Most of you are
already familiar with the stay-at-home
order issued by the Governor of Alabama and effective
beginning April 4, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
order issued by the Governor of Alabama and effective
beginning April 4, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
The proclamation
states , “Effective Saturday,
April 4, 2020, at 5:00 P.M., every person is ordered
to stay at his or her place of residence except as
necessary to perform any of the following “essential
activities”:
April 4, 2020, at 5:00 P.M., every person is ordered
to stay at his or her place of residence except as
necessary to perform any of the following “essential
activities”:
One of those notable
essential activities
relevant to Southeastern Outings events is:
relevant to Southeastern Outings events is:
To engage in outdoor activity. A person
may leave his or her place of residence to participate in outdoor activity that
involves fewer than 10 people so long as the person maintains a consistent
six-foot distance from other persons.
Notice of Southeastern Outings Precautionary
Measures Concerning Covid 19 Virus
Southeastern Outings assures all our outings
participants that we strongly desire to protect your health during this
critical time. You may make your own decisions about what to do to
protect yourselves, but the following measures are what we strongly
suggest. We recommend taking the following measures.
We ask our participants to maintain a
reasonable social distance, usually 6 or more feet, between yourself and other
people. We recognize that this may not always be possible, but we
encourage you to keep some distance from others as much as possible.
We encourage all our people coming on outings
with us to drive from the meeting place to the outing start point in the same
vehicle in which they arrived at the meeting place. Naturally if more
than one person arrives at the meeting place in a given vehicle, then all the
people in that vehicle may ride together in that same vehicle driving from the
meeting place to the outing start point.
One or two persons will be designated to sign
everyone in so that clipboards and pens are not shared by everyone on the
outing.
We will have outing announcements, but we ask
you to try insofar as possible to maintain a distance of six feet between
yourself and others while the announcements are given. Dan will try to
project his voice effectively in such instances, and please, please do not
converse with others while announcements are being made.
In instances when we have more than ten
participants coming on an outing, we will split the group up into two parties
of ten or less people with two different leaders. Everyone will go to the
same places during the outing, but we will want to reduce the number of people
hiking together in the same group to less than ten.
Optional restaurant dinners will be cancelled
until further notice.
In any case, of course, if you have
flu-like symptoms (fever, aches or pains in the joints and respiratory system
problems) please stay at home and do not come on outings with us! This is
just common sense.
We want to point out that walking in the woods
where there are not many other people present is considerably safer at this
time than walking in crowds of people or in heavily populated public
places. Participating in our events will give you opportunities to be in
the outdoors, get some beneficial exercise, and do something you enjoy with
other people while still allowing you to easily and conveniently maintain safe
social distancing.
POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE 13th
POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE 13th
JUNE 6, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Trip, Locust Fork River
Note-This
outing is tentatively scheduled at this time pending Covid 19 pandemic
announcements of current regulations from the authorities.
Details: A fun Southeastern Outings kayak and canoe trip on
Section 1 of the Locust Fork River in Blount County. This stretch, which several of us have canoed previously, is
fairly easy and without classified rapids.
Along the river we’ll see lots of wildflowers and stop to investigate
islands and beaches.
Novice canoeists are welcome and may come on this trip, but each one must be partnered with an experienced canoeist in their canoe.
Novice canoeists are welcome and may come on this trip, but each one must be partnered with an experienced canoeist in their canoe.
Please
note that for this trip you may rent one person sit-upon plastic kayaks and
paddles for $30 each at the put-in from River Beach Outfitters. Rental fees include shuttle service. Also the outfitter will charge a $15 fee for
all private boats be they canoes or kayaks used on this outing. If you wish to rent a kayak from the
outfitter, please notify Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone
205/631-4680 BEFORE June 6 to reserve your boat. Dan will then inform the outfitter how many rental kayaks he will
need to provide to SEO people for this trip. Please note that the outfitter
has only 70 one-person kayaks for rent, so be sure you call to reserve early. Once all their solo kayaks are reserved for
June 6, there will be no more kayaks available to rent!
