A week on the Pascagoula River was just what I needed. Everyday my friend and I would hit the water in her Carolina skiff. After hours of exploring oxbow lakes, canals and bayous we would settle down for the afternoon on our favorite sandbar.

We decided that ‘sandbar sitting’ was a good thing. With plenty of cold drinks and a picnic lunch, the world moved slowly on our chosen spot. Conversation jumped from work and family to the eagles, Mississippi Kites and Osprey gliding above us. We named our sandbar ‘Alligator Point,’ because one side faced the river and the other Crane Lake. There were plenty of gators — we didn’t bother them and they didn’t bother us.

There is so much beauty on the Pascagoula. As we watched people speed by on their jet skis and party boats, I thought, “They just missed seeing the blooms of the white swamp lilies, purple morning glories and marsh mallows. And they missed seeing the biggest bald eagle nest I have ever seen.”

We never want the day to end, but cruising home snapping pictures of an incredible sunset isn’t a bad way to see the day out. After all, our sandbar will be waiting for my next trip and the Pascagoula River has never disappointed me.   

Rebecca Bates is an MSU Extension-Lincoln County agent, and can be reached at 601-835-3460 or by e-mail at rebecca.bates@msstate.edu.