Kayaking the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta

02/07/2012 - One Mile Creek Update

2012-02-07T21:45:00.000-06:00

This is an update on the continuing saga of One Mile Creek where I filed a complaint about illegal trash dumped in the water and on six parcels of land adjacent to One Mile Creek. The complaint was emailed to about three dozen agencies and environmental groups, including news media. It's been almost two months since the complaints went out, hence the update. Here are new photos taken today in One Mile Creek, Three Mile Creek, and Mobile River. No one has done a damn thing to remove the trash, some of which is hazardous.

The latest development is ADEM's Solid Waste Branch personnel inspected the parcels of land identified in the complaint and saw no active unauthorized dumping but did conclude the solid wastes appear to be the result of roadside litter drainage. ADEM further adds, "litter shall not constitute an unauthorized dump." The Solid Waste Branch of ADEM has referred the complaints to ADEM's Water Division because the complaint does involve potential impacts to waters of the State. No word from the ADEM's Water Division yet.

In a nutshell, the municipal solid wastes you see in the following photos are deemed okay by the Solid Waste Branch of Alabama's Department of Environmental Management. They see no reason to get involved. They see no reason to clean up the trash. Even though there are visible piles of tires, according to ADEM, the tires were piled there by stormwater. Mosquito breeding tire dumps are okay with ADEM.

ADEM never responded to my concern about the old Hickory Street Landfill and lack of testing in the wetlands according to the Superfund site assessment report. The report recommended Mobile fence off the site but there is no perimeter fence in place with warning signs to alert people to the dangers of the hazardous material filled landfill whose cap has been compromised according to the report. Mum is the word on this superfund site.

BP is held accountable for their pollution of the Gulf of Mexico while Mobile continues to pollute local urban waterways all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, unabated. You can't get on an airplane with six ounces of shampoo for safety reasons, but it is safe to dump your full oil and gas containers into the water along with plastics that according to NOAA, most will never biodegrade. Go figure...

One Mile Creek flower beautification program. Note the recyclable planters.

New flowers growing in recyclable Styrofoam.

Shoreline trash.

Shoreline Trash

Mosquito breeding tire dump. ADEM looked it over and
said, "I don't see any active illegal dumping here." Which is why I say,
"ADEM: Alabama Department of Environmental Mismanagement."

ADEM: "Litter distributed by storm water runoff does not constitute an unauthorized dump."
ADEM's Solid Waste Management division doesn't care about this hazardous solid waste.

Unfortunately, Mobile & ADEM have ignored the trash in One Mile Creek
for so long that the creek bed is full of trash on the surface and buried, too.
For every turtle you see, there are 1,000s of pieces of trash in the creek bed.

One Mile Creek flows into Three Mile Creek.
Three Mile Creek shoreline looks good from this viewpoint, but looks are deceiving.

This is what Three Mile Creek looks like directly behind the shoreline vegetation in the above photo.
It is only litter, not an unauthorized trash dump according to ADEM. This is legal.

Three Mile Creek flows into Mobile River. Here is the shoreline of Mobile River.
Guess where most of this trash came from?
From here Mobile's litter continues on into Mobile Bay
and finally into the Gulf of Mexico to land on
Alabama's precious beaches that it claims to care so much about.

02/05/2012 - St Andrews

2012-02-05T19:31:00.000-06:00

Dog River's mosquito generating tires.

Lovely Dog River

Two inch web strapping caused the death of this tree.

Hunters bait deer using corn making kills easy.
Managers say deer need to be shot to keep the numbers down.
If there are too many deer, stop feeding them!

Then again, maybe the pelican and the deer had a collision
and the pelican cut the deer's head off
and broke it's neck at the same time?

The pleasure pursuits of golfing and fishing
results in much plastic and styrofoam pollution in the water.
It seems leaders don't care if the water gets polluted.
This is what I pulled out of the water and off the shoreline today.

02/03/2012 - Moore Creek

2012-02-03T18:34:00.000-06:00

I wonder . . if Americans can't take care of their water, how can we trust Americans to be careful with the nukes?

Check out those jugs!

How about a little toxin in your water?

Game of Tennis with your toxin?

Alabama the Beautiful

You want more toxin in your water?
Mobile aims to please.

Warning - this product contains chemicals
known to cause cancer and birth defects...

Look what the dredger digs up
from the creek bed - plastic bags.

Where did your bottled water come from, here?
They claim tap water is safer than Bottled Water.

Moore Creek

What's in your water bottle? Toluene?

Sure hope all the gas pumps and gas tanks are empty.

Add a little predigested meat to your water?

01/26/2012 - Eslava Creek

2012-01-26T23:49:00.000-06:00

America the Beautiful

A moderate rain of about an inch in two hours causes Mobile's
storm water system to send Mobile's uncontrolled litter into Eslava Creek.

The floating litter causes Dog River resident Elvira to get out
with a net to start removing the nasty litter floating by.

ADEM: Alabama Department of Environmental Mismanagement
There will be consequences for allowing your water to become polluted with PLASTIC.

01/21/2012 - Halls Mill Creek

2012-01-21T20:17:00.000-06:00

This animal suffered a horrible death in a crab trap.

Schwarz Park - Dumpster removed, trash still on the ground.

Dead duck with shotgun pellet penetrations in it.

How about that - illegal hunting in Halls Mill Creek.

Plastic Ducks may be the only type
of ducks you see in the future.

Plastic, plastic, and styrofoam.
Currently this is an acceptable form of toxic petroleum in the water.

Poor catfish left to suffer on a limb hook. In its struggle
the catfish yanked for so long it ripped its own eye out.

Quick way to get rid of your trash.
Dump it in the woods next to the water.

"Can't do anything, Sorry."

2012-01-20T20:02:00.002-06:00

Litter Complaint Update: Senator Jeff Session's office called me on Jan 18th. One of his Aides said, "There is nothing Senator Sessions can do about your complaint because it concerns landfills, and that is an ADEM issue."

Another major player with influence who CAN do something, says he can't. Our government is crippled by obligations to corporate contributors to their campaigns.

There is no reason why roadsides should be littered with plastic bottles. So why are they? Bottlers of water want you to feel your water is polluted so you will drink more of their "refreshing" outrageously expensive mostly unregulated tap water put in dangerous plastic bottles that could be disrupting the hormonal balance of those who drink from those bottles. What is that plastic bottle made out of? Could it be making you obese?

Could sucking out millions of gallons of water out of water aquifers in one area of the country and transporting it above ground to distant places be affecting moisture content around the world? Got more rain than usual? Suffering droughts? Hmm... There will be consequences for not drinking your own local filtered tap water.

Moore Creek Shoreline

01/10/2012 - Eslava Creek

2012-01-10T22:42:00.000-06:00

Hi again. Just more documentation of the current state of Mobile's urban waterways.

Here is the scenario.

The City and County have oversight of Mobile's storm water drainage system. They oversee storm water engineering to help keep Mobile from flooding despite the fact that impervious structures continue to be built, wetlands continued to be filled in, and forests continue to be clearcut which means less open ground to absorb the rain. More water now flowing in straight channels means fast water velocity. Trash from a variety of sources ends up in roadside ditches. Heavy rains come and wash the lighter objects (plastic bottles, styrofoam, etc.) downstream. Dozens of miles of these City and County maintained ditches finally drain into about a dozen urban waterways. Moore Creek, Eslava Creek, Halls Mill Creek, One Mile Creek, Chickasaw Creek, Three Mile Creek just to name a few. The velocity of the storm water runoff slows down once it reaches the major waterways where there is tidal influence. There the trash pools forming floating Trashbergs on the surface of the waterways. Trashbergs in the water get moved around by tidal influences. Some trash gets picked up but much of it eventually ends up going into Mobile Bay and then into the Gulf of Mexico. Surface trash gets wind blown and may end up on barrier islands or coastal beaches. Some trash sinks. Some of the trash gets deposited onto adjacent wetlands during high water from rains which is what you see in these photos. When there is no home owner, such as a vacant lot or undeveloped land along the waterway, the trash continues to collect with no one removing it.

Then once or twice a year, many people get gung-ho and have a coastal cleanup. The beaches get a good cleaning of course because beaches are a desirable destination. Relatively few of the wetlands, where the majority of trash accumulates, ever get cleaned. Some of the trash in these wetlands are deposited well inland.

Land Owners of wetlands can't readily access their land so they may not know that public litter (from a variety of sources) goes through the County and City storm water conduit system, unabated. The County and City (THEY) have no measures in place to trap the trash from their storm water system. THEY have no one regularly working the waterways and adjacent wetlands to remove the trash after rain events. There you have it. THEY have no plan in place to keep their waterways clean.

The City and County and State mow roadsides. There are expensive sweepers that sweep streets and shoulders. Prisoners pick up trash from roadsides. Animal control picks up dead animals (which would quickly decompose on their own). Public works removes public trash and household garbage weekly. But THEY do not remove trash from the waterways and adjacent properties deposited there from rain events and most of that plastic will take a century before it becomes micro-plastic (it doesn't decompose).

Here is where the problem begins. Most of the trash in the wetlands is now on Private Property and continues to accumulate after every heavy rain. It isn't the City or County's job to pick up trash from private property. There are after all, codes and regulations that govern litter on private and commercial properties. Who owns the waterway where some trash still floats around? That opens up a can of worms.

No one wants to assume responsibility for a waterway because of the costs of monitoring and keeping it clean. Removing trash from wetlands is not an easy task either. Environmental Management apparently has no rules restricting the amount of public litter that a City or County can generate through THEIR storm water systems. So the public litter continues and YOUR water (all water is connected) continues to be a public dump.

Getting down to the nitty gritty, it is up to City, County, State and Federal agencies (they all have claim to roadways), to remove the litter from the roadside ditches and keep them clear and free of litter. THEY however, have enacted municipal code making property owners responsible for the roadside trash, further placing the burden on the public rather than take responsibility for areas of roadway that THEY maintain and mow.

Well, then it is up the the City, County, State and Federal agencies to install trash collection devices readily available on the market and proven to work, to trap the trash before it gets downstream and properly dispose of it. That requires money, man hours, and infrastructure and THEY have no funds to keep waterways free of litter. THEY can't even deal with the litter on the roadsides.

But we have laws in place governing litter - it is against the law to litter. Ahem, where is Law Enforcement when you need them? Running red lights with the rest of the public, but they are chasing the same criminals they put behind bars a dozen times already. (Another subject altogether - I can only say I empathize with Law Enforcement because the justice system is broken.)

How about making litterers accountable? Find who is doing the dirty deeds and put them to work removing trash from roadsides, waterways, and wetlands. If they had to get knee deep in muck removing trash, they might think twice before throwing trash out the car window next time. Oh, holding litterers accountable would require law enforcement and they are too busy with violent repeat offenders. Darn. What is the solution?

Since this problem with litter is a nation wide problem, it needs to be resolved at the federal or state level. For starters, if each of these empty plastic bottles was worth a quarter, there would be way less of them on the roadsides and the majority of trash in these photos is plastic bottles. In essence, we need a nationwide Plastic Bottle Bill also known as a container deposit law. Add a 25 cent deposit fee to plastic and aluminum containers. When trash becomes valuable enough to pick it up, there will people who will pick it up. Have you written your congressman lately?

