Club Members Gray Mitchell and Buck & Ein Dawson set out with Captain Marty Foerster to explore the backwater creeks west of Lea Island. It was a beautiful winter day in the 60’s! The tide was high but 1′ less than the normal high tide of 4.5 feet. This meant there was only so much time to explore the backwater creeks until the water was too low to get out in the 23′ boat. First the crew navigated from the marina through the creek north of Lee’s Cut to the Intracoastal Waterway. This way is only navigable at mid tide or above. After passing the second red channel marker north of the Figure Eight Island drawbridge, the crew turned east into Nixon Channel. A house with a slanted roof on the mainland is a good landmark at this turn. From there to Figure Eight Island, the key was to hug the right side of the channel, avoiding one point on the right. (There are often sandbars jutting off points in tidal waters.) After passing the last house on the north end of the island (which is protected from erosion by sandbags) the crew travelled straight across the inlet to the south tip of Lea Island. Turning west up Green Channel, the best areas to beach a boat on Lea Island are to the right.