Bohemian Park to Big Daddy's

I'll admit that the words "never again" did roll off my tongue after paddling the upper Fish River last fall. At that time, the water level was much higher than it is now. For perspective on how high the water can get on the Fish River, below is a photo from our paddle on Saturday. The arrow is pointing to a log of driftwood lodged in the tree branches. So, when I previously described the upper Fish River as having areas of deep, black water, it was probably, indeed, rather deep. It's hard to fathom the water ever getting that high, but I guess that's why all of the houses on the Fish River are built on stilts.

This trip down the Fish River was much more relaxed. There were about twelve of us in a group, and our leader knew the Fish River well. He even took measures to clear a path for us ahead of our paddle.

It was such a fun day out on the water, and such a great group of people. The entire length of the paddle was about six miles. The bonus to this paddle was getting out at Big Daddy's Grill and enjoying a well deserved icy cold beverage and a hearty meal among new friends.

Bohemian Park is located on County Road 48, Fairhope, AL. Google Maps will lead you there with no issues. There's plenty of parking on an average day. There are two portalets--the doors are kinda broken and no toilet tissue, but they're still functional and smell surprisingly okay.

Big Daddy's is located at: 16542 Ferry Rd, Fairhope, AL 36532. It's best to pop in and ask if it's okay to leave your vehicle parked there. They prefer that kayakers park their vehicles in the grassy area along the fence, so patrons can park in the paved spots.

Until next time.
Carpe diem, my friend!

Sunrise Paddle on Mobile Bay

Sunday was the perfect day to just piddle-paddle about and peacefully bob around on the open waters of Mobile Bay at the Fairhope Municipal Pier / Beach. We bobbed along and explored the inverse of some of our favorite views from the shoreline.

The sun rising over the live oaks, flowering magnolias, and long-leaf pines was beautiful. I've said this before and I'll say it again and again: sunrise is my favorite time of day. My neighborhood is nestled under a canopy of green year-round. The evergreen trees provide shade, privacy, and a continuous sense of well-being in my soul that doesn't does go dormant in the winter along with the deciduous trees. I can't see the sun rise from my front porch like I could in the mountains, but I can strap a kayak to the top of my vehicle and be on any number of rivers, creeks, or bays surrounding my county and catch the sun rising over the water. I'd say that's a rather fair trade off.

As we were loading our kayaks, the most Fairhopian vehicle that I have ever seen pulled into the parking spot across from us:

A golf cart with a kayak strapped to it's passenger side! If you asked me to submit an image that embodied #fairhopelife, it would be this. Fairhopians love puttering around downtown in golf carts, enjoying a carefree evening. Some folks even use them to drive to work every morning. Other Fairhopians enjoy going down to the bay to walk, fish, paddle board, or kayak. This person obviously enjoys it ALL to the fullest, and, I must say, I am quite green with envy!

Until next time.
Carpe diem, my friend!