Oops, I forgot, Coke, Nestle, and other bottling companies pay big bucks to political campaigns of Republicans and Democrats so there likely will be no bottle deposit bill while they are in office. What's the solution to this plastic trash problem? Maybe voting out the Republicans and Democrats and voting in the Green Party? I don't know...

Maybe I have it all wrong. Got any ideas on how to solve this?

Eslava Creek

Eslava Creek woes.

Eslava Creek - Looking under someone's dock.

Eslava Creek - Deer Meat?

Eslava Creek - High pressure spray can destined to release it's remaining contents into the water.

Eslava Creek - Look closely as the trash goes hundreds of feet into the wetland.

01/8/2012 - One Mile and Three Mile Creeks

2012-01-08T22:33:00.000-06:00

Isn't water quality a concern any more? Obviously not. Look at these photos below, taken today. I'm outraged which is why I'm using this public blog to document the problem. Some people think my blog is over the edge - too political, too negative, too provocative. If this blog is edgy, it is because of the insane scenery of these waterways.

I made complaints about the trash in the water and the adjacent wetlands a month ago to Mobile311, Mobile City Council members, Keep Mobile Beautiful, Mobile's Mayor, Mobile Parks Department, Mobile City Police department, Mobile City Public Works, Mobile City Urban Development, Envision Coastal Alabama, Chamber of Commerce, Mobile County Environmental Enforcement, Mobile County Health Department, Mobile County Public Works, County Commissioners, Sheriffs Department, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Alabama Department of Public Health, State Troopers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Mobile District Army Corps of Engineers, US Coast Guard, US Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife, US Geological Survey, Barack Obama, TV5, TV10, TV15, Press Register, Bama Environmental News, Senator Brooks, Senator Figures, Representative Davis, Senator Sessions, Senator Shelby, Congressman Jo Bonner, Governor Bentley, Alabama PALS, Coastal Foundation, Alabama Rivers Alliance, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dog River Clearwater Revival, Mobile Baykeeper, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Mobile Bay Sierra Club, Southern Environmental Law Center, and others.

How have these agencies treated my complaint? Fish and Wildlife think they can get grant money. Congressman Bonner wants my social security number in order to process my complaint. Huh? Mobile311 hasn't responded to web complaints and the email address they provided me replied back saying they no longer respond to complaints sent to that address. No one else has responded. Basically, no one gives a rat's ass about local water quality - if they did local waterways would not be a trash dump.

Here is what Mobile's urban creeks and creek banks look like today.

Enjoy your Alabama Seafood.

Got BPA? Got Hormonal Disruptors? You know, there is a reason why the population suddenly became obese. Study up on Plastic Bottles, which will never biodegrade...

Three Mile Creek

One Mile Creek

Maple Street Canal

One Mile Creek

01/7/2012 - Dog River (Post # 500)

2012-01-07T21:08:00.000-06:00

Beautiful waters of Dog River.
Say Thank You to the litterers of the once beautiful Azalea City.

Dog River Park
Welcome to the Beautiful waterways of Mobile! Ack!

12/30/2011 - Halls Mill Creek

2011-12-30T19:20:00.000-06:00

Glass bottles do not biodegrade.
This glass will be here until the next society finds this archaeological trash site.
(If human's don't pollute themselves into extinction first.)

What do you do with Christmas Trees? Throw them in the water with the rest of your trash.

Can you say, "Thank you Walmart, Thank You Waste Management,
and Thank You Mobile Public Works?"
Their products, their improperly sealed trash trucks,
and their sorry ass apathy changes the scenery for kayakers.
Why is Mobile continuing to ignore its storm water pollution?

There is no garbage container at this beach, so, trash gets thrown on the ground.

12/28/2011 - Election

2011-12-28T18:08:00.001-06:00

How do I feel about the Democrats and Republicans (Treasonous Party)?
I'm so tired of network TV campaign coverage
that my resolution for the new year is
to not watch the network news anymore.

12/24/2011 - Who Cares?

2011-12-24T20:31:00.000-06:00

I stopped by what Google Earth calls Schwarz Park. City of Mobile GIS indicates it is City of Mobile property. It is a nice park with a swing set, pool and access to Halls Mill Creek. You have to live in Mobile for a while to appreciate how the City of Mobile takes care of its assets. I believe Mobile County Law Enforcement is also taking care of this Park. The pool has turned into a mosquito breeding area and the park looks like a dump. Welcome to Mobile!

Welcome to Mobile

Mosquito Breeding Pool

12/21/2011 - Moore Creek

2011-12-21T18:21:00.000-06:00

Shoreline of Moore Creek looking to the right.

Shoreline of Moore Creek looking to the left.

Does anyone really care what explodes into the water?

Come FISH the beautiful waters of Mobile, Alabama, USA

12/15/2011 - Moore Creek and McCullough Creek

2011-12-15T17:13:00.000-06:00

Paddled up two of Mobile's urban waterways - Moore Creek and McCullough Creek today and saw plenty of trash in the water, some of it hazardous to human health. One of the spray cans, not completely empty, had the ingredients Nylar (causes deformities in dragonflies), Pyrethrins (extremely toxic to fish and toxic to bees), MGKr264 (possible human carcinogen), and Permethrin (classified as cancer causing and highly toxic to fish). When a pressurized spray can full of toxins rusts to the point that it releases the content into the water and it goes unnoticed, does it matter? Only if you are the one that gets the poisonous molecule from the bottled water that turns on the cancer trigger in your body. Know anyone who has had cancer? Could there be any relation between cancer and the poisoning of our water?

Unfortunate cormorant has metal embedded in its right wing. Ow!

How do I feel about Democrats and Republicans?

Caution: Poisons destin for release into your water.

Illegal landfill - Hazardous waste in the water. Your water. All water is interconnected.

Coating creek bottoms with plastic bags.
Could lining the waterways with plastic cause problems with natural seepage into the aquifers?
If water cannot seep through plastic, then aquifers cannot be recharged and aquifer levels drop.

Is this natural or is it your water high on chemicals?

Need a computer monitor? Just go to any of Mobile's urban streams and pick one up for free.
The EPA considers Cathode Ray Tube monitors as Hazardous Waste.

Caution: Poison destined to be released into your water.

12/13/2011 - Three Mile Creek and One Mile Creek Pollution

2011-12-13T20:30:00.000-06:00

I filed some complaints about the pollution in Mobile's urban waterways and the lack of authorities doing anything about it on December 12, 2011. Both Three Mile Creek and one of its tributaries, One Mile Creek are polluted with public trash, some of it hazardous. An old landfill called Hickory Street Landfill is eroding and hazardous contents from the toxic chemicals dumped there decades ago, appear to be leaching into the water. Could One Mile Creek be Mobile's Love Canal? I will be posting photos to show how well authorities are responding to get the trash removed. Day One after the complaint - no change. Enjoy your Alabama Seafood.

Gas container floating in water and trash embedded in creek bank.

Spray bottle with unknown contents rusting in the water.

Multi-colored sheen on water.

Hickory Street Landfill appears to be leaking toxic pollution into One Mile Creek.

Something has been eating the styrofoam container.

Scenic waters of Three Mile Creek.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T16:56:00.001-06:00

"Help, Help! Mobile has polluted waters and they won't clean'em up!"

2011-11-22T18:41:00.001-06:00

Shame on BP for polluting Mobile's precious waters that they care so much about.
(Just kidding - Mobile doesn't care about its waters.)

11/19/2011 - The Bottom

2011-11-19T22:14:00.001-06:00

It's been about a month since kayaking "The Bottom." No Change.

Enjoy your Alabama Seafood caught in Mobile's fresh clean water.

10/22/2011 - Clean Up The Bottom Failure

2011-10-22T16:27:00.017-05:00

Launch: Gulf Lumber Landing
Waterway at Launch: Three Mile Creek
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: One Mile Creek to participate in the Clean Up The Bottom event.
Time picking up trash: 4 hours
Weather: Sunny and warm. Slight breeze. Tide very low. Current negligible. Waters slick. It was a beautiful day.

(1) Above left: Photo taken BEFORE the Clean Up The Bottom event, on Oct 13th.

(2) Above right: Photo taken AFTER the Clean Up The Bottom event, on Oct 22nd.

The Clean Up The Bottom event, in reference to One Mile Creek and the Maple Street canal was as effective as someone using a squirt gun to clean a cattle hauling trailer that hasn't been cleaned in a decade. To be blunt, it didn't remove much shit.

My gratitude goes to Mobile Bay National Estuary Program for trying to get One Mile Creek cleaned up. It is going to take much more than a 4 hour cleanup with a handful of people to remove the huge amount of trash that the City of Mobile has allowed to flow into the waterway and adjacent bottom lands for years. It doesn't take a lot of money to legislate a ban on styrofoam and sign into law plastic bottle bill legislation. How can Mobile hold BP accountable for pollution when Mobile allows their own creeks look like this? Shame on Mobile leaders and Sam Jones.

Today has really influenced me. The kayaking community was asked to help make a difference on this small one mile creek and only one kayaker that I know of, Marty, came out to help. I had expected dozens but what is that old saying, "expectations lead to disappointment."

I've been spending way too much time blogging about kayaking trips and ranting about litter. No need for me to rant any more - many of the photos on this blog document the reality of the intensity of local pollution. Mankind has long held the belief that humans are a higher species created in the image of God and are the most intelligent animal on Earth. You only need to kayak in Mobile's One Mile Creek to realize that belief is seriously flawed. The number one killer on Earth right now is, no surprise, "Dirty Water," and water born illness is becoming more common in America. Should disaster ever happen in America, you may be forced to drink water from creeks like this.

I feel the need to change priorities. Sorry to disappoint regular visitors to this site - there will be no more posts on here this year. I've also removed the links because no one will be maintaining them. I will leave comments up, but it may be weeks or months before I get around to moderating them (posting them).

Here is a link to a video report made 10 years ago: The Synthetic Sea Fast forward ten years and look at One Mile Creek. Ignoring the problem is not the solution. Mankind will eventually reap what it sows. Unfortunately, other life on this earth suffers because humans can't live without their disposable plastics and that makes me weep. Here is a startling video of what one current day Albatross bird consumed as the contents of its stomach are examined. Albatross Diet

10/19/2011 - Rabbit Creek

2011-10-19T22:50:00.005-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Rattlesnake Bayou and Rabbit Creek
Distance: 12 Miles (round trip).
Time Pedaling: 3 hours
Weather: Sunny. Temp 60 degrees. Winds 10-20 mph mostly out of the west. Tide dropping. Minimal current. Waves less than 1 foot. Water temp about 77 degrees.

(1) Above left: Anywhere near open water the winds were steady with occasional gusts but much less than the gale force winds the forecast had called for. (2) Above right: In more protected waters, the wind was barely noticeable. The water was warmer than the air so if the hands got cold, a quick dip into the water warmed them up.

(3) Above left: A tri-colored heron stands on a lichen cover limb in a tree full of Spanish moss. (4) Above right: An osprey eagle soars aloft in the winds.

