Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXX

Thursday, September 29, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

We are counting down the last few workouts before the Phatwater. Roland and I met at the old Riverdocs parking lot at 5:00 PM under very hot 92 degree sunny skies. There was a northwesterly breeze coming in over a medium pool level and falling. We took off in a hurry to get it over with and blazed down to the Apalachee in 6:48. There was still no activity around any of the restaurants and no gators out to greet us.

We turned and started back into the breeze and against the current, passing the parking lot in 15:10 and on to the Causeway. There were a couple of fishermen hanging around the culvert, where the water was churning and confused. Roland was in his K-1 and had to slow a bit due to the chop. We crossed the bottom of Chacaloochee Bay which was even more choppy and on to the Interstate bridge turnaround. I made the turn in 32:58, with Roland coming in about a minute later.

We turned and hit it hard on the way back. I took the line tight along the Causeway, while Roland ventured out further on a straight line back. When we came back together with about a half mile to go, we were right together. This prompted us to each pick up the pace just a little more and we sprinted the last leg, finishing together in a total 49:49 at 6.0 mph. It was satisfying for both, knowing we were as ready as we were going to be for the race on October 8th.

Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXIX

Tuesday, September 27, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

Following the epic marathon workout on Sunday, I wanted to get out and stretch a little and get in a good tempo workout. At 5:45 PM, the temperature had cooled just a little to about 82 degrees under mostly clear skies and a southeasterly breeze. The water level was low, but still falling. I took off quickly to get warmed up and get a good start with the tide helping push me along a little. I made the Apalachee turn in 6:52, noticing a large gator hanging around near the northside shoreline.

We exchanged pleasantries and I took off westward, looking right into the sun and pulling hard against the current. I passed the parking lot in 15:15 and went for the Causeway. A couple of the regulars were fishing around the culvert as I passed on the way to the bridges. I got a little close to a shallow spot, which slowed me down for a few seconds, but recovered and made it to the turnaround in 33:10.

I wanted to try and make up for my error, but the wind was in my face on the way back, making it difficult to cut any time. I put in a valiant effort, but finished in hardfought 50:12. It was still a good followup to the long paddle on Sunday.

Causeway to Mobile River + Apalachee River

Sunday, September 25, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

This weekend is two weeks out from our Phatwater race on the Mississippi River and our last long hard workout before we start to taper. So, Roland and I were not going to let a little Hurricane Rita residual wind and rain stop us from getting in our workout. We met at 6:00 AM at the boat launch area on the Causeway midpoint where the Interstate crosses over. When we arrived before sunrise, the water level was so high, the parking lot was flooded out to the highway. Instead of trying to park in 1-2 feet of water, we parked on a grass area right next to the highway. The wind was still blowing about 25 mph from the south or southeast and waves were crashing over the seawall on the south side of the highway and spraying over the roadway.

We loaded up and set our kayaks in the water in the parking lot on the north side and paddled out from there to the actual bay heading north to the Interstate bridges. We turned east, heading alongside the Causeway and on to Apalachee River, where we turned and came back past our put in. We added this little side trip to get five more miles and another hour to our overall paddle. On the way over, the sun started to rise in front of us over a low cloudbank above Spanish Fort. It was quite impressive and colorful. We were protected somewhat by paddling along the north side of the Causeway, but it was still difficult, as it took us 59:24 to cover the first five miles. Once back, we continued west between the bridges to Delvan Bay and turned north up the Spanish River, our usual course up to the Mobile River.

With the wind directly behind us, we were able to do a little surfing on the way up, allowing us to pick up the pace a bit, arriving at the Pontoon Saloon pier in 1:55:03, our best time yet to that point. The pontoon boat had not returned following Katrina, so we hung out along the shore. We made the turn on the Mobile River in 2:08:09, again a fast time to that point. As it turned out, this was the last of our fast times.

