05/15/2011 - Three Mile Creek Service

Launch: Shirley's (US Hwy 90 across from battleship USS Alabama)
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Three Mile Creek to check status of the Apple Snails.
Distance: 27 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 7-1/2 hours
Weather: Temps 60- 75 degrees, Winds 5-15 out of the northwest. Mostly Sunny. Tide coming in. Current brisk down near the Battleship.
GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, Click Here.

Header photo of a black-crowned night heron.

1) Pedaled about an hour in the dark before passing the Pontoon Saloon on Spanish River which was occupied today. Low lighting caused the blurry effect.

2) Sunrise on Mobile River. Communion with the Creator doesn't get any better than this. I attend all my Sunday Church services on the water.

3) There are plenty of birds along Three Mile Creek (as well as trash).

4) Saw about a half dozen cute tree huggers today.

5) Once past the Conception Street Bridge it was easy to spot Apple Snail Eggs. In this particular photo, a spider is in the process of leaving it's old body (molting).

6) Pink egg sacs are all along the shoreline, even on pilings and in each pink egg mass there are hundreds of eggs. So what's the big deal? Each one of those little eggs can turn into a big snail. Look at the size of the Apple Snail shell in my hand.

7) Saw some fisherman in a boat up near Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Avenue. What a great day to be out fishing.

8) A green heron looked to be in a good fishing spot. Not sure what they eat though because I've never seen a green heron in the process of eating. I see other type herons eating all the time. Hmm...

9) For those of you thinking about kayaking down Mobile River, here is a photo for you to burn into your brain. Why do I usually go to the other side of the river when a tug boat passes by? In this photo you can see water discoloration and waves generated from current and it's generated by a tugboat on the other side of the river. Tugboat propellers have radical power - give them the most room you can because they might not see you. Those propellers can generate enough current to knock you over from a considerable distance.

10) A heron that is about to gain some weight.