01/13/2007 – Whiskey Ditch

Launch: River Doc launch on the north side of the Causeway near Ed’s Seafood. It is a mud parking lot.
Launch Cost: Free.
Route: East along Pass Picada, northeast along the Apalachee River, then west to the end of Whiskey Ditch and back.
Distance: 5.6 miles.
Average Speed: 2.6 mph.
Time: Approx 2.5 hrs.
Pace: Slow.
Weather: Winds from the south 5-10 mph. Temp in the lower 70s and partly cloudy. I have to grin after reading a message from a kayaker who was cussing because it was 5 degrees where he lives. I love Mobile weather.

1) I dropped off the broken Hobie Outback kayak and loaded up the Necky Zoar. There was no way a broken kayak was going to ruin this absolutely beautiful kayaking day. Photomerge taken after launching – this is the entrance to Pass Picada. The barely visible building on the far right is the Oyster House restaurant.

2) After passing the Bluegill restaurant, I met Mike and Sherry. They had just launched and they too were headed to Whiskey Ditch.

3) Nice puffy clouds combined with calm waters made excellent reflections.

4) This photomerge was taken near the end of Whiskey Ditch. Some of you will recognize the trees.

5) There was a lot of bird activity today. These were red-winged blackbirds.

6) In Whiskey Ditch lake, looking back southwest toward the sun, a bright spot appeared in the clouds to the right of the sun. Could this be the sun’s reflection off of a big lake shining back into the clouds?

7) On the way back, flocks of birds were still making noise.

8) Not far from the launch site, I thoroughly enjoyed a colorful ending to a wonderful kayak trip.

9) I think all kayak trips should be timed so they take in the sunrise, or the sunset, or if you are lucky, both.

10) After getting out of the kayak, upper level clouds turned several shades of pink before disappearing into the darkness of night. I didn’t see much wildlife today but the ever changing scenery made me forget all about it.

"God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars."
-Martin Luther