Once we turned south on the Mobile, the usually reliable downriver current did not materialize, as we headed into a stiff 25 mph wind. We tucked in along the east shoreline to try to stay out of the wind as much as possible, but our speed slowed considerably to a 5.2 mph average. There were a few tugboats running around, but not much traffic, so we had the river pretty much to ourselves. Since we were so close to the shore, we were greeted by tugboat and shipyard workers all along the way. They just shook their heads, incredulous we were out fighting the nasty chop in the river. In the lower part of the river south of downtown, where it narrows, we were slowed even more to a 4.2 mph average. A couple of times, we even had to squint through a driving rain for a few minutes. It actually felt good to get cooled off, so I didn’t complain.

After the terribly slow death march on the Mobile River, we finally reached Choctaw Pass and paddled east to Mobile Bay, and back north towards the Causeway bridge alongside the USS Alabama. The chop increased in size to about 3-4 feet, allowing us the chance to surf some more and pick up our speed a little. Since my boat is a little longer than Roland’s, and able to better surf from peak to peak, I picked up the pace a little and arrived at the bridge a few minutes ahead. While waiting for Roland to catch up, I hung out by a crab trap and decided to see if I could pull it up. It was easier than I though, so when it came up to the surface, I found three nice crabs just waiting to get pulled out. I tried to get Roland to reach in and pull them out, but he refused, asking if I expected him to put them in his cockpit. We, of course, left them and finished up the last twelve minutes of the paddle back to the parking lot. The water had receded a little, but we were still able to paddle across the parking lot, almost back to the cars. Our total paddle time was 4:25:12 over the 22.35 mile course with a speed of only 4.8 mph. We worked much harder than that and are as ready as we will ever be. Now, on to our taper down phase and then the big race in two weeks.

Bay Minette Creek III

Saturday, September 24, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

While Hurricane Rita was bashing Port Arthur, TX, and a few wide rain bands were blowing into our area from the east, I decided to try and sneak in a morning workout. I hoped to at least start while the weather was calm and then if it came while I was out, then I would just get a little wetter and at least cooler than the sweaty wetness I was guaranteed to get.

I arrived at the Bromley Bridge on upper Bay Minette Creek at 7:00 AM and found the water level higher than normal high tide, without any real movement. The temperature was only about 78 degrees under partly cloudy skies with no wind down in the protected valley where the creek runs out to the basin and Blakeley River. The water was clear, cool, mirror-like and very fast.

On the way downstream, after maneuvering through the tight s-turns at the beginning, I picked up speed with mile speeds of 6.0, 6.2 and 6.3 mph to reach my three-mile turnaround in 29:05. After a short water break, I hit it hard on the return with mile speeds of 5.8, 6.0 and 5.8 mph for a total time of 59:40 and overal speed of 6.0 mph.

On the way back at around mile five, I finally ran into a light band of rain, which was a very comfortable cooling agent to get me through to the finish. This is another excellent place to hide from the wind in the open bay and enjoy a completely different eco-system, especially when the mountain laurel is blooming in the late spring.

Byrne's Lake

Thursday, September 22, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

While driving home across the bay after work, I hit a few early rain bands from Hurricane Rita, and decided we should try and find a sheltered place for our afternoon workout. So, Roland and I traveled nine miles up Hwy 225 out of Spanish Fort and turned left down to Byrne's Lake, part of the Baldwin County Parks system. At 5:00 PM, it was overcast, 78 degrees and we missed the rain and wind, while tucked down in the well-protected cypress forest.

With great paddling conditions and spirited competition, we took off upstream at a dead sprint to the first turn and headed back out all the way to the Tensaw River. Roland kept about a ten meter lead the whole way out, as we passed a large houseboat blocking most of the waterway and a couple of fishing boats. He also came up on a large gator crossing in front of him, not too far in from the Tensaw. Our half-way split was right at 21:00.

On the return, I was able to stay a little closer, as we made the gator dip back below the surface again, and on to the finish in 40:57 over the 4.2 mile course, for a 6.15 mph pace. This is a great quiet spot to go when the wind and rain kick up a good chop out in the bay or open delta.

