07/14/2011 - Cedar Creek & Barrow Creek

Launch: Cedar Creek Landing east of Movico, AL
Launch Cost: $5
Destination: Exploratory paddle of Cedar Creek, Louis Lake, David Lake, Sheppard Lake and and Barrow Creek. To paddle the David Lake-Sheppard Lake area, use the Mt Vernon Launch site because it is closer and free. I paddled up Cedar Creek, Louis Lake and Barrow Creek until log jams blocked the way.
Distance: 28 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 9-1/2 hours
Weather: Foggy until 9:00 am and then it was another hot day in Alabama. Mostly Sunny. Rising tide. Minimal (<0.5 mph) current. No waves. No wind.
GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, Click Here.

Header image is a photo of the Barrow Creek area which sees frequent flooding.

1) No sunrise this morning where on Mobile River, the fog kept the temperatures cool until about 9:00 a.m.

2) The first place I explored was Louis Lake which reminded me a little of Bayou Jessamine. There was a green coating on the water surface. An alligator scurried out of the water and ran into the woods.

3) I paddled north to David Lake where there is a little bit of industrial activity. Many of the shoreline trees have been roped to death by barges.

4) From David Lake I paddled into Sheppard Lake where there were a lot of people fishing for brim.

5) Sheppard Lake leads to Barrow Creek where I found some big trees. I'm about to paddle through the middle of this weathered cypress tree.

6) One cypress tree in Barrow Creek seemed to be out of place because its trunk was so big compared to the trees around it. It reminded me a little of the champion cypress.

7) Saw quite a few Swallow-Tailed Kites and plenty of these Prothonotary Warblers.

8) Back on the Mobile River, a large pleasure boat motored past leaving a 3 foot wake that caused bank erosion. Ironically, contractors can get fined if they cause erosion and turbid waters. What is ADEM doing about erosion caused by boats?

9) Saw a lot of snakes today and this watersnake in Mobile River had caught a fish.

10) It swam to the bank with the rather large catfish and proceeded to try to swallow it whole. Note the catfish barb sticking up.

11) There were a lot of turtles out on logs letting the sun dry out their algae caked shells.

12) How the expired turtle ended up like this stumps me.

13) Up in Cedar Creek there were a couple of deer in the swamp grasses.

14) Just beyond Cedar Creek Landing is a houseboat community with a neat direction sign.