CLUB MEETINGS ARE HELD THE FIRST TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH (Excluding December, January and February) AT THE

5 RIVERS DELTA RESOURCE CENTER (map) AT 7PM. SEE THE POSTS BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS!

To post information to this website or for further information about this website, just ask Tracy at tracy@thelannies.us
Current Club Coordinator: Tracy Lannie
MBCKC would like to express our appreciation to 5 Rivers and it's staff for all they do.

Disclaimer: This site provides general information & links on topics of paddling. Paddlesports can pose serious risks of damage to personal property & serious bodily injury including permanent disability & death. Anyone participanting in any MBCKC event or participating in any event mentioned on this website does so at their own risk and agrees to hold MBCKC harmless from any liability as a result of such participation or use of information contained herein.

Monday, October 31, 2005

!!!IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Julie Robberson reports Teko Wiseman from the Trailblazers called to alert the MBCAKC the Ann & Larry McDuff Trail will be dedicated and opened on Thursday, November 10, 2005 at 1:00 PM, in the yard of a residence at Adams and Main in Daphne. Teko is hoping we will be present as a club, wearing our t-shirts, standing together. She also hopes we will do anything we can think of to contribute to the program and signal our presence -- a banner, a speech, anything.

Julie told Teko we would be sure to discuss this at our next meeting. Please be sure to attend tomorrow nights club meeting, Tuesday November 1st, to to give your input for our club planning and participation for this important event. We want to have a major show of club support for the Nov. 10th dedication, in remembrance of Ann and Larry.
!!!!!!!MEETING REMINDER - NEW LOCATION!!!!!!!

The next meeting of the Mobile Bay Canoe and Kayak Club will be on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 at 7:00 p.m., at Bayside Academy, 303 Dryer Avenue, Daphne, AL 36526, in the Media Center. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month, same time, new place. After the usual club business of reporting on and scheduling upcoming paddles, knot-tying experts Fritz and Caroline will give the following presentation:

Have you ever tied your kayak/canoe to a tree, left for a foot excursion, gotten 1/2 mile away and really wondered if you will be taking a fast swim to catch your kayak/canoe as the wind blows it downstream? Have you ever hit 70 mph on the interstate with your kayak/canoe on top of your car, and wondered if that $75,000.00 Audi behind you was about to get a large bug in the shape of your kayak/canoe into their windshield???

Caroline Boothe and Fritz Ingraham will host a knot tying demonstration. Basic knots to tie lines to your boat, boat to piers, boat to your vehicle. Fritz and Caroline will demonstrate and have a supply of rope for the club members to practice with. Questions? Just ask our KNOTS instructors!

Directions: From either north or south on Hwy 98 in Daphne, turn west to Main St, turn left on Main, go past Guido's to Dryer Ave (before St James Catholic Church). Turn right on Dryer and go straight, past a stop sign, and right where the street makes a sharp left turn, go into the parking lot. The Media Center is right there. We will meet on the outer deck of the Media Center facing the water (inside if inclement weather).

Thursday, October 27, 2005

!!!FLASH PADDLE - BIG BRIAR CREEK!!!

DATE: Saturday, October 29, 2005
TIME: 9:30 AM
PLACE: Byrnes Lake, AL
DIRECTIONS: Meet at Bruno's at Hwy 225 & Hwy 31 in Spanish Fort and caravan to Byrnes Lake or go directly up Hwy 225 for 9 miles and turn left to Byrnes Lake at the big green sign. This is a free county park launch facility.
CONTACT: Brint Adams 251-583-9919
COMMENTS: We will paddle out Byrnes Lake, turn north past the top of Gravine Island over to the connector to Mobile River and then into Big Briar Creek. Bring the usual items for a day trip including lunch and fluids. This will be a moderate length trip of about 10-12 miles. We will explore some small tributaries off of Big Briar out into the middle of the delta.
!!!!FLASH PADDLE - WHISKEY DITCH!!!!

DATE: Sunday, October 30, 2005
TIME: 2:00 PM
PLACE: Old Riverdocs on the Causeway, Spanish Fort, AL
DIRECTIONS: From Mobile, take the Causeway (or I-10 to the mid-bay exit 30 and turn left) and go to the parking lot on the left about 100 meters before reaching Ed's Seafood Shed. From the Eastern Shore, take the Causeway past Ed's about 100 meters and turn into the lot on the right.
CONTACT: Brint Adams - 251-583-9919
COMMENTS: This will be a beginner-friendly easy, slow paddle to legendary and remote Whiskey Ditch in the lower delta. We will look for large stands of burr marigold in autumn full bloom as well as various other flora and fauna as only seen in the "Ditch". Paddle distance will be 4 miles. Bring the usual items for a fall afternoon as well as your favorite beverage to enjoy back in the middle of the delta.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

!!!FLASH PADDLE - BOILING CREEK!!!!

