The first cool air of fall chased away the summer heat and drew me back to the water after a long absence. I returned to Armand Bayou, but for the first time I turned my kayak downstream toward Mud Lake. I rounded the curve of the bayou into a fairly stiff wind, with waves occasionally splashing over the side of the boat. By the time I reached the confluence with Horsepen Bayou, I was happy to turn into its sheltered waters.
The bayou was alive small bait fish, mullet, gar, turtles and the occasional alligator. In the air and trees above it were herons, egrets, kingfishers, and several hawks. I paddled upstream into the midst of the UH Clear Lake campus before turning back. Days like this remind me why fall in Texas is second only to spring in my affections.
More Pictures from Horsepen Bayou
