Short Paddle at Pelican Point

My hubby and I did a quick morning paddle at Pelican Point in Point Clear, Alabama. We decided to not stay out long because the water was choppy and the wind was insistent on blowing us into the marsh. Nonetheless, it's always good to be out on the water.

There really are quite a few pelicans that hang out at Pelican Point. I was excited and eager to snap some photos, but I quickly noticed that the fishermen found the pelicans to be a nuisance. I spotted a bunch of pelicans resting in a sunny spot and quietly began tip-toeing around the rocks toward them, camera in hand. As I was about to snap my first photo, a fisherwoman bounded in from the other side, waving her arms at the pelicans, yelling, "Shoo! Scat! Go on, get out of here!" I quickly snapped a few photos as they flew away, but decided to go ahead and shoo myself along, too, and let her fish in peace.

If the weather is nice enough, my hubby and I will be attending the annual Weeks Bay Foundation Coastal Clean up at Pelican Point on February 15th, 2020. I'm a fair weather kayaker, so we'll see--it can get pretty chilly out on the water in February; but, my husband and I rarely ever leave the water without hauling out some trash. We even take those long grabbers that look like robot arms out with us to pick up trash and driftwood. So, regardless, if we make it to the Coastal Cleanup day or not, we'll always be doing our part to keep our coastal waters beautiful and safe for marine life.

Until next time.
Carpe diem, my friend!

Ellie the Mer-Dog

Ellie is full of energy and ever curiosity about the world around her.

She is also my shadow.

In fact, right now, as I'm typing, she is conveniently perched on the sofa where she has the best view of where I'm sitting. Occasionally, I'll glance up and there she is, big brown, unblinking puppy dog eyes bearing into my soul.

She may have some mild attachment issues, but the poor thing lived through a traumatic experience before her adoption into our family. She's a survivor and her willingness to love again with her broken little heart has given me strength to cope and deal with hard things in my life, too.

Being my shadow, Ellie gets to go wherever I go, as long as it's safe and dogs are allowed. I was hesitant to take her kayaking with me. I didn't know how she would react to being on the water and I have a fantasy fear of her leaping out of the kayak to attack an alligator. That said, I've not once seen an alligator while kayaking.

Since I've seen lots of people taking their dogs out on Fly Creek, I decided that it's probably a pretty safe place for Ellie to join me in the kayak.

Her first paddle was fantastic. She was a little nervous, and only got upset when our group got too far away from one another. Each time out on the water, she gets a little more comfortable with getting in and out of the kayak at the launch and being out on the water.

2020 is the year of the RV for our family. I can't wait to take Ellie and Biscuit (my senior dog) RVing in the mountains.

Until next time.
Carpe diem, my friend!

Nature Journal: Pelicans

Pelicans have been on my mind recently. They are such fascinating, funny-looking creatures. I'll never tire of watching them lazily sunning on posts or flying over the bay and diving into the water to fish.

Pelicans often hang around the causeway and the I-10 bridge. As I drive over the delta into Mobile once a week for a work-related errand, I admire their freedom, out in the fresh air, surrounded by shimmering blue waters and open skies; knowing that it will only be a brief few days before I'm out on the water in my kayak, just as free to roam and explore.

When I stop to reflect on the personality traits of pelicans, I think of them as unapologetic and confident in their every action. Have you ever seen an indecisive pelican? I haven't. Maybe I'm drawn to them because I would like more of my own day-to-day interactions with the world to reflect the laid back, cool as a cucumber, blasé confidence of the pelican. 

My inspiration for this watercolor sketch came from a photo of a brown pelican taken by photographer Greg Lavaty.

Until next time.
Carpe diem, my friend!

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!