Archive for the ‘Expeditions’ Category

Monsta Movies Expedition Update 9

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

This update is coming to you from Rue de la course, a coffee shop about 1 mile from our river rat camp tonight. We have made it to New Orleans, but the final scene and final miles will occur tomorrow when we paddle around the bend to the French Quarter with our