02/18/2011 - Black Creek

Launch: William Brooks Park (US Hwy 43 at Chickasaw Creek – Southwest Corner)
Launch Cost: $4
Destination: Black Creek
Distance: About 18 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 5 Hrs 30 Minutes
Weather: Very Foggy , winds calm to 5 mph. Air temp 55-70 degrees. Tide falling. Current minimal except in Mobile River where it was running about 1 mph. Water temp about 50 degrees.
GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, Click Here.

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1) Every year I like to kayak in foggy conditions. That way I won't get freaked out should a fog bank ever descend unexpectedly. On this trip, the first hour paddling in fog was in pre-dawn darkness. Both sound and smell was amplified. Was attempting to get a photo of tugboat lights in this shot but the camera focused on the kayak making the fog droplets look larger than life.

2) In Mobile River, visibility was about 1/4 mile. Could not see the other side of the river.

3) Brown Pelicans were sure numerous.

4) This is a strange photo of boat wake erosion eh?

5) Never can time the photo right to get the shot of an otter when it sticks its body about 2 feet out of the water. Also caught my first sighting this year of some alligators.

6) Ducks adapting to the industrial revolution.

7) I love the textures of lichen.

8) Big fish like to hang out near the treated sewage outflow (green water). What kind of food has the fish on your plate been eating?

9) During the last 20 minutes of the paddle, it went from cloudy to almost clear.

10) Creepy Photo - the reflection of this duck has 3 eyes.

02/08/2011 - Pumphouse Canal - Duck Lake Loop

Launch: William Brooks Park (US Hwy 43 at Chickasaw Creek – Southwest Corner)
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Pumphouse Canal - Duck Lake Loop
Distance: About 11.5 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 4 Hrs 15 Minutes
Weather: Sunny, winds calm to 10 mph. Air temp 45-50 degrees. Tides minimal. Current minimal. Water temp 45-50 degrees

GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, Click Here.

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1) A muscovy duck was watching the yellow kayak go by.

2) Speaking of ducks, I rescued one today. A washer and dryer ought make it happy. It never ceases to amaze me what can be seen on kayak trips.

3) Was going to go up to Black Creek but remembered the log jam blocked the return trip so I turned around. It is not an easy paddle to get to Black Creek via the powerline ditch. Not many places to turn around either.

4) Yahoo! The log jam is gone so it is easy to get to Mobile River now.

5) Out in Mobile River, the birds were lining the shoreline.

6) The pelicans not on the bank could be seen overhead riding thermals in large flocks.

7) Nestled on the bank of the Pumphouse Canal were some love birds.

8) On the way into Black Bayou, three pelicans were headed my way.

9) Herons or egrets were shy today and stayed far away.

10) Pelicans were not shy at all and got right up close to the kayak. Great Paddle.

01/09/2010 - Pumphouse Canal / Shell Bayou Loop

Launch: William Brooks Park (US Hwy 43 at Chickasaw Creek – Southwest Corner)

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1) Sunrise on the Pumphouse Canal. Temp was 23 degrees at launch time and only 32 degrees when I got back. You can see where paddle drips have turned to ice on the kayak hull.

2) There are no safe areas for deer in the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. Hunters discard the remains of their kills where ever they want. It's the only deer I saw today and when you see them like this, it is not a pleasant experience.

3) The Pumphouse Canal is still log jammed at the railroad crossing so if you want to go through to Mobile River, it will require some effort to get by the logs.

4) Bear Creek had some ice in the shallow areas. Ice didn't present any problems today.

5) Winds were strong on parts of Greenwood Bayou and Shell Bayou - there was a small craft advisory today - hence the reason for staying off open waters. The flag on the back side of the shack was blowing straight out. Despite the cool temps and wind, this turned out to be a really nice paddle.

6) Something rarely seen in South Alabama are icicles.

7) Another thing rarely seen are nutria (big rats) and today I saw a bunch of them. 

8) These poor things have a bounty on their tails in Louisiana.

9) Killdeer were running along the shorelines.

10) A siege of herons. Wish I'd have brought binoculars because there were a lot of birds out today.

04/03/2009 - Chickasaw Creek / Pumphouse Canal

Launch: Brooks Park Landing (Tuckers) (US Hwy 43 at Chickasaw Creek – Southwest Corner)
Route: Pumphouse Canal to log jam at RR Track Crossing and back, then up Chickasaw Creek and back.
Weather: Sunny, 70s, very little wind.

1) Sunrise on the Pumphouse Canal.

2) Remains of a fire. Never have been able to find out what this burnt out facility was at one time.

3) Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

4) Neck muscles contort as this large heron flies off.

5) Waters in the Pumphouse Canal were moving unusually fast at about 2 mph due to recent heavy rains.

6) Natural waters from the Black Creek and swamp area north of the Pumphouse Canal were mixing with the turbid waters of Chickasaw Creek.

7) Yellow crowned night herons were plentiful along the Pumphouse canal.

8) Yellow crowned night herons were plentiful along the Pumphouse canal.

9) Mountain Laurel was in bloom along the banks of Chickasaw Creek near Chickasabogue Park.

10) Shrubs (yaupons) with small white flowers were in bloom.

11) This snake was moving fast across the water.

12) Masses of small grasshoppers were along the banks.

02/08/2009 – Pumphouse Canal

Launch: William Brooks Park (US Hwy 43 at Chickasaw Creek – Southwest Corner)
Launch Fee: $4, but no one was there to collect.
Route: Pumphouse Canal to log jam at RR Track Crossing and back.
Distance: 10.4 miles.
Average Speed: 2.0 mph.
Pace: Slow to still.
Weather: Sunny, 65 degrees, winds out of the south, small craft advisory.

Was going to try and make the club paddle today but the leader did not give a start time. We were required to call for that privileged information. I called this morning and got voice mail. We can’t go on a club paddle if the leader won’t give the start time and won’t answer the phone.

Since there was suppose to be a small craft advisory today, I decided to paddle the Pumphouse Canal which is always unaffected by strong south winds.

1) The tide was coming in so the treated sewage was going upstream. The treated sewage is that green stuff coming out of the pipe.

2) Once in the Pumphouse Canal, the waters turned a muddy brown as it gets water from Mobile River.

3) The turtles were out but no alligator sightings today.

4) The birds were out in force today and for once I had the binoculars. Sure glad I didn’t go on the club paddle. There were songs of joy and courtship in the air. Click here to hear a short audio clip of the Red Winged Black Birds. Today I saw Osprey, Vultures, Sparrows, Warblers, Doves, Catbirds, Mockingbirds, Cardinals, Kingfishers, Pelicans, Terns, Ducks, and more.

5) There was a truck going down the railroad though. There was no getting beyond this bridge due to the log jam.

6) On the way back, conditions on the Pumphouse Canal were still calm.

7) Kingfisher

8) Swampy green creek banks had little crabs doing their dirty work who would hide every time you came in for a closer look.

9) Sunset on the Pumphouse Canal.

10) Moonrise on Chickasaw Creek. A most enjoyable paddle.