Kayak Canoe Alabama

Saturday, September 24, 2005

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.

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