Causeway to Mobile River 2005 VI

Sunday, September 18, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

With the full moon today, the tides were moving very little. Roland and I showed up at the boat launch before 6:00 AM, along the Causeway between Felix's and the Interstate crossover. Both bleary-eyed, we silently put our boats on the water in the dark, pushing off at 6:06 AM. The temperature was around 78 degrees, no wind and clear skies.

Since there was no current to speak of, the only things we were concerned with were staying out of the river channels on the way up and far enough away from the shoreline to try and keep out of too-shallow water. This time Roland was in his plastic rec boat, so he did not have the advantage. To compensate, he drafted right behind me for as long as he could, on the way up Spanish River. We arrived at our first short rest stop in 1:01:36, where the Pontoon Saloon is normally docked. Predictably, it was not there as I assume it was pulled away to a safe location. The small shore out-building was destroyed and resting in the shallow water next to the damaged wooden pier.

We continued up to the electrical line tower at the intersection with the Mobile River. Our split here for 7 miles was 1:17:08. We were glad to get out of the Spanish River, where up to this point we were fighting the upriver current. Once we turned south and downriver, I headed out for the middle to get the most current push. There were a couple of barges coming upriver which we steered clear of as we came up to the highrise bridge in 1:41:19. So, instead of turning average 5.6 mph miles, we enjoyed hitting average 7.o mph miles. We hid in the shade briefly for a Powerbar break, before hitting it hard again down through the busy downtown industrial area.

There were tugs pushing barges around, large tankers and the empty Holiday cruise ship sitting at the Mobile terminal. We passed the oil rig, back in place to be refurbished, which broke loose from it's mooring during Hurricane Katrina and drifted upriver, crashing into the high rise bridge. The damage was apparent where it obviously whacked the bridge pretty hard. With the sun continuing to rise and heat up, we cruised down this part of the river at a good rate, pausing by the Alabama shipyards in the shade of one of their piers. The river narrows considerably here, so the speed even picks up a little more. Our split here was 2:14:10, hitting 7.2 mph.

After reaching Choctaw Pass on our left, we turned east towards Mobile Bay and back north to the Causeway bridge. Our pace slowed considerably down to 5.3 mph, as we were heading back into the Tensaw River current. We stopped for a quick drink in the shade under the bridge, with a split of 2:42:50. This lifted my spirits to see we were going to easily break 3 hours, unless something unforseen happened. The bay was low, and I headed off-course from the channel for a short ways and almost found that unforseen circumstance. But we paddled back to a little deeper water, which picked our pace back up until we reached the Interstate bridges. This was another welcome site, as this is the home stretch, all in the shade. The final sprint brought us back to the parking lot, where we were forced to look at the stark reality of the clean concrete pad, where a gas station sat, until wiped away by the Katrina storm surge. We reached our destination in a great 2:53:11, for an overall paddle pace of 6.0 mph over the 17.26 mile course. This puts us back on our training track for the Phatwater Race, still on for October 8th.

Savage's Ditch to Conway Creek - Full Moon

Saturday, September 17, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

A mixture of new and experienced paddlers totaling 14 boats, including two tandems met at the old Riverdocs parking lot at 5:45 PM. It was a hot, clear late afternoon with a southwesterly breeze and a mid-level pool, which was falling. While we assembled our boats at the launch, several in the group gazed out about 25 meters, to see my good gator buddy waiting to greet us with not only his head, but his arched back above water.

We took off at 5:57 PM, heading north into a pretty good chop, due to the convergence of the breeze coming in behind us, while we paddled into the falling tide. The group immediately spread out, as we had quite a mix of sea kayaks, canoes and short play-around sit on top kayaks. I had Bob Andrews/Juli Day watch the lead, while I hung back to make sure everyone was OK and willing to continue. All was well as we made our way around the point just west of the entrance to Conway Creek and turned northeast to the small opening into Savage's Ditch. The water level was still plenty high and with the Katrina storm surge having cleaned out all of the floating invasive weeds, the ditch was quite clear all the way through. Although alot of the plantlife was browned out due to the storm, it was definately resilient and coming back nicely to green. We noticed several spider lily blooms to reinforce our claim.