This
outfitter does not have canoes to
rent. However, Dan Frederick’s
daughter, Aree, has a few canoes which she may offer to rent to people who want
to canoe on this trip and who do not have their own canoes. Again, please notify Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or phone
205/631-4680 BEFORE June 6 to request a canoe if that is what you want. We will do our best to fulfill your
request.
Please do NOT just show up at the meeting place on
June 6 without making an advance reservation with Dan Frederick!! And if you have made a reservation to
participate and then decide to cancel, please be absolutely sure to call and
notify the trip leader. Don’t
just tell your friend if you intend to cancel!!
Life jackets are required and must
be worn. You are responsible for
finding your own boat. Bring your own,
borrow one, paddle with a friend, or rent from the outfitter listed.
Please bring in the boat your
picnic lunch and something to drink.
Wear old shoes you don’t mind getting wet (old sneakers work well). Also bring at least 6 feet of sturdy cord to
tie up your canoe if you don’t already have rope attached to your own
canoe. If you have further questions,
please call the trip leader.
For more essential information
about this trip, please see Note for Kayak and Canoe Trips at the end of this
calendar.
Please meet at 9:45 a.m. at the Cleveland Chevron
Service Station. We plan to depart from
there at 10:00 a.m.
Reservations Required: You are required to contact Dan
Frederick by email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call 205/631-4680 if you plan to
come on this kayak and canoe trip.
Please advise your name, telephone number, skill level, whether you are
bringing a canoe or kayak and whether you need a paddling partner. You may leave a message on Dan’s answering
machine if you wish.
If you want to come on the June 6 SEO kayak and canoe trip AND you are renting
a boat from the outfitter at the site of the trip, in this instance you are
required to call or contact ONLY the trip leader and notify him that you are
coming! Dan will
inform the outfitter how many rental kayaks he will need to provide to SEO people
for this trip.
Info. and Trip Leader: If you have further questions,
please contact Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680.
JUNE 13,
SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings River Float, Picnic, Swim on the Locust Fork River
from Taylor’s Ford through Cornelius Falls in Blount County near Royal, AL
Note-This
outing is tentatively scheduled at this time pending Covid 19 pandemic
announcements of current regulations from the authorities.
Details: Easy river float on the Locust Fork River. Float in the river from Taylor’s Ford
through Cornelius Falls and below.
We’ll float downstream to the widest waterfall on the Locust Fork River. Enjoy eating your picnic lunch sitting on
the rocks overlooking the waterfall.
This is one of the prettiest lunch spots we have ever seen in
Alabama. As we float we’ll also view
sheer cliffs that rise high above the river.
So enjoy a flowing river, high rock bluffs and a gorgeous waterfall—all
along a nearly uninhabited stretch of this river. Bring a picnic lunch, drink, sunscreen and something to float on
such as an inflatable vinyl float or air mattress. See Float Note below for additional information.
Please bring a towel, your picnic
lunch and drinking water. Pack your
lunch, sunscreen, towel and drink in 2 plastic garbage bags with twist ties,
one bag over the other. Then put the
bags in your daypack and strap the pack to your back. This keeps your things dry and prevents them from floating
away. Wear swimsuit and sturdy
footwear you don’t mind getting wet and dirty.
Old sneakers work well. Bare feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not
acceptable! You must be able to swim to
participate in this outing!
Have fun swimming in the pools in
the river and just sitting in Cornelius Falls.
Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and up welcome, but
parents are responsible for all risks to their children.
Spring floats, passenger car and pick up truck tire tubes and inflatable
boats are not permitted on SEO river floats! A spring float is a flotation device
consisting of an inflatable outer oval with a small, few inch diameter cross
section and a large mesh interior. Those
spring floats are meant for floating in swimming pools and on lakes in still
water, not for floating the Locust Fork. They are difficult to steer and
therefore unsafe for use on Southeastern Outings river floats.
