On Thursday, March 20, as many as 300 paddlers will converge on the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak for Paddle Florida 2008. They will set up camp, drop their canoes or kayaks off at the back beach’s outpost and prepare for the start of a 123-mile, 7-day journey along the Suwannee River the following day.

An inaugural event for the Sunshine State, Paddle Florida 2008 was developed and organized by Bill Richards, an avid outdoorsman who has enjoyed a majority of the available canoe and kayak trails in Florida. He wanted an event that celebrated the beauty of the state’s natural and wild rivers. Once he realized no such thing existed, he did what any good naturalist would do — developed one on his favorite river, the Suwannee River.

“It all fell into place,” he said, “and I knew what I had to do. I (had) been involved with creating Bike Florida and Cycle North Carolina (in years past) ... I volunteered with ... tourism groups that promote north central Florida. I realized that our state needed a signature event to celebrate paddling.”

Held in cooperation with the Florida Park Service as well as the Suwannee River Water Management District, Paddle Florida was born. The 7-day event, which launches Friday morning from the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, will have paddlers of all skill levels and ages covering some 123 miles of the scenic Suwannee River Wilderness Trail before finishing at Manatee Springs State Park.

Richards described Paddle Florida 2008 as rather unique because of its partnership with the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail, a series of cabins, river camps and private “hubs” that make the Suwannee River accessible to paddlers, hikers, equestrian enthusiasts and other users. Paddlers are able to camp right on the banks of the river, as opposed to sleeping in a nearby community center or school gymnasium.

“(They get to) experience the river on a much more personal level,” he added.

Paddle Florida 2008 will run March 20-27 and is open to paddlers of all skill levels and ages. It was created for the sole purpose of having a great time in the outdoors while engaging and empowering citizens so that they may become involved in the protection and restoration of Florida’s rivers.