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Day 45(about as good as it gets)

1/19/2010

13 Comments

 
Daily stats
Start: 6:15 AM- Dauphin Island AL
Finish: 2:00 PM - Perdido Cut AL
Time: 7:45
Daily dist: 35 miles
Total dist: 1,337 miles
Companions: None
Weather: Absolutely flat calm almost all daywith temps in the upper 60's
Notes: The nicest day of paddling so far on this trip, actually one of the nicest days I’ve ever spent paddling.
All day long I kept retracing my steps over the last week to make sure that it was indeed just eight days ago when I had to thaw my tent poles with my cook stove in order to get them apart, because today was absolutely gorgeous. Sorry for everyone who had to work, it was about as good as it gets out on the water today and I was thinking about you. Everything came together right today, the water was glassy smooth and my paddling cadence seemed to match the roll of the ocean in such a way that the kayak almost seemed to levitate above the water. It was paddling zen.
Picture
A calm start to a great day
Of course with a day so sublime I don’t really have that much to report. Early this morning, just after crossing the entrance to Mobile bay, I did see literally thousands of Cormorants flying east in long single file rows. At first the flocks came through in trickles of 50 or so birds. Then it was like someone opened a faucet wide open and the birds came in continuous rows at least a half mile long. At the end of the day I also had a little adventure finding a spot to camp. The beach I had spotted on Google Maps turned out to be situated directly under the nose of two multi story beach condos.  So after a 32 mile day I was without a place to call home for the night. Thankfully just inside Perdido pass I discovered a small island in the middle of the bay. It's dry land but not by much yet a very nice spot to camp.  Tonight the island is playing host to the usual number of Great Blue Herons and one kayaker.
13 Comments
dad
1/19/2010 12:29:01 pm

Hi Jake,
Glad to hear another great day.Weather here is good for January, in the low 30's and high 20"s.Fish not biting.
Love ya ,
Dad

Reply
Ray M
1/19/2010 02:07:33 pm

Just happened upon your blog by chance...I did a google search of "lucky son of a gun" ....and your blog popped up!!
Being serious, I live here in the Seattle area and I was checking out Werner Paddles website and they have a link to your blog. Looking forward to reading more on your adventure.
I got a good laugh about you thinking Mississippi would be warmer....I went to school there. Consider yourself lucky it wasn't warmer...you might have been eaten alive by the mosquitos!!

All the best,

Ray

Reply
Jan Kleck
1/19/2010 09:38:57 pm

The sublime days are the days we love to hear about. And the pictures? Sublime. And the birds? I ask you - how many people get a chance to sleep with multiple Great Blue Herons? Paddle on peacefully!

Reply
John Cronin
1/19/2010 09:50:27 pm

Jake, that is my kind of paddling. Wish I was down there with you. Enjoy the warmth.

Reply
Tootie
1/19/2010 11:11:31 pm

Hi Jake

So glad to hear you are having such nice weather now. Sounds like you are having a great time and making a lot of new friends. Your pictures are awesome, too. Take care and have a good day.

Reply
toni Roth link
1/19/2010 11:27:05 pm

I just checked your SPOT! It says you are crossing the border - Welcome to Florida. :) I truly hope the sunshine state offers some wonderful companions and hospitality. I know I would like to be one of them. Well - one to offer the hospitality anyway. Don't have much skill in the paddling area.

See you sometime soon! :D

~toni

Reply
Andy
1/19/2010 11:37:01 pm

Glad you are into some calmer waters. Watch out for those herons though - they're cute but they'll bite your fingers clean off.

Happy paddling

Reply
Victor Sorensen
1/20/2010 04:49:16 am

Hope you have a great trip around Florida, looking forward to seeing you in the Mid Atlantic!

Reply
Mike Gallagher
1/20/2010 06:58:35 am

Glad to hear that the only blues you are carrying are the blue around you. Say goodby to Vicksburg and the Cape and hello to creation.

Mike

Reply
Cousin Alice
1/20/2010 07:18:19 am

Hi Jake!
Glad to hear things are going so smoothly for you now (pun intended)!! It was a warm 26 here today...... so nice to think of you in warmer weather!
ALice

Reply
lyn stachovak
1/20/2010 07:37:58 am

Hi Jake, I just checked the weather channel.com and it looks like you're in for some rough weather? Hope you have a nice warm, dry and protected place to wait out the storm. Like Alice said, it was a "warm" 26 here today.

Reply
Larry
1/20/2010 08:40:35 am

Jake, The Zen of paddling is really one of the things I enjoy most...when man, machine and nature kind of come together. Enjoy!

Reply
Walk
1/20/2010 08:40:11 pm

Hi Jake,
Welcome to Florida. I'm a kayaking wanabe and friend of Martha in Memphis. (She turned me on to your blog)

I had hoped to be in touch with you before you got to Pensacola so I could offer assistance or buy you a burger or oysters at one of our great beach bars/restaurants that one can paddle up to.

The weather is expected to improve; enjoy Florida.

Walk
walkj4@yahoo.com

Reply



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