(5) Above left: Seagulls on the water and in the air. (6) Above right: A brown pelican takes off after an unsuccessful dive into the water for food.

(7) Above left: Awakened by a kayaker with a camera, the duck stretches it's body to get the blood flowing so it can move. (8) Above right: This was an interesting wooden canoe modified into a sailboat.

(9) Above: Header Image I think is a photo of the head of a Tri-colored Heron.

10/18/2011 - One Mile Creek

2011-10-18T19:15:00.011-05:00

Launch: Gulf Lumber Landing
Waterway at Launch: Three Mile Creek
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: One Mile Creek and the Maple Street canal to open up access across blocked areas for the scheduled October 22 Clean Up The Bottom event.
Distance: 3-3/4 miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 1-1/2 hours
Weather: Sunny and warm. Slight breeze. Tide falling. Current less than 0.5 mph. Waters slick. It was a beautiful day though a bit humid.

(1) Above left: Baby insect eaters (spiders) in the shoreline vegetation. (2) Above right: Will rakes away a vegetation clot blocking the Maple Street canal.

(3) Above left: I used an old handsaw to cut through the thicker grass. It was dirty work. There is a layer of trash underneath the grasses. (4) Above right: Diligent work for about an hour led to success. We had opened a channel through the weedberg.

(5) Above left: Tom and Will head back out to One Mile Creek. (6) Above right: Where does all the trash that ends up in the waterway come from? Here is one source: Conception Street. The property owners of this location are the City of Mobile (right-of-way), and Illinois Central Gulf Railroad. This litter is a violation of Mobile municipal code.

(7) Above left: Do you see a dozen White Ibis in this tree? (8) Above right: Will and Tom paddle on Three Mile Creek and pass by a limb overhanging the water with three White Ibis on it.

(9) Above: Header Image is a photo of White Ibis.

10/16/2011 - Halls Mill Creek and Cypress Shores

2011-10-16T19:07:00.013-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Halls Mill Creek and Cypress Shores area.
Distance: 15 Miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 4-3/4 hours
Weather: Sunny. Temp in the 80s. Winds 5-10 mph. Tide low to rising. Minimal current. Waves less than 1 foot. Water temp about 77 degrees.

(1) Above left: A duck crossed in front of the kayak in a peculiar way- it could barely keep its head out of the water. (2) Above right: I followed it to land and then understood why - it had a broken right leg and it struggled to walk to get to its family.

(3) Above left: Then, several times today I saw the same Great Egret because when it flew, its right leg dragged in the water. It too had a leg problem. (4) Above right: There was a lot of boat traffic today and one skier was doing all sorts of awesome flips and twists. I didn't mind the boat wake for this type of performance going on in front of me.

(5)(6) Above left and right: This water skier was catching some serious air.

After looking at today's photos more closely at home, I was completely astounded. Everything I was taking photos of today had leg problems. The water skier had a prosthetic leg and I never saw it until reviewing the photos on the computer. I don't know who he is and I hope he doesn't mind me posting these photos of him. What his photos represent is that of hope. Life can be fun and rewarding despite pain and suffering. If you are down and out, feeling hopeless, and feeling pain, don't give up. The things you can accomplish with the right attitude are amazing. This water skier is a prime example of things that can be done regardless of the bad things that happen to people.

(7) Above left: Cardinal Flowers are still in bloom. (8) Above right: This stump reflection rotated 90 degrees serves as a reminder that Halloween is about two week away.

(9) Above: Header Image. May the smiling face on this one legged water skier give you all hope.

10/15/2011 - St Andrews

2011-10-15T18:10:00.012-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: St. Andrew's waterways. St. Andrews is or was a golf course off Riviere Du Chien road. Other names for the club have been Cypress Creek Country Club and the Linksman Golf Club. I don't know what it is called now. Anyway, I picked up 14 golf balls from the water while remembering the Sabbath by communing with some of the birds that the Creator made. What a spiritual day this was.
Distance: 10 Miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 3-1/2 hours
Weather: Sunny. Temp in the 80s. Winds 0-5 mph. Tide low to rising. No current. Waves less than 1 foot. Water temp 77 degrees.

(1) Above left: A little blue heron. (2) Above right: A great egret stretches its wings for a grand take off.

(3)(4) Above left and right: I spent about half an hour watching a young yellow-crowned night heron right in front of me on a mud flat. The heron was preening the underside of its wing. Then it went back to eating.

(5)(6) Above left and right: While a big crab claw may intimidate another crab, sticking the big claw in the face of a hungry heron is useless.

(7)(8) Above left and right: The heron plucked up the crabs in its beak.

(9) Above left: The heron would then toss the little crabs around while chomping down hard and de-clawing the crab before swallowing it as it is about to do in this photo. This heron quickly ate about a dozen crabs. (10) Above right: Eventually, with a swollen belly, the heron lowered its wings, relaxed, and then closed its eyes. This bird was completely sated and napping in tranquility, about two paddle lengths away. I moved away silently without paddling (using hands in mud to move) while thanking my maker for sharing the touching moments.

(11) Above: Header image is a photo of one of the legs of an American Coot. When it saw me today it ran across the water, jumped on top of my kayak to go over it, and then it kept running on the water surface to get to the other side of the creek.

10/14/2011 - Upper Dog River

2011-10-14T21:17:00.009-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Upper Dog River
Distance: 15 Miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 5 hours
Weather: Sunny. Temp in the 80s. Winds 5-10 mph out of the northeast. Tide rising. No current. Waves less than 1 foot. Water temp 77 degrees.

(1) Above left: It is a tree rat peering out from behind Spanish Moss. (2) Above right: A small diving duck - perhaps a grebe.

(3)(4) Above left and right: A red-eye'd American Coot.

(5) Above left: Ooo, Ooo, got one! (6) Above right: Ooo, Ooo, got one !

(7) Above left: An osprey eagle doing a dive toward the water. Check out those serious looking claws. (8) Above right: The same osprey using its claws as a fish hook. Ooo, Ooo, missed one!

(9) Above left: A great blue heron. (10) Above right: Weird - an old rusted motor and an old fish on a corroding battery.

(11) Above left: Reflections from the water splash a design on the culvert's ceiling. (12) Above right: Today's sunset on Dog River.

(13) Above: Header Image - baby Muscovy Ducks.

10/13/2011 - One Mile Creek

2011-10-13T17:35:00.013-05:00

Launch: Gulf Lumber Landing
Waterway at Launch: Three Mile Creek
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: One Mile Creek to open up boat access for the scheduled October 22 Clean Up The Bottom event.
Distance: 5-3/4 miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 2 hours
Weather: Sunny and warm. Slight breeze. Tide low. Current negligible. Waters slick. It was a beautiful day.

(1) Above left: Biologist Tom Herder with Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Biologist Patric Harper with the US Fish and Wildlife service, and John Windley, manager of the City of Mobile Public Works department motored up One Mile Creek in the SWAT boat. SWAT stands Shallow Water Attention Terminal (S.W.A.T.). The boat was built and designed by Florida-based Dragonfly Boatworks. (2) Above right: The objective today was to open up One Mile Creek and Maple Canal to handle boat traffic for the upcoming cleanup event. Recent Tropical Storm Lee knocked down a sizable tree blocking most of One Mile Creek. These three men are the hardest working individuals I've ever seen.

(3) Above left: Aren't the waterways of Mobile beautiful? The tide was too low for the motorboat to get up into the Maple Street canal. The Clean Up The Bottom Event will be removing trash like this. (4) Above right: My goal was to open up the Maple Street canal waterway blockage with a rake but today's attempt failed. I got about 15 feet into the blockage before hitting some grass with roots like carpet - not easy to pull apart. I had the wrong type boat (needed a wide canoe) and not enough tools to cut the roots. There is another week to get a path cut through the weeds. Note the garbage bin in the water.

(5) Above left: Garbage bins have themselves become riverside garbage - there were four at this one location. (6) Above right: Not all litter floats and goes into the ocean. Plenty of litter sinks and creates a bottom coat of plastic and metal that will eventually block ground water movement when it gets thick enough. Cans, plastic tops, plastic food vessels, plastic bags, plastic silverware and more can be seen in this photo.

(7) Above left: Saw about a half dozen apple snail egg deposits in One Mile Creek. A small egg deposit (pink) can be seen on a stem a little above the top plastic bottle. (8) Above right: Amid all the nasty trash there was romance in the air. I never saw so many dragonflies coupled together.

(9)(10) Above left and right: Fall is a wonderful time of year for seeing big lizards. Rather than bolt for the water when a kayak goes by, many alligators prefer to continue sunning. This one kept closing its eyes and looked asleep when I left.

(11)(12) Above left and right: Once the trash is removed, One Mile Creek will be an even more awesome place to kayak and enjoy nature. If you have a canoe or kayak, come help us clean up One Mile Creek on October 22nd. Thanks.

(13) Above: Header Image is a photo of a smaller alligator.

10/12/2011 - Moore Creek

2011-10-12T11:07:00.014-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Moore Creek
Distance: 9 Miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 2-3/4 hours
Weather: Mostly cloudy. Temp 68 degrees. Winds mostly calm. Tide going down. No current. Slick water surface. Water temp 76 degrees.

(1) Above left: Here I am enjoying the wonderful fall weather temperature while immersed in the morning sunrise on Dog River. (2) Above right: Yellow-Crowned Night Herons have wild looking eyes.

(3)(4) Above left and right: There is a low dredge pipe completely crossing Moore Creek just north of Lee Street. I wondered why that is and got the answer today from some workers who showed up. The dredge material is pumped to the east side of the creek but the workers have to use the west side to access the dredge equipment because they only have right of way for their vehicles on that side. I have no problem scootching under the pipe but there isn't much room to spare.

(5) Above left: There are some Koi that frequent Moore Creek, including one that local fisherman call, "The Albino," which is white and larger than this orange Koi or goldfish. I wonder if they are edible... (6) Above right: A great egret fishes in the area of the waterfalls by Halls Mill Road.

(7)(8) Above left and right: Upper Moore Creek, north of the dredge pipe, is a pleasure to paddle right now due to the dense coverage of so many different wildflowers.

(9) Above left: Header image is a photo of me taking a photo of the sunrise.

10/11/2011 - Perch Creek

2011-10-11T14:27:00.014-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Perch Creek
Distance: 16 Miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 4-3/4 hours
Weather: Mist and drizzle. Temp 66 degrees. Winds 5-10 mph out of the northwest. Low tide. No current. Waves less than a foot. Water temp 77 degrees.

(1) Above left: Started off in the dark this morning. Some places along the river put out bright lights making it difficult to see until you get past them. Some people refer to it as light pollution and say it is a global threat that destroys our view of the heavens, wastes money and natural resources and provides absolutely no benefit to society. (2) Above right: A snowy egret.

(3) Above left: Groundseltree shrubs (Baccharis angustifolia) are in bloom. Also known as False Willow or Saltbrush. What you might not know is Baccharis is dioecious meaning the male and female flowers are on separate plants. (4) Above right: The female flowers of Baccharis (shown here) have tufts of silky bristles about a half inch long while the male flower bristles are about half as long and are usually enclosed tightly in bracts.

