Maddox Bay, White River NWR (Saturday Nov 28)

[DeBo]

Get your gear together and put off that Christmas shopping until next week. The weather report for Saturday is sunny and 61! We will put in at Sweats Landing at 11:00am and paddle up Maddox Bay into Adams Bayou and into Eagles Nest Lake.

This is a great bird viewing area in a Cypress fringed lake. At this level there will be a brief paddle against current while we are in the bay. The rest of the day will be easy paddling with no portages. We will meet at ............................ and Lawrenceville(Maddox Bay Landing) at 10:30.
EDIT: See Cowper's post below for clickable maps that show how to get to Lawrenceville and the Maddox Bay Landing.

1) There will be no need for hunter orange; the White River National Wildlife Refuge is closed to deer hunting due to water levels.
2) We will avoid interfering with duck hunters by launching no earlier than 11 AM (hunting ends at noon in the WRWMA).

This is a beautiful trip with lots of potential to see wildlife. At some point during the trip we will observe at least 30 minutes of silence for sitting still bird watching. Bring your binnoculars.

[fryingsquirrel]

Hey Cowper and Debo, Where is Maddox bay, anyway? I think I'll try to make it.
PM or call me sometime.
Jon Ellwood

[Cowper]

It's just East of Cooter Lake.

It's a few miles south of the Holly Grove Municipal Airport.

It's at N34.51, W91.183 (Maddox Bay Landing is at N34.5099 W91.1816)


Have I helped yet?

OK, it's south of Clarendon a hair over 2 hours from Little Rock, right here: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.509863 ... urce=embed" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Note; there are two public boat ramps; one is near the point shown in the above map, but DeBo is leaning towards lauching from Sweatt's Landing, which is at N34.524 W91.1995 and a great jumping off point for Upper Eagles Nest Lake. This gem is easily accessed only at relatively higher water levels, and gives a relatively shorter trip in view of the late launch due to waterfowl season combined with sun setting before 5 PM this time of year.

NOTE: Boat Ramp owners on Maddox Bay all charge $5 per boat to launch.

[Richard]

[DeBo]

Thanks Richard for the map! I hope you are planning on coming with us?

Check my first post for added trip details.

[Cowper]

UPDATE: DeBo and I will already be in the general area Saturday, so we won't be coming through T-Ricks (Hazen) or Clarendon. We'll meet everyone at the Maddox Bay Landing.

The exact location is N34.5099 W91.1816

Non-gps users can click this for a map, and then enter additional information to get directions from any other location:


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... tput=embed" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


MEETING TIME IS STILL 10:30 at Maddox Bay Landing

[Richard]

Pictures http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/575713391sgAnrm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

11:29am Launch from Sweatt Landing (Jon and I were late. We caught up with the rest of the group at 12:30)
11:50am Critical Stop
12:01am Much relieved
12:12pm Enter Adams Bayou
12:28pm Start bushwhack to Upper Eagle Nest Lake
12:34pm Enter Upper Eagle Nest Lake
1:27pm Exit Upper Eagle Nest Lake
1:51pm Enter Cutt Bluff Slough
2:06pm Stop for break
2:43pm Resume paddling
3:15pm Enter Maddox Bay
3:23pm Critical Stop
3:33pm Much Relieved
3:50pm Arrive Sweatt Landing
5:00pm Supper at St Charles
[attachment=0]WRNWR Upper Eagle Nest Lake - Maddox Bay Area Track.JPG[/attachment]

[c8mb]

Do you know the mileage of that track Richard?

That was a fun paddle. We've caught some great weather for these trips.

[Karla]

Enjoyed your pics Richard. Just sorry I didn't get to make the whole trip.
Boy, I sure was sick and more later. Got sick twice more, once coming back on the water then in the truck on the interstate. Spent the whole time we got home in bed with some phenergan and rest, got up Sunday around 2:30 feeling better. Guess was a 24 hour bug. Hate I missed the rest of the trip with good company. Never had to throw up in a kayak before til now, leaning over the edge without flipping over, lol. Didn't quite make it back to the take out.

Karla

[Richard]

Art, the most direct course to cover the same places we did (no straying off course, no crisscrossing the lake) is 6.7 miles. Karla, glad you made it back OK and are feeling better. Debo and Cowper, thank you for making a special experience happen.

[fryingsquirrel]

I just had a chance to look at your pics and vids, Richard. In alot of them I appear to be laying down or asleep. I don't want everyone thinking I'm a lazy, fat, bald guy who made an old man with an upset stomach do all the paddling.You'll be hearing from my lawyers shortly to correct this matter.
Actually, I think I did more than my fair share of paddling, and the reason I kept stretching out like that is that the front of that boat was too cramped for me to be comfy any other way. My ankles kept cramping up. I suspect that we may have launched the boat facing the wrong way and never corrected the matter. I think I may have said in one of the clips that "I'm not lazy, I'm just relaxed." Also, I ended up driving Richard's Suby home while he snored away in the passenger seat. Sorry I posted so late, but i've been busy fighting the police and insurance companies. Thanks again to cowper and DeBo for another excellent float.
Jon Ellwood

[carlscott]

Dinner at St. Charles was a nice finish to a great day! (notice the two boxes of crawfish)

[Cowper]

And some more photos...

http://outdoors.webshots.com/slideshow/576153758GwmfIu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;