Date: Saturday, October 29, 2005
Time: 9:00 AM Sharp - Shuttle leaves!
Place: Meet at the take out at Hwy 87 by the Yellow River bridge several miles south of the Milton, FL Hwy 87 exit off of I-10 at exit 31.
Contact: Gary Worob 850-259-9337 gworob@yahoo.com
Comments: Bring snack/lunch/water and change of clothes. Trip will be about 4 +or - hours. I will be there regardless. You must have an Eglin AFB Recreation Permit good for 10/1/05 - 9/30/05. No need to call me unless for information. Just show up. Shuttle to follow.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

New Horn Island Trip Report for your reading pleasure

Click here to view Danny Hart's report of his recent trip to Horn Island. It was another interesting and quite eventful outing to this beautiful paddlers overnight outpost. He also has a link to all of the photos documenting their adventure. Enjoy!

Monday, October 17, 2005

Here is a Julie Robberson review of a book on Florida inland paddling


Book Review: A Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to Florida, by Johnny Malloy et al., Menasha Ridge Press, 2005, 309 pages, $16.95, http://www.menasharidge.com/ck_florida_1ed.htm

If you have any interest in exploring Florida's creeks and rivers on your own, you want this book. Now that we have that indisputable fact out of the way, we can talk about what you should and should not expect from this book.

As the author acknowledges near the beginning of the book, writing a book about paddling in Florida is like writing a book about hiking in Alaska. There are too many great paddles in Florida to write about them all. The author necessarily limits his coverage to the "high points" and provides bare-bones, bottom-line information. As such, this book probably would not tell a Florida local or an experienced Florida paddler anything such readers do not already know.

The author does a remarkably good job of detailing a lot of fine paddles, though. The book is divided into ten parts, with each part covering a region of Florida. Each part describes and provides a simple map for six to ten paddles. Each paddle description includes a narrative, a river classification, the physical length, an estimate of the time to paddle, the availability of river gauges, water levels, the water gradient, the name of the relevant USGS map(s), and a rating of the scenery (including summaries of riverside development and river traffic).

This one-volume book replaces and updates the two-volume book formerly known as A Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to the Streams of Florida. The older title is more informative. In other words, you should be aware that this book does not cover any open-water paddling, just creeks and rivers. So, this book does not cover any of our club's favorite paddles in the Gulf, bays, and backwaters in the panhandle and Big Bend areas of Florida (Cape San Blas, St. Vincent Wildlife Refuge, Cedar Key, etc.) or anywhere else in Florida.

The author provides no GPS coordinates and no sources of free, public information and maps other than a list of Florida paddling clubs at the end of the book. A lot of very good, free maps and guides are available from chambers of commerce, county extension agencies, military installations (particularly Eglin Air Force Base), etc. It annoys me that the author references the existence of various agency-run trail systems (such as the "Apalachicola Wildlife & Environmental Area Paddle and Trail System" and the "Florida Canoe Trail"), with little or no explanation of what these trails are or how to get maps of them from which agencies. The author's decision in this regard could be justified by the fact that such information can change quickly, but then why does he include a list of commercial outfitters, whose information changes just as quickly?

The book is impressively current. It even mentions the impact of Hurricane Ivan on some waterways. So get it while it's hot; it's worth the $16.95 if you plan to explore Florida's inland waters.

(reviewed by Julie Robberson)

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Fall Paddle & Potluck Dinner

Date: Saturday, November 12, 2005
Time: Paddle: 2:00 PM, Dinner: 6:00 PM
Place: Fowl River, Mobile, AL
Contact: Marilyn Craig - Home 973-0129, Cell 605-6453
Comments: Marilyn Craig has graciously agreed to host our Fall Club Party at her house on Fowl River just down from the marina. She has a good put-in and plenty of parking space.

Marilyn is fixing chili for us, so call her to let her know how many are coming and to find out what we will all need to bring for "potluck" to round out the meal.

Directions to Marilyn's house will be sent to club members via e-mail. If you would like directions to Marilyn's house, please e-mail Brint at brint.adams@us.army.mil.

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

October Club Calendar

Phatwater Kayak Challenge
Date: Saturday, October 8, 2005
Time: 8:00 AM
Place: Under the Hill Tavern, Natchez, MS
Comments: Visit the race website here for more information.

Econfina, etc.
Date: October 14-16, 2005
Time: Noon Friday
Place: Econfina Creek, north of Panama City, FL
Contact: Rhonda 251-937-7176
Comments: Click here for more information.

Full Moon Paddle
Date: Sunday, October 16, 2005
Time: 5:30 PM
Place: Upper Bryants Landing to Dead Lake Island platforms, Stockton, AL
Contact: Bob Andrews 251-367-4144
Comments: This will be another legendary potluck dinner on the platforms, so bring the good stuff! The paddle will be relatively short, about 6 mi. roundtrip. Bring flashlight for return after dark. For the directionally challenged, Bob will first meet at the Stagecoach Inn in Stockton at 5:00 PM and caravan to Upper Bryant. Stockton is about 4 miles north of I-65 exit 31 on Hwy 225.

