09/09/2011 - One Mile Creek

Launch: Gulf Lumber Landing
Waterway at Launch: Three Mile Creek
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: One Mile Creek to look at the waterway scheduled for a October 22 clean up event. More on this in the future.
Distance: 4 miles (round trip).
Trip Rating: Easy. Short distance in protected waters.
Time Paddling: 2 hours
Weather: Sunny and warm - about 80 degrees. No wind. Tide still rising but close to high tide. Current less than 0.5 mph. No waves - waters slick.
GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, Click Here.

It was a treat to see some baby alligators on this trip and hear their little bark. Two baby alligators can be seen in this photo.

Preparing to launch next to the Sawmill Shipping entrance at Gulf Lumber off Conception Street. It is my understanding that the owner of Gulf Lumber says it is okay for people to launch their kayak here. Dr. Ellis is on the left and Roberta Swann, director of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program is on the right.

There were about 4 men fishing from the Conception Street bridge and catching some good sized fish. A nearby boat also had a few fishermen in it. Dr. Ellis (USC/NASA) is in the closest kayak with the net. Mark Langner, president of the Southeastern Wildlife Conservation Group was in the next kayak. Tom Herder, Watershed Protection Coordinator for the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program and Roberta Swann (in the front) were in a double kayak. Everyone tried a different cleanup tool, hence the net. We each were able to fill a large garbage bag with trash in about 10-15 minutes.

The trash was booming up in One Mile Creek. One Mile Creek appears to be a man made canal to help drain storm water runoff from the downtown area and it runs into Three Mile Creek.

The Maple Street canal looks man made and was filled with rubbish and alligator weed, too. Maple Street Canal goes into what Google Earth shows as Owens School Park. This is Tom and Roberta in the double kayak.

Some parts of the shoreline along One Mile Creek are in dire need of a thorough clean up and that is what the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program is currently planning to do, scheduled on October 22, 2011. 

One Mile Creek is only one mile long and plenty of volunteer kayakers and canoeists will be needed to assist with the water portion clean up in this well organized event. Email me if you would like to lend a helping hand while paddling around. Thank you.

Not all trash in One Mile Creek was plastic or styrofoam. We also saw tires, shopping carts and Mardi Gras beads. The Morgan Street bridge is visible in this photo.

There is much beauty to be seen in One Mile Creek - such as a wide variety of birds and diverse plant community. This bird had greenish legs, so maybe is a juvenile little blue heron. Too bad there is so much trash.