Bayou Fountain — March 28, 2015

After last week’s arduous trip down the bayou, this week was light as a feather.

We didn’t know exactly what to expect this time around, but we knew there were some leftovers from last week.  Conditions have been very good of late, so other than the relatively little work we left behind from our unexpectedly hard day, it should have been an easy day.  As it turned out, indeed it was.  That’s not to say that there wasn’t quite a bit of sawing and otherwise dismantling large branches, but we did get *most* of them last week.

Paddling down the bayou, it was quite clear that spring has arrived.  The leaves are coming out, gradually building up more shade as the weather warms.  (Quite convenient, that.)  The fish are starting to jump more.  The turtles are *everywhere* again (although you’ll need a long lens to catch them as they run away — turtles are fast!).  And for all the reptile aficionados out there, the snakes (mostly very laid-back banded water snakes) are posing for your photographical pleasure.

Of course, some people don’t particularly care for reptile friends, but the bayou’s got plenty of cute, fuzzy animals for you, too.  Paddling down Bayou Fountain, we came across our first ducklings of the season.

How can you argue with being out on the bayou on a day with perfect weather, excellent water conditions, and ducklings?  Okay, having an easier paddle launch would be nice, too — it’s ever so slowly getting nearer.  Even with the difficult launch, there were people out there.  One group of seven people in two kayaks and a pair of canoes crossed paths multiple times as we leapfrogged back upstream.  (I think they would have preferred to have a second paddle launch downstream, too, so they wouldn’t have to return to the park, but they went the full distance.)

So, spring is springing, and the paddling is great.  Now’s a great time to get out there.  Also, coming up after Easter weekend, PaddleBR will be at the evening meeting of the Louisiana Hiking Club on April 9th (7pm, Bluebonnet library) giving a presentation about our work on Bayou Fountain (and whatever else comes up).  Then on April 19th, we’ll have a tent/table at the Louisiana Earth Day festivities in downtown Baton Rouge (noon to 5pm).  We should have some fun paddling events coming up as well, so stay tuned.