Adventuring from Anahuac II

by Natalie Wiest

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In my never-ending quest for new sights, views, and trails on the Trinity River delta, I joined with Marilyn Kircus, Mimi Cliffton and Bob C. for a trip Sunday, July 18.

As coordinated by Marilyn, the trip was intended to repeat an earlier trip we'd made, hopefully with no wrong turns this time. It would be a circular trip from Ft. Anahuac, down the Anahuac Channel, west across the bay to Long Island Bayou to the Trinity River, east on the Trinity past the Lake Anahuac dam and back down the channel to Ft. Anahuac.

Alas, gentle readers, the Trinity once again had its way with the blonde kayakers.

A rare norther was making its presence felt and the heavy westerlies made our progress across the open bay waters more challenge than the three of us who had paddled 12 miles with the HASK group the day before wanted to take on. Recognizing that we were at the mouth of Southwest Pass, south of Triangle Pass, we opted for that route to paddle through the marshes, as being protected from the strong winds and likewise giving us a nice loop paddle to the Trinity River. Once again, our maps failed us. As I am typing this note, I'm looking at yet another map that inaccurately shows an open, northeasterly route to the Trinity.

Don't believe it! No such route exists. Yes, the blondes were once again lost in the swamps, the chagrined but basically good-sport brunettes, like Marilyn and myself, clawing through the mud trying to find enough water to float a kayak; sinking in to their knees in the ooze if they tried walking; hearing the sound of a motor boat whizzing along a channel we couldn't see or find; lunching at last atop huge logs with our backs to hundreds of oversized grasshoppers chewing, hopping, and well, you know, making babies in the stands of swamp lilies on slightly drier ground.

Reviewing aerial photography of the area on our return, I still haven't found a definitive map I would believe or trust. As we were thrashing and mucking through the swamps the thought "dynamic systems" kept running through my head. That certainly defines the area, and explains why even a map produced a month ago could be inaccurate. That's the nature of the Trinity as it empties into the bay.

In the final assessment, it was still an excellant trip, and why would I say that or what did we see? Miles of shallow brackish and freshwater swamps, with more swamp lilies (crinum lilies) than I've ever seen before; sanderlings and black necked stilts scurrying about in shallow marshes; a flock of 30 brilliant pink roseate spoonbills on an unexpected turn of a stream; acres of seagrasses damping the waves from the West; hundreds of fish in the shallow areas - could have had a redfish with my hands in more than one location. Open bay waters, marsh streams, clear water, murky water, bay water.

What a great way to spend a day - you ought to go out and see it for yourself, but do wear your web feet.

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