Ladies Only Paddle
Date: Friday, October 21, 2005
Time: 5:oo PM
Place: Fairhope Yacht Club, Fairhope, AL
Contact: Caroline Boothe 251-928-1107
Comments: An easy, short paddle suitable for beginners

Dog River Cleanup
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2005
Time: 8:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Place: Luscher Park (Navco Park), Mobile, AL
Contact: To sign up, call Valerie Blankenship 251-472-8383
Comments: Boaters needed!
· Cruise the river and remove litter from the water.
· Need helpers in your boat? Volunteers are available.
· Boat launch and dock available.
· All types of boats needed.
· Paddle a canoe. Canoes available to loan.
Non-boaters:
· Pick up litter along a shoreline.
· Volunteer to ride with a boater.

Seven Runs Creek
Date: Friday, October 28, 2005
Time: AM
Place: north of Panama City, FL
Contact: Bob Andrews 251-367-4144
Comments: Call Bob or click here for more details for this paddle and for the remainder of the weekend activities paddling and camping with the West Florida Canoe and Kayak Club

Econfina Creek
Dates: Friday, Nov. 4 - Monday, Nov. 7, 2005
Time: Open for us at 2:00 PM on Friday and check-out by 10:00 AM on Monday
Place: Blue Spring Campground, North West Florida Water Management District
Directions from Mobile: Go east on I-10 to Hwy 81 in Florida, about 2 hours. Go south to Hwy 20 at Bruce and turn left (East). Go past Hwy 79 and a few miles past Hwy 77, you will come to Econfina Creek and there will be Pitt Springs on your left. Continue a short distance (maybe a mile) and Blue Springs Rd. North will be on your left. DO NOT GO RIGHT ON BLUE SPRINGS SOUTH. Take a left on Blue Springs Rd. North and go about a mile. Ignore the private signs and drive carefully as the road winds alot. ON YOUR LEFT will be two gates. The second gate is for us. The lock combination is 9337.
What to bring: bring your own food, water and please bring firewood. Saturday night will be a potluck dinner. NWFMWD does not want to “SEE” alcoholic beverages, so be discrete. Bring your own tent or van camp. We are not supposed to bring rv’s. This site will hold 25 campers and no limit on paddlers. We will be camped near our own set of springs. Tom and I will be setting up a sweat lodge for the big feast/celebration on Saturday. Bring musical instruments. Bring your canoes & kayaks. Bring wet suits and snorkeling gear, if you plan to explore the springs the closeup way.
Contacts & phone numbers: Gary Worob: gworob@yahoo.com or 850-259-9337 cell, Bob Andrews: 251-367-4144

Our October club meeting was held at a new location, on the outside deck of the Multi-Purpose Building at Bayside Academy, Daphne, AL. Thank you Juli Day for arranging this and our future meetings at this beautiful location. About twenty people enjoyed Bob Andrew's slide presentation following Fran Morley, who spoke about the upcoming events at this year's Alabama Coastal Birdfest to be held the weekend of October 21-23.

NOTE: For more information about Birdfest, click here. If you would like to contact Fran about volunteering as a tour host or to help out manning a booth with Fairhope Boat Company, you may contact Fran by email: franmorley@mac.com or phone: 251-928-0987.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

!!!!!!!MEETING REMINDER - NEW LOCATION!!!!!!!

The next meeting of the Mobile Bay Canoe and Kayak Club will be on Tuesday, October 4, 2005 at 7:00 p.m., at Bayside Academy, 303 Dryer Avenue, Daphne, AL 36526, in the Media Center. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month, same time, new place. After the usual club business of reporting on and scheduling upcoming paddles, Bob Andrews will show a slide presention of a past paddle adventure.

Directions: From either north or south on Hwy 98 in Daphne, turn west to Main St, turn left on Main, go past Guido's to Dryer Ave (before St James Catholic Church). Turn right on Dryer and go straight, past a stop sign, and right where the street makes a sharp left turn, go into the parking lot. The Media Center is right there. We will meet on the outer deck of the Media Center facing the water (inside if inclement weather).

Monday, October 03, 2005

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE RECREATION PERMIT

It is now October and time to renew your recreation permit to paddle the fabulous creeks on base. The permits are still $7.00 and good for the time period of October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006. For all the details on what you need to submit and where to mail your application, please click here and page down to: "How to get a permit to paddle Boiling Creek".

Sunday, October 02, 2005

!!!!!FLASH PADDLE TODAY - HURRICANE LANDING!!!!!

Date: October 2, 2005
Time: 4:00 PM
Place: Hurricane Landing, AL
Contact: Bob Andrews 251-367-4144
Directions: From Bruno's in Spanish Fort at Hwy 31, go north on Hwy 225 for 12.2 miles to the 4-way stop sign, turn left on CR 82, when you get to a Y, go straight or right and on to Hurricane Landing. There is a $3 put-in fee.
Comments: This will be an easy afternoon paddle of approx. 5 miles, suitable for beginners. For those interested, some will meet afterwards for dinner on the Causeway, probably at Beach House Grill.