Want To Learn More About The Beautiful Bon Secour River? There's A New Book For That

Foley, AL ---  Guests to the Gulf Shores, AL area may hear much about the beauty of the Bon Secour River. Several popular fish markets, a restaurant, a historic mansion/ museum (Swift Cole Historic Home video courtesy Picard Rentals) and a National Wildlife Refuge seduce plenty of travelers to detour off the main drag leading toward Gulf Shores beaches.

What guests may not be aware of is that the river has very distinct personalities and scenery between the "North" and what has been loosely called by locals ---  "Bon Secour South." The scenery varies as much by land, as by water.

In Foley, (North) where we launch folks to paddle, the river is cool, with Artesian-fed springs feeding the cool temps. Live Oak canopies shade and color the water an intensely dark green and the river is shallow, narrow and winding. Private property lines the banks and the river is dotted with Century-old Homesteads, a Quaint Historic Bed and Breakfast, a Southern Gothic "Mansion"  --- to ramshackle shacks and dozens of vacation rental cottages peering over their pilings.

PHOTO BY BEACHNRIVER KAYAK RENTALS --- You most likely kayak by this home when paddling from BeachnRiver Kayak Rentals. The house is simply called "The White House" at Cooper's Landing Circa 1874. According to a sign in the yard, the home was originally part of a 54-acre home site awarded by a Spanish Land Grant in the 1700's.

Observing Nature is a sensory delight during this Northern stretch of the river. As you paddle, you may come across a log with  dozens of turtles sunbathing. Bream and mullet visibly swim under you in the clear water. Herons and the occasional Brown Pelican may glide overhead casting Dinosaur-sized shadows.

PHOTO BY BEACHNRIVER KAYAK RENTALS (Foley) --- If you are a quiet and stealthy kayaker, you may come across a scene like this of at least a dozen turtles sunbathing on a log. Turtles are very "in-tuned" to sounds however, and will splash into the water at the slightest bit of noise.

Paddling this stretch of the river intimates an era where homes had blousey gardens speckled with native and exotic plants like Pinecone Gingers, Gardenias, Bananas, Jasmine, Hydrangeas, Nerine, Cahaba, Spider and other Lillies. Their perfumes permeate the air. Lawns aren't "manicured"  --- they have "developed" and "matured" through the years.

PHOTO BY BEACHNRIVER KAYAK RENTALS (Foley) --- It is a challenge to take photos during some portions of the kayaking experience. The tree overhang is dense, light can peer down streaks through cracks in the canopy. It is difficult to see, but if you look to the right in the photo you will see white flowers.
 They are gardenias
that hang lazily into the water. 
Someone, some time ago must have loved flowers to plant this shrub on the water for us to enjoy.

 Kayaks, Canoes, Jon boats and wooden boats line banks. Docks may be pieced together from old telephone poles and metal scraps. Rope swings sway and almost reverberate with the sounds of happy children jumping into the depths below. This Northern part of the river suggests a smidgen of simpler times.

PHOTO BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOG MICHELLE CARROLL STANCIL (Foley) --- Scenes like this are plentiful along the back rivers of Gulf Shores, AL. Although ropes along the river are intended only for use by their private property owners, the mere sight of them evoke a "feeling" of a simpler time in life.

Within a couple of miles of  traveling down-river from our BeachnRiver Kayak Rentals location, you enter into the Gulf Shores portion of the river. By car you'd travel West off Hwy 59 South onto Cty Rd 8.

The water warms, widens and smells brackish. You are likely to see dolphin and leaping mullet. Draping Live Oak tree canopies give way to Sentry-like Pines. Wax myrtle shrubs securely grab the banks and provide cover for the many varieties of birds from Red-Winged Blackbirds to several species of shorebirds. Cormorants and Herons heavily populate nests high in hurricane-stripped Pines along this stretch.

PHOTO FOR SALE BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER MICHELLE CARROLL STANCIL (Bon Secour) --- This photo was taken while on a kayaking excursion with BeachnRiver Kayak Rentals on the Bon Secour River. The water is brackish, warm and one is likely to hear the sounds of Red-Winged Blackbirds call out  "O-ka_LEEEE!"

Homes lining these banks are most likely professionally landscaped with stately Palms, hedged Azaleas and ball-shaped Hawthorns. Lawns are fertilized and mowed to the water. Docks announce football affiliations and banks are shored up by metal or wood.

The wild and "wooley-ness" of the Northern, Upper River lends itself to a more civilized "community" of River-front homes ranging from the mid $500K County Rd 6 Home on the Bon Secour River For Sale to $3 Million "Stardance" Home On Bon Secour River For Sale. These homeowners own motorboats and enjoy toasting sunsets on colorful benches or Adirondack chairs. If you paddle by these homes during summer months, you will see homeowners grilling on their docks. Kiddos surround fire-pits toasting marshmallows and crab baskets filled with chicken parts are inconspicuously dangling in the water.

But make a turn off the main river and you find an entirely different river life ---one where Shrimp Boats are parallel parked in protected canals. If you are lucky to catch a shrimper just returning from his stint in the Gulf, you may be able to purchase flash-frozen or freshly-caught shrimp right off the boat. You keep your eyes peeled to the grasses. Gators inhabit this area. You think you can "feel" them lurking. If you're feeling lucky you'll never see one. We haven't --- and we've paddled the river for the past 16 years.

