Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Weeks Bay Foundation Photography Contest

 Eastern Shore dwellers have the pleasure of witnessing the sun setting over Mobile Bay every evening. When I first moved to the Eastern Shore, I would take dozens of sunset photos at a time. I was smitten with the dazzling array of pastels painted across the horizon -- a new and unique canvas with every passing day.

It wasn't until I started kayaking that I saw the sun rising over rivers and other coastal bodies of water. A sunset is soothing and tranquil, but a sunrise is invigorating. I'm an early-to-rise type of person. I've always enjoyed waking before dawn and listening to the birds greeting the sun. Being present for a sunrise while out on the water awakens my senses and makes me feel alive and excited for a new day filled with new opportunity and adventure.

I submitted a photo of one such invigorating sunrise to the Weeks Bay Foundation photography contest this past fall, and to my surprise the photo placed first in it's category!


The Weeks Bay Foundation will be using my photo in their publications in 2019. If you have photos that you'd like to submit, sign up for their newsletter here and keep an eye out for the annual photography contest. There's always a fun and exciting way to help the conservation efforts of the foundation. Signing up for the newsletter will help keep you informed of all upcoming events and activities.




Friday, November 9, 2018

Graham Creek Nature Preserve Eco Tour



What a beautiful day on the water at Graham Creek Nature Preserve! Fletcher and I signed up for the Eco Tour and had such a lovely morning getting to know people in our community. Jacqueline McGonigal gave a pre-tour educational presentation on the Wolf Bay watershed. The Graham Creek Nature Preserve provided free use of their kayaks for anyone who didn't bring their own. The tour was well orchestrated and attended. We wound our way through the bayou until we reached Wolf Bay then turned back. There's a fantastic aerial map of the water trail on the Graham Creek Preserve website.


The kayak launch and park area are well kept. There's a nice restroom facility and picnic pavilion on the grounds. Free parking.

Park address:
23030 Wolf Bay Drive
Foley, AL 36535


Sunday, October 14, 2018

Boone's Landing to Bohemian Park (Almost)

Despite a calm, still appearance the upper Fish River is fast-flowing, cold water over a riverbed of soft, white sand. It's mostly shallow with some deeper areas, and if it weren't for log jams, the journey up or down this river would be smooth and easy.

Follow along as I recount some of the highs and lows of kayaking up Fish River from Boone's Landing in Fairhope, Alabama.


When Fletcher and I launched at Boone's Landing, we thought it would be more fun in the long run to exert ourselves by paddling upstream, with the goal of reaching Bohemian Park, so we could enjoy an easy ride back down river. While the current is mostly easy to paddle against, the only downside to this plan is that there's little rest for the weary. Whenever we stopped paddling, the current would drag us back downstream. Fortunately, there are some sandy embankments along the way which provide beautiful, little resting spots.


Some such river banks are fiercely guarded though. The photo above is of a rare and tenacious beast - the Lower Alabama River Dachshund. Being the mother of a dachshund myself, I know all too well the persistence of these boisterous yet loving creatures. All jokes aside, I once opted to turn around rather than try to paddle around some howling, hunting dogs in shallow water; but not this day, this day we paddled onward.


On our journey upstream, we encountered quite a few log jams. With some of the jams, we had to get out of our kayaks and drudge our way through, while with other jams we had to paddle with all of our strength through a narrow opening while fighting the current.

Sometime after passing through one particularly harrowing jam caused by several recently downed trees, we acknowledged that we were getting weary and hungry, and the promise of food and cold beverages - sooner rather than later - persuaded us to turn around and abandon the idea of making it all the way to Bohemian Park.

The moment we turned back downstream was instant relief. We were shaded under a canopy of trees, the water was soothing and cool and whisked us effortlessly downstream. I had all but forgotten the log jam that had sapped my energy just thirty minutes earlier. When I came upon it again, I thought it would be much easier passing through; and it was, until the current spit my kayak into the branches of another fallen tree.

