7-17-05 A Little Surfing
I left Mike's House on Bailey's Creek about 3pm. The creek was absolutely calm.
I approached the bridge, hoping to see my little gator bud but again he was nowhere to be seen.
As I approached the mouth of the creek and entered into the bay
I realized that it was a little bit windier and that the Bay water was a little choppier than I expected.
I considered just hanging around the creek today and just staying in the calm waters there, but after a few minutes I decided that my adventure for today lay out in the rough waters. With that decision made I paddled my little 13 foot Old Town Kayak out into the Mobile Bay.
I turned North, heading again for Great Point Clear and the Grand Hotel. I had about a 7-10 knot wind behind me coming out of the south, which caused some 1 to 2 foot waves moving with me to the North.This was my adventure for the day.
I found myself surfing on the waves as they approached from my stern (backside). Each time I caught a good wave I let out a good old South Alabama "yeeee-ha!'. (I'm sure the Pelicans thought I was nuts....perhaps I was!
Anyway, I made it almost to the Grand in record time, which caused me to realize suddenly, that the very cause of me making it the 2 miles to the Grand so quickly, (the wind and the waves), might just be my downfall going back home. So I turned around and started the long trek home. Talk about a workout....WOW! I really couldn't let up because everytime I stopped paddling to rest, my kayak immediately headed back North.
About half-way back to Bailey's Creek I heard a motor coming up behind me. I thought it was a motor boat but as I turned around I saw a vintage Navy Bi-plane flying over the bay at about 200-300 feet above the water. The plane flew right over me and as I waved to him with my paddle....He waved right back to me by rocking his wings as he flew right over me....too cool.
I finally reached Bailey's Creek after about an hours hard paddle. I was beat. As I left the chop of the bay and entered into the slow moving waters of the creek, I propped my feet up on the deck of the kayak to rest and just let it ease into the creek, nice and smooth. As I rested my arms from the run through the waves and the kayak slowly and quietly made its way up the creek I thought to myself,"I am truly blessed to have had this experience."
As my paddling friend, Rob Nykvist, said to me today,"...almost every trip I go on turns into an adventure." I believe he is right.
I am looking forward to more adventures to come. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
I approached the bridge, hoping to see my little gator bud but again he was nowhere to be seen.
As I approached the mouth of the creek and entered into the bay
I realized that it was a little bit windier and that the Bay water was a little choppier than I expected.
I considered just hanging around the creek today and just staying in the calm waters there, but after a few minutes I decided that my adventure for today lay out in the rough waters. With that decision made I paddled my little 13 foot Old Town Kayak out into the Mobile Bay.
I turned North, heading again for Great Point Clear and the Grand Hotel. I had about a 7-10 knot wind behind me coming out of the south, which caused some 1 to 2 foot waves moving with me to the North.This was my adventure for the day.
I found myself surfing on the waves as they approached from my stern (backside). Each time I caught a good wave I let out a good old South Alabama "yeeee-ha!'. (I'm sure the Pelicans thought I was nuts....perhaps I was!
Anyway, I made it almost to the Grand in record time, which caused me to realize suddenly, that the very cause of me making it the 2 miles to the Grand so quickly, (the wind and the waves), might just be my downfall going back home. So I turned around and started the long trek home. Talk about a workout....WOW! I really couldn't let up because everytime I stopped paddling to rest, my kayak immediately headed back North.
About half-way back to Bailey's Creek I heard a motor coming up behind me. I thought it was a motor boat but as I turned around I saw a vintage Navy Bi-plane flying over the bay at about 200-300 feet above the water. The plane flew right over me and as I waved to him with my paddle....He waved right back to me by rocking his wings as he flew right over me....too cool.
I finally reached Bailey's Creek after about an hours hard paddle. I was beat. As I left the chop of the bay and entered into the slow moving waters of the creek, I propped my feet up on the deck of the kayak to rest and just let it ease into the creek, nice and smooth. As I rested my arms from the run through the waves and the kayak slowly and quietly made its way up the creek I thought to myself,"I am truly blessed to have had this experience."
As my paddling friend, Rob Nykvist, said to me today,"...almost every trip I go on turns into an adventure." I believe he is right.
I am looking forward to more adventures to come. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
posted by Gregory Brown at 10:44 PM
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