10/16/2005 – Blakeley - Tensaw Loop

Launch: Public boat ramp in the middle of the Causeway on the North Side. Launch Cost: Free. Route: East along the North side of the Causeway, through Pass Picada, North on the Apalachee, North on Blakeley River, then Southwest on the Tensaw back to the launch site. Distance: 15.7 miles. Average Speed: 3.3 mph. Time: Approx 5 hrs. Pace: Leisurely to Moderate. Weather: 58-70 degrees, decreasing 10-15 mph winds from the North, low tide, minimal current. Perfect day for kayaking! Been rather busy so kayaking has been on the backburner lately. My sister Ruth got me to sign up for a half-marathon run in January at Disneyworld, so some kayaking time will be devoted to training for the event, hence less activity in this photo journal.

(1) Above left. Enjoying another sunrise from my favorite seat, the Mirage Pedal Kayak, which broke again today...sigh… (2) Above right. Got out at the Riverdocs ramp to pour on some sunscreen. Along the edge of the water was a line of water bubbles about as thick as a telephone pole. Apparently most river foam is a product of nature.

(3) Above left. Waters calmed down once the winds from the north were blocked in Pass Picada. Here a couple of Coots decided they didn’t like this tailgator and took off into the air. (4) Above right. Along the bank, an alligator decided he’d rather soak up sun than go under water to evade me.

(5) Above left. There were very few flowers and signs of life along the Apalachee and Blakeley Rivers, except for this one mud bank where the Gulls and Terns were wading around in the muck. Yuck! Rhyme time. (6) Above right. Again, not much to see along the Tensaw until the skyline came into view. The RSA skyscrapper continues to rise above every other building in the city. There were a few boats on the river on this perfect, cooler day. Summer is over. Yahoo!

(7) Above left. On the way back, I pedaled down to the Oyster House Restaurant and saw where the bottom floor had been gutted by Hurricane Katrina. To see what it looked like before, click here. Imagine, someone wants to spend a lot of money putting Condos along the Causeway. Bet they find it expensive to get insurance now. (8) Above right. The little island just west of the old Ramada Inn (Pink Hotel), took a beating. This is also known as Goat Island because several goats used to make this island home. No signs of goats today, but in this photo, there is a houseboat in the middle of the island that was deposited by the hurricane.

(9) Above left. It is always a pleasure to see shoreline birds going about their business as these Ibis in Pass Picada were doing. (10) Above right. Also saw a Great Heron along side of Goat Island standing in front of a stand of a stand of Duck Potatos (white flowers). I may have saved this Heron because if you look closely at its feet, an alligator was close enough to take a breakfast lunge at the heron. This was a really nice day to get out on the water. It was most enjoyable.