Bring a friend or several if you
wish. Meet 9:45 a.m. at the Cleveland
Chevron. We plan to depart from there
at 10:00 a.m.
JUNE 16, TUESDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Canoe and Kayak Trip hopefully, possibly with
dinner after
Where: Terrapin Creek near Piedmont, Alabama
Note-This
outing is tentatively scheduled at this time pending Covid 19 pandemic
announcements from the authorities.
Details: Please plan
to come on a relaxing kayak and canoe trip on Terrapin Creek in Calhoun County
near Piedmont, Alabama.
The section we will paddle is
relatively easy with one class I classified rapid (which you can portage around
if you prefer). This is a scenic
stretch of creek located in a very rural area.
Twenty-four Southeastern Outings people participated in this popular
outing on May 18, 2019.
Please note that for this trip you may rent canoes for $40 each or one
person sit-upon plastic kayaks for $25 each from Terrapin Outdoor Center. Rental fees include shuttle
service, paddles and life jackets. Also
the outfitter will shuttle for a $10 fee per boat all private boats used
on this outing. If you wish to rent a boat from Terrapin
Outdoor Center, please call the Center BEFORE June 16 at 256/447-6666 to
reserve your boat. Please be sure you
tell the Center you are boating with Southeastern Outings. Please note that the outfitter has only 100
one-person sit-on-top kayaks and five canoes for rent, so be sure you call
to reserve early. Once all their
boats of one type or the other are reserved for June 16, there will be no more
boats of that type available to rent!
After the canoe and kayak trip we
are planning hopefully to go to a restaurant in Jacksonville for an optional
dinner. If you would like to wash up
and/or have dinner with us at the restaurant after the kayak and canoe trip,
please bring a change of clothes and a towel.
Outfitter has four changing rooms.
Two are changing rooms only with no toilets or washbowls, and two are
restrooms with washbowls, toilets and running water, but no showers.
Reservations Required: You must email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call
Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 if you plan to come on this outing. Please advise your name, telephone number,
skill level, whether you are bringing or wish to rent a canoe or kayak and
whether you need a paddling partner.
You may leave a message on Dan’s voice mail if you wish. If
you want to come on the June 16 kayak and canoe trip AND you are renting a boat
from the outfitter at the site of the trip, you are required in this instance
to call the BOTH the outfitter to reserve your boat AND ALSO
contact Dan Frederick to notify him that you are coming! Please do not just show up for this outing
at the meeting place without making advance reservations! And if you decide to meet us at some place
other than the meeting place specified in this announcement, please notify Dan
in advance and directly of this fact.
Meet 8:45 a.m. at Applebee’s
Restaurant Trussville. We plan to
depart from there at 9:00 a.m. For more
essential information about this trip, please see Note for Kayak and Canoe
Trips below.
Info. and Trip Leader: If you have further questions,
please call Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or email seoutings@bellsouth.net.
JUNE 20,
SATURDAY, Meet 8:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings River Float, Picnic, Swim on the Sipsey Fork River
from the site of the now removed Low Water Bridge, then passing under the
Highway 33 Bridge and taking out at a site near County Route 2.
Note-This
outing is tentatively scheduled at this time pending Covid 19 pandemic
announcements of current regulations from the authorities.
Details: Easy river float on the Sipsey Fork River. Float downstream in the river from the now
removed Low Water Bridge, then passing under the Highway 33 Bridge and take out
at a site near County Route 2.
This is one of the prettiest river
floats we have ever seen in Alabama. As
we float we’ll also view sheer cliffs that rise high above the river. So enjoy a flowing river, high rock bluffs
and gorgeous scenery—all along a nearly completely uninhabited stretch of this
river. Bring a picnic lunch, drink,
sunscreen and something to float on such as an inflatable vinyl float or air
mattress. See Float Note below for
additional information.
