Launch: Causeway by the public boat ramps near the old Exxon station.
Launch Cost: Free.
Route: Northwest across the Tensaw River and Delvan Bay. Up Spanish River to Bay Grass Creek, up a tributary to the end, and back out across the Spanish River, through the Polecat Bay cut, south along the east edge of Polecat Bay, then back to launch site.
Distance: 11.9 miles.
Average Speed: 2.8 mph.
Time: Approx 4.5 hrs.
Pace: Leisurely.
Weather: Cloudy with rain. The temperature was 52 degrees; winds were out of the northeast about 0-10 mph. The tide was almost high and there was minimal current.
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| 1) Light rain started within minutes of starting the paddle. Winds were calm. The clouds were beautiful. |
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| 2) I led a kayak club paddle today and no one showed up. The weather radar showed plenty of rain was expected. Does a little rain stop you from paddling? Some of my most memorable paddles have been during rain. Rain tends to dampen sound waves which allow paddlers to get even closer to wildlife. |
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| 3) This is a cypress tree with some unique knees. |
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| 4) A Barbers ice cream truck about 3 miles in the Delta. I wonder if they know this truck is here. I also wonder why this truck is allowed to deteriorate – spilling its hazardous fuel and oil into our water. If it was on the side of a roadway, tow trucks would have removed it about 75 weeks ago. |
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| 5) This is the Mobile skyline as seen from Bay Grass Bay. |
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| 6) Further up into Bay Grass tributary, the lush greens are early signs of spring. Oh boy, the days are getting longer meaning more daylight time to kayak! |
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| 7) This is a duck hunter’s blind used to hide their boat. They make hunting blinds with real reeds and grasses shoved into the mud. When done hunting, hunters leave their hunting blind as is. Both fish and birds make use of these old hunting blinds. |
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| 8) I’m not sure what these birds are – they were plenty of them swarming the waters and making use of the hunting blinds. |
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| 9) This is the first time I have kayaked in the back of a pickup truck. Again, I ask why are these trucks rotting in the water? The pickup truck on the right had a 12 volt battery in its truck bed. Is acid, gas, and oil good for the water? |
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| 10) This was a really nice paddle today – lots of birds. After 4 hours in the rain, all that was wet was the bill of my hat, my hands, and kayak exterior. All you need to stay dry is a good spray skirt and a good rain jacket. Mountain Hard Wear makes some really lightweight, wind stopper, breathable, waterproof jackets. I don’t let a little rain dampen my passion for kayaking. |
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| 11) Trip Track. Numbers indicate where above photos were taken. |
“Don't take your toys inside just because it's raining.” -Cher
Hey, Rob, I am DElighted that you added the map, I've always wondered exactly where all these places are that you visit. Thanks for including it! Way to go, bro. See you in March for the FatBoy5K. love from NANNIE
ReplyDeletelooking at your post about the Barber's refrigerated milk truck, was this the whole truck cab chassis, wheels aand refrigerated body? or just the refrigerated body?
ReplyDeletethe reason I ask is that i seem to recall that one of the fish camps had a Barber's refrigerated body for refrigerated storage, I think that it was one of the camps directly acroos from the battleship.
If it was only the refrigerated body and since they seal air tight, they are loke a bottle and will float if nopt anchored
some years ago duringbone of the hurricanes, a truck refrierated body floated away from one of the oyster shop in Bayou La Batre and wound up the bayou on someone elese's dock, at least that was the story I was told.
if I get a chance and have time I will look at some of the old aerial photos of the causeway and see if i can located the home of the barber's truck