Friday, October 12, 2012

45th State: Mississippi–Sardis Lake, and Pearlington (10/12/12 and 10/24/12)

Next I ran across an archaeological site/museum and stopped for a look see.  I can not find the flyer for it so will come back here and add more information when I do.  Mississippi River Peoples.

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Then I went on to Sardis Lake @ Engineer Point.  Met some folks cat-fishing. I didn’t know they grew that large.

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I put in for a brief paddle, but a storm was coming in, so I didn’t stay long.IMGA0485IMGA0489

Fisherman bait lines that are tied to rocks, then come back later and pick up their catch.

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Very strange rock formations just at the put in point.  Have to wonder how these were formed.

Next I put in at Turtle Landing Bar and Grill. This is a neat spot and owners were very nice. Didn't cost me anything to launch and when I returned I had fresh shrimp and fresh catfish. Enough left over for lunch tomorrow. They are at 16463 Highway 90, Pearlington, MS 39572. I think they would even have let me stay in the parking lot a night for free, but I didn't ask.

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Stilts without a house... some of the storm damage. Saw many empty lots and foundations, sometimes fences around yards but nothing in the yard. Sad, so many people did not rebuild.

Next I decided to kayak in Pearlington, MS.

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A house with stilts.

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That little ripple and spot ahead off to the right of my kayak is an alligator.

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Another set of stilts with a house on top. I even saw some house trailers on high stilts.

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I don't know what these two plants were, but I thought it was very lovely.

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I could have gone farther, but turned around at this point as it was late afternoon, and I wanted to get back to Turtle Landing, get dinner, load up and get to next stop before dark. But decided to go look for this house on land...

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... and I found it... on Riverside Dr. in Mississippi, and that is Lousiana across the water. So I estimated my paddle was about 2.5 miles.

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Across the river, in LA, I found this newly acquired Wilderness Use Area (acquired though the Nature Conservancy). Decided I would try to park here tonight and kayak it early in the morning. Wouldn't it be cool if I get to see a Manatee. I asked one of the guys in the boats if they saw any Manatees, and he asked me, "What is that?" I told him to look at this sign on the tree when he took his boat out of the water.

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As I was taking this shot from the boat ramp, a guy in a pickup told me to not get too close... there was an alligator right there. So then he giggled and laughed with another man about telling me that as he watched me backing away from the water. Well I'm in flip-flops... of course I'm backing away. Guess he had no way of knowing I have spent the last three days kayaking just so I could see alligators.

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The jerk is in the green truck.. laughing with this fella about telling me not to get too close to the water.

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Same gator. It has been a great day.  OK... this one was the biggest one I saw at this location. Wasn't scary at all... you find yourself wishing they weren't so afraid of us so we could get better photos of them.

Next after Florida: Alabama

Who is Swankie?

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Anywhere, USA, Full-Time USA traveler, United States
In 2006, I was shopping for a wheelchair. By 2007, I had new knees, better health and by 2008 a kayak. In Aug 2013, I kayaked my 49th state, Alaska, at the Holgate Glacier and in May 2014, I kayaked Hawaii, my 50th state, to celebrate my 70th Birthday and the finale to the wonderful adventure of Kayaking America? Next up... Solo Hiking the Arizona Trail, 820 miles? Maybe. Still healing from shoulder and trying to decide.

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