About the time we made it out of Savage's Ditch and turned right (south) down Conway Creek, the sun was setting and the moon came up. There is a patch of lotus here, which took a hard hit from Katrina, but was starting to green out as well. As we continued back out into Chacaloochee Bay, the sky darkened up nicely, but we had the moon, downtown lights, Causeway and Bayway lights ahead to guide us home.

Altogether, the loop trip was 5.7 miles, taking us about two hours to complete. All made it back safely and had a positive experience. The scheduled club full moon paddles still remain our most popular and as the temperature drops a little this fall, I expect them to continue to be well attended.

Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXVIII

Saturday, September 17, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

What a difference a day and a half makes. I put in at 6:30 AM with the sun just coming up and still only 78 degrees. The sky was clear with no wind and the water surface like glass. The water was at mid-level again, but the tide was supposed to be rising. It did not seem to be moving much and, in fact, my time supposedly going against the tide to the Apalachee River was 7:31 and on the way back with it, my time was 15:31.

The main thing for me was I was maintaining a 6.0 mph pace overall, which is really what I was looking for. I made the bridges turn in 32:44 and thought I had a good chance to break 50 minutes, which was my post-Hattiesburg layoff goal. So, I pushed the last leg hard at 6.1 mph and was happy to hit the finish line in 49:40, for an overall pace of 6.0 mph. It felt great to know I am back to where I want to be, heading into the race.

Index to Paddle Reports

Each date in the following list is a hypertext link to the referenced trip report. Just click on it, and it will take you to that trip report in this website's archives.