(5) Above left: The cormorant stretches out for a pose. (6) Above right: A little blue and a little purple heron in flight.

(7) Above left: Sure wish the waters would have been glass smooth for this shot of a wood duck. (8) Above right: White Ibis were in the water right in front of me as I rounded a corner in Perch Creek. We were all a little startled. The Ibis furthest to the back had just caught a crab.

(9)(10) Above left and right: Aren't nutria the absolute cutest things? Hehehe. (Just kidding.)

(11) Above left: Since the bird book says Clapper Rails frequent salt marshes and King Rails frequent freshwater marshes, I'm thinking this is a Clapper Rail since this is a salt water marsh. (12) Above right: If you ever wonder how I get some of those clear photos of birds that are posted here, close proximity is the answer. This clapper rail came out of the needlerush and paid no attention to my presence. It seemed to be impressed with the kayak. I took photos, slowly backed up and it never flew away. Sometimes you get lucky - that's how.

(13) Above left: Golden rod flowers nestled among a yaupon shrub brightened a rather drizzly day. (14) Above right: Header Image is a photo of White Ibis in flight.

10/10/2011 - Robinson Bayou

2011-10-10T10:04:00.007-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Robinson Bayou
Distance: 5 Miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 2 hours
Weather: Sunny. Temp 65-70 degrees. Winds 5-10 mph out of the northeast. Low tide. No current. No waves. Water temp 77 degrees.

(1) Above left: Sunrise on Robinson Bayou. (2) Above right: A pair of wood ducks.

(3) Above left: A big water rat (nutria) was about to climb out of the water until it detected the presence of a large yellow kayak at which point it decided to go under water. (4) Above right: A snowy egret patiently waits for a minnow to pass by.

(5) Above left: Cardinals were eating the berries off what might be a black tupelo tree. (6) Above right: Popcorn trees are beginning to show their fall colors.

(7) ) Above left: A great egret with its huge feet rests comfortably on a single limb. (8) Above right: It is the white bird that has neither black feet or yellow feet that I have a hard time trying to identify. According to bird books, both a juvenile little blue heron and a morph of a reddish egret can also be white. Note the color the of the legs and face. Anyone know how to tell whether it is a heron or egret when they are at this stage?

(9) Above left: The eyes of this cat were intensely fixated on the nose of the kayak in a way that indicated it had never seen a kayak before. It was a comical moment. (10) Above right: Header image is a photo of a pair of wood ducks.

10/08/2011 - Phatwater #10 Challenge

2011-10-08T20:37:00.011-05:00

Event: Kayak Mississippi's 42 Mile Phatwater Challenge
Launch: Claiborne County Port Facility, northwest of Port Gibson, MS
Destination: Downtown Natchez, MS Boat Ramp
Race Distance: 42 miles (downstream).
Pedal time: 5 hrs, 7 minutes. (average speed of about 8.2 mph)
Weather: Sunny. Waves less than 1 foot. Winds minimal at start and then picking up to about 15 mph with occasional stronger gusts out of the southeast and then south. Downstream current varying 1-5 mph. Temp about 65-75 degrees. Great weather but breezy headwinds slowed down race speeds.
GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, Click Here.

Phatwater Race results: Click Here.

(1)(2) Above left and right: The day before the race involved registration and shuttling the kayak to the launch site. There was enough time to get in a nature walk.

(3) Above left: Day of the race involved an early morning bus ride to the launch site. I parked along the river in Natchez, MS and watched the moon set under the US 84 bridge that crosses the Mississippi River. (4) Above right: Phatwater participants chat and prepare their canoes and kayaks for the race. There were about 140 racers.

(5) Above left: Maggie and Rich pose for a photo before the race. The launch site which can be seen in the background was busy with activity. (6) Above right: A tandem surf ski duo warms up.

(7) Above left: There were 3 SUPs in the race. (Stand Up Paddlers). I had no idea stand up boards could go so fast. (8) Above right: Fifteen seconds into the race, my pedal drive cable broke. Jeeze...talk about bad timing. (Cuss, Cuss, Cuss). It took 1-2 minutes to swap out drive units (I have to carry a spare pedal drive unit because Hobie pedal drive units are prone to breaking). While doing that, everyone passed me so there I starting near last place. (Cuss, Cuss, Cuss). That put me in a bad mood.

(9) Above left: The only photo I took during the race is near the finish line in Natchez. The Natchez boat ramp is barely visible to the right of the boat which is hard to see. For the first 4 hours of the race, I was on track to finish under 5 hours which is something that no pedal boat has ever done. Winds kicked up the last hour and current slowed down. I could not maintain a fast enough speed to finish under 5 hours. Drat! Well, I tried. (10) Above right: Phatwater Challenges sometimes involve a little pain. This is the hands of one of the tandem paddlers who took first place. Note the blisters. Yeow!

(11) Above left: After the race, food and partying took place at the Under-The-Hill Saloon in Natchez, MS. Racers can be seen still heading toward the finish line. The kayaks lining the grass are of those who already finished. (12) Above right: Representing the Mobile Bay Canoe and Kayak Club were Rich (left), Maggie (middle) and Rob (right). We were all pleasantly exhausted and feeling a little pain. This was the first time I've done the Phatwater Challenge. It was a well organized event. Thanks Keith!

(13) Above left: Yeaaa! Maggie takes home a win and holds her trophy in the left hand. (14) Above right: I also won and took home a nice handcrafted trophy. This is the first time I ever received money for winning a kayak race division. The wooden "X" on the trophy represents the number 10 as this was the 10th annual Phatwater Challenge.

(15) Above: Header Image is a photo of participants gathering near the start of the race.

10/05/2011 - Upper Dog River

2011-10-05T14:05:00.004-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Upper Dog River
Distance: 10-1/2 miles (round trip).
Time Pedaling: 3 hours
Weather: Sunny, temp 60-65 degrees, winds 0-5 mph out of the east. Tide just beginning to go out, current negligible. No waves. Water temp 76 degrees.

(1) Above left: This morning's sunrise on Dog River. Everyone knows this type of noisy bird - it's a whirlybird (Helicopter). (2) Above right: A long ago sunken boat begins to blend in with the rest of the area.

(3) Above left: I went up to Dog River Park to see if the trash from the Coastal Cleanup was still there. Thankfully it has been removed. This is a nice little picnic area with a scenic view. (4) Above right: North of Dog River Park are several bridges to go under - a big water pipe, a railroad, and Interstate I-10.

(5)(6) Above left and right: Both the great egret (white) and the great blue heron (gray) are about 50 percent neck.

(7) Above left: A young Muscovy duck and its sibling stare at me as I paddled by. (8) Above right: Right near them in the water was one of their feathers.

(9) Above: Header image is a photo of more ducks.

10/04/2011 - Lower Dog River

2011-10-04T12:04:00.009-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Lower Dog River
Distance: 10.8 miles (round trip).
Time Pedaling: 2-3/4 ours
Weather: Sunny, temp 55-60 degrees, winds 0 mph at the start to about 10 mph out of the northeast at the finish of the trip. Tide just beginning to go out, current about 0.5 mph. Waves less than 1 foot. Water temp 75 degrees. (Down another 2 degrees).

(1) Above left: Sunrise on Dog River. (2) Above right: Flock after flock of terns passed by and many were diving into the water to catch breakfast.

(3) Above left: Down near the Rivershack Restaurant the birds were abundant as usual. Here is a yellow-crowned night heron. To see a unique mating dance view of a yellow-crowned night heron, Click Here. The award winning photo was taken by David Moynahan who lives just south of Tallahassee, FL. (4) Above right: A wet brown pelican prepares to take flight.

(5)(6) Above left and right: Snowy Egrets have black legs, a black beak and bright yellow feet. I associate bright feet with bright snow to remember it is a SNOWY Egret.

(7) Above left: On the other hand, here is a bird with black feet and a yellow beak - a Great Egret. (8) Above right: Here is a view of both a Great Egret standing tall and a Snowy Egret crouched down.

(9) Above left: A tri-colored heron fishing in the shallow mudflats south of the Beachcomber Marina. (10) Above right: I don't see many of these birds so I'm not sure whether it is a Clapper Rail or a King Rail.

(11) Above right: Header Image is a photo of the Dog River Bridge reflection in the water.

10/03/2011 - McCullough Creek and Moore Creek

2011-10-03T21:49:00.013-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: McCullough Creek and Moore Creek
Distance: 7-1/4 miles (round trip).
Time Pedaling: 2-3/4 hours
Weather: Sunny, temp 75 degrees, winds calm. Tide low. Current negligible. Water surface calm. Water temp 77 degrees. NOTE: The water temp has dropped 5 degrees in the past 3 days. Once it starts getting below 70 degrees, one has to start thinking about the dangers of cold water immersion.

(1) Above left: I went to McCullough Creek to check on the alligator traps I first saw two days ago that I blamed on poachers. Oops, I was quick to judge without knowing the facts. State Conservation authorities put the hooks up. Today the hooks had been removed, so, I guess the State Authorities caught the nuisance alligator. I wonder if they killed it. Instead of removing spray cans full of toxic chemicals from our waters which is harmful to people, they remove an alligator that is pretty much harmless to people. Your tax dollars at work... (2) Above right: Well, alligators are mostly harmless except to dogs. This dog did the dog paddle trying to catch me today. Why is a dog chasing me on a public waterway? Why isn't the dog fenced in or on a leash like the law requires? Alligators have never chased me like this dog did. Dog bites to people are common, yet, alligators rarely bite people. Why don't the Conservation Officers put hooks with meat out on them to catch dogs that chase kayakers? Don't get me wrong, I love dogs, at least the trained ones, but I've seen too many people hurt by dogs and I don't know of anyone around here hurt by an alligator. I've been attacked by dogs dozens of times while riding a bicycle. Now they're chasing me on water? If Conservation Officers are looking out for public safety, they're baiting the wrong animals. (I'm off my soap box now.)

(3) Above left: McCullough Creek is a quiet creek with no boat traffic and not a house in sight. (4) Above right: There are usually lots of birds like this sparrow or wren in the trees around McCullough Creek.

(5) Above left: Moore Creek is bedecked with all kinds of wildflowers right now. It's a nice paddle if you can get under the dredge pipe. (6) Above right: A big blue heron taking flight was voicing its dislike after I paddled too close for its comfort. I mean no harm Mr. Heron - you didn't have to fly off.

(7) Above left: A Snowy Egret has a black beak and yellow feet. The feet didn't make it into this photo. (8) Above right: By comparison, a Great Egret, slightly larger, has a yellow beak and black legs and feet.

(9) Above left: Oh look, a tagger loves his Mother. Uh oh, the tagger must have inhaled too many paint fumes - he did not know how to spell Mother. (10) Above right: A basic sunset on an absolutely beautiful fall like day.

(11) Above: Header image - another kayaker was out on Dog River this afternoon. The mass of flowers he is looking at is Lantana.

