Grand Bay
Sunday, January 9, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil
A group of seven, including Bob, Tony, Gary, Larry, Jim, Julie and I explored around Grand Bay, AL on what turned out to be a pretty great January afternoon. To get there, we took exit 4 on AL I-10 and turned south for two miles to Grand Bay, turned left for 200 meters on Hwy. 90, turned right (south) for 0.5 mi. on Hwy. 188, where Hwy. 188 turned left, we went for about 0.5 mi. more and turned right on Henderson Camp Road. We traveled south for 4.5 mi., the last part through Grand Bay Swamp on dirt and large gravel, until we arrived at the gate to the private boat dock on Grand Bayou. The proprietor let us in, where we parked and put in next to his houseboat for a $3 fee.
The water in Grand Bayou was a dark coffee color, shallow and narrow where we put in. We put in at about 1:45 PM under cloudy skies, 65 degrees and absolutely no wind. Once we exited Grand Bayou, which was about 0.25 mi. long, we looked southwest and paddled out one mi. to Marsh Island. As we started to quickly understand, it was duck hunting season, and there were many blinds set up with hunters actively shooting anything that flew nearby. Along the east end of the western piece of Marsh Island, we saw about 50 ducks sitting on the water. I went over closer to see what kind they were and found many different varieties, all made of plastic. Fortunately, the hunters hiding on the island didn't mistake me for a Merganser, so I escaped back to the rest of the paddle group.
We paddled west about 1.25 mi. toward an unnamed island extending south from Bayou Bubie. As we slowly approached, we were able to get fairly close to a flock of about 100 White Pelicans, with a couple of grays mixed in. We turned north and then west around the island, by paddling from Bayou Bubie into Bull Bay Bayou. We meanered around the bayou until we came to an oyster shell mound with a couple of large oak trees. We got out and looked around for awhile and scoped out the remainder of our paddle.
Once back in the water, we continued south out of Bull Bay Bayou and into Bayou La Fourche Bay. We continued southwest for about 1.5 mi., out to Little Bay Island and to the east end of Long Island. The White Pelicans put on quite a show, as they flew over in formation. We steered clear of Little Bay Island, as we continued to come across more hunters set up in there blinds. At this point, we decided to head straight back, traveling east and northeast past Marsh Island and to Grand Bayou (4 mi.).
The water was like glass the whole trip and very clear out in Grand Bay, as there aren't any tributaries emptying in, which might bring ground runoff or other pollutants into the bay. We arrived back at the put-in at about 4:30 PM, after exploring a very enjoyable 9 miles of Grand Bay.
On a day ....Small Gifts (Bob's Excellent Grand Bay Paddle)
A perspective by Gary Worob
On a day when the wind is perfect,
The sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty.
Today is such a Day.
(Rumi, Love Poems From God)
The wind was perfect for today's paddle....almost non-existent. It was one of those wonderful gift days, when all about you is OK and each paddle stroke is another gift. We glided out from somewhere south of Grand Bay and headed out through the channels. We did not know we would be so gifted, to have an absolute flat, calm day, with perfect paddling temperature and hosts of White Pelicans v-ing their way all around us. Occasionally, they covered a beach area, making it look like white sand from a distance.
The map showed one island in front of us, but it was yet another split island with lots and lots of oyster shells everywhere. We headed off to the west and wove through inlets and oysters beds, and came upon a campable mound with oak trees and good views of more Pelicans, Mergansers and Loons. Not a ripple was in the water. The closest description I have ever heard of this wonderful phenomenon, is "slack tide." The sea unbuckles it's belt after a full day, takes a deep breath and just sits back in the easy chair and reflects and relaxes with the moment. These were my favorite paddling experiences in the Inside Passage in British Columbia, especially with a full moon. You could get lulled to sleep, easily by the gentleness of the ocean. Today was that kind of a day.
I guess the seven of us paddled about eight miles. It wasn't important. What was important, was just to experience a rare gift the sea can give you. Once, when paddling alongside Bob, Brint and Julie, I could see their mirror images in the water. So, today was a day when the wind was perfect and another great paddle.............................thanks.
