Peace River Rapids

[Gaver]

Hello - first post here.

I've been lurking in the background reading lots and lots of your posts in the forum.

Very informative, really enjoy looking at the pics of the fossils being found on the Peace river.

 

I noticed in some of the pictures what appears to be rapids on the river - appears to be shallow water moving over rocks.

Where on the river would these rapids be located?

On the satellite images it looks like there may be some rapids 5.24 miles (following the river) or 4.2 as the crow flies - north of the Gardner ramp near Oak Creek.

Has anyone made it that far north from Gardner and checked out the area for fossils?

I'm trying to plan a trip and was thinking of using a canoe with a small outboard to travel from Gardner to Oak Creek.

Is it possible to motor on the Peace river north of Gardner - or are there too many obstacles or shallow water?

 

Thanks in advance for any information you can share - hope to see you on the river soon!

 

G

[Sacha]

The Peace runs over limestone shoals in a number of places along it's length, certainly more being apparent when the river is at lower levels. Above Gardner, as I recall, there are fewer shoals than where I go in Zolfo and Wauchula. Regardless of where you go, motor use is entirely dependent on water level. Any access point will accept motorized boats if you're willing to lift the engine over shoals, walk the boat upstream and accept a few dings in your prop.

[Shellseeker]

Ditto to what John @Sacha said.

http://www.fcolc.com/newsletters/news1112.pdf Read the hunting trip story on page #5 "Floating down the River". Over the last 10 years, I have traversed every inch of the river between Bartow and Nocatee. That is about 60 miles as the crow flies, about 100 by river.

It is called the "Gardner Shoals" and had some Miocene fossils.  I have paddled that 5.2 miles upstream from the Gardner boat ramp numerous times when I was a younger man.

It was known for Rhino material, I was hunting with friends who pulled 3 lower jaw Teleoceras Proterum teeth out of there, and I found a Rhino Astragalus. Lots of other stuff above there.. Bear canines and whale teeth. 

Just before you reach the Shoals, you will pass Cypress Trees like these..

and , if you are lucky a couple of Bear canines or Capybara incisor.

Good Luck, The Peace River is a magical place.

 

[Gaver]

Thank you @sacha and @shellseeker - your information is very helpful.

 

G

[Innocentx]

Welcome to the Forum and good luck, from Kansas! 

[Harry Pristis]

10 hours ago, Gaver said:

 

Has anyone made it that far north from Gardner and checked out the area for fossils?

I'm trying to plan a trip and was thinking of using a canoe with a small outboard to travel from Gardner to Oak Creek

 

 

Bring plenty of shear pins with you on this venture.  My experience is that there are fewer fossils (and increasingly Pleistocene mammal) the further upstream you go from Gardner.

 

 

[Shellseeker]

2 hours ago, Harry Pristis said:

 

 

Bring plenty of shear pins with you on this venture.  My experience is that there are fewer fossils (and all Pleistocene mammal) the further upstream you go from Gardner.

 

 

 

Harry is correct on the shear pins. The Peace River along its entire length dropped drastically the end of October. It is sort of at its "average" seasonal depth. Depending on your draft, you could get thru if you go slow and had some experience on staying in the channel as it shifts across the river.

The River around Gardner is one of the shallower sections. It will split going upstream with Charlie Creek on the right. Stay left and if I recall that section correctly, hug the left bank.

 

[cavemanfl]

I went about 2 miles up from gardner recently. There were some lower spots.