10/02/2011 - Big Creek Lake

2011-10-02T18:00:00.009-05:00

Launch: Howells Ferry Road launch site.
Launch Cost: $5
Destination: Big Creek Lake aka Converse Reservoir for a training paddle with Maggie and Richard.
Distance: 16 miles (round trip)
Pedal time: 4-1/2 hours
Weather: Cool morning starting at 50 degrees and rising to about 62. Wind started calm and started picking up out of the northeast to 10-15 mph. No tide influence. No Current. Waves went from calm to a 1 foot chop.

(1)(2) Above left and right: The waters were warm and the air cool which generated some surface fog at sunrise.

(3) Above left: Maggie leaves the launch site in her surf ski. I couldn't keep up with her 6+ mph speed and when stumps started appearing in the water, I turned around because I didn't want to damage the pedal drive on a submerged stump. (4) Above right: Rich got a late start and headed north to meet Maggie. I continued heading south toward the dam in the wider and deeper waters.

(5) Above left: Big Creek Lake dam. (6) Above right: Winds started picking up by the time I got to the dam. On the way back north, the chop out of the northeast was hitting the kayak at about 45 degrees which generated hull splash. I got a wet butt (sit-on-top kayak) but that's okay because the water was warm.

(7) Above left: On the way back, a sandy shoreline looked inviting to take a break. I scared a deer that was laying down - well, we scared each other. Deer tracks can be seen in the sand. (8) Above right: Wildflowers were abundant in the low pinelands. The purple flowers are blazing-stars.

(9) Above left: Speaking of blazing stars, here is a closer view of one with a bumble bee. (10) Above right: Red basil or Scarlet Calamint (Calamintha coccinea or in older books, Satureja calamintha) growing next to the water's edge was a pleasure to see.

(11) Above left: Out of the wind in some of the smaller side inlets were pockets of water lilies (Nymphaea odorata). Waters were clear enough to see turtles and fish going by. Didn't see many herons. (12) Above right: Closer photo of a water lily.

(13) Above: Header image - photo of water lilies in Big Creek Lake.

10/01/2011 - Moore Creek and McCullough Creek

2011-10-01T13:23:00.017-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Moore Creek and McCullough Creek
Distance: 7-3/4 miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 2-3/4 hours
Weather: Sunny, temp in the 60s, winds out of the north at 0-5 mph with occasional gusts. Tide receding. Current negligible. Water surface calm. Water temp 82 degrees.

(1) Above left: Sunrise over Dog River. (2) Above right: Slight surface fog with a fog tornado.

(3) Above left: Lower Moore Creek. The small craft advisory for strong winds was not an issue on this inland waterway where waters were calm. (4) Above right: In upper Moore Creek the waters were clear.

(5) Above left: Wow, third morning in a row I've seen raccoon families. (6) Above right: In upper Moore Creek, the wildflowers were taking on a fall like appearance just like the temperatures. I love this time of year.

(7) Above left: A green heron. (8) Above right: Female and male wood ducks.

(9) Above left: Had to back up to take a second look at this pastiche of trash items that took on an appearance of a head with a hat when viewed from a distance. (10) Above right: In McCullough Creek, there were several large limb hooks with chicken used for bait. Alligator poaching is alive and well in Dog River Watershed. (October 3rd UPDATE: I stand corrected - the limb hooks were not put up by poachers. An Alabama Conservation Officer put those bait hooks up to "catch a large nuisance gator." Drat! I always look forward to seeing that alligator. Too bad that it "bothered" someone while living its life in its natural territory. Why don't Alabama Conservation Officers put out limb hooks with meat on them to catch vicious dogs that chase bicyclists instead of going after Alligators that don't chase people.)

(11) Above right: Header image is a photo of a Big Blue Heron.

09/30/2011 - Lower Dog River

2011-09-30T10:39:00.018-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Lower Dog River
Distance: 11 miles (round trip).
Time Pedaling: 3 hours
Weather: Sunny, temperature a less humid 70 degrees, winds out of the northwest at 0-10 mph. Tide receding. Current about 0.5 mph. Waves less than 1 foot. Water temp 83 degrees.

(1)(2) Above left and right: Two shades of the morning sunrise. One appreciates the marvel of a sunrise if one has waited in the darkness to see it. One appreciates the marvel of a sunrise even more if one is holding another person's hand at the time.

(3) Above left: A third shade of the morning sunrise. Flocks of ducks were flying with unusual vigor this morning - maybe hunting season has begun or they sense the first cool weather of the season approaching . (4) Above right: It looks like a tri-colored heron.

(5) Above left: A great egret ruffles its neck feathers while sitting on top of a popcorn tree. (6) Above right: This great egret was doing a 180 turn on a sweet gum tree branch. Sweet gum trees are in the Witch-Hazel family and have those hard ass spiny ball fruits that hurt when you step on them barefooted.

(7) Above left: A juvenile yellow-crowned night heron kindly let me get close to it for a photo. Can you imagine how difficult it is to clean your face without arms? (8) Above right: A mallard duck.

(9) Above: Header image is a cropped photo of a juvenile yellow-crowned night heron. If you look closely at its eye, you can make out reflections of a yellow kayak on the right (me taking the photo) and the Dog River Bridge on the left of the pupil.

09/29/2011 - Upper Dog River

2011-09-29T18:32:00.012-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Upper Dog River
Distance: 8 miles (round trip).
Time Pedaling: 2 hours
Weather: Sunny, temperature 71 degrees, winds out of the north at 5 mph. Tide dropping. Current less than 0.5 mph. No waves. Water temp 83 degrees.

(1)(2) Above left and right: Two views of the sunrise this morning.

(3) Above left: Morning Glory flowers (Ipomoea) over at Dog River Park. (4) Above right: This is boat called "The Rats Ass" that someone anchored off Dog River Park and abandoned just before Tropical Storm Lee. When the winds come from the south the rear side of the boat bangs against the concrete wall. I reported it to the Coast Guard and they are trying to track down the owner. The last time it was registered was three years ago. This reminds me of the sunken Chris Craft boat that I reported leaking fuel in Alligator Bayou a few years ago. The Coast Guard said it wasn't the first time his boat had sunk. What better way to get rid of it than towing it, anchoring it and claiming it isn't yours anymore. No one can touch it, not even after it sinks. Some people really do not give a Rat's Ass. That is why there are a dozen or two sunken boats slowly shedding their toxic chemicals into the Dog River watershed that flows into Mobile Bay. Truly, our waters are becoming garbage dumps and that is unacceptable.

(5) Above left: Meantime, at Dog River Park, trash from the Coastal Cleanup is being picked through by either dogs or aluminum can bandits. I suspect the latter. Notice the loose trash ready to float away into the water... Wouldn't it be nice if there was an incentive like a 5 cent refund for each plastic bottles the bandits pick up and recycle? We need a Deposit-Refund bottle bill passed for plastic bottles and styrofoam cups. (6) Above right: This area was cleaned during the Coastal Cleanup. All it took was one rain yesterday and this is what I have to look at for another 50 weeks until the next Coastal Cleanup. I'm embarrassed to lead paddles in upper Dog River Scenic Blueway.

(7) Above left: Sunrise through the moss draped trees. (8) Above right: A great egret utilizes man made bridge bracing for its fishing platform.

(9) Above left: A great blue heron backlit from the sun. (10) Above right: Someone had a morning swim before directing its attention to hunting breakfast.

(11) Above: Header Image is a photo of the head of a great blue heron.

09/28/2011 - Lower Dog River

2011-09-28T10:48:00.006-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Lower Dog River
Distance: 10-1/2 miles (round trip).
Time Pedaling: 2-1/2 hours
Weather: Party Cloudy, temperature a humid 80 degrees, winds out of the west at 0-15 mph. Nearing low tide. Current to 1.2 mph. Waves less than 1 foot. Water temp 85 degrees.

(1) Above left: The weather radar showed rain south of the area and the rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance - an ominous start to the trip, but I enjoy watching distant lightning from a kayak. (2) Above right: Luckily, the thunderstorm dissipated within thirty minutes of launching and the fading clouds provided good colors at sunrise.

(3) Above left: Not much wind so the waters were calm. (4) Above right: The sun tries to emerge as I pass by Mobile Yacht Club.

(5) Above left: Down at the mouth of Dog River, Gulls and Terns were in a feeding frenzy for shrimp. (6) Above right: This Tern was a winner as it flies away with a shrimp. It threw its head up a few times and gulped the shrimp down whole.

(7) Above left: Three black-crowned night herons stand around watching the sunrise. (8) Above right: A man fishes off the dock at the Rivershack Restaurant while a nearby pelican waits around patiently for the man to throw it a fish.

(9) Above left: Raccoons were looking for food in someone's yard near the shore. What a cute couple. (10) Above right: Header Image. On the return trip, a storm building toward Baldwin County seem to draw wind because the winds picked up to a steady 10-15 mph on the way back causing a little chop in the wider areas of Dog River.

09/27/2011 - Mobile River

2011-09-27T17:37:00.014-05:00

Launch: Shirley's (US Hwy 90 across from battleship USS Alabama)
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Mobile River to look see the latest status of the Oil Spill cleanup activities.
Distance: 18 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 5-1/2 hours
Weather: Temp from 77 to 84 degrees, Winds 0-15 mph from the north. Mostly sunny. Rising tide. Current in Mobile River 1-2 mph. Water temperature about 78 degrees.

(1) Above left: Launching about an hour before sunrise to avoid the afternoon heat. (2) Above right: Watching the sunrise across Delvan Bay.

(3) Above left: The kayak would glide up on fish and they would startle me by abruptly bolting out of the way. (4) Above right: Still in Spanish River, a fish jumps out of the water as I'm about to pick up an abandoned fishing bobber. The Pontoon Saloon can be seen in the background.

(5) Above left: Herons facing off along the shoreline. (6) Above right: A great blue heron awkwardly flies over the water while croaking loudly like a bullfrog with throat cancer.

(7) Above left: The forecast called for winds from the southwest. About the time I went under the Cochrane Bridge, a wave of clouds approached and the winds picked up from the Northwest to about 15 mph. It provided a nice tailwind but left the waters choppy. Had to put on a sprayskirt. Current was also running about 1.5-2 mph in Mobile River, well above the forecast. (8) Above right: One of those sandpiper like dowidget sand munching birds.

(9) Above left: The cruise ship Norwegian Spirit, out of the Port of New Orleans, carries over 2000 passengers, was getting some work done here in Mobile. Could this be our new cruise ship? (10) Above right: Rear view of the Navy's first Joint High-Speed Vessel (JHSV) christened on Sep 17, 2011 at Austal. The JHSV Spearhead is designed for rapid transport of troops and military equipment. The 338-foot-long aluminum catamaran is fast. I could have paddled under the vessel but I didn't want to go to jail.

(11) Above left: A blue-eyed white ibis on the left and a believe this is a juvenile little blue heron on the right. (12) Above right: A juvenile white ibis.

