Solo Adventure, Part I

In September of 2003, after our day trips to the Delta, I was interested in an overnighter. I had the weekend of October 4 and 5, 2003 available for the trip. Paige was not interested so I resolved to go it alone. I have reasonable experience with solo adventures so I felt comfortable with the idea.

At the time ADCNR had posted maps and information for only a few canoe trails on the internet. They now have much more information, including more routes, available on their website. (Please note: The more direct route to the Bartram Canoe Trail information is http://www.outdooralabama.com/outdoor-adventures/bartram/index.htm. In my last post I sent you to the ADCNR Home Page; I have noticed it takes some navigation to find the canoe trail section.)

I was planning a leisurely trip with few fixed waypoints and no deadlines. Since I had some familiarity with Bayou Jessamine, I focused on that area. ADCNR’s Overnight Route #1 suggests paddling from Rice Creek Landing up Tensaw Lake to Bayou Tallapoosa, then south on the Tensaw River to the Two Rivers Point campsite. I knew the paddle through Bayou Tallapoosa would be a long trip. I did not want to be paddling alone in the Delta at night so I decided I would forego Bayou Tallapoosa and paddle more directly up the Tensaw River to the campground, spend the night and take my time getting home on Sunday following the return trip portion of Overnight Route #1 through Bayou Jessamine.

I printed a copy of the Overnight Route #1 map and gave a copy to my wife with my intended path marked on it. Leaving a trip plan like this is an essential safety practice and I always do it when I go into the wild. My wife is great about insisting I do not forget to leave my plan with her, or if she joins me, with a family member or friend who will look out for us. In fact, my wife is so insistent on a trip plan she posted a comment on my last post pointing out the fact that I did not recommend the practice. She is correct; it is an essential practice and may well save your life.

As expected I did not make it to Rice Creek Landing until after noon that Saturday. It always takes longer than expected to load the boat and gear and my efforts to get it done ahead of time are usually unsuccessful. Unfortunately, as I will explain, loading in a hurry has its dangers.

I was so late I decided to grab lunch at the Stagecoach Restaurant in Stockton. The Stagecoach is not a fancy place by any standard but the food is really good Southern cooking and the people are always friendly. I highly recommend you stop in either before or after your Delta adventure. The only issue you may encounter is the one I had that day: post-buffet lethargy.

By the time I got on the water I was thankful I had decided to bypass Bayou Tallapoosa. It was a beautiful afternoon with light winds and no clouds, perfect for a Delta paddle. I still had several hours to make it to the campsite and with the calm conditions I was not too concerned about making it by nightfall.

If you examine the maps you will notice the trail from Rice Creek to the Tensaw River follows a small creek which bisects Richardson Island. This small creek can be difficult to locate from the mouth of Rice Creek. The body of water first encountered as you exit Rice Creek is called Briar Lake. If you paddle straight across Briar Lake to Richardson Island and follow its contour to the south you will find the opening to the creek marked with the yellow Bartram Canoe Trail sign.

When you come out of this bisecting creek into Tensaw River you will see Robinson Island to the west. To get to Bayou Jessamine you paddle around the southern portion of Robinson Island and paddle directly across the Tensaw River to the eastern opening. I was planning on taking the Tensaw River north to the campsite so I took a right.

Once out in the Tensaw River the feeling of remoteness began to take hold. My muscles were warmed for the task of paddling and I was sloughing off the work week with each stroke. I really did not notice the few motorboats, mostly bass boats, which passed.

I did have one old fellow in a large aluminum boat slow to my pace and ask me if I was all right. I guess lone paddlers in the Delta are not a common sight. He did not bother me and I supposed he was just looking out for me, but the look on his face said he thought I was some kind of nut.

He was the last person I saw on the water that afternoon. As the sun began to near the horizon the water calmed and the birds began their evening song. I was enjoying the rhythm of my paddle strokes with the buzz of the cicadas and crickets; the croak of the frogs; and the pops of the fish feeding on the surface of the water. As I neared Two Rivers Point I was surprised by an owl which flew right over my head as I passed close to an overhanging branch. The sunset reflected on the river made my destination appear as paradise ahead.

I arrived at the campsite just as the sun began its final descent into the west. The campsite lies on top of a high bank along the south side of the Tensaw River. There is a metal stair affixed to the bank to facilitate getting out of your boat. Since the water drops off at the bank it took some careful maneuvering to get my gear out of the canoe and up the metal stairs to the campsite. I did not want to risk my canoe floating away so I pulled it up the bank and placed my gear back in the boat to keep things organized. I pulled out my camp chair and decided to watch the sunset.

As soon as the sun turned from yellow to orange the mosquitoes appeared in the hundreds, then thousands. This is when I realized I had forgotten to bring the bug spray.

To be continued…