11/07/2009 - ASRT Ghost Paddle

Launch: Haines Island Park / Davis Ferry Boat Launch
Event: ASRT Ghost Paddle

Header Image

1) The Haines Island Park / Davis Ferry launch site. Boat ramps in the Clairborne Lake area are long because river levels can fluctuate as much as 50 feet.

2) The kayak group is underway. The Davis Ferry cable can be seen overhead. (The 1 or 2 car ferry apparently operates only on week days.)

3) Headed toward the south side of Haines Island.

4) This is the narrow cut around the south side of Haines Island. There are several creek branches to explore off this cut. The group only went up one. Three members paddled up one of the other branches and got separated from the main group. The main group had to wait for them to catch up as two kayakers when back looking for them.

5) Motorboat's dog owner trying to get his dog to see the dog in the kayak. His dog was more interested in the camera.

6) One dog joined us on the kayak trip.

7) Starting up Cane Creek. There was reluctance on which way to go as the creek splits into Cane Creek and Camp Creek. We were looking for a lunch site.

8) Thinking that everyone was in agreement to go up Cane Creek, several of us kept paddling only to realize after about ten minutes that the rest of the group stopped and turned around to go back to the main river.

9) Four of us found the boat ramp and camping shelter and proceeded to have a quick lunch there.

10) We started seeing some birds when we entered the Stump Lake area.

11) Starting to enter the wider area of Stump Lake which isn't that big.

12) The fall colors in Stump Lake were beautiful.

13) Looking at yellow Bur-Marigolds. The grayish color on the leaves is where the waters had been just a few days earlier - about 4 feet higher.

14) The colors in the back of Stump Lake were beautiful.

15) This was one of the few areas with signs of civilization. Claiborne Lake is the most remote of all the Alabama River Lakes.

16) Some areas of the river banks are steep with 50-100 foot sheer drop-offs.

17) The ASRT kayak group was shadowed by a park ranger in a power boat.

18) It was quite chilly at the beginning of the trip but by late afternoon, it turned out to be a perfect day for paddling.

19) If you look closely (click on thumbnail image for larger view), you can see a motorboat on the right side.

20) Here is what it looked like when the power boat took off. (Phew)

21) Our takeout point was a fairly steep bank just south of the entrance to Isaac Creek, which was next to our camping area.

22) After a nice shower, it was time to relax and watch the sunset.

23) Sunset across the Alabama River.

24) Just when it looked like the ten minute sunset was over, the gray clouds started to colorize and it lasted for another ten minutes. Awesome!