|
The Augusta canal offers up to 7 miles of paddling. The head of the canal is at the Columbia County Recreational Pavilion at the end of Evans-to-Locks Road. The next decent place to take-out is under the Riverwatch Parkway. But from there it is not much further to Lake Olmstead.
|
|
|
|
If you are taking out at Lake Olmstead, be sure you recognize the turn off to the right. You will not actually see Lake Olmstead until you have turned up the wide creek (Raes creek) and crossed under the bridge. If you come to the Bulkhead across the canal, you just passed Lake Olmstead.
|
|
If you are continuing on past Lake Olmstead, then you must go through the bulkhead. The far left gate is by far the biggest and safest door to get through. The current speeds up considerablely and the funneling of current through the gates makes very turbulent water. Get over to the left side and line up the canoe to go through the center of the leftmost gate as soon as possible. Then keep paddling and steering through the center of the gate. The water is really turbulent after you get through the gate, so keep the canoe straight and keep paddling.
|
|
|
|
The take-out dock that used to be across the canal from the Sibley/King Mills and the Confederate Powderworks Chimney is no longer there. The banks are steep along the rest of the canal, but a possibility might be under the Broad street bridge.
|
|
Beyond the mills, the canal loses nearly all of its current and may be choked with weeds. However, if you still have the energy, the final take-out is at 13-th street beside the Meadow Gardens historic house (across the canal from Walton Way).
|
|
