After sleeping near the ferry landing on Boliver Peninsula, the team got started around 7:30 am. They stopped roughly every 10 miles, taking a break from the strong headwinds they’ve experienced the past 2 days.
The barge traffic was heavy, as usual, on the ICW. Every time they were passed by a barge or a tandem barge being pushed by a tugboat, the wakes would slow the team down as they had to roll with them. West said the barges were a lot of fun to watch…and he was serious.
The team met up with Erich Schlegel and Pam LeBlanc (Pam LeBlanc Adventures) at Rollover Pass for a bite to eat. The guys sure appreciate being met by them with snacks, drinks and conversation.
If you noticed, the team is wearing crisp, nice looking shirts provided by Game Guard Outdoors. Even after a long day on the water, these shirts look great.
We had a nice sized group waiting for them at Highway 124 bridge in High Island, Texas. West’s sister, Suzie and her husband Danny from Anahuac, Tx, brought down water & Gatorade. West’s mom, Ann, brought iced soft drinks, water, candy bars, and BBQ sandwiches and I provided them with a fully-charged charger to replenish their electronics. Erich and Pam were there to give support, take amazing pictures and help out where needed. There were also several fisherman that came over to watch what was going on, talk with everyone and see the team off.
After pushing off from Highway 124 bridge in High Island, they were going to push another 5 miles before setting up camp. This will give them 30 miles to the finish tomorrow. At the 5 mile mark, they found a great spot to camp. It is a cattle crossing the farmers use to get the cows across the ICW. Sand spits on both sides, built up away from the water. Cattle shoots and pens to hold the cows until their time to cross. West said the ground was soft, no stickers in the grass and no winds. After camp was set and the guys were starting to wind down, they noticed a lonely looking 6′ alligator eyeing Branndon as he relaxed along the banks. The team decided, since Branndon was the new kid on the block, they would sacrifice him if the gator decided to make his move. West said it was keeping an eye on Branndon’s leg while staying a nice distance away. As the sun went down, the team heard the coyotes start calling out across the fields. What a great ending to a long day! I think they are enjoying their last night on the water.
Today, they paddled 35.9 miles today. 30 miles to go. They will be paddling to Walter Umphrey State Park tomorrow.
