Sunday on Village Creek
Dec. 11th, 2012
by Christy Long

	Map of Village Creek

2.5 feet, USGS 08041500
Air temperature 58 degrees
Seven miles, Baby Galvez to bridge at Highway 96

Photos by Christy Long & Briggs Smith

Brent met Briggs and I in Beaumont around 10:00am and followed us to Eastex Canoe in Silsbee.

The outfitter suggested the seven-mile paddle so we could take our time. The outfitter explained that although the gauge was reading 2.5 feet, it was at five feet two days earlier, and all that water was just getting to the Silsbee area. He was right; we had plenty of water pushing us downstream.

We floated and paddled down the river taking time to watch bees swarming around their hive and to stop at several sandbars to check out tracks and have lunch.

This portion of Village Creek is wide with high banks that, at intervals, open into sandbars. Some big enough to pitch a tent and spend the night.

The launch at Baby Galvez and the boat launch at Highway 96 are paved. Both areas are easy to use and have plenty of parking. Neither have bathroom facilities.

We had a good trip down the river and the following pictures will tell the story.
 

Christy, Briggs, and Brent		Tracks in the sand		Brent in his new boat

Big sandbar		Briggs in his new boat		Christy running gates (Hard moves on easy rivers)

Taproot exposed		Current moving along		Highway 96 boat launch

The author, Christy Long