 527, come into Kingstree and turn right onto US Hwy 52, turn right at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and follow 1 block to Mill St. Landing. Travel time should be 1 1/2 hrs. (a little more from Irmo/Lexington)

From Charleston: Travel North on US Hwy 52 thru Moncks Corner and St. Stephens, enter Kingstree and turn left at Hardees, proceed 1 block, turn left at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and follow 1 block to Mill St. Landing. Travel time should be 1 hr 15 min.

From Florence: Travel South on US Hwy 52 thru Lake City, enter Kingstree, turn right at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and follow 1 block to Mill St. Landing. Travel time should be 50 min.

Our current water level (6/13/08 AM) is 1.65 with a CFS of 27 (SO PRAY FOR RAIN)

Louis Drucker, Trip Coordinator