WHAT???? – you want me to get up THAT EARLY????? Well, yes – and here’s the plan! The focus of this field trip is to photograph the lilies that bloom at Caddo Lake this time of the year with photography sessions on a boat for both the sunset over the lake Friday night and the sunrise over the lake on Saturday morning!
This field trip is now full. If you sign up now you’ll be wait listed.
IMPORTANT
For this trip, will need a firm commitment of interest NO LATER THAN APRIL 30 in order to ensure that we have enough boats for the sunset boat tour and for the sunrise tour! This is a busy season for the boats!
What We’ll See
Caddo Lake in all its splendor……water, Spanish moss, cypress trees, lily pads, lilies (2 varieties of lilies and one lotus we’re told!), wildlife (birds, beavers, alligators….)
What’s it Cost?
$40 per person for each:
$40/pp for sunset boat tour
$40/pp for sunrise boat tour
ALL PAID UP-FRONT THE WEEK BEFORE WE GET TO CADDO LAKE. Payment instructions will be provided at a later date.
Why $40……I see rates showing $25/pp……???
The $40 keeps us on the water for 1 hr/45 minutes ($25 shown on websites is for one hour). Our time choice provides an extended time period to catch the changing colors. The boat captain I’m working with tells me that this works best in his experience. Too many times his customers want to be back in one hour then driving home they experience the gorgeous change of colors in the sky.
Each boat will be limited to 6 passengers + the captain to allow adequate room for tripod use.
Photographic boat tours are scheduled for sunset on Friday, June 28 and for sunrise on Saturday, June 29. We will not only enjoy this colorful time of day but three kinds of water lilies that a local boat captain tells us should be blooming at this time (American, Spider and the very tall Joaquin lilies on a tall stalk)!
$40/per person for each of the photographic boat tours.
Note: Participants must be pre-registered and pre-paid to take advantage of the boat tours in order for us to have sufficient boat(s) available.
Schedule
Friday, June 28
Early group dinner – time and location t/b/d – probably in Jefferson.
6:45 p.m. Leave Jefferson for the optional sunset boat tour – it’s about a 30-minute drive.
7:15 p.m. Arrive at the Shady Glade dock by 7:15 p.m.
7:40 p.m. Boats depart.
If you miss us, we’ll see you for the morning tour. Photography will primarily be the sunset since the blossoms will have closed around 3:00 p.m. because of the heat.
Saturday, June 29
5:30 a.m. Arrive at the Shady Glade dock for the optional sunrise/water lily boat tour.
6:15 a.m. Boats depart. If you miss us, we’ll see you when returning to the dock.
Breakfast – The Shady Glade Resort serves a “down home” breakfast or your choice where to have breakfast!
Lunch – on your own.
Group dinner – time and location t/b/d, probably in Jefferson for those who choose to stay overnight.
Sunday, June 30
No planned activities.
Lodging Suggestions
The Shady Glade Resort
The Shady Glade Resort in Uncertain offers several budget-friendly options: 2 cabins (with 2 double beds - $ 99/night); five motel rooms w/2 double beds each - $89/night double occupancy; and three manufactured homes with fully furnished kitchens (see website for # of bedrooms/baths and rates).
www.shadygladeresort.com
Sara and David Smith 903/789-3295
This is about 25 minutes from Jefferson and is across the road from the Shady Glade docks where we will meet the boats.
Other options:
There are multiple B&B’s in Jefferson. Search google for information.
Cabins/houses can be rented on Caddo Lake. Search google for information.
Marshall, TX, offers options for chain hotels.
About Caddo Lake
Caddo Lake is a 25,400-acre lake and wetland on the border between Texas and Louisiana. Its’ About 3 hours from McKinney – please check googlemaps.com from your location.
Destination: Uncertain, TX (where we meet the boats) or Jefferson, TX (one option for lodging)
The lake is named after the Southeastern culture of Native Americans called Caddoans or Caddo, who lived in the area until their expulsion in the 19th century. It is an internationally protected wetland and includes one of the largest flooded cypress forests in the United States. Caddo is one of Texas's few non-oxbow natural lakes and is the 2nd largest in the South; however, it was artificially altered by the addition of a dam in the 1900s. (Wikipedia text)
Registration
To register for the Caddo Lake field trip, you can register online with the link above, or at the next club meeting.
Questions??
Contact Jackie Ranney at 214-478-2107 or jackieranney (at) aol.com.
What Else is There to Photograph?
The Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge An 8,493-acre protected area of Texas managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It is located along Caddo Lake in East Texas
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge – there is a six-mile-long driving trail offering native grasses, birdhouses, feeders, duck boxes and bat houses/nurseries. Many wildlife observation areas on the refuge. Over 216 recorded resident and migratory bird species.
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Caddo_Lake/visit/visitor_activities.html
You are welcome to enjoy the many open paved and gravel roads within the refuge as they are great for wildlife watching and hiking. An old railroad right-of-way is today a 9-mile nature trail. In addition to the Wildlife Observation Trail, several shorter trails are available for your enjoyment.
Free of charge, seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. Come prepared! Mosquitoes and deer flies can be abundant, so insect repellent is recommended. Be on the look-out for poison ivy.
Caddo Lake State Park
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/caddo-lake
Historic downtown Jefferson – for those who wish to photograph non-nature related items, you’ll find architecture, historic buildings, antique stores and their “wares”.