Index to Apalachee-Causeway workouts - September 16, 2005
3rd Annual Dog Paddle - July 24, 2004
Bay Grass - July 16, 2005
Bay Minette Basin - October 24, 2004
Bay Minette Basin - October 27, 2004
Bay Minette Basin - November 28, 2004
Bay Minette Basin to Blakeley River - August 28, 2004
Full Moon Over Bay Minette Basin - May 21, 2005
Bay Minette Basin to Blakeley State Park - June 17, 2004
Bay Minette Basin to Blakeley State Park II - June 20, 2004
Bay Minette Basin to Blakeley State Park - June 19, 2005
Bay Minette Creek - April 17, 2004
Bay Minette Creek - December 26, 2004
Bay Minette Creek - March 13, 2005
Bay Minette Creek - August 7, 2005
Bay Minette Creek II- August 31, 2005
Bay Minette Creek - September 24, 2005
Bay Minette Creek - October 2, 2005
Bay Minette Creek - October 22, 2005
Bay Minette Creek 6 mi. - November 12, 2005
Bay Minette Creek 6 mi. - November 19, 2005
Bay Minette Creek 10 mi. - November 20, 2005
Bayou La Batre Blessing of the Fleet - May 1, 2005
Big Briar Creek - October 29, 2005
Bob Andrews Memorial Adventure Event - December 11, 2004
Boiling Creek in March - March 26, 2005
Boiling Creek in April - April 24, 2004
Boiling Creek in June - June 20a, 2004
Bottle Creek Indian Mounds - September 13, 2003
Bottle Creek Indian Mounds - February 12, 2005
Bottle Creek Indian Mounds - August 6, 2005
Byrne's Lake - June 21, 2004
Byrne's Lake II- August 31, 2004
Byrne's Lake III- September 6, 2004
Byrne's Lake IV- November 20, 2004
Byrne's Lake - October 18, 2003
Byrne's Lake - January 22, 2005
Byrne's Lake - February 20, 2005
Byrne's Lake - September 22, 2005
Byrne's Lake to Gravine Island Full Moon- April 22, 2005
Canal Island Platform - January 16, 2005
Causeway to Mobile River - July 3, 2004
Causeway to Mobile River II - August 1, 2004
Causeway to Mobile River III - August 8, 2004
Causeway to Mobile River IV - August 29, 2004
Causeway to Mobile River V - September 19, 2004
Causeway to Mobile River 2005 I - May 21, 2005
Causeway to Mobile River 2005 II - June 12, 2005
Causeway to Mobile River 2005 III - July 3, 2005
Causeway to Mobile River 2005 IV - July 31, 2005
Causeway to Mobile River 2005 V - August 28, 2005
Causeway to Mobile River 2005 VI - September 18, 2005
Causeway to Mobile River plus Apalachee - September 26, 2004
Causeway to Mobile River plus Apalachee - September 25, 2005
Chacaloochee Bay - September 25, 2004
Cloverleaf Landing - May 16, 2004
Dauphin Island - West End - November 20, 2004
Dauphin Island - Another Perspective - November 20, 2004
Dauphin Island to Ft Morgan - June 12, 2004
Douglas Lake - June 13, 2004
Econfina Creek - February 26, 2005
Econfina Creek - November 5, 2005
Escatawpa River - October 25, 2003
Fairhope to Dog River Double Crossing - July 25, 2004
Fairhope to Dog River Double Crossing II - August 22, 2004
Fairhope to Dog River Double Crossing - August 13, 2005
Fairhope to Dog River Single Crossing - September 12, 2004
Fairhope Yacht Club to I-10 - August 20, 2005
Fairhope Yacht Club to pier - July 4, 2004
Fairhope Yacht Club to Village Point - June 4, 2005
Fish River (upper) - March 14, 2004
Flooded Timber on Tensaw Lake - April 3, 2005
Grand Bay - January 9, 2005
Gravine Island - August 27, 2005
Horn Island - October 30, 2004
Hurricane Creek - May 22, 2005
Juniper Creek - August 7, 2004
Juniper Creek - July 2, 2005
Justins Bay - March 25, 2005
Justins Bay - July 17, 2005
Lake Forest Yacht Club to Battleship Double Crossing - August 30, 2005
Little Bateau Bay Lower Crab Creek - June 27, 2004
Little Bateau Bay to Lower Crab Creek - July 30, 2005
Magnolia River Weeks Bay - November 23, 2003
Magnolia River Weeks Bay - October 17, 2004
Magnolia River - March 27, 2004
Magnolia River - March 12, 2005
McVoys Lake from Cloverleaf Landing - October 23, 2004
Middle Bay Lighthouse - June 15, 2005
Mudhole Creek - December 4, 2004
Ocean Springs Kayak Festival - June 19, 2004
Pelican Island - December 27, 2004
Pelican Island - January 8, 2005
Phatwater Biyak 2005 - October 9, 2005
Phatwater Kayak Challenge - October 9, 2004
Phatwater Kayak Challenge 2005 - October 8, 2005
Rice Creek to Fisher Island platform - July 3, 2004
Rice Creek to Jug Lake (Fisher Island) platform - July 30, 2004
Rice Creek to Jug Lake (Fisher Island) platform - November 6, 2004
Rice Creek to Jug Lake (Fisher Island) platform - March 19, 2005
Robinson Bayou - November 13, 2004
Savage's Ditch to Conway Creek - Full Moon - September 17, 2005
Seven Runs - January 23, 2005
Seven Runs Creek - November 6, 2005
Styx River - May 22, 2004
Styx River (lower end) - November 1, 2003
Suwannee River - July 24, 2005
Whiskey Ditch - May 20, 2004
Whiskey Ditch - September 28, 2004
Whiskey Ditch - October 13, 2004
Whiskey Ditch - October 16, 2004
Whiskey Ditch - October 29, 2004
Whiskey Ditch - February 15, 2005
Whiskey Ditch - October 30, 2005

Index to Apalachee-Causeway workouts

Each date in the following list is a hypertext link to the referenced trip report. Just click on it, and it will take you to that trip report in this website's archives.

