Paddle Launch Update

A sudden thunderstorm forced a scrub of last Friday’s scheduled Sunset Paddle with BREC Outdoor Adventure, so we figured we’d post a quick update of the Bayou Fountain paddle launch at Highland Road Park.  (Spoiler alert: Soon!)

Progress continues to be swift at the paddle launch construction site (located at the far southeast corner of Highland Road Park).  It certainly looks like there’s going to be a boat drop-off/pick-up driveway right from the start.

The launch stairs are now filled in, and the slide rails were beckoning.  The stair-style launch is designed to give excellent footing regardless of the water level or quantity of mud, which should be music to the ears of anyone who has pulled a boat back up the bank.  With carpeted slide rails, you don’t even have to bend down.

With the launch stairs and slide rails in place, it looks like now we get to watch as an upper deck takes shape.  If we thought it looked like a fantastic launch design before, we’re really liking the look, now.  (I wonder if there’s going to be a bench or rail to make signing waivers convenient, too.)

And of course, here’s how it looked Saturday from a paddler’s-eye view out on Bayou Fountain.  It was so tempting to want to give the launch a little test, but it’s not quite ready yet.  We can hardly wait for the construction to finish and the fence to come down.  (We were chatting Friday with some BREC folk about planning a “Paddle Launch Day” to start things off big enough.  Stay tuned, naturally.)

So, there you have it, just a quick show-and-tell of the paddle launch construction progress for those of you who haven’t been out to gawk and smile in person.  We’ll be heading back out on the bayou this weekend to do some more paddle trail maintenance.  We want everything to be ship shape when the launch sees its first boat.  If you’d like to come lend a hand, just show up  with your own boat or let us know if you want to ride along in one of ours.  Or, if manual labor isn’t your thing, just get ready to enjoy our first official paddle launch.  It shouldn’t be long now.