A group of seven, including Bob, Tony, Gary, Larry, Jim, Julie and I explored around Grand Bay, AL on what turned out to be a pretty great January afternoon. To get there, we took exit 4 on AL I-10 and turned south for two miles to Grand Bay, turned left for 200 meters on Hwy. 90, turned right (south) for 0.5 mi. on Hwy. 188, where Hwy. 188 turned left, we went for about 0.5 mi. more and turned right on Henderson Camp Road. We traveled south for 4.5 mi., the last part through Grand Bay Swamp on dirt and large gravel, until we arrived at the gate to the private boat dock on Grand Bayou. The proprietor let us in, where we parked and put in next to his houseboat for a $3 fee.
The water in Grand Bayou was a dark coffee color, shallow and narrow where we put in. We put in at about 1:45 PM under cloudy skies, 65 degrees and absolutely no wind. Once we exited Grand Bayou, which was about 0.25 mi. long, we looked southwest and paddled out one mi. to Marsh Island. As we started to quickly understand, it was duck hunting season, and there were many blinds set up with hunters actively shooting anything that flew nearby. Along the east end of the western piece of Marsh Island, we saw about 50 ducks sitting on the water. I went over closer to see what kind they were and found many different varieties, all made of plastic. Fortunately, the hunters hiding on the island didn't mistake me for a Merganser, so I escaped back to the rest of the paddle group.
We paddled west about 1.25 mi. toward an unnamed island extending south from Bayou Bubie. As we slowly approached, we were able to get fairly close to a flock of about 100 White Pelicans, with a couple of grays mixed in. We turned north and then west around the island, by paddling from Bayou Bubie into Bull Bay Bayou. We meanered around the bayou until we came to an oyster shell mound with a couple of large oak trees. We got out and looked around for awhile and scoped out the remainder of our paddle.
Once back in the water, we continued south out of Bull Bay Bayou and into Bayou La Fourche Bay. We continued southwest for about 1.5 mi., out to Little Bay Island and to the east end of Long Island. The White Pelicans put on quite a show, as they flew over in formation. We steered clear of Little Bay Island, as we continued to come across more hunters set up in there blinds. At this point, we decided to head straight back, traveling east and northeast past Marsh Island and to Grand Bayou (4 mi.).
The water was like glass the whole trip and very clear out in Grand Bay, as there aren't any tributaries emptying in, which might bring ground runoff or other pollutants into the bay. We arrived back at the put-in at about 4:30 PM, after exploring a very enjoyable 9 miles of Grand Bay.
On a day ....Small Gifts (Bob's Excellent Grand Bay Paddle)
A perspective by Gary Worob
On a day when the wind is perfect,
The sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty.
Today is such a Day.
(Rumi, Love Poems From God)
The wind was perfect for today's paddle....almost non-existent. It was one of those wonderful gift days, when all about you is OK and each paddle stroke is another gift. We glided out from somewhere south of Grand Bay and headed out through the channels. We did not know we would be so gifted, to have an absolute flat, calm day, with perfect paddling temperature and hosts of White Pelicans v-ing their way all around us. Occasionally, they covered a beach area, making it look like white sand from a distance.
The map showed one island in front of us, but it was yet another split island with lots and lots of oyster shells everywhere. We headed off to the west and wove through inlets and oysters beds, and came upon a campable mound with oak trees and good views of more Pelicans, Mergansers and Loons. Not a ripple was in the water. The closest description I have ever heard of this wonderful phenomenon, is "slack tide." The sea unbuckles it's belt after a full day, takes a deep breath and just sits back in the easy chair and reflects and relaxes with the moment. These were my favorite paddling experiences in the Inside Passage in British Columbia, especially with a full moon. You could get lulled to sleep, easily by the gentleness of the ocean. Today was that kind of a day.
I guess the seven of us paddled about eight miles. It wasn't important. What was important, was just to experience a rare gift the sea can give you. Once, when paddling alongside Bob, Brint and Julie, I could see their mirror images in the water. So, today was a day when the wind was perfect and another great paddle.............................thanks.
posted by brint @ 9:08 PM
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