Please bring a towel, your picnic
lunch and drinking water. Pack your
lunch, sunscreen, towel and drink in 2 plastic garbage bags with twist ties,
one bag over the other. Then put the
bags in your daypack and strap the pack to your back. This keeps your things dry and prevents them from floating
away. Wear swimsuit and sturdy
footwear you don’t mind getting wet and dirty.
Old sneakers work well. Bare feet, flip-flops, slip-ons and thin-soled “beach shoes” are not
acceptable! You must be able to swim to
participate in this outing!
Have fun swimming and floating in
the pools in the river. Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and up
welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their children.
Spring floats, passenger car and pick up truck tire tubes and inflatable
boats are not permitted on SEO river floats! A spring float is a flotation device
consisting of an inflatable outer oval with a small, few inch diameter cross
section and a large mesh interior. Those
spring floats are meant for floating in swimming pools and on lakes in still
water, not for floating the a moving river. They are difficult to steer
and therefore unsafe for use on Southeastern Outings river floats.
Bring a friend or several if you
wish.
Meet 8:45 a.m. at the Floor Décor
Store on Green Springs Highway. We plan
to depart from there at 9:00 a.m. or meet the group at 10:20 a.m. at Jacks in Double Springs.
JUNE 27, SATURDAY, Meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Canoe and Kayak Outing, Big Wills Creek near
Gadsden, Alabama.
Note-This
outing is tentatively scheduled at this time pending Covid 19 pandemic
announcements of current regulations from the authorities.
Details: This will be Southeastern
Outings’ eighth canoe and kayak trip on Big Wills Creek. This is a scenic stretch of river located in
a very rural area. This stretch is
fairly easy and without classified rapids.
Along the river we’ll see wildflowers and stop to investigate islands
and beaches. Forty-six SEO people
participated in this very popular outing in 2015.
Novice canoeists are welcome and
may come on this trip, but each novice canoeist must be partnered with an experienced canoeist in their canoe.
Please note that for this trip you
may rent canoes or one or two-person (tandem) sit-upon plastic kayaks and
paddles from Big Wills Outfitters.
Here is the schedule of outfitter charges:
1. solo kayaks each $30
2. Canoes and tandem kayaks $50 each
3. shuttle fee per boat for owned rather than rented boats $10
Rental fees include life jackets and shuttle
service. Also the outfitter will
shuttle for a fee all private boats used on this outing. If you wish to rent a boat from Big Wills
Outfitters, please call the outfitter BEFORE Saturday, June 27 at 256/438-7172
to reserve your boat. Tell the
outfitter you are boating with Southeastern Outings. Please note that the outfitter
has only 7 canoes and 57 one-person sit-upon kayaks and 4 tandem (2-person)
sit-upon kayaks for rent, so be sure you call to reserve early. Once all their boats of one type or the
other are reserved for June 27, there will be no more boats of that type
available to rent!
If you rent a boat from this
outfitter, the outfitter will take you and your rented boat to the put in, and
you will take out at the outfitter’s property so you will never need to
transport your rented boat at all. Life
jackets, paddles and shuttle fee are included in the rental boat fee for those
who rent boats from the outfitter. You
may bring your own canoe or kayak on this trip, but you must pay the outfitter
to shuttle your privately-owned boat.
For more information about the outfitter and photos of the creek, please
visit their website www.facebook.com/bigwillsoutfitters
When we arrive at the outfitter’s,
you will sign a waiver, pay your shuttle or boat rental fee, use the restroom,
and then eat lunch in the picnic pavilion at the outfitter’s. After you finish lunch, the outfitter will
transport ALL the boaters and their boats, both rented and owned, to the put
in. We will then paddle down the creek
to the take out, stopping as often as we want to.
Well-behaved, properly supervised
children age 10 and over welcome.
After the canoe and kayak trip we
are hopefully planning to go to a restaurant in Gadsden for dinner. If you would like to have dinner with us at
the restaurant after the kayak and canoe trip, please bring a change of
clothes. A changing room is available
at the outfitter’s.