PHOTO FOR SALE BY DIANE DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY --- The Bon Secour River bustles with activity.

 How often have you ever paddled from a shaded spring-fed river and ended up where you can purchase freshly caught shrimp right off the boat in about a three hour paddle?

 This type of diversity is the lure of the Bon Secour River.

 But this is as far"South" as I can describe the river. Our personal knowledge of the area via river is limited to our kayaking endurance.

PHOTO CREDIT JAMES RIXE, a BEACHNRIVER KAYAK RENTALS GUEST (Bon Secour) --- This is as far "South" from BeachnRiver Kayak Rentals as our strongest paddlers explore. By vehicle you would travel nearly to the end of Cty Rd 10 in the tiny town of Bon Secour. This is still considered "Bon Secour North." Across the river is "Bon Secour South." Although you are still paddling in the river which gives protection from strong winds, the water is now "big" and you will feel more of the current --- but a trip to (and return from) this location can be accomplished in three to four hours with little rest.

We've paddled all the way to Oyster Bay  --- located at the intersections of  Cty Rd 4 and Cty Rd 6 in Gulf Shores where Happy Harbor Pizza once sold some of the best Pizza, Calzones and Hoagies around. Fond memories still linger of the now defunct Fish Camp Restaurant (located on Cty Rd. 6 near the former Happy Harbors Restaurants) and of paddling and eating Smoked Mullet at the former "The Galley Restaurant" located near the bridge on Cty Rd. 10 (Foley).


With all these words I just expended, and all the images you've conjured in your head, nothing I've written fully paints a picture of the scope of the river. "Land of the Beautiful River" by author Cos Davis promises to fill-in-the blanks of the history and story of the Bon Secour River "South."

"Land of the Beautiful River"

“'Land of the Beautiful River,' by Cos Davis, tells the tale of Bon Secour, the first people here, history, interviews with locals and more,"  writes  Allison Woodham of Gulf Coast News Today.


If you have paddled the Bon Secour River ---  if you have become enamored with its charm and you want to learn more, you may want to read GulfCoastNewsToday.com story Posted: Thursday, May 19, 2016  by Allison Woodham:   Davis Helps Tell Story of Bon Secour


According to Woodham, "Davis will begin writing monthly columns in June for "The Foley Onlooker," a local newspaper. They will be about the book itself and also informing people about the progress of the work to identify the area properly."

I will look forward to reading more from the author.



KAYAKING THE BON SECOUR RIVER

If you are curious about launching your own kayaks to paddle the Bon Secour River, you need to know that there are NO PUBLIC BOAT LAUNCHES on the Bon Secour River. There are NO PUBLIC SWIMMING HOLES.  All rope swings, docks, decks, creek-bottoms are private property and are for the sole use of property owners and their guests.

The Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge has recently added a public kayak launch on their grounds. This is located near Ft. Morgan, off Ft. Morgan Road, which is South of the Bon Secour River. You may read more about the launch and rules here: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Bon_Secour/visit/visitor_activities/

PHOTOS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE LYNN JORDAN PHOTOGRAPHY:
Nelson Boatyard Launch 16800 Nelson Ln, Gulf Shores, AL 36542 

Billy's Seafood Launch Area Cty Rd 10
Bon Secour, AL 36511

Nelson's Boatyard located on Cty Rd 6  (Gulf Shores) offered boat and kayak launching for $5. Billy's Seafood (Bon Secour) also offers boat/kayak launching from their private launch for $5.

Because the Northern-portion of the river is completely flanked by private homes and landowners, the only (legal) way for guests to observe these above written-about mysteries is:

•  Via trolling Jon Boat, Kayak or SUP paddling upriver from the launch at Billy's Seafood,
•  If you happen to be renting a vacation rental home along the river that provides kayaks,
•  By invitation by a homeowner that resides along the river,
•  By launching via a kayak rental business/homeowner such as BeachnRiver Kayak Rentals who owns the property from where you will launch.

NOTE: Motoring a boat of any size North of the County Rd. 10 Bridge is not optimal due to low tides, shallow river depths, low  bridge clearance and because of the narrow, windiness of the river. Motor boats create water and noise pollution, river traffic congestion on the narrow portions of the river and disturb wildlife. It is best to keep motor boats South of Cty Rd. 10. It also must be said that there are several unscrupulous and devious Kayak Rental Businesses that will tell customers to meet them at abandoned private properties ---like the former property known as "The Galley" on Cty Rd 10  --- and along bridges to launch their excursions.  Unfortunately guests to the area are unaware of their infractions and  are participating in illegal activity. Let this be a warning to those who choose or continue to trespass: Local Law Enforcement is aware of such activity, trespassing "HotSpots" are on their radar, and participants/trespassers may be arrested and their vehicles towed at their own expense. BeachnRiver Kayak Rentals has a Zero Tolerance for trespassing or illegal parking. Law Enforcement will be called without warning. With the large influx of visitors, new transplants, and locals who purchase their own kayaks, it is important to get the word out to R.P.P. = Respect Private Property and Leave No Trace, if treasures such as the Bon Secour River are to continue to exist as pristine as it is.


If you'd like to make a reservation to kayak and explore for yourself the beauty and mystery of the Bon Secour River, please peruse our website beachnriverkayakrentals.com then HURRY UP AND PHONE. Our Bon Secour River (self-guided) Tours last only through Aug. 15!

We want you to "Find Your Inner Huck Finn" and have a "Beachin' Good Time!"