I back-paddled as hard as I could and made it out of the branches only to capsize into the cold, dark water. Even though I had my life jacket on, I could barely keep my head above the water. I was struggling to hold onto my pinned kayak while the relentless current was insistent upon sucking my body under the boat.

There was nothing to do but abandon my kayak and swim with all my might away from the branches. I was in a state of panic. Even though I had never seen a gator in the Fish River, I was sure that everything my legs touched in the black water was a ten foot alligator lying in wait for lunch; however, my panic subsided when my feet touched bottom, and I could see my kayak drifting toward me.

A few valuable lessons of note from this adventure:

1. Always wear a life jacket!
2. The iPhone 6 is not waterproof. RIP iPhone.

The rest of the way downstream was easy and enjoyable. It was a gorgeous fall day, and the water evaporating from my hair and skin felt refreshing.




By the time we made it back to Boone's Landing, we were famished so we headed to our favorite post-workout eatery, the Warehouse Bakery, for a hearty meal and ice cold beverages.

If you're interested in checking out this kayak launch on the Fish River, Boone's Landing is located at the end of Boone Lane in Fairhope, AL. There is no address but Google Maps will guide you there. Below is a screenshot of the map location.


Parking is free at the launch. There’s a short dirt washout trail which leads to the launch area. The mud is thick and gooey at the waters edge.  

There are no restrooms or porta potties at this location.
 

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Mo's Landing at Little Lagoon

Susan and I launched at Mo's Landing and explored the eastern side of Little Lagoon in Gulf Shores, AL. The water was quite choppy with a relentless east wind, but we had fun paddling around. I'm looking forward to going back to Little Lagoon and exploring other put-ins, hopefully on a day with a little less wind.


Mo's Landing
18068 Fort Morgan Rd.
Gulf Shores, AL 36542
This is a free parking and launch site. The restroom facility is very nice and clean.

Thursday, October 4, 2018

Orange Street Pier

My adventure buddy followed her nose down to end of the Orange Street Pier off the Eastern Shore Trail in Fairhope, AL.

This pier is open to the public. There are two benches under the shelter and a lower deck for fishing. It's a beautiful, peaceful spot to sit and watch the sun set over Mobile Bay. There's also a sandy beach at this pier. It's good for a lovely walk, but be sure to check this website before taking a swim.

Orange Street Pier:
At the intersection of South Mobile Street and Orange Avenue in Fairhope, AL

Free public parking, though limited. There's another parking lot at the boat launch at the end of Pier Avenue, just a block away. Restroom facilities are at the Pier Avenue Boat Launch.

The Eastern Shore Trail meanders alongside the bay to the left and right of the pier entrance.



Sunday, September 23, 2018

Sunrise Paddle on Weeks Bay / Fish River


My favorite time to be out on the water is at sunrise. We put-in at the Weeks Bay / Fish River boat ramp and leisurely paddled about. The photo above was taken on the Fish River.


We explored the little loop around a marsh (map location below). The side of the loop closest to the roadway was a little noisy with traffic, even at sunrise on a Sunday, but the other side of the loop (pictured above) was lovely.


After we exited the loop, we paddled up the Fish River. The photo above is looking back at the 98 bridge.


We explored the Fish River for a while then paddled back down into Weeks Bay. Coastal birds were sunning, hunting for breakfast, and posing for photos. People were out fishing off piers and kayaks. The water was vast and blue, mirroring the sky above.



The launch address is:

11470 U.S. 98
Fairhope, AL 36532

NOTE: The turn-off to the put-in runs parallel to 98 for a tiny little stretch, and under the bridge. The ramp is very nice and easy to unload, load, launch, etc. There are porta potties at the launch and they're well kept and decent enough, as far as porta potties go. Good parking, though I imagine it can fill up during peak times.

Free public launch

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Wolf Creek Kayak Launch


We loved upper Wolf Bay at Wolf Creek. Even though there are some homes along the banks, there aren't very many people noises. It was peaceful and serene. The map above shows the put-in location and where we encountered a pod of four dolphins!


