06/25/2011 - Wolf Bay

Launch: Sandy Creek launch site.
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Lulus and exploring Wolf Bay.
Distance: 28 miles (round trip)
Petal time: 6-3/4 hours
Weather: 80s-90s. No wind to occasional breeze. Current in the Intracoastal Waterway was about 1 mph. Tide was high at the start.
GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, Click Here.

Header image is a photo of a red skimmer dragonfly.

1) There was a new launch site mentioned on MBKFA called Sandy Creek and that is where I launched this morning. Nice site giving close access to the smaller Wolf Creek and Sandy Creek areas. Having never kayaked in Wolf Bay, I decided to do an exploratory trip.

2) By 7:00 in the morning, the sun was already hot because there was no breeze.

3) No breeze in Portage Creek (IntraCoastal Waterway) either. The air was so sultry that sweat was pouring off me. That is the Foley Beach Express bridge.

4) A structure rises in the air at Lulus and I have no idea what it is for. Anyone know? (Update: The structure in the background is LuLu's Rope Course.)

5) The IntraCoastal Waterway (ICW) can get busy with traffic.

6) On the south side of the ICW, under the bridge, is Canal Park which does have a boat launch. The park has lighting and porta-potty.

7) A great blue heron gracefully dries out its wings.

8) This helicopter was doing circles around boats while flying surprising low and apparently it does so to take photos of boats. (www.boatpix.com)

9) This is Orange Beach Canoe Trail - Cypress Avenue site #2.

10) In the upper end of Wolf Creek, fish were constantly darting around the kayak. There was some fish up in there!