Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XV
Friday, March 25, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil
I was able to take advantage of my company giving us a holiday today, by paddling this morning under ideal conditions. At 7:00 AM, the temperature was 62 degrees with only a slight breeze under partly cloudy skies. The tide was still going out, but almost bottomed out.
I started out heading east over almost glass-like water with a slight following current. I made the turn at the Apalachee in 7:13 and back by the parking lot in 15:20. With the water level very low, I had to try and stay away from the shallow flats in order to keep up my pace. As I passed close by the Causeway, I heard a car honking as it passed by, and later found out it was Juli Day. I made the turn under the Interstate bridges in 33:31.
My return was fairly quick, as I turned in a total time of 50:44, best so far this spring. As I approached the parking lot on the return, there were about 150 Coot on the water. As I came straight towards them, they started their flight by almost walking on water, but were so lazy they only moved about 100 meters before settling back on the water.
After putting my boat on the car and starting home, I passed by Meaher State Park and decided to stop in and see what the course would be like for tonight's moonlight paddle. I put in at the boat ramp on the east end of the park, which opens into the Blakeley River. I turned north, passing under the Causeway bridge and continued north along the western bank for another half mile. After passing a few houses and a landfill area, I turned left, west into Sardine Pass and took the first right into a cut opening into Justins Bay. After looking around for a few minutes, I returned to get back home before Linda got too worried, since she was not expecting me to be paddling the extra hour. The distance was about 1.75 miles each way.
I was able to take advantage of my company giving us a holiday today, by paddling this morning under ideal conditions. At 7:00 AM, the temperature was 62 degrees with only a slight breeze under partly cloudy skies. The tide was still going out, but almost bottomed out.
I started out heading east over almost glass-like water with a slight following current. I made the turn at the Apalachee in 7:13 and back by the parking lot in 15:20. With the water level very low, I had to try and stay away from the shallow flats in order to keep up my pace. As I passed close by the Causeway, I heard a car honking as it passed by, and later found out it was Juli Day. I made the turn under the Interstate bridges in 33:31.
My return was fairly quick, as I turned in a total time of 50:44, best so far this spring. As I approached the parking lot on the return, there were about 150 Coot on the water. As I came straight towards them, they started their flight by almost walking on water, but were so lazy they only moved about 100 meters before settling back on the water.
After putting my boat on the car and starting home, I passed by Meaher State Park and decided to stop in and see what the course would be like for tonight's moonlight paddle. I put in at the boat ramp on the east end of the park, which opens into the Blakeley River. I turned north, passing under the Causeway bridge and continued north along the western bank for another half mile. After passing a few houses and a landfill area, I turned left, west into Sardine Pass and took the first right into a cut opening into Justins Bay. After looking around for a few minutes, I returned to get back home before Linda got too worried, since she was not expecting me to be paddling the extra hour. The distance was about 1.75 miles each way.
posted by brint @ 11:03 AM
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