04/08/2012 - Halls Mill Creek

Header image is a photo of tires that were placed along a shoreline by someone trying to stop erosion. What is the worst cause of shoreline erosion? Boat Wakes.

This is about the ugliest house I've seen in the Dog River watershed. The slope to the house hasn't had grass growing on it in years and the back yard is eroding into Halls Mill Creek. If this were a construction site, the contractor could be fined.

If metal ever becomes valuable, someone can get rich off all the Coast Guard buoys that are LOST (Loose On Shoreline Terrain).

Easter Sunday means boat wakes galore and no respect for kayakers. I actually had to take evasive action today to avoid hitting a power boat. Yeah, this kayaker had to put on brakes today. I was going downstream and a motor boat turned and cut in front of me and he was the give-way vessel. There must have been some Rum in those Easter eggs in his basket.

Muddy waters are seen here when they should be almost clear. Motor boats release more sediment into the water than a poorly maintained construction site. Contractors can get fined for causing turbidity in the water but nothing is done to motor boaters causing shoreline erosion and river sedimentation. That is discrimination against construction companies. Motor boaters whining about the waters getting shallower are a major contributor to the sedimentation problem although, not all motor boaters leave wakes... Thanks Joy!

When you get tired sitting in the kayak, take a break and sit down on any of the shoreline chairs that residents have provided for you.

Free chairs for the taking.

Easter Sunday boat wakes cause more damage in one day than a tropical storm. Why are so many cypress trees dying? Could it be boat wakes? Thank God popcorn trees which are more hardy, are taking the place of Cypress Trees.

Then there are sunken boats which are also great for absorbing boat wakes, though the wrecks aren't pretty to look at when they are on your shoreline.

This view seen today is near I-10 and less than a mile from a Walmart. How polluted should our waterways be before leaders ban the use of plastic garbage bags? Too bad turtles can't talk. 

Come kayak Mobile's beautiful urban waterways where NOTHING is being done to remove the trash from the waterways and adjacent wetlands on a regular basis. The plastic pollution is not being reduced at all, it is getting worse. Can you say, "Thank You Walmart" and "Thank You Don"?