There were some other kayakers and a family out in their canoe that we spoke with. We also met a woman who was walking her dog along the water's edge. Very nice folks!


The wildlife viewing was amazing! We saw dozens of jumping mullet, heron along the shoreline, and large birds of prey diving into the water to fish, perhaps osprey. Did I mention that we saw dolphins? We saw dolphins! They came very close to us. I was so excited, my heart was racing and all I could do was sit in my kayak, motionless and in awe. I've asked Santa for a GoPro for Christmas so I can give a verbal command and capture those moments on the water without having to dig around in my pocket for a camera.

The launch address is:
9575 Wolf Creek Ridge, Elberta, AL 36530

NOTE: Our GPS took us past the turn-off, which, in retrospect, was marked with an easily recognizable sign. The park entry road was quite washed out, but once in the park, the roadway was flat and even. The water at the launch site was very dark and murky. We actually felt a little apprehensive until we got out on the creek. One of the kayakers we met said that an alligator does hang out around there sometimes, too. So be aware, but don't let that stop you from enjoying Wolf Creek.

Free parking, a picnic pavilion, and a decent porta potty


Saturday, September 8, 2018

Byrnes Lake Landing to Gravine Island

I met up with a group of people from Gulf Coast Kayakers for a day trip down Byrnes Lake, up the Tensaw, to the northwest shore of Gravine Island. I've mapped out the entire trip so you can easily make the trek, too.

First thing to know: Byrnes Lake is actually a river (creek?) that flows into the Tensaw. The landing is easy to find with GPS, though there is no numerical address that I am aware of. Just plug in Byrnes Lake Road, Bay Minette, AL 36507 and drive all the way to the end of Byrnes Lake Road.

The put-in is nice, shaded, wooded, and very remote. Fishermen were peacefully enjoying the dock.


Byrnes Lake is a slow, meandering river.  Aside from a speed boat or two, there are no people and no people noises; no car sounds traveling over the water. It's very peaceful.

The view of the Tensaw from the mouth of Byrnes Lake is a beautiful and awesome sight to behold.  It's a little intimidating at first, but once you make it across the Tensaw and round the bend at the northern most point of the island, a sandy beach beckons.


Second thing to note is that nature provides the restrooms on this trip.

A quick, funny-not-so-funny story:

Once we arrived at Gravine Island, I really had to go. Some ladies from the group told me to follow their footprints along a sandy path and into the woods for privacy. I trekked up the hill and began following footprints in the sand. I was halfway to the woods when I realized that I wasn't following human footprints, I was following cloven footprints. Cloven footprints! Images of wild boar I had seen, from the safety of my car, off Battleship Parkway near 5 Rivers Delta flashed in my head as I turned heal and headed back toward the beach where I quickly squatted behind a sand dune before making a sprint to my kayak.

So just make a note that there quite possibly could be wild boar in the woods on Gravine Island.


A very talented photographer, Tracy Lannie, of Mobile Bay Canoe and Kayak Club, was among our group and she snapped this photo of me on my Hobie as we made our way back across Byrnes Lake.


Below is a map, just for perspective, of where Gravine Island sits in the Delta above Mobile Bay.


All-in-all it was a fun adventure, and I got to meet some wonderful folks. I'd definitely enjoy paddling Byrnes Lake again.



Sunday, August 5, 2018

Marlow Ferry Boat Ramp


The Marlow Ferry boat ramp is on the Fish River, opposite shore of Big Daddy's Grill. The launch site is pristine with paved parking, a picnic pavilion, and porta potties. On a calm summer morning, the water is deep, dark slow moving liquid glass. When the occasional speed boat goes by, the wake bobs your kayak on rounded waves of molasses. Beautiful river homes crowd the shoreline. It would be fun to put-in, paddle upstream, then back down to lunch on the porch overlooking the river at Big Daddy's.


16362 Honey Road, Summerdale, AL 36580
Our GPS took us directly to this address with no hiccups. 

This is a free launch site!