01/04/2009 – Dauphin Island

Launch: End of the Bienville Blvd, east side, beyond Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island.
Kayak: Hobie Outback
Route: Meander around Pelican Bay and out to Sand Island and back.
Pace: Leisurely.
Weather: Mostly Sunny, 65-75 degrees, winds less than 10 mph. Nice conditions!

1) I was going to call it a day and get off the water early but a pod of dolphin came by and proceeded to play nearby. Spending an hour with dolphins so close made this trip very intoxicating both spiritually and emotionally because it was such a beautiful sight to behold. My brother recently died and it was like the dolphin were communicating with me indicating he is at peace.

2) Common spiderwort, also known as Widow’s Tears. The petals on this flower do not drop off but turn into a jellylike liquid, hence the name widow's tears.

3) Upon arrival at Dauphin Island, a long flock of anhinga or cormorants were flying northward. The birds just kept coming from the horizon nonstop for over 10 minutes and caused people to stop their cars in the middle of the road to get out and watch the spectacle.

4) As these pelicans went soaring by, they suddenly put on the brakes having apparently seen a school of fish, but then changed their mind and proceeded to fly off again.

5) Herons with lovely red hair were playing a game of chase.

6) Much has changed since my last trip out to Dauphin Island. No one is fishing on the pier because the water is gone. Sand Island now connects directly to Dauphin Island so there is much more pedestrian traffic on Sand Island. With no water flow through here, the kayaking conditions in Pelican Bay have improved because the currents are gone. Kayaking conditions however, please note, are still dangerous on the south end of Sand Island for those looking to go around it.

7) As the sun was lowering on the horizon, #3 Buoy seemed to sparkle brighter than normal.

8) Every sunset above ground is a good sunset.

9) After the sun went beneath the horizon, the colors began to slowly appear. The reflection on the water constantly changed color from yellow to orange to shades of red. The colorful wave action was mesmerizing.

10) Dauphin Island is one of my favorite places to launch a kayak from. Sadly, there was a lot of noise pollution coming from nearby Oil Rigs today. You can always put on a set of headphones and listen to an MP3 player or radio.