05/06/2012 - Blessing of the Fleet in Bayou La Trash

Header image is a photo near the start of the Boat Parade.

A gentlemen who was on the sailboat "Wind Ryder" was out exploring Bayou La Trash by kayak.

The Blessing of the Fleet is a colorful event and it is about the only reason I will go kayaking in Bayou La Trash anymore. I use this event to see if anyone has cleaned up Bayou La Batre yet. No change Bayou La Trash - it is still impaired by trash and petroleum.

It seemed like a lot of the people on the Shrimp Boats had not seen a pedal kayak before. 

Many people waved, cheered, or looked at my pedal kayak in disbelief.

Michael White, FOX10TV was Grand Marshal for the Blessing of the Fleet (far left) and Archbishop Rodi of Mobile (wearing the cross) was sprinkling holy water on the polluted water.

I found it ironic that there was a bag of trash in the water as the Archbishop's Pilot boat passed by on the way back. "Bless this Trash."

Some boats had colored flags, some had American Flags, other boats were flying racist Redneck Flags. Which one threw all the beer bottles in the water?

All the activity up by the Lift Bridge sure had this Cormorant confused.

So why do I call this Bayou La Trash? Because the shoreline of this working bayou is disgustingly polluted with trash and has been for years.

The Shoreline is littered with garbage. No one cares. Poor leadership seems to be related to degradation of cities. Some people in Bayou La Batre are not happy with their Mayor Stan Wright and want him to resign.

Trash is a problem throughout Mobile County roadsides and it ultimately ends up in or along waterways. Mobile County has no one cleaning trash from its waterways. That is asinine. Travelers don't book vacations to garbage dumps. 

Disney World knows clean reflects in its pocketbooks which is why so much effort goes into keeping their facilities clean and litter free. Might there be a reason why tourists aren't flocking to rent kayaks to explore this bayou? There was a storm growing closer on the horizon.

A walk along the shoreline in Bayou La Trash will make most people sick to their stomach. See the dead cat?

Tassels from oil boom long since removed from the waterways still litter the banks of Bayou La Trash.

Here is a US Coast Guard boat, oblivious to the chemicals on the surface of the water near the partying "Kayla Maureen" shrimp boat next to a huge advertising banner, "www.alabamaseafooddirect.com". I pointed out the petroleum spill to the Coast Guard Boat. When I went back by about three hours later, the sheen was still there and there was no cleanup effort going on.

Here is another smelly petroleum sheen in a different location. 9 out of 10 times when I go kayaking in Bayou La Trash, there are petroleum sheens on the surface of the water in the same areas. Enjoy your Gulf Coast Shrimp, home grown in Bayou La Trash petroleum sheens.