11/13/2009 - Bayou Cumbest and Bayou Casotte

Launch: Bayou Cumbest

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1) Friday the 13th turned out to be one of my better kayaking trips (27 miles). I've always wanted to navigate around the end of the Chevron facility in Pascagoula. Conditions were right today. I tried out a launch site on Bayou Cumbest that I never used before, seen here at sunrise. Oyster shell boat ramps.

2) I was really impressed with the variety and number of birds around the Chevron plant. Saw a lot of "figure eight" jellyfish today.

3) I ventured up Bayou Casotte which had five enormous oil tankers docked. This is a busy area so if you paddle here, you have to watch in all directions constantly. 

4) Oil rig rehabilitation. Bayou Casotte is very industrial oriented and remarkably, it is very clean. Never saw any bit of oil sheen on the water. My compliments to all the industry in Bayou Casotte! This area is subject to environmental disasters though. Just last month there was an accidental molten sulfur discharge into Bayou Casotte.

5) NOAA’s ship Bell M. Shimada is one of the most technologically-advanced survey vessels in the world.

6) Nice looking utility boat reflecting off the still waters was very eye pleasing.

7) Saw several hawks.

8) Saw a variety of birds and herons - much more than I'm used to seeing on a kayaking trip. Something I don't see often are these are black necked stilts.

9) North of the industrial section, Bayou Casotte becomes a concrete ditch. I went left instead up West Prong creek and found myself in a section that reminded me of downtown Government Street. Enormous oaks arched over the little creek giving it a unique look. It was beautiful.

10) It does get a little noisy in the industrial area of Bayou Casotte. Incidentally, for those wanting to explore Bayou Casotte without having to travel the long distance from Bayou Cumbest, there is a boat launch site in Bayou Casotte.

11) Dolphins were feeding at the exit of Bayou Casotte into the Gulf. One dolphin had a big chunk missing out of its top fin. Poor thing. In the background is some sort of expansion going on at Chevron. Two large tanks with a retaining wall on the edge of the water. Is this wise?

12) Water coming from the Chevron Plant. It had no odor and seemed clean. Oddly, there was a small drop off - probably to keep boats from entering into the Chevron Plant.