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Village Creek 1 - Ken McDowell's Report
   December 13, 2009
by
Ken McDowell

By now, I trust you have seen John Bartos’ fantastic photos (click this link) of the HCC trip to Village Creek, Sunday Dec. 13. I am thrilled to say that 15 people participated in the 10 mile trip, and even more thrilled to say that everyone who said they would show up, did.

Participants included Sophie Lopez, Joe Coker, David Martin, Milton Robertson, John Bayduss, Harmon Everett, John and Cindy Bartos, David Caddy, Ben Amos, Cassidy Johnson, Halcyon Learned, Coleen Connelly, Ken Anderson and me, Ken McDowell.

What the weather man promised as 72 degrees and sunny looked more like 60 degrees and foggy! The creek was up, but safely so, registering a little over 7 ft. at the Kountze gauge. At this level, logjams were not present at all, but still enough sugar sand point bars for pleasant stopovers. David Martin, who runs Piney Woods Outfitters in Lumberton helped us with the shuttle, and once again took very good care of us.

We saw several large hawks, otter slides, a tiny little crawfish ~ 1 in. long and very little trash. Much of Village Creek is now part of the Big Thicket National Preserve and the scenery is spectacular. After 4 hours paddling, most of us hiked around the Nature Conservancy Larsen Sandylands Preserve. Within this 5600 acre preserve lies one of the last remaining stands of long-leaf pines in Texas. This crossroads of ecology has spectacular botanic diversity, with post oaks, pine trees, yucca, prickly-pear cactus and yaupon holly brambles all living in perfect harmony.

Joe Coker also took a bunch of photos and others too, so watch this space. Words can’t do it justice.

The author,
Ken McDowell

~~~ The End ~~~