(13) Above left: I went down Mobile River to see the status of the Oil Cleanup at Gulf Coast Asphalt. No cleanup activity could be seen and the strong winds out of the northwest made it difficult to take photos near the spill area. No change on the oil caked shorelines - guess they are going to let nature degrade the oiled shoreline. The good news is no petroleum sheens were seen along the east side of the river like I saw last visit. However, at the entrance to Chickasaw Creek (well north of the oil spill), there was some sort of chemical/petroleum sheen on the water. I'm assuming it came from the swing bridge. Unable to trace the source. (14) Above right: On the other end of Mobile River near the entrance to Mobile Bay, another petroleum sheen was seen. There were about a half dozen people working on nearby machinery that overhangs the water at the state dock facility. Unable to trace the source. I'm assuming it came from the machinery. There wasn't enough quantity of spill to justify a call to the National Response Center (NRC). I hope seeing oil in Mobile River doesn't become a regular thing like it is for me in Bayou La Batre.

(15) Above: Header Image - a heron is already fishing at dawn's first light.

09/26/2011 - Gaillard Island

2011-09-26T14:39:00.010-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Gaillard Island.
Distance: 26 miles (round trip).
Time Pedaling: 6-1/4 hours
Trip Rating: Difficult due to distance and open waters.
Weather: Sunny, temperature about 82-85 degrees, winds out of the southwest at 10-15 mph. Neap tides. Current to 1 mph. Waves less than 1 foot on the trip over to Gaillard Island and 1-2 feet on the way back. Water temp 84 degrees.

(1)(2) Above left and right: Didn't expect to see much of a sunrise this morning, but this was a pleasant surprise that caused me to stop and watch.

(3) Above left: Ahhhh, deep breaths and total relaxation. What a show! (4) Above right: Decided to do a training trip today - a loop around Gaillard Island because it is a rather long trip and I love kayaking around Gaillard Island. The Phatwater Kayak Race is a rather long race - 42 miles, hence the long training trip. Weather pending, I'll be doing Phatwater in two weeks.

(5)(6) Above left and right: I slowed way down while pedaling around Gaillard Island - home of beaucoup pelicans.

(7) Above left: Pelicans are enjoyable to watch and if you go to Gaillard Island, you'll see plenty of flying pelicans. (8) Above right: A shrimp boat called Lady of Fatima was working the shipping channel area so I pedaled on over to take some photos. I'm not sure what they do on the shrimp boats, but at certain intervals the gulls, pelicans, and terns go wild. Wow, it is an experience to be near such a feathered frenzy.

(9) Above left: Soon as I rounded the southeast tip of Gaillard Island, the wave size increased from 4 inches to 2 feet. You shouldn't paddle to Gaillard Island without expecting to deal with at least 2 foot waves some of which will slap the side of the kayak. You should be comfortable paddling in even higher seas if venturing out into Mobile Bay. (10) Above right: The nice looking sailboat Liza of Fairhope had just came out of Dog River and was heading into Mobile Bay.

(11) Above: Header Image. Shrimp boat chasing birds patiently await for the lull in shrimp boat activity to end. A few birds will squeal the alarm call when food is present and then they all fly over to the shrimp boat and it looks like photo 8.

09/25/2011 - Dog River Park and Halls Mill Creek

2011-09-25T16:11:00.018-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Dog River Park and Halls Mill Creek.
Distance: 17-1/2 miles (round trip).
Time Paddling: 4-1/2 hours
Weather: Sunny, rare light wind. Rising tide. Current minimal. No waves - waters slick.

(1)(2) Above left and right: I am enjoying the Sunday morning communion with the big light while listening to Sunday morning Jazz.

(3)(4) Above left and right: One week after the Coastal Cleanup, the PIGS who used Dog River Park yesterday left their litter mark. It reminds me of how Dog River Park looked a week after the Coastal Cleanup in the year 2006. It isn't fair to the Parks Department to have to clean up after the PIGS. The little league association who uses this park should be fined if not banned from using the Dog River Park facilities. I think the City Parks department should put this sign up at the entrance to Dog River Park in earnest. If littering is how people respect a public park, especially a week after a group of volunteers cleaned up the park, the park should be fenced off to all people. This tolerance of trashing our land and waters is unacceptable. It is time to put an end to the tolerance of litter by holding people accountable for their actions.

(5) Above left: Speaking of the Coastal Cleanup, some of the trash collected last weekend still sits on the ground adorning Dog River Park. Hard to see the beautiful morning glory flowers and ducks in this photo. (6) Above right: Interested parties are keenly watching to see how long this trash sits there.

(7)(8) Above left and right: Here I am taking a photo of this great blue heron sitting high upon a tree on one leg.

(9) Above left: A couple of herons share their fishing territory. (10) Above right: A female wood duck sits on a floating log in Halls Mill Creek.

(11) Above left: Waters were amazingly slick this morning. A great egret and an osprey eagle can be seen in this photo. (12) Above right: About the only waves seen on the water today were generated by passing boats. This nice cloud hovered overhead for a while keeping the temperatures cooler.

(13)(14) Above left and right: Why the blank stares? Haven't you ever seen a pedal kayak before? They're pretty neat, eh? I hope you two are not doomed to the dinner table.

(15) Above: Header image is a shoreline photo taken in Dog River.

09/24/2011 - Dog River and McCullough Creek

2011-09-24T15:12:00.014-05:00

Launch: Dog River Park (formerly Luscher Park)
Waterway at Launch Site: Dog River
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Celebrating National Estuary Day by leading a bird watching club paddle going south on Dog River to Moore Creek and then up McCullough Creek and back.
Distance: 8.4 miles (round trip).
Trip Rating: Easy 1/2 day trip.
Time Paddling: 3 hours
Weather: Sunny, occasional light winds. High tide. Current minimal. No waves - waters mostly slick. Water temp about 83 degrees.
GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, Click Here.

(1) Above left: I paddled to the launch site for the club trip and got to see the sun rise on the way there. Nice. (2) Above right: Here is a species of duck that often gets an unjustified bad reputation. To read some interesting facts about Muscovy Ducks, Click Here. They really do seem to be intelligent.

(3) Above left: I met up with Wendy at Dog River Park and then we took off on a beautiful cool relaxing morning paddle. (4) Above right: There were a few boaters out but not as many as you would think. We saw about a half dozen boats.

(5)(6) Above left and right: The water surface was mirror like on McCullough Creek. Unfortunately the recent high tides from Tropical Storm Lee and heavy rains left more trash in the upper end than I'm used to seeing. Also distracting was the smell of raw sewage coming from somewhere. I've never smelled sewage in McCullough Creek before. That was embarrassing. Quite a few wood ducks came flying out of the nearby brush in a loud way keeping us on our toes (so to speak) as we eased along in McCullough Creek.

(7) Above left: A tri-colored heron stood tall and very still. We almost didn't see the heron as we passed closely by. (8) Above right: Wendy looks at an Osprey Eagle sitting on a tree limb. That tree is on an island owned by one of Wet Willie's band members - Rick Hirsch. I lived a few houses away from where the band used to practice on Woodline Drive when they first formed a little over 40 years ago. Wow, time flies. Keep On Smiling!

(9) Above left: We saw a several great egrets today (big white birds). I counted up the number of different types of birds we saw on this short 3 hour paddle and it added up to 15. We heard several more types. The River Landing Condominiums can be seen in the background of this photo. (10) Above right: Turtles have stunningly good eye sight so it worried me to see this turtle looking up so intensely as I paddled home after the club trip. Maybe this turtle saw NASA objects falling...

(11) Above: Header Image - a beautiful day for a paddle. Thanks for joining the paddle Wendy. I enjoyed it.

09/23/2011 - Paige Bayou and Bluff Creek

2011-09-23T19:15:00.015-05:00

Launch: Paige Bayou Marina near Vancleave, MS
Waterway at Launch: Paige Bayou
Launch Cost: $5
Destination: Bluff Creek and Paige Bayou hoping to see some sandhill cranes at the Sandhill Crane NWR. None were seen or heard on this trip.
Distance: 9-1/2 miles (round trip).
Trip Rating: Easy pace.
Time Paddling: 3-1/4 hours
Weather: Foggy, no wind. Near high tide. Current less than 0.5 mph. No waves - waters mostly slick.
GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, CLICK HERE.

(1) Above left: A big Osprey Eagle nest in Paige Bayou on a foggy morning. (2) Above right: It took about 2 hours but the fog finally disappeared. This area will probably be stunning in a few weeks as the cypress needles are starting to turn to golden brown.

(3) Above left: Southern Wild Rice (Zizania aquatica) was abundant along the shoreline. (4) Above right: Yellow Pond Lily with delicate markings (Nuphar lutea).

(5) Above left: This Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly was stuck to the water and couldn't fly. As soon as it was scooped up on a paddle, it took off flying. (6) Above right: This small butterfly was camouflaged well in Spanish Moss.

(7) Above left: I was using the paddle as a stabilizer while attempting to get out of the kayak onto the creek bank. Next thing I know the kayak shifted, all my weight went onto the paddle and then crack, the paddle broke and I was in the water. That was unexpected. (8) Above right: With only half a paddle to work with, I decided to turn around and go back to the launch site. I was bummed out. See the sad face in the mud bank reflection?

(9) Above left: On the way back I saw about 4 inches of a paddle sticking out of the water, picked it up, and it was a functional full sized canoe paddle. Exactly what I needed to make the return trip easier. What are the odds of finding a paddle within 30 minutes of breaking one? That's scary. (10) Above right: An eastern bluebird.

(11) Above right: Header Image - they have alligators in Bluff Creek.

09/22/2011 - Rattlesnake Bayou and Rabbit Creek

2011-09-22T13:10:00.012-05:00

Launch: Home
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Rattlesnake Bayou and Rabbit Creek to once again look for Manatees. Did not see any Manatees today.
Distance: 12 miles (round trip). Today I celebrate reaching my goal of kayaking 1500 miles this year. Yahoo!
Pedal time: 3 hours
Weather: Temp 75 degrees, No wind. Water temp about 84 degrees. Partly cloudy. High tide. Current negligible.

(1) Above left: When I left home, there was lightning on the horizon and rain was showing up on the radar south of the area. A half hour later at sunrise near the entrance to Rabbit Creek, clouds started breaking up. (2) Above right: Another 20-30 minutes later, I turned around in Rattlesnake Bayou and was surprised to see a second round of sunrise colors. This one was better than the first.

(3) Above left: Today was one of those high tide no wind no current water slick as glass type kayak trips and like Tony the Tiger says, "Theeeey're Grrrrreat!" (4) Above right: Osprey Eagle having breakfast on a limb.

(5) Above left: In upper Rabbit Creek, fall wildflowers were putting on a show. I love this time of year. This eye catching wildflower is called Flame Flower or Hummingbird Flower (Macranthera flammea). (6) Above right: It is hard to miss seeing the Cardinal Flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) along the banks of streams.

(7) Above left: There are so many varieties of Blazing Star (aka Savanna Gayfeather) that I'm not sure what species this is. (8) Above right: Same with Meadow Beauties (Rhexia) - there are quite a few different species.

(9) Above left: I believe this is a Low Pinebarren Milkwort (Polygala ramosa). (10) Above right: Thought this was a water primrose (Ludwigia) but this flower has six petals. Not sure what kind of wildflower this is.

(11) Above: Header Image is a photo of the elongated flower tube of a Pineland Hibiscus wildflower (Hibiscus aculeatus).

