02/24/2007 – Conway - Lower Crab

Launch: Triple public boat ramps in the middle of the Causeway on the North side.
Launch Cost: Free.
Route: Northeast across Chacaloochee Bay, north up Conway Creek, across Tensaw River, southwest down Lower Crab Creek, south across Delvan Bay, around the corner into Polecat Bay (out of the wind), then across the Tensaw back to the launch site.
Distance: 13.7 miles.
Average Speed: 3.1 mph.
Time: Approx 5 hrs.
Pace: Moderate.
Weather: Small craft advisory in effect. Cloudy, gusty winds from the southeast about 15-25 mph. Tide was very high and rising and there was no noticeable current. Temperature stayed about 65 degrees all afternoon.

1) After getting soaked (sit-on-top kayak) crossing Chacaloochee Bay, I eased up Conway creek and decided to check out Savage Ditch.

2) Why would I go out in a small craft advisory? To ride the waves – that’s why! It was a bit disappointing because the waves were pretty small. I should have gone to Dauphin Island. Do not go out in windy conditions unless you are experienced and know your limitations.

3) A nice tailwind and a little extra speed from riding waves made the trip up Conway Creek quick.

4) Over on Lower Crab creek, the conditions improved mostly because the creek was perpendicular to the wind.

5) Out in Delvan Bay, I was getting soaked again. I would not have enjoyed the trip in a paddle kayak. In the pedal kayak, very little momentum is lost when pedaling as compared with paddling where for a brief second momentum is lost when the paddle is out of the water and the wind starts to slow you down. The winds do not slow down the pedal kayak very much and that makes a big difference in windy conditions. 

6) I didn’t expect to see the sun and at the last minute, I decided to go around the corner into Polecat Bay (out of the wind) to watch the sunset.

7) It was suppose to be raining and here I was watching a nice sunset. Life if good!

8) The sun had just disappeared behind the clouds.

9) This is what it looked like on the way back to the launch site. The upper clouds started turning all different colors.

10) Trip track. This Conway Creek – Lower Crab Creek is one of my favorite loops. It usually takes about 4 hours but today I went up several little side creeks and also stopped for about 20 minutes to watch the sunset. The areas in red indicate where I was getting soaked from spray. This was a fun day to kayak.

"Throw caution to the wind and just do it."

-Carrie Underwood