Reservations Required: You must contact Dan Frederick, email seoutings@bellsouth.net or call 205/631-4680 if you plan to come on this
kayak and canoe trip. You may
leave a message on Dan’s voice mail if you wish.
Please meet 9:45 a.m. at the
Applebee’s in Trussville. We plan to
depart from there at 10:00 a.m. For
more essential information about this trip, please see Note for Canoe Trips
below.
Info. and trip leader: If you have questions or would
like additional information about this outing, please call or email Dan
Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680.
Note for Kayak and Canoe Trips
The kayak and canoe outing listed
in the announcement above is suitable for beginner/novice canoeists and
kayakers, but each beginner canoeist must paddle with an experienced
canoeist. Life jackets or personal flotation devices are required and
must be worn. Bring your own boat, borrow one, paddle with a friend, or
rent a kayak from River Beach Outfitters.
Please bring in the boat your
picnic lunch, something to drink, and a towel. Put your belongings in a
waterproof dry bag in the boat. Wear old, thick-soled shoes you don’t
mind getting wet (old sneakers work well). Also bring at least 6 feet of
sturdy cord to tie up your boat if you don’t already have cord attached to your
own boat. If you have further questions, please call the trip leader.
When you make your reservation
with the trip leader, please be absolutely certain to provide ALL
of the following information:
1.
Whether you want to kayak or canoe
2.
Whether you are renting a kayak from the outfitter, want to
rent a canoe from Aree Frederick or bringing your own boat (kayak or canoe)
3.
Your name
4.
Your telephone number or email address
5.
If you are also making a reservation for someone else coming
with you, please give the NAME of that person. Don’t just say, “My
daughter, my friend, my wife”.
6.
If you are canoeing, please give your skill level.
7.
If you have already selected a canoe partner and you are
making a reservation for your partner, too, please give the name and skill
level of your partner.
8.
Please do NOT just show up at the meeting place
without making an advance reservation!!
9.
If you have made a reservation to participate and
then decide to cancel, please be absolutely sure to call and notify the trip
leader 1 ½ hours or more before the event departure time. Don’t just
tell your friend if you intend to cancel!!
10.
If you have
made a reservation for a friend whom you have invited to come on this
trip and your friend is not coming, you must notify the leader of this
cancellation 1 ½ hours or more before the event departure time! No-shows cause considerable logistical
complications for the leader and for the outfitter!
River Float Note
Substantial, fabric-covered, inflatable, vinyl, rectangular floats like you use to ride the waves at the Gulf work
best. Trip leader Dan Frederick
has floats 60 inches long for sale for $12 each ONLY at the start of outings Dan attends. We regret that at this time we have been
unable to find a source where we can buy more of the 72-inch canvas-covered
floats. Please pay either with exact change or a check made out
to SEO. First come, first served.
Here is an alternative to carrying
your lunches, water, towel and sunscreen in a pack on your back. You can
bring with you four 6-7 foot lengths of sturdy cord. Place your pack with
your things in it in the middle of the foot of your float. Lash the pack
to your float with two of the cords, one passing around the float and through
the top of the straps and the other passing around the float and through the
bottom of the straps of your pack. Pass the other two cords over the top
of your pack and under the float and tie them down tightly. Then lie on your float with the pack sort of
between your knees with your feet splayed out at the bottom corners of your
float. Using this method eliminates your having to float down the river
for several hours on your belly with a pack on your back, and it also gives you
the option of turning over and lying on your back in the slower-moving sections
of the river in order to change your body position and float more
comfortably. If you are an adult, this method of fastening your pack to
your float works only if you are using a 72-in long rectangular float. Either method of transporting your pack is
satisfactory and acceptable. But I learned that people like it when you
give them choices. In any case, your lunches, etc. should be double
bagged (or placed in a waterproof canoe bag) inside your pack.
