Saturday, March 04, 2006

03/04/2006 – Mobile River

Launch: Public triple boat ramps in the middle of the Causeway on the North side. Launch Cost: Free. Route: Cross the Tensaw River, across Delvan Bay, up Spanish River, down Mobile River, around Choctaw Pass, and then back up to the Causeway via Tensaw River. Distance: 20.1 miles. Average Speed: 3.0 mph. Time: Approx 7 hrs. Pace: Moderate to Leisurely. Weather: 45-60 degrees with 15 to 25 mph winds from the north. Strong currents.

(1) Above left. The forecast: small craft advisory, 25 mph winds, temps in the low 40s, strong currents due to previous flooding up Mobile River. Good thing I came prepared to get wet. (2) Above right. Ibis on the alee side of the Spanish River, focused on filling their belly, were oblivious to the wind and current.

(3) Above left. A simple kayak trip down the Mobile River can lead one to geography research. Just where is Monrovia? Is Petrodvorets a place, product, or fictitious name? (4) Above right. Upriver from the dredge ship Ingenuity was a fountain of filth spewing from the dredge line back into the river.

(5) Above left. This is a photo taken of the Alabama State Docks crane back on 11-6-2005. (6) Above right. This is the crane today after a ship accidentally knocked it over. One person died in the accident.

(7) Above left. A perspective photomerge of the Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center. (8) Above right. Photomerge of the Mobile skyline.

(9) Above left. The Belle of New Orleans Casino is being fixed here in Mobile after suffering damage from Hurricane Katrina. (10) Above right. This is what the Carnival cruise ship Sensation looks like from a kayak. The Sensation houses over two thousand guests and is almost 3 football fields long. The cruise ship Ecstasy was also docked off the Mobile River. Both the Sensation and Ecstacy cruise ships housed hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans and are here in Mobile getting cleaned and repaired to go back into operation.

(11) Above left. The USS Drum near the Battleship USS Alabama. (12) Above right. On the way back, there were some wildflowers in bloom. Sometimes you have to stop and smell the flowers.

1 comment:

  1. As always, you have posted some totally awesome pics, bro! Amazing the difference in perspective when you are down close to the surface of the water, instead of way up there...
    Thanks for sharing with us all.
    You da best!

    ReplyDelete

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