Sunday, July 13th Pelican Point
We again cheated the weather, or, maybe the weather was good to us, and we were just barely able to have a paddle. I almost cancelled everything when it was raining and thundering at 3 pm. I got a call from folks who lived near the launch site. They said the weather seemed to be clearing. As I promised I went to the launch site. There were dark clouds in a couple directions and thunder could be heard. It wasn't raining and two groups of people who were packing up power boats said the clouds were moving away from us---hugging the eastern shore of Mobile Bay and heading south. There was a cloud of concern over the eastern side of the Fish River Bridge. Three people showed up. I made #4. The situation kept getting better so we launched a bit late---maybe 4:20 pm. We paddled on very smooth waters up the western shore of Weeks Bay. A bit past Camp Beckwith we didn't like a cloud that was coming toward Weeks Bay so we decided to turn around. If the weather held we could do other things. The weather stayed O.K. We paddled up a tidal creek on the west coast of Weeks Bay just north of the houses near the launch site. We saw fiddler crabs and thousands of little snails on the mud. They climb the grass stalks during high tide. There were also lots of birds. The tidal creek got very narrow. When we finally decided to turn around I had to back up quite a ways before I could turn my 13 1/2 ft tampico. We paddled past our launch site and went bearly into Mobile Bay and floated. Someone said they'd never seen the Bay so calm. Usually you're bounced around by waves at that spot. We ended the paddle about 7 pm. Nancy Ward

July 6th, Sunday Pelican Point
We actually had a paddle. Lots of folks who'd planned to come chickened out. I can't blame them. I heard reports of rain and storms in Spanish Fort, Pensacola, and maybe even Fairhope. I took a chance and drove through sprinkes from my house to Pelican Point. By the time I arrived the weather had cleared. In future, even if the weather is questionable, I'll go to the launch site and have my cell phone turned on so people can contact me at the last minute. I could have reassurred them. Poor Sherry left Pensacola way early but got tied up in bumper to bumper traffic on I10. She got off early but got into more bumper to bumper in Foley and wasn't able to make it. Jan took a chance and came from Spanish Fort. Phil came all the way from Baton Rouge, LA. He's been reading our website and decided to spend a few days in the area. The three of us paddled past Camp Beckwith and made it to Weeks Bay Reserve before returning. Lots of tiny fish were jumping. We saw a ray of some kind flying/swimming through the water. We didn't see any dolphins. Maybe next time we will. I'm trying again 7/13/08. We returned to the launch site before dusk. Nancy Ward