09/21/2011 - Rattlesnake Bayou

2011-09-21T10:23:00.006-05:00

Launch: Home
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Rattlesnake Bayou.
Distance: 8-1/2 miles (round trip)
Pedal time: 2-1/2 hours
Weather: Temp 76 degrees, No wind. Water temp about 83 degrees. Partly cloudy. Falling tide. Current negligible.

(1)(2) Above left and right: Some people go to church to get close to God. I feel in close spiritual contact with the Creator of the universe while watching her paint colors on the clouds as her handiwork reflects on the slick waters.

(3)(4) Above left and right: Nice colors on the clouds this morning.

(5) Above left: After watching the sunrise, it was time to paddle on. That's me paddling up Rabbit Creek on the way to Rattlesnake Bayou to look for Manatees. Did not see any manatees today. (6) Above right: The sun finally makes itself visible in Rattlesnake Bayou.

(7) Above left: A great blue heron will be having fresh fish for breakfast. (8) Above right: On the way back, waters were still slick. This was a wonderful paddle.

(9) Above: Header image - sunrise colored clouds seen through the shoreline trees.

09/20/2011 - Lower Dog River

2011-09-20T10:12:00.012-05:00

Launch: Home
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Lower Dog River - getting in a training workout for an upcoming race in Oct.
Distance: 10.5 miles (round trip)
Pedal time: 2-1/4 hours
Weather: Temp 74 degrees, Winds 0-5 mph out of the northeast. Water temp 83 degrees. Mostly cloudy. Falling tide. Current about 0.5 mph.

(1) Above left: Colors were a bit bland as the sun lightened up the dark morning sky. (2) Above right: First sighting of the sun near Dog River Bridge on this beautiful morning.

(3) Above left: The Grand Mariner cats seemed a little blue and sleepy headed this morning. (4) Above right: Ducks were wide awake and out for a morning paddle.

(5) Above left: Heading back upstream - waters were slick because there wasn't any wind. (6) Above right: Just north of Halls Mill Creek, a fog bank came rolling in.

(7) Above left: This was unexpected. Can't even see the other side of the river. When you kayak, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. (8) Above right: A photo of the sun shot through the clearing fog seemed to reveal black sun spots. A quick search on the internet for current sunspots confirmed it. It is mind boggling to know that temperatures reach 27,000,000 degrees in that ball of fire that lightens our days and keeps us warm. To view a stunning image of the sun from NASA, click here.

(9) Above left: As quick as the fog bank came rolling in, it disappeared just as fast. (10) Above right: Rain during the night and a foggy morning coated vegetation with dew drops.

(11) Above right: Header Image. Forget your worries - be like a duck - paddle and enjoy!

09/19/2011 - Upper Dog River

2011-09-19T10:12:00.011-05:00

Launch: Home
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Upper Dog River to see how well the shoreline was cleaned during the Coastal Cleanup. (Wishful thinking meets reality.)
Distance: 9 miles (round trip)
Pedal time: 2 hours
Weather: Temp 72 degrees, Winds 10-15 mph out of the east. Water temp 83 degrees. Mostly sunny. Tide starting to fall. Current negligible. It was a beautiful morning.

(1)(2) Above left and right: Sunrise while kayaking on Dog River.

(3) Above left: Compare this photo taken today to previous photos of the same location: Click Here and Click Here. Wow, what a difference it makes when someone maintains the property. (4) Above right: I talked to a kayaker this past weekend who mentioned they once kayaked up Dog River and after seeing all the trash they decided to turn around because it was sickening to see and they did not want to see any more. Even though the Coastal Cleanup removed plenty of trash, here is what I saw along some of the shoreline in Upper Dog River today.

(5)(6) Above left and right: While you can see wildlife in Upper Dog River, it can be painful to look at due to the surrounding trash, so, I certainly understand why people prefer not to kayak in Dog River. Trash detracts from the photos of wildlife. Ironically, at the Coastal Cleanup this past weekend, hot dogs were served on styrofoam plates instead of biodegradable paper plates. The river litter problem won't be solved until the use of the offending materials ends. Plastic bottles need a deposit law enacted. Styrofoam just needs to be outlawed, period. Why ban styrofoam and who else has banned it?

(7) Above left: Had a nice cooling headwind on the way home. (8) Above right: Header image is a sunrise photo. Had a perfect silhouette of a great blue heron in the camera view and the heron flew off just before the camera could focus. Here it is flying away.

09/17/2011 - Dog River Zone Coastal Cleanup

2011-09-17T18:02:00.025-05:00

Launch: Home
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Dog River Park Zone for the Coastal Cleanup held from 8:00 am to Noon.
Distance: 6-1/2 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 2 hours
Weather: Temp 70-80 degrees, Winds 0-5 mph out of the northeast. Partly Cloudy. Tide falling. Current negligible. It was a beautiful day out!

(1) Above left: On the way to Dog River Park - the sun which shined briefly soon disappeared behind a cloud bank. (2) Above right: A huge heron hunting for marine cuisine.

(3) Above left: After sign in and receiving about a dozen garbage bags and a grabber, I paddled off to a heavily littered property. There was a lot of people cleaning this area that had received little attention in past cleanups. It looks much better now. Spent about 2-1/2 hours cleaning 250 feet of shoreline that looked like this. As I was leaving, the man who owned the property asked what was going on and I told him the Coastal Cleanup. "Oh, I didn't know that was going on this weekend." He then got in his sail boat and took off. Why can't property owners clean their own freaking property? There ought be a law... I also cleaned trash off two other properties in the remaining 1-1/2 hour (about another 100 feet of shoreline). At this rate, it would take 20 days to clean a mile of shoreline. Styrofoam dominated the trash along with food wrappers. I picked up 29 lighters and 382 plastic bottles (actual count). (4) Above right: The Dog River Zone volunteers filled up the city trash truck and there was still trash in several other piles by the boat ramps. Zone captain Duggan Ellis, on the right of the trailer, did a wonderful organizational job. I saw more volunteers today than I've ever seen and plenty of trash was removed.

(5) Above left: Of course, with about 125 miles of shoreline in the Dog River watershed and limited number of volunteers, some property didn't get picked up, like Dwight Graham's shore which is littered with tires and trash. (6) Above right: Even Kenneth McElhaney Jr and Erica McElhaney's shore was untouched. Beautiful eh? This crap will be there until next year, if it even gets cleaned up then.

(7)(8) Above left and right: What is sad is all the volunteers spent time treating the symptom of pitiful enforcement of existing laws and apathetic people and businesses. Saw this while driving home today and I did not open any fence gates to get these photos. Trash was visible from the street which is why I pulled over to take photos. Here is Dollar General (2158 Dauphin Island Pkwy), today after the coastal cleanup. Trash by the dumpster, loose trash in the dumpster, lid not closed, and loose bottles and trash on the ground. And people wonder where all the trash comes from? I'm documenting sources here. Rain picks up floating trash from careless businesses and away it goes down stream, and where it goes, nobody knows (except for river residents and coastal cleanup volunteers).

(9)(10) Above left and right: Here is O'Reilly's Auto Parts store (2862 Dauphin Island Pkwy). Open dumpster lids, loose trash on the ground, gate not closed, gap under fence. Next rain, plastic bottles on the ground here will become ships on the Sea of Storm-Water-Runoff destined to run aground on someone's riverside property. Dollar General and O'Reilly's Auto Parts are two generators of the endless trash that plagues Dog River. They are just the tip of the trashberg.

Do you want to get pro-active to help stop scenes like this? Want to help stop the illegal litter at the source? Take photos to document the evidence. Go to the City of Mobile GIS web site to acquire owner information on the property that is littering our environment. Write, Call, or Visit in person with the store manager to share your disgust of their loose litter. Don't shop at businesses that do not care about the environment. Pace back in forth in front of their business with a sign that says, "'O'Reilly's trashes our environment!" or "Dollar General pollutes our waterway!" That will get their attention. Hehehe. You CAN make a difference!

(11) Above: Header Image is a photo of some of the canoes that were rented for use in the cleanup.

09/15/2011 - Mobile River Oil Spill Containment Failure

2011-09-15T14:25:00.035-05:00

Launch: Shirley's (US Hwy 90 across from battleship USS Alabama)
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Mobile River to look for birds or wildlife that may have been affected by the recent Oil Spill. Mobile River is back open to the public.
Distance: 12.5 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 4-1/2 hours
Weather: Temp about 80 degrees, Winds 0-10 mph out of the west. Mostly sunny. Low tide. Current 0-1 mph. It was a beautiful day out!

Note: It looks like Blogger has implemented a new method for viewing larger images.

(1) Above left: I'm posting a lot of photos today because it was an interesting paddle. Sunrise near the Tensaw River. (2) Above right: Birds and people have something in common - one bird works to get the food and the other birds try to steal it.

(3) Above left: Young heron having breakfast. (4) Above right: Adult heron having breakfast.

(5) Above left: Soon as I rounded Choctaw Pass small sheens of petroleum became visible in Mobile River and this is over 3 miles from the source. Oil was flowing freely down here two weeks ago just like it is today. (6) Above right: Just south of Austal shipyard, an oil boom, coated with oil sat floating in the water while sheens of petroleum emanating from the boom floated freely down stream.

(7) Above left: The black on the rocks is a layer of crude. (8) Above right: Here the petroleum band was narrow. See the crab in this photo? I believe these crabs are normally black and this one showed no sign of distress.

(9) Above left: Grass coated with crude. (10) Above right: This is the ditch where all the oil came from at Gulf Coast Asphalt. Crews with pressure hoses were spraying the crude covered rocks on the shoreline.

(11) Above left: The problem with this oil cleanup operation is there was a gap between the oil boom and the barge (by the big tire), so crude that the crew was freeing up from the spraying, was floating through the gap and down the river. (12) Above right: I don't understand why there wasn't absorbent boom set out in several locations down stream of the oil spill site. Talk about negligent or stupid... Whoever is overseeing the cleanup of the hazardous material needs to be fired! So, I complained to several agencies about the continued release of hazardous materials into Mobile River and Mobile Bay.

(13) Above left: A steam of heavier crude floats down Mobile River next to this barge. (14) Above right: I'm really saddened to be kayaking down my favorite river through crude oil.

(15) Above left: The shoreline didn't look right but there was no sign of oil on any of the birds that I saw and no oil was on the fingers that I dipped into the sand. (16) Above right: Saw a wild pig today. Looks like someone missed what they were aiming at.

(17) Above left: Construction is moving along on the Maritime Museum that has been renamed to "GulfQuest." GulfQuest is scheduled to open in 2012. (18) Above right: The Carnival cruise ships will stop running next month because it is too expensive for them to operate out of Mobile. I'll miss seeing scenes like this.

(19) Above left: As I was headed back to the launch, the sentry guard for the Battleship was on duty. (20) Above right: Back near the launch, I shook my head in disgust watching the billboard sign people toss strap down bands into the water. I seriously doubt they'll be going into the water to retrieve those items. The arrow points to the worker and the circle goes around a piece strapping or bungee cord that he just threw which ended up in the water like half a dozen other items he threw down.

