Swamp Paddling With ’Gators

CADDO LAKE A SURREAL DESTINATION FOR KAYAKERS

Warren Cunningham of Springdale, from left, Doug Powell of Eureka Springs and and Judy Combs of Fayetteville paddle through a shadowed cut under moss-covered bald cypress trees on Oct. 12 on Caddo Lake on the Texas-Louisiana border. It was their second day of paddling on the lake.
Warren Cunningham of Springdale, from left, Doug Powell of Eureka Springs and and Judy Combs of Fayetteville paddle through a shadowed cut under moss-covered bald cypress trees on Oct. 12 on Caddo Lake on the Texas-Louisiana border. It was their second day of paddling on the lake.

— In mid October I had the opportunity to join three friends for a kayaking trip to Caddo Lake south of Texarkana on the Texas-Louisiana border.

Caddo Lake is a swampy maze of narrow channels through forests of bald cypress trees covered in Spanish moss.

After a six-hour drive from Bentonville, we camped in tents and hammocks at Caddo Lake State Park on Big Cypress Bayou in near perfect weather.

The next morning, a 2-mile paddle down the bayou brought us to a small slough that led us to a primeval scene of dense aquatic vegetation punctuated by stands of cypress trees 50 to 60 feet tall. Their branches were draped in Spanish moss that hung almost to the water.

Much of the vegetation in this northwest portion of the lake consists of invasive species, including a surface layer of watermeal, the smallest flowering plant on earth.

The tiny plants are almost unnoticeable as individuals, but when millions of these floating, rootless plants cover a channel they turn the surface into a green soup.

Fortunately they’re easy to paddle through, unlike the giant salvinia, hydrilla, alligator weed and water lilies that fill parts of the lake.

We realized quickly that most boaters, including our little gang, would soon be lost without the lake’s system of easy-to-follow boat trail markers.

More than 40 miles of boat trails wind through the 26,800-acre lake.

A proper map folded open to show your location at all times is a necessity for newcomers to Caddo Lake.

Before the day was over we’d paddled through places called Carter’s Chute, Hell’s Half Acre, Big Hole and Smith’s Slough.

We stopped for lunch on Goat Island, then took a 3-mile hike to a place called Alligator Thicket.

Our hopes of seeing an alligator were high, but no luck.

There were lots of birds like great blue herons, great egrets, coots,songbirds and a ton of crows.

Later we learned that Goat Island is a permitonly wildlife management area.

We could have paid a fine for our exploration had we been caught.

We managed about 14 miles of paddling on the first day. That, and the forbidden hike, made supper, a shower and a soft sleeping bag sweet anticipation.

The next morning, we trailered our kayaks to the curiously named town of Uncertain, Texas, on the west side of the lake.

After an hour of driving, we were uncertain about which of three boat launch areas to use.

A kind woman who was walking with her dog and parrot took time to advise us on some interesting boat trails and the best launch ramp from which to reach them.

We launched on a section of Big Cypress Bayou called Clinton’s Chute and made our way south to begin a big looping circle that, after negotiating nearly a dozen boat-trail intersections, would bring us back to our starting point.

The lady was right about the trails. This part of the lake is much more open. In most of it you can actually see the water you’re paddling through.

Here Caddo Lake was tinted a pretty brown, but not too muddy.

The tip of a white paddle blade remained visible if you submerged it a foot or so.

This day made up for some of the wildlife we didn’t see on our first day.

We all got a good look at a water snake that tried repeatedly to climb onto Warren Cunningham’s kayak. A nutria seemedto enjoy munching on the strange upward turning roots of cypress knees.

We followed and watched a pair of very young raccoons foraging near the water.

Doug Powell and I were paddling beside each other in Oxbow Slough when we saw an alligator swimming across our path less than a boat’s length in front of Doug.

“Doug, you’re about to run over an alligator,” was the only thing I could think of saying.

There it was right in front of us, but by the time I could put the paddle down and grab a camera, the ’gator dove out of sight.

Not far from where we saw the first one, we spied another ’gator swimming away from us up the slough.

This one was bigger, but just as shy as the first one.

We sped up and got within about 50 feet of it before it swam under some overhanging branches.

Down it went, but not before I managed to get one picture - not a very good picture, but it more than made my day.

Back in Uncertain after a 12-mile paddle, we saw a sign saying “Open” and pointing to a restaurant displaying yet another sign saying the place was open for business. You can’t be too sure about things in Uncertain.

The joint was closed as was the Uncertain Tavern.

The Church of Uncertain was open and holding an afternoon service when we stopped to get a photo of their sign alongside the road.

A confused looking dog wandered around in the road in Uncertain.

Our two days of paddling on Caddo Lake were more than worth the long drive to get there.

I can’t think of a place closer that is as different from the lakes and streams of Northwest Arkansas than Caddo Lake.

To anyone who decides to make the trip to Caddo Lake and Uncertain,Texas, bring a good map of the lake and use it.

If a nice lady with a parrot offers you advice, take it.

Outdoor, Pages 7 on 10/28/2010

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