A Fine Fall Day on Double Bayou
Oct. 25, 2014

by Tom Douglas & Linda Shead

Our day paddling the East Fork of Double Bayou on October 25 lived up to or surpassed all our expectations. For starters, we gathered at Double Bayou Park, where we were greeted by clear skies, no winds, and a temperature in the low 70s. Even though the group was large, everyone arrived at the pre-arranged meeting place, staged their gear at the put-in site, ran the morning car shuttle, and launched their boats in record time. Part of the reason for our efficient launch schedule is evident in the video that was generously provided by Jerry Jones, president of Cedar Bayou Friends. That’s Rea Inglis (light blue shirt and yellow life jacket) up on the bank, and Joe Coker (yellow shirt and orange kayak) out on the water.

A diverse group by Tom Douglas		Baykeeper by Tom Douglas		Belted Kingfisher by Linda Shead

Then, we headed down the bayou, riding the outgoing tide toward Trinity Bay. Making good time, we paddled through scenic pine forest and in among groves of oak trees, reaching our lunch stop in about an hour. During lunch, we discovered just what an interesting group of paddlers this was. Many of them are actively involved in water-related activities: Texas Stream Team, Galveston Baykeeper, Texas Master Naturalist, and riparian workshops, to name but a few. The trip leaders, Tom Douglas and Linda Shead, recounted stories of life along Double Bayou during years gone by, including how nearly everything had to be transported here by water, since bridges over some of the bayous weren’t constructed until well into the twentieth century. Yet more history came to light during a brief stop at the end of Haynes Road, and, later, during a visit to the mouth of Double Bayou, near the community of Oak Island.

Blue Boats by Tom Douglas		Riding the Tide, by Linda Shead

Backtracking a short ways to Job Beason Park, we loaded up our gear and ran the afternoon car shuttle. Several paddlers headed off for Halloween parties and other activities, while others lingered to enjoy locally-caught shrimp at a popular watering hole just downstream from the park. This was definitely a day to remember. 

The authors, Tom Douglas & Linda Shead