(21) Above left: I always clean the scum off the kayak with nothing but a wet rag before taking it out of the water. Today the scum would not come off because it was crude oil clinging to the hull of the kayak. Had to use a cleaner back at home to remove it. (22) Above right: Header Image of an alligator seen this morning.

09/09/2011 - One Mile Creek

2011-09-09T16:02:00.019-05:00

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.

(1) Above left: 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. (2) Above 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.

(3) Above left: 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. (4) Above right: 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.

(5)(6) Above left and right: 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.

(7) Above left: 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. (8) Above right: 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.

(9) Above: Header Image. 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.

09/08/2011 - Petit Bois Island and Sand Island

2011-09-08T19:37:00.018-05:00

Launch: Bayou Casotte near Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA
Launch Cost: Free
Destination: Petit Bois Island and the island just to the west, Sand Island.
Distance: 25 miles (round trip).
Trip Rating: Difficult due to distance. Dangerous due to Open Water, Big Fetch, Possible strong current, wind and big waves.
Time Paddling: 7-1/2 hours
Weather: Mostly sunny and warm - 70 to 78 degrees. Winds out of the north 10 mph decreasing to 0-5 mph in the afternoon. Crossed at High tide and came back during falling tide. Current 0.5 to 1.5 mph. Waves 1-2 feet.
GPS Track: To view or download the GPS track of this trip, Click Here.

(1) Above left: Sunrise in Bayou Casotte with a tugboat connected to natural gas barges. No smoking in this area! (2) Above right: Ship Honourable Henry Jackman is one of the longest ships I've ever seen measuring 800 feet long. Wow!

(3) Above left: I planned this trip using EarthNC and created a route to stay near the ship channel markers. The route was sent to Google Earth and from there I converted it for upload to the GPS. It is amazing how this ship stays upright. (4) Above right: With a north wind blowing while kayaking south and 1-2 foot waves to surf on, it took about 2-1/2 hours to make the 9-10 mile crossing. This is a navigation platform. Petit Bois Island is on the left, and Sand Island (Mississippi) is on the right. In between the two islands is the Pascagoula Ship Channel aka Horn Island Pass. Saw quite a few dolphin in this area.

(5) Above left: After tropical storm Lee, I expected to see Petit Bois Island littered with tar balls and stunningly, I found none. There was a tar ball removal crew working the islands. (6) Above right: On the south side of islands (sheltered from the north wind), the seas were calm and despite all the recent rain, the water was beautiful looking.

(7) Above left: Saw quite a few Figure 8 jellyfish in the water. (8) Above right: There were even more of them littering the beach.

(9) Above left: I had planned to spend some time exploring Petit Bois Island but the Al-Qaeda flies were seriously out for blood. The persistent little Bleeps ruined the return crossing because there was no wind to keep them away. 3-1/2 hours of swatting flies... (10) Above left: Light puffy clouds formed and they did not seem to move. Navigation markers serve the Pelican community well.

(11) Above left: Speaking of pelicans, this one had what looked like sores on is pouch. (12) Above right: An unknown dark variety of shore bird picks away at a deceased stingray.

(13) Above: Header image - Pelicans on a peninsula of Sand Island.

09/05/2011 - Dog River

2011-09-05T19:08:00.019-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Dog River entrance to Mobile Bay to play in the waves.
Distance: 13 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 4 hours
Weather: Air temperature about 78 degrees, Winds 15 with gusts to 30 mph out of the south and southeast. Mostly cloudy. High tide with a 3 foot storm surge. Current about 0.5 mph. Water temp about 80 degrees.

(1) Above left: Conditions were calm on the sheltered side of Dog River at take off (launch). (2) Above right: Pelicans seemed to be congregating in areas sheltered from the wind. The drenching rains have turned the drought brown grass to the color of spring green.

(3) Above left: The Grand Mariner Restaurant and fuel station. Water levels were 2-4 feet above normal. I smelled petroleum but did not see any petroleum sheens on the water. (4) Above right: Pelicans were relaxing behind The Rivershack Restaurant.

(5)(6) Above left and right: Dog River Fuel and Supply dock - underwater. I don't believe gas pumps and water mix. Yikes.

(7) Above left: Scenic Yacht Basin parking lot was under water. Luckily for the motorcyclist, the water was not that deep. (8) Above right: The end of Tropical Storm Lee and 3 wonderful days of kayaking.

(9) Above left: Header image is a photo of pelicans taking refuge behind The Rivershack Restaurant while a momentary opening in the clouds allowed the sun to shine down.

(10) Above: A 4 minute video to let you better experience my experience. Enjoy.

Note of Caution: Two young kayakers ventured out into Mobile Bay while it was calm between feeder bands today south of Dog River. According to WKRG, the lucky kids, experienced kayakers and lifeguards, were found near midnight after about an 8 hour swim in Mobile Bay, mostly in the dark. One news report said they were not wearing life jackets. Experienced kayakers and lifeguards, not wearing a life jacket while venturing out into the wide open fetch of Mobile Bay while under a Gale Warning? Duh! Praises galore to the Coast Guard and Alabama Marine Police, plus everyone that was involved in the successful search.

I do not advocate kayaking in adverse conditions (small craft advisory, and especially today with a gale force advisory). Even though I kayaked in these conditions today, I stayed close to sheltered waters, have plenty of experience in open water, and was kayaking with a pedal boat which makes all the difference in the world when it comes to moving the kayak through the wind. I would not have gone kayaking in today's conditions with a paddle kayak because strong wind and paddles do not mix well - one gust of strong wind hitting the paddle and over you go. Also, the Adventure kayak is a wide, STABLE kayak, which also makes a big difference in choppy water. Choose your kayaking locations sensibly on windy days. They should have known that tides 4 feet above normal were dropping quickly meaning there would be strong current going against opposing wind which can generate wicked seas, especially when the winds change direction like they were doing with Lee.

Think twice before venturing out into conditions on the water that you are not comfortable with, be it current, wind, waves, temperatures, etc. If in doubt, DON'T! Kayaking is FUN, but, hey, be careful out there! Wear that life jacket, especially in adverse conditions.

09/04/2011 - Dog River

2011-09-04T20:05:00.013-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Mobile Bay to play in the waves.
Distance: 13 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 3-3/4 hours
Weather: Temp about 78 degrees, Winds 0-20 mph out of the east and southeast. Mostly cloudy. Falling tide. Current 0.5 mph. Water temp about 80 degrees. The waters were warm yesterday when I experimented to find out how fast I could paddle a kayak with hands only. (What if I lost my paddle? The result was the ability to maintain 2.5 - 2.7 mph by hand paddling only). Today the waters felt cold. It appears this tropical storm rain convection machine lowered water temperatures about 2 degrees.

(1) Above left: Went to hook up an extension cord and was greeting by a fishing spider. Note the shadows - the sun was shining when I launched. (2) Above right: More magnificant frigatebirds soaring above the river. One dove down and snatched a fish out of the water right in front of me. Didn't realize they were so big. Frigatebirds are more fun to watch than pelicans.

(3) Above left: Not long after I rubbed on a coat of sun screen, the clouds appeared. (4) Above right: The owners of the SuzieQ are going to be surprised when they see their lift failed and their boat has minor damage. This is the only storm damage I saw.

(5) Above left: Out near the widest (1/2 mile wide) part of Dog River near Halls Mill Creek, a squall line appeared on the horizon. The lesson here is it does not take long for wind to churn up the waves. It can from slick water to 1 foot waves in about 60 seconds. (6) Above right: Waves that splashed into the side of the kayak quickly became wind blown spray aimed at the face. This squall had some of that horizontal rain in it, including slap spray. Gnarly!

(7) Above left: Headed down Dog River to the entrance of Mobile Bay expecting to see some big waves only to find almost slick waters. I had to venture out into Mobile Bay about a half mile before finding any waves and they were not very conducive to surfing on. I did managed to surf a few good waves though. One steep wave (none of the waves were over 3 foot tall) drove the nose of the kayak deep into the water almost flipping it end over end. Luckily I leaned out of it and went sideways. Even though Hobie isn't designed to surf waves, it is still fun to try. (8) Above right: A boat with 3 people and 3 dogs near Dog River bridge. Saw several boats out today as conditions were calmer and with less rain than than yesterday.

(8) Above right: Header image is a photo of the wildflower Sweetscent (Pluchea odorata). All the rain has made these pink wildflowers green with happiness.

09/03/2011 - Dog River Tropical Massage

2011-09-03T17:58:00.018-05:00

Launch: Home
Destination: Mobile Bay to play in the waves.
Distance: 19 miles (round trip)
Paddle time: 5 hours
Weather: Temp about 78 degrees, Winds 10-30 mph out of the east. Cloudy. Falling tide. Current negligible. Tropical Storm Lee was starting to make its debut today.

(1) Above left: I wanted to look at area docks to see if home owners took any precautions for strong winds and storm surge and most of them did. There were docks with chairs, like these white ones, dangerously close to being swept away, but the chairs were cabled down. (2) Above right: Before I left this morning, I saw two squall lines that would eventually affect the kayak trip. This was the edge of the first squall. Note the calm waters that I had been paddling in. Alba Club is visible on the left shoreline.

(3) Above left: As the squall passed, I took refuge under the covered boat docks at Alba Club. I know what you're probably thinking, "He's an idiot." I would not have gone on this trip today in a regular paddle kayak. It is easy to pedal the Hobie in the wind and I have plenty of open water experience. (4) Above right: I waited for about 15 minutes for the wind and rain to let up. Beyond Alba Club, the seas were choppier - much different from photo 2. I ended up closing up the umbrella because it was so much easier to control the kayak. The rain actually felt good.

(5) Above left: Up at Dog River bridge, the wave size increased to include some 3 footers. Beyond the bridge east out into Mobile Bay, because of all the nearby bulkheads, the waves were non-uniform and confused, but I was able to move about freely. However, just west of the bridge, the waves were perfect for surfing and boy did I have fun going back and forth at the entrance to Dog River. (6) Above right: On the way back, just before the second squall line hit and the rain came down in blowing sheets, a flock of unusual birds flew overhead. Thought there were Kites because of the tail, but these had curved beaks. I think they were a flock of Magnificent Frigatebirds. Never seen this species of birds before and they to use their wings to dance in the wind. Awesome.

(7) Above left: Due to the heavy rain in the second squall, I pedaled upstream to see if there was a river of trash flowing in Dog River. No trash flowing at all. After all that rain, no current was even visible. How odd. The ground must have been soaking up a lot of water. After seeing trash in people's yards deposited sometime earlier at high tide, it was apparent that I missed the first flush. Roadside ditches that collect litter crap are like a toilet. Once the water gets flowing (flushed), most of the crap disappears down the tube and few care where it goes from there. Out of sight, out of mind. (8) Above right: Even though there wasn't a "river" of trash, litter remains from the first flush were still visible.

(9) Above: Header Image is a photo of a dock. Most of the birds I saw today were content to just sit around and watch the rain and wind. I understand their joy. Being pelted by wind blown rain methodically while hearing wind howl through sail boat masts was like having an open air massage. I feel so relaxed now. Gonna sleep well tonight.