I HAD NO IDEA THERE ARE PROBLEMS
MAINTAINING THE ST. JOHNS.
UNFORTUNATELY THE RIVER HAS
BEEN CHANGING FOR YEARS.
IT WAS DEEPENED, STRAIGHTENED,
WIDENED, FERTILIZERS.
SEPTIC TANKS, TOXIC ALGAE BLOOMS
SO YOU CAN'T GET OUT AND ENJOY
THE WATERS.
AND URBAN SPRAWL.
THE HEAD WATERS AROUND THE
ORLANDO AREA AND UNBRIDLED
GROWTH AND MASSIVE WATER
WITHDRAWALS TAKEN OUT OF THE ST.
JOHNS WHICH REALLY UPSET THE
FRESH WATER SALT WATER BALANCE
MIX.
WOAH WOAH.
THIS IS BEYOND MY IMAGINATION.
IT'S COOL WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THE RIVER HOLISTICALLY AND WE
LOOK AT ALL THE THREATS AND
FOCUS ON LONG-TERM HEALTH FOR
FUTURE GENERATIONS.
NOW THE PLAN FOR THE TOUR IS
TO TRAVEL 310 MILES OVER THREE
WEEKS.
IDEALLY IT WOULD BE GREAT TO
PADDLE THE RIVER.
REPORTER: THIS IS TRUE
DEDICATION.
LUCKY FOR ME.
WE'LL BE PADDLING SEGMENTS
AND OUT ON ALL DIFFERENT WAYS TO
EXPERIENCE THE ST. JOHNS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
SAMPLING OF ALL THIS DIFFERENT
TYPES OF ACTIVITIES.
REPORTER: I CAN SURVIVE THIS
TRIP NOW THAT I HAVE POSSIBLE
MOTORIZED OPTIONS.
AS MUCH TIME AS SHE SPENDS ON
THE WATER, THIS IS A FIRST FOR
THE GROUP WITH ANOTHER SPECIFIC
GOAL IN MIND FOR THE RIVER
PRESERVATION.
WE GO WHEREVER THE ST. JOHNS
RIVER LEAVES A VOID.
SO WE'VE BEEN THROUGHOUT THE
WATER SHED.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE
SPENDING A CONCENTRATED AMOUNT
OF TIME AND REALLY FOCUS ON NOT
ONLY GIVING OUT IN THE WATER AND
ALSO CONNECTING WITH THOSE WHO
REALLY CARE ABOUT THE ST. JOHNS.
IT'S A BIG VILLAGE TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
GIVE THE RIVER A LOT OF VOICES.
REPORTER: THERE ARE A LOT OF
VOICES TO BE HEARD.
THE ST. JOHNS HAS A LOT OF
WILDLIFE.
WE JUST SAW DOLPHINS THAT
ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE ST. JOHNS
YEAR ROUND AND MANATEES AND THE
ENDANGERED SPECIES.
REPORTER: AMPLIFYING THOSE
VOICES ALSO HELPS TO INSURE THAT
JACKSONVILLE'S ECONOMY CONTINUES
TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE.
JACKSONVILLE IS HERE AND
MANY COMMUNITIES ALONG THE WAY
THAT DEPEND ON COMMERCIAL
FISHING.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PROTECT
THE HABITAT, THE RIVER AND
HEALTHY ECONOMIES THRIVE AND YOU
CAN'T JUST CONNECT THE TWO.
WE NEED TO BALANCE.
REPORTER: THERE ARE A FEW
WAYS TO ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE
TOUR.
PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY JOIN US
ONLINE.
IT SAVES THE ST. JOHNS AND MEET
US ALONG THE WAY.
SEVERAL DIFFERENT SPOTS FOR
PADDLING AND GOING IN THE SPRING
AND EVENTS AND FISH CAMPS ALONG
THE WAY.
IT'S TIME TO DIVE IN AND
SPORT YOUR LOCALITY.
REPORTER: ONE OF THE THINGS
ON MY TO DO LIST IS TO GET IN A
KAYAK AND GO ON THE ST. JOHNS
RIVER.
YOU HAVE THAT CHANCE.
A TOUR JUST STARTED YESTERDAY
AND PEOPLE CAN JOIN IN ON THE
TOUR LIVE.
OR YOU CAN FOLLOW THE LIVE
STREAM ONLINE AT
SAVETHESTJOHNS.ORG AND THEY'RE
LOOKING FOR OTHER SUPPORT.
THERE'S A LOW COUNTRY BOIL WHERE
PEOPLE CAN CONNECT WITH THOSE
MAKING THE TOUR ON APRIL 1.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AT THE
ORTIGA RIVER.
I'M HOPING TO HAVE -- I CAN
CATCH THE PENINSULA AND DO MORE.
I LIKE IT.