If you previously registered for the kayak and canoe trip on August 31 and you would like to come with us on the postponed trip there on September 7, you are required to reregister since we have changed the date of the outing. Please register with me if you are bringing your own boat. Please register with me AND with the outfitter if you plan to rent a boat from the outfitter.
SEPTEMBER 7, SATURDAY, please meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Outing, Big Wills Creek near Gadsden, Alabama.
Note-This is the river float outing originally scheduled for June 22 and August 17 and postponed because the water flow rate in the river on both days was too slow.
Details: This will be Southeastern Outings’ sixteenth kayak and canoe 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 and one or two-person (tandem) sit-upon plastic kayaks and paddles from Big Wills Outfitters.
Here is the schedule of outfitter charges-Note cash only!:
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 paddles, 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, September 7 at 256/538-3226 to reserve your boat. Tell the outfitter you are boating with Southeastern Outings. Please note that the outfitter has only 4 canoes and 57 one-person sit-upon kayaks and 5 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 September 7, 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 beside the creek at the outfitter’s take out. 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 at the outfitter’s, stopping along the way as often as we want to.
Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 10 and over welcome.
After the canoe and kayak trip we are probably going to a restaurant in Attalla for dinner. Our going to dinner depends on what time we finish boating. If you would like to have dinner with us at the restaurant after the kayak and canoe trip, please bring a change of clothes to be kept in the car. A changing room is available at the outfitter’s.
Reservations Required: You must contact Dan Frederick, email southeasternoutings@gmail.com 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.
If you want to come on the September 7 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 please advise Dan if you plan to meet the group initially at the outfitter’s instead of at the designated Birmingham Area meeting place.
Please meet 9:45 a.m. at the Applebee’s Restaurant in Trussville. We plan to depart from there at 10:00 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 questions or would like additional information about this outing, please call Dan Frederick 205/631-4680 or email southeasternoutings@gmail.com.
Note for Kayak and Canoe Trips
The kayak and canoe outings listed in the announcements above are 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 boat from the outfitters listed above.
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.
SEPTEMBER 14, SATURDAY, 3:00-8:00 p.m.
Southeastern Outings potluck supper party with easy lakeside walk beforehand
Meet 3:00 p.m. for the hike. Arrive at 4:30 p.m. if you just want to enjoy the potluck supper and not hike
Southeastern Outings potluck supper party with easy lakeside walk beforehand
Where: Home of Southeastern Outings members Edd and Mary Pat Spencer
259 Highland Park Drive in Highland Lakes, Birmingham, AL 35242
Details: You are encouraged to invite at least one guest to come with you since a Southeastern Outings potluck supper party is one of the best SEO events for introducing yourself (if you are not already a member) and your friends to the group. Please bring a dish of food to share with the group. Beverages will also be welcome in addition to your food dish. SEO will furnish soft drinks, cups, plates, flatware, napkins and ice. Dress—casual.
Before we sit down to enjoy our dinner, you will have the opportunity to participate in an easy walk on a paved trail along the shore of a beautiful lake. The trail begins from just across the street from our dinner hosts’ residence.
Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age ten and over welcome.
Directions: From the intersection of U.S. Highway 280 and Alabama Highway 119 (Cahaba Valley Road) continue going on 280 away from Birmingham up to the top of Oak Mountain. At stoplight at the top of the mountain, turn left on Highland Lakes Drive into Highland Lakes. Get in the left lane at the gate. Tell the security guard at the gate that you are attending an event at the home of Edd and Mary Pat Spencer, 259 Highland Park Drive. You may be required to show your driver’s license and tell the security guard the name and address of your destination in order to get through the security gate, so please be sure that you bring your driver’s license and our host’s name and address with you. Then from the gate continue on Highland Lakes Drive 1.2 miles to its end at Highland Park Drive. Turn right on Highland Park Drive. Go 5/10 miles to the Spencer Residence on the left, 259 Highland Park Drive. See SEO sign in front yard.
Please be sure that you place these directions in your car before you leave home for the hike and party!
Info: Please call Mary Pat Spencer, 205/317-5868 if you’d like to volunteer to help her with the party.
SEPTEMBER 21, SATURDAY, please meet 9:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings River Beach Walk, Swim and Picnic at Barton’s Beach in Perry County, Alabama
Click for More Pictures
Details: Barton’s Beach, the largest sand and gravel beach on the entire Cahaba River, is a property owned by the Alabama Nature Conservancy. It is indeed a beautiful sight to behold! Enjoy a beach gathering on this scenic, fine-grained sand beach in Marion, Alabama. The scenery is spectacular. The floodplain broadens and creates areas of bottomland hardwood forests, oxbow lakes and extensive sand and gravel bars.
You can float on the river from the upper end of the beach to the lower end of the beach and then carry your float and walk on the beach back up to the upper end and repeat that real fun experience as many times as you like during the day. You may bring whatever flotation device you wish on this outing. Dan will bring a float air pump to the beach. See float note below for information about acquiring flotation devices.
Please bring with you your swimsuit, towel, picnic lunch and water, soft drink or fruit juice to drink. Wading shoes with substantial soles are recommended. A change of clothes (dry underwear also advised) to be left in the car is also recommended if you would like to wear dry clothes for the drive home and/or to go out to dinner with us.
A restroom is available at Perry Lakes County Park where we’ll park our cars.
