10/07/2006 – Mobile River

Launch: Triple public boat ramps in the middle of the Causeway on the North side. Launch Cost: Free. Route: Cross the Tensaw River, across Delvan Bay, up Spanish River, down Mobile River, around Choctaw Pass, and then back up to the Causeway via Tensaw River. Distance: 19 miles. Average Speed: 4.2 mph. Time: Approx 4.5 hrs. Pace: Moderate. Weather: Pleasantly sunny and warm conditions, minimal tide changes and normal current. Calm winds.

(1) Above left. Spanish River is wide but only a small portion of it can be navigated by motor boat because most of the river is very shallow. (2) Above right. Marvels of engineering technology can be seen all along Mobile River.

(3) Above left. The big ship Star Gran heads up the beginning of Mobile River at the #87 buoy. (4) Above right. You would think big ship means big wake, but this particular ship left almost no wake at all due to its slow speed.

(5) Above left. In one of the hidden recesses of Mobile River, golden rod or rag weed was in bloom. (6) Above right. Apparently one of the modern methods of erosion control on stream banks is to use industrial trash as seen in this photo. What do you think of this river bank? Is it beautiful or what?

(7) Above left. Speaking of beautiful river banks, this boat, a victim of hurricane Katrina that passed nearby over a year ago, still sits adorning the shoreline. See old photo here. (8) Above right. After rounding Choctaw Point, old Goat Island comes into view and today the birds were active by it. The surrounding waters are quite shallow.

(9) Above left. There was a mass of white pelicans that carefully watched me as I passed closely by them on the way north toward the Causeway. Wish I had brought the binoculars. (10) Above right. The sun was setting as I passed by the USS Alabama. What a wonderful trip.