Slave Canal

In the mid-1800s, local plantation and farm owners thought to create a navigable waterway to connect the Wacissa and Aucilla Rivers for the purpose of transporting cotton, tobacco, lumber and other goods to ships along the coast.

Slave labor was used to excavate and dredge a canal linking the two rivers through 2 miles of thick, primitive swampland. By the time the canal was completed, railroad lines to St. Marks had made it obsolete as a shipping route. Canoeists and kayakers have since kept it open and navigable just by way of paddling here, keeping the ravages of time and the swamp growth from closing it off.

Glide atop crystal-clear waters flowing from the spring-fed Wacissa River as they pass under arching canopies of oak, cypress and more on their way to the dark, reflective, black Aucilla River. Tight bends, fallen trees and sometimes swift currents around sharp bends in the canal make the Slave Canal perfect for paddlers looking for a little more challenging (and rewarding!) experience!