Whiskey Ditch - Full Moon
Saturday, March 11, 2006 brint.adams@us.army.mil
The wind was strong all day today, but fortunately began to slow by late afternoon. At 5:00 PM, eight paddlers, seven with solo kayaks plus Gary in his canoe, showed up to test the waters. On the plus side, the water level was high with the tide still rising, so the effects of the southeasterly breeze were minimized. The temperature was a very comfortable 72 degrees, absolutely perfect.
We took off at a leisurely pace eastward down Pass Picada, past the already full restaurants, to the Apalachee River. The wind easily pushed us upriver to the entrance to Whiskey Ditch. Once we made the turn, the narrow waterway calmed down to still, flat water. We were still a little early to see any spring flowers, but found the delta and it's grasses, plants and trees in pretty good shape, making a quick recovery from Katrina. With the water level up and over the defined banks of the waterway, the ditch looked quite different, but easy to paddle.
We made our way back to the little lake, where George promptly exited his kayak and proceeded to climb a cedar tree, guarding it's entrance. We hung out for awhile, watching the moon pop in and out from behind the mostly cloudy sky, before heading back. The wind had calmed even more once we came out into the Apalachee again, making it easier to get back to the Pass. It is always fun to finish up a paddle in darkness, passing by the bright lights and bustle of outdoor restaurants. The total trip was 5 miles and took us about two hours.
The wind was strong all day today, but fortunately began to slow by late afternoon. At 5:00 PM, eight paddlers, seven with solo kayaks plus Gary in his canoe, showed up to test the waters. On the plus side, the water level was high with the tide still rising, so the effects of the southeasterly breeze were minimized. The temperature was a very comfortable 72 degrees, absolutely perfect.
We took off at a leisurely pace eastward down Pass Picada, past the already full restaurants, to the Apalachee River. The wind easily pushed us upriver to the entrance to Whiskey Ditch. Once we made the turn, the narrow waterway calmed down to still, flat water. We were still a little early to see any spring flowers, but found the delta and it's grasses, plants and trees in pretty good shape, making a quick recovery from Katrina. With the water level up and over the defined banks of the waterway, the ditch looked quite different, but easy to paddle.
We made our way back to the little lake, where George promptly exited his kayak and proceeded to climb a cedar tree, guarding it's entrance. We hung out for awhile, watching the moon pop in and out from behind the mostly cloudy sky, before heading back. The wind had calmed even more once we came out into the Apalachee again, making it easier to get back to the Pass. It is always fun to finish up a paddle in darkness, passing by the bright lights and bustle of outdoor restaurants. The total trip was 5 miles and took us about two hours.
posted by brint @ 9:48 PM
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