Bayou St. John

Dumaine and Moss

Paddle Date

06/09/2008 evening

Directions from New Orleans
Find Dumaine and Moss on the Map!  It is in mid-city y'all!

Launch area description
Grassy bank on one side of the Dumaine Bridge, or a cement ledge on the other.  The water was low this week, on the grassy slope.  Dennis and I put in on the cement ledge, after pushing Janet and Katie in from the grassy slope.

Price

As free as an out of focus bird
Quaker Parakeet

Rating

4 out of 5 'gators

Notable

Great area of recreation in the city; lots of people using the bayou for canoing, kayaking, fishing, strolling.  Easy to get to and plenty of parking on the street.
There is wildlife even though you are in the city (lots of jumping fish, birds, etc.)  A nice way to experience the city.  It is really fun and scary to go beneath the train trestle when a train is passing overhead.  Passing beneath the various bridges can be a close squeeze.

Below, Dennis helps Janet with her Kayak.  Dennis and I entered the bayou at the "Dead Duck" put in
(so named only for the duck carcass)(not pictured).  The DDPI is just on the other side of that scenic
garbage receptacle .
Dennis helps Janet with Kayak

The grass slope put-in with Michelle, Murphytoodles, Dennis's assatoodles, Janet, Katie.  The water was
a little low here, by the bank.  The Dumaine St. bridge is to the right of this picture, and directly next to the bridge there are no
plants.  It might be a little easier to put-in there if you are on your own.
Folks on the bank

Along the bayou, there are nice benches set in to the banks
bench on bayou

Katie and Dennis head out toward the lake.
Katie and Dennis

The sites along Bayou St. John are sites of the city, and it is fun to gain a
new and different perspective.  In the past, residents of this building sitting
outside would wave from their balconies.  Today, it was a little too
hot to sit on a cement balcony in the sun.
Condo or Apartment BUilding

One of the many bridges you pass beneath as you make your way up and down the bayou.
One of the many bridges you pass beneath

Passing beneath one of the bridges (Harrison street perhaps?)
Janet passes beneath the train trestle

Janet approaches the train trestle.  Katie and Dennis far in the distance.
Janet approaches the tain trestle

Duck!
Duck

You talking to me?
Duck you talking to me?

Duck family

There were some ducks on the bayou.  I just didn't want to forget to mention it, because they were pretty cute.

OK.

Katie and modern art.  This is on a little island (Park Island?), that makes a good turning around
point if you don't have time / energy to paddle all the way to the end.  In my three trips in
Bayou St. John, this is as far as I have made it.  But, next time, I am going all the way!
Katie and modern art

In the loop
In the loop

Watch out for flying fish.  There actually were quite a lot of fish jumping in the bayou,
but I couldn't quite manage to catch one on "film."
Fish

On the way back, we had the good luck to pass beneath the train trestle while a train passed overhead. 
Katie Train Dennis

As we head back down the bayou, we passed a number of people paddling (or, did they pass us?)
paddlers meet on the bayou

Katie demonstrates "Katie Power"
Katie power

Waves, and houses.
waves

Since nobody wanted to take a picture of me this time, I found this excellent picture of myself dancing at Jazzfest, lovingly
snapped by my little brother michaelkosta.com.  I include it here as I have on my usual kayaking outfit, and there was enough rain
at Jazzfest this year to kayak.  Apropos to say the least.  Don't let my coolness scare you off, I am really nice once you get
to know me.   I am the seated elderly gentleman in the poncho on the right behind this dork in the orange shirt.
dancing fool
Also, it is 2AM,  I spilled beer on my keyboard, and Spiderman 3 is on, which might
be one of the biggest piece of crap movies ever.  No offense.  The sand guy
is cool.  Green Goblin Jr:  "I protected you in high-school, now I'm going to kick your little ass!"









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