NL-2011-06 Oyster Creek - Houston Canoe Club

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Oyster Creek
May, 2011
by Paul Woodcock

Every since the community center built the Oyster Creek boat dock I have wanted to put-in there. After I called them and found out the public could use it I decided it was time for a paddle. I scheduled it on Mothers Day thinking that we would be off the creek in time for everyone to celebrate in the afternoon. I have been on the river during my birthday and every family members birthday, my aniversary, and all holidays except Christmas, and decided to be home at least in the afternoon. Whenever we have a celebration the first question I get asked is; "Grandpa, will you be there?"

Dana on dock

Dana Enos and Sophie Lopez called and said they would join me. I had posted a map on the trip list but had sent directions to Sophie. It is a wonder she got to the put in as I had wrote the most confused and incomplete directions ever sent in an e-mail. It is one of the hazards of agreeing to a Paul trip. I decided to paddle under Highway 59 and go to the small dam, as in the past I had paddled up stream to this location, It is a compelling need to see what is just around the bend or over the dam that is one of the reasons I continue to paddle.

This is definitely an urban paddle as the banks are lined with huge houses, most with docks . Almost everyone has a cheap canoe or kayak. It is amazing the amount of birds we saw, and I guess they have become accustomed to boats because they let use get real close to them. There were a lot of ducks both wild and domesticated. We saw a lot of young egrets and the highlight of the trip was a log with a number of baby alligators. They were the smallest I have ever seen in a natural setting.


Ducks		Egret		Gators

We paddled about 8 miles in 3½ hours and at the take-out we sat at the park bench and read notes that Dana had written about our last Big expedition trip on the Hays River. It brought good memories and a since of loss at my not being able to physically do them any more, but I do feel very lucky that I can still do the smaller trips. I have not given up the hope that I can do at least a two-week expedition with no portages, but accepting my limitation is hard, I do not want to go gently into that armchair.

Perfect paddle

This is a perfect place for a short early morning paddle as there are a number of different ways you can paddle after leaving the boat dock.

Sophie and I have decided to do a moonlight paddle on this creek during a full moon - keep checking the trip list to see when it is posted.

the earth is my mother.
the sky is my father
the animals are my brothers
the canoe lets me get closer to them
- Paul