Apalachee River to Causeway - July 7, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway II - July 22, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway III - July 29, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway IV - July 31, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway V - August 4, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway VI - August 10, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway VII - August 19, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway VIII - August 21, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway IX - August 24, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway X - August 26, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XI - August 28, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XII - September 2, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XIII - September 4, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XIV - September 8, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XV - September 9, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XVI - September 11, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XVII - September 21, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XVIII - September 23, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XIX - September 30, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XX - October 2, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XXI - October 3, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XXII - October 6, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XXIII - October 21, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XXIV - November 13, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XXV - December 12, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XXVI - December 28, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XXVII - December 29, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway XXVIII - December 30, 2004
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 I - January 2, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 II - January 3, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 III - January 15, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 IV - January 21, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 V - January 30, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 VI - February 4, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 VII - February 7, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 VIII - February 19, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 VIX - February 20, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 X - February 27, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XI - March 13, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XII - March 18, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XIII - March 19, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XIV - March 20, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XV - March 25, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XVI - March 27, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XVII - April 2, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XVIII - April 3, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XIX - April 8, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XX - April 10, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXI - April 12, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXII - April 19, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXIII - April 21, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXIV - April 26, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXV - April 28, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXVI - April 30, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXVII - May 3, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXVIII - May 5, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXIX - May 10, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXX - May 12, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXXI - May 17, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXXII - May 19, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXXIII - May 24, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXXIV - May 26, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXXV - May 31, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXXVI - June 2, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXXVII - June 5, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXXVIII - June 6, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XXXIX - June 8, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XL - June 14, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XLI - June 16, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XLII - June 21, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XLIII - June 28, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XLIV - June 29, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XLV - July 4, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XLVI - July 7, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XLVII - July 9, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XLVIII - July 12, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 XLIX - July 14, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 L - July 17, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LI - July 19, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LII - July 21, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LIII - July 26, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LIV - July 28, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LV - August 5, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LVI - August 10, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LVII - August 11, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LVIII - August 16, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LVIX - August 17, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LX - August 18, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXI - August 21, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXII - August 23, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXIII - August 26, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXIV - September 1, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXV - September 11, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXVI - September 13, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXVII - September 15, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXVIII - September 17, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXIX - September 27, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXX - September 29, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXI - October 1, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXII - October 6, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXIII - October 11, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXIV - October 18, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXV - October 20, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXVI - October 23, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXVII - October 25, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXVIII - October 27, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXIX - October 30, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXX - November 3, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXXI - November 8, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXXII - November 10, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXXIII - November 13, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXXIV - November 15, 2005
Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXXXV - November 17, 2005
Blue Gill to Causeway workout - June 23, 2004
Blue Gill to Causeway workout II - June 26, 2004
Blue Gill to Causeway workout III - June 29, 2004
Blue Gill to Causeway workout IV - June 30, 2004
Pass Picada workout - August 6, 2004

Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXVII

Thursday, September 15, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

This afternoon was my first workout paddle with Roland in two weeks, since I took my little one week hiatus in Hattiesburg last week. We met at 5:00 PM, with the water at mid-level and falling. The sun was still high, the sky clear and it was hot and humid with a southwesterly breeze.

Roland was in his K-1 and I soon found he had either been working out or had not lost anything. He immediately took off and left me in his wake, while we paddled past the closed restaurants. We noticed a new temporary banner hanging from the Cock of the Walk, which apparently will now be the new location for the Original Oyster House. We made the Apalachee River turn in 6:24 and back by the parking lot in 15:38. Roland continued to kick my butt all the way to the Interstate bridges, as I arrived in a slow 34:27.

We took a quick drink and this time I tried to keep up a little better as we split apart and took different angles home. We came back together near the parking lot and about even, finishing together in a slow50:49.

Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXVI

Tuesday, September 13, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

As I drove along the Causeway to my usual launch area, I noticed renovation work is proceeding nicely at both Trader's and Ed's Seafood. They now have new stairways leading up to their dining areas. I would guess it will not be long and they will be open once again.

