Hudeman Slough, March 2006This trip report was graciously written up by John Marold.Questions or comments should go to: marold@alumni.duke.eduWit Ashbrook led us for a trip on Hudeman Slough on Saturday March 18. He planned the weather and activities (almost) perfectly. The weather was warm, sunny, and dry - quite a change from the rest this month's weather. If only he could have arranged for less wind in the afternoon... We had 4 tandem canoes: Wit Ashbrook and Lowell Sykes, Jan Lockie and John Marold, Ilse Drews and Dan Hocoy, and Jim and Carol Malcolm. Lowell is a San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge volunteer naturalist and an expert birder. He kept us updated on the birds we were seeing. (See the bird list below.) The plan was to meet at the Hudeman Slough parking lot in Sonoma at 9:30. Jan and I arrived early to find the gate to the parking lot locked - sign said a key could be obtained from the Sonoma County Parks Department - on weekdays. We found some alternate marginal parking across the street and carried the canoes around the gate and to the launch - no big deal, just a little surprise. We paddled toward the Napa River with the outgoing tide, stopping one or twice to stretch our legs and explore the surrounding area. Just short of the Napa River we stopped for lunch at a site where there was very recent work as part of the Napa-Sonoma Marsh Restoration Project to restore large areas of tidal marsh from former salt ponds. There we found a colony of nesting Great Blue Herons and Cormorants. Lowell counted 30 Cormorant nests and 9 Great Blue Heron nests - many occupied. The trip back to our cars after lunch was not as easy going as the trip out--we had a stiff head wind the whole way, but we did need the exercise. Upon arriving at our cars, we loaded quickly and 5 of us headed to Bouchaine Vineyards with just enough time to make the wine tasting that Wit had scheduled. Very nice way to end a great day of paddling. Birds that were seen on the trip:
For more information on the area:
-John Marold |