The approximate 1/3-mile walk from the Perry Lakes Park parking lot to Barton’s Beach is easy since the terrain is level and the walk is all on trails. Interpretive nature trails (fire lanes and primitive paths) make walking through the woods fairly easy and fun. The two properties adjoin each other so we can walk readily back and forth between them.
Well-behaved, carefully supervised children age 7 and older able to swim are welcome, but parents are responsible for all risks to their children. All participants must be able to swim to come on this outing!
Depending on the time we leave the beach, we are likely to go for an optional dinner after the outing is concluded.
Please meet 9:45 a.m. at the McDonald’s Galleria. We plan to depart from there at 10:00 a.m.
Information and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, email southeasternoutings@gmail.com or phone 205/631-4680
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 now has 72-inch-long floats for sale for $23 each and 60-inch-long floats for sale for $15 each ONLY at the start of the river floats. Please pay either with exact change or a check made out to SEO. First come, first served.
Dan will provide hand float pumps to pump up your float or tube when we arrive at the beach.
SEPTEMBER 28, SATURDAY, please meet 8:45 a.m.
Southeastern Outings Kayak and Canoe Trip, Flint River near Brownsboro, Alabama
Click for More Pictures
Details: This will be Southeastern Outings’ fourth group trip on the Flint River. 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.
Novice canoeists are welcome and may come on this trip, but each novice canoeist must be partnered with an experienced canoeist in their canoe.
The outfitter, TGL Adventures, has for rent 1 tandem canoe, 50 new one-person sit-upon kayaks, 6 tandem kayaks and 6 sit in solo kayaks.
We thank SEO member Wendy Plash for observing the signs for this outfitter while she was kayaking on the Flint River and then referring us to TGL Adventures.
Here is the schedule of outfitter charges:
4. solo kayaks (both sit-upon and sit-in) each $40
5. tandem (2-person) canoes $60 each
6. tandem sit upon kayaks $60 each
7. shuttle fee per boat for owned rather than rented boats $15
Life jackets, paddles and shuttle fee are included in the rental boat fee for those who rent boats from the outfitter. Also, the outfitter will shuttle for a fee all private boats used on this outing. If you rent a boat from this outfitter, the outfitter will shuttle you and your rented boat from the take out back to the outfitter’s office so you will never need to transport your rented boat at all. You may bring your own canoe or kayak on this trip, but you must pay the outfitter to shuttle your privately-owned boat.
When we arrive at the outfitter’s, you will sign a waiver, pay your shuttle or boat rental fee, use the restroom, and then we’ll put in the river at the outfitter’s. We will then paddle down the river to the take out, stopping as often as we want to. The outfitter’s vehicles will meet us at the take out and transport us and our boats back to the outfitter’s office where our cars are.
Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 10 and over welcome.
After the canoe and kayak trip we are going to a nearby restaurant for an optional dinner. If you would like to wear dry clothes for the drive home or to go to dinner, please bring a change of clothes to be kept in the car. The outfitter has changing rooms. There is a shower you can use in one of the changing rooms.
Reservations Required: You must contact Dan Frederick, email southeasternoutings@gmail.com 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. If you want to come on the September 28 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 and what type of rental boats he will need to provide to SEO people for this trip. Also, 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.
Please do not just show up for this outing without making advance reservations! Please meet 8:45 a.m. at the Jack’s at Exit 284 off of I-65 North of Birmingham. 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.
Information and Trip Leader: If you have questions or would like additional information about this trip, please email Dan Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com or phone 205/631-4680.
Note for Kayak and Canoe Trips
Life jackets or personal flotation devices are required and must be worn. You are responsible for finding your own boat. Bring your own boat, borrow one, paddle with a friend, or rent a kayak or canoe from the outfitters listed above.
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 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 have further questions, please call the trip leader.
Southeastern Outings Picnic before FREE Alabama Symphony Orchestra Outdoor Concert
Where: Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223
Details: Please bring your own blanket or chairs and all your picnic supplies: food, drinks (no alcohol, please), cups, ice, utensils, etc. In order to find our group, please look for the SEO signs. Please note that we expect to take down the Southeastern Outings signs immediately before the concert begins at 5:00 p.m., so if you want to find us, please arrive and look for us BEFORE 5:00 p.m. Carefully supervised, well-behaved children, but no dogs, are welcome.
Reservations: Not required.
Info: Dan Frederick, southeasternoutings@gmail.com or 205/631-4680
SEPTEMBER 29, SUNDAY, 5:00 p.m.
FREE Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO) Concert beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223
Details: Thanks to the generous support of sponsors, the ASO is excited to play a FREE concert at Birmingham Botanical Gardens on Sunday, September 29. Enjoy music outdoors with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.
Please join us for this special concert which promises to yield a great early evening of fun. Relax on the lawn with your blanket or lawn chair. If you’d like to eat with us, please bring your picnic (no glass or alcohol allowed) to enjoy at 4:30 p.m.
Concert itself begins at 5:00 p.m.
We will send information to you on the music to be performed at a later date once we receive that information from the ASO.
In order to find our group, please look for the SEO signs. Please note that we expect to take down the Southeastern Outings signs immediately before the concert begins at 5:00 p.m., so if you want to find us, please arrive and look for us BEFORE 5:00 p.m. Carefully supervised, well-behaved children, but no dogs, are welcome.
Reservations: Not required.
Admission: FREE
More Info: Please call the ASO office, 205/251-6929 or Dan Frederick, 205/631-4680 or email southeasternoutings@gmail.com.
