Project Clearwater — Expedition Eighteen
Project Clearwater — Expedition Eighteen
With thunderstorms coming up in the forecast, we set out to get some more of the low-water work done before the bayou jumped back up from 5-1/2 feet below the bridge. Turns out, the day had a few surprises in store. Read more…
Project Clearwater
Expedition Eighteen [upcoming]
We have one known downed tree to hit. If the water’s low enough, we’ll start working some of the shallows and embedded bits. Otherwise, it’s just more of the same, only with a lot more relaxing paddling and a lot less hard labor. At 4-1/2 feet below bridge level, it’s practically just a recreational paddle already, and the shade from the new foliage on the trees is starting to be welcome.
We’ll also continue hitting some of the litter. We’ve been pulling some of the larger things (chairs, 20# CO2 bottles, queso fresco buckets) every trip so they won’t take up room during the upcoming litter run, but there’s always room to collect a bit more.
Project Clearwater — Expedition Seventeen
Project Clearwater — Expedition Seventeen
After many Saturdays of hard work on Bayou Fountain, our schedule had us back out on the bayou on a Sunday. In another first-in-a-while happening, we made it back to Highland Road Park with hours of sunlight to spare. Perhaps the bayou’s getting better after all. Read more…
Project Clearwater
Expedition Seventeen [upcoming]
For the first time since November, it’s a SUNDAY trip out on the bayou. (We have a commitment on Saturday, but we wouldn’t want to get in the habit of skipping weeks or anything, at least not quite yet.) So, Sunday, March 30th, with the usual plan of launching from Highland Road Park at 8am. If the water is again low, we’ll be doing hard labor at at least two known spots (and any unknown ones) to clear downed tree trunks. If the water’s too high to get to those, we’ll “settle” for working what we can and making a dent in the litter situation.
If the weather is anything like it’s been lately, it should be a great spring day out there. One would be unwise to forget the mosquito repellant, however, as we learned last time at our great peril… or at least significant annoyance.
Project Clearwater — Expedition Sixteen
Project Clearwater — Expedition Sixteen
After weeks of some of the highest water we’ve seen, it was about time for us to have some low water again. We knew going in that we’d hit more wood with the bayou down, and it certainly did not disappoint.
Project Clearwater
Expedition Sixteen [upcoming]
We’ll be launching from Highland Road Park at 8am to continue our game of Chase the Flotsam. There are at least a couple confirmed submerged potential blockages, so we’ll be tackling those along the way. There is plenty of litter access, and if anyone would like to concentrate on that, we’ll gladly tow an extra canoe to give a convenient place to offload. (It’s much easier to collect litter when you have somewhere to put the full bags, especially if you’re in a kayak.)
If you simply want to try out paddling on the bayou, you should have little problem going all four miles from Highland Road Park to Bayou Manchac, although it’s not quite pristine as of yet. The launch/recovery point at Highland Road Park is a bit difficult with the water being low again, but it’s manageable.
Project Clearwater — Expedition Fifteen
Project Clearwater — Expedition Fifteen
With Mike out having fun at CampFest, it was sure to be an interesting day on the bayou. There was plenty of rain in the forecast, but with luck, it would hold off long enough for a good day’s work. Read more…
Project Clearwater
Expedition Fifteen [upcoming]
We think zombie blockage #11 should be better for a bit, although the next big rain may redistribute it again. (We wouldn’t be surprised if it eventually falls apart completely and all but disappears downstream.) That leaves just the last legs of the Chase the Flotsam marathon. We’ll start at Highland Road Park at 8am on Saturday, and we’ll just continue to hit anything we come upon all the way down the bayou (hopefully to Bayou Manchac, but we’re concentrating on being thorough now instead of just getting through).
One of our regulars is out this weekend having fun at CampFest with the Louisiana Hiking Club, but with Daylight Saving Time finally here, there’s an hour more sunlight to work with. Does that count as a win-win, then? Now, if we can just avoid the big thorns and the hairy vines, it should be a perfect day to work on the bayou.
Project Clearwater — Expedition Fourteen
Project Clearwater — Expedition Fourteen
After making it through to Bayou Manchac last time, getting back there wasn’t our primary task this time. Instead, we would focus on getting everything moving on down the bayou. Read more…
Project Clearwater
Expedition Fourteen [upcoming]
Bayou Fountain is now “passable” between Highland Road Park and Bayou Manchac, but we still have work to do before we can call it “clear”. We’ll continue hitting the problem areas, and hopefully we’ll get to do some work collecting litter, too, while we’re out there.
Launching at Highland Road Park at 8am on Saturday, this time we don’t really know exactly what part of the bayou we’ll be working. It’s a play-it-by-ear Saturday, and hopefully the water level will be a bit lower than it’s been of late. One way or another, we’ll get a good day’s work in, to be sure.
PaddleBR 