A Lazy Day Paddling in St Charles Bay

 

We had hoped to launch at Big Tree but the tide was so low that we would have had to portage the canoe across the mud. So instead we drove to Goose Island State Park and launched the boat. It was still so low that I had to wade and drag the canoe from the west side of the parking lot, but soon enough we were both dipping our oars in the shallow water and gliding toward the mouth of St Charles Bay.

The first stop was at a favorite gap, in which I have caught quite a few speckled trout. The trout weren’t there and the only bites we had were small sheephead. An airboat of duck hunters came in and ran right over our lines and so I flipped them off as there were plenty of other places to cross in shallow water.

I have duck hunted and it isn’t just some duck hunters, it’s really anyone that is a complete and self centered ass*^&@. So we wound in our lines and paddled further into the mouth, heading for another pass. As we rowed we saw several pairs of oyster catchers and were even treated to watching a pair perform their mating dance.

Reaching the next channel we cast out but no fish bothered our lines and it was ok, just a nice lazy day on St Charles Bay. Heading back we turned the canoe to the outside of the oyster bars and again we were treated to birds that didn’t mind our nearness.

Willets and a long billed curlew were just some of the usual fare, but it was still a treat to be so close. Reaching the first pass another pair of oyster catchers entertained us and Renita even caught several sheephead. Releasing them our daughter called and so we talked about her new job.

I nearly fell asleep until the seat back collapsed and dumped me into a prone position into the canoe. I had to laugh as I have started a diet and it’s pretty obvious that I need to lose more weight when the seats breakJ.

Returning to that put in point, we loaded the boat but our bird watching wasn’t yet over. Three rosette spoonbills waded and fed in shallow water and Renita’s camera snapped away. It had been a nice day, a lazy day really, and that’s okay as sometimes it not about the fish, but instead a relaxing day on the water. Clear skies.