This was an “opportunity trip” – Entergy was releasing 6000+ CFS from the dam all day and it was forecasted to be the warm, sunny day in between cold fronts.  We also piggybacked on a pick-up invitational trip from Deb Morrison, which included her brother, Mike and an older, experienced ACC paddler who I think was Rob.

 

The weather was perfect.  We had good cloud cover, which made the unusually high temperatures (high 70s) very comfortable. 

When we arrived at the put-in, we noticed many (~100) gulls flying below the dam.  I have no explanation for it.

 

A very short distance from the put-in, we saw many nests with herons sitting on them.  One tree had 8 nests, another had 5 nests, and there were a few herons patrolling the area.

 

About a minute past the heron rookery we saw cormorants decorating the trees alongside the river like black Christmas tree ornaments hanging up instead of down.  Then there were about 50 more of them flying upstream.

Sometime later, a large group (50 or so) of Canada Geese made a noisy getaway next to us.

We made a sharp right turn and, through the naked trees, we could clearly see the terminal edge of a segment of the Ouachita range, its tall and irregular rugged bluffs rising from the river.

 

 

Then we played kick the can with a great blue heron

All too soon, the noise of the Whitewater Park signaled the end of our little adventure.

 

Our route:

 

Kent Walters, Author

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