While I was carrying my kayak down to the low water level, about 50 hermit crabs scurried away backwards in their defensive positions. I reached down for one, who stuck his large claw out to try and grab my finger. When I looked up, I caught a glimpse of the back of a large gar, probably four feet long, as it surfaced about 15 meters out in front of me in Pass Picada.

I put in at around 6:00 PM as the sun was still up, but dropping rapidly, sky clear, 85 degrees and a southwesterly breeze. The water was very low with the tide just starting to rise again. As I passed the empty restaurants, it was evident Bluegills was starting to clean out the gutted shell in preparation of a complete interior buildout. I reached the Apalachee turnaround in 7:02, turned and headed back into the setting sun, passing the parking lot in 15:33. It was a little slower going into the wind along the Causeway and over some shallow areas, as I fought my way to the bridges turnaround in 33:46.

The return trip was easier and I pushed it hard to the finish in 50:31, just as the sun set below the downtown skyline.

Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXV

Sunday, September 11, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

After spending eight incredible and surreal days working in a Hattiesburg, MS Red Cross disaster relief shelter followed by a trip to Atlanta for a nephew's wedding and family reunion, it was great to finally get back home and out on the water once again.

I arrived at the Riverdoc's launch area at 6:00 PM under beautifully clear skies with a light southerly breeze and 85 degrees. The water level was at low tide and just starting to rise as I eased out into Pass Picada. A Kingfisher skimmed the water in front of me, while a White Ibis lazily walked along a tiny island right in front of me.

Drifter's Lounge was open and serving a few die-hard regulars, while the restaurants were all quiet and dark in the post-Katrina cleanup and rebuilding stage. A little further down the pass, a large gator crossed slowly in front of me. As I passed within about fifteen feet of him, he turned and looked warily at me. At the end of the pass, where it enters the Apalachee River, three young fishermen were hanging out and acknowledged my sprint to the turnaround. I reached the turn in 7:55, turned and looked straight into the sun, now just above the horizon. I pulled the bill of my hat down as low as I could and took off again. The gator was still out in the middle of the pass waiting for me and this time as I passed, he appeared to come towards me. For a moment, I thought he was going to follow along behind me like a puppy dog. But, I was too fast and he stopped where he was. I passed the parking lot in 15:11 and continued west.

As I approached the Causeway by the drainage culverts, a couple of vehicles honked as they passed, although I didn't recognize who the drivers were. I pushed on to the Interstate bridges, hitting the turn in 32:34, as the sun settled below the Mobile downtown skyline, leaving just an orange glow. The return paddle felt good as the temperature dropped a few degrees. So, I dug in and sprinted the last half mile, while daylight faded into darkness. I arrived at the launch area in a total of 50:23, which was satisfying to see that I had not really lost any overall speed or endurance following the ten day layoff. Maybe a little time off from training is a good thing now and then.

It was also satisfying to get back out and experience the peace and tranquility of the delta and take a little time to reflect on the significance of the anniversary of this day.

Apalachee River to Causeway 2005 LXIV

Thursday, September 1, 2005 brint.adams@us.army.mil

My first post-Katrina Causeway workout paddle began at 5:30 PM under partly cloudy skies, 88 degrees, a northwesterly wind, medium pool level with the tide running out. Highway officials just opened the Causeway today as they quickly repaired and opened the bridge over Tensaw River. However, none of the restaurants or other businesses were open yet with still no electricity and alot of major cleanup and repair to do.

The one thing I noticed right away was the delta foliage weathered the storm magnificently. It is obvious the delta is designed and well used to routine major flooding, so it was no big deal. Not so for man-made structures. With only a gator watching me, I quickly raced down to the Apalachee in 6:52, and back by the parking lot in 15:27. Once into the open bay, the wind kicked up some chop which slowed me down as I worked along the Causeway on the way to the bridge turnaround in a slow 34:31. The return was faster with the help of the tide and wind, allowing me to finish in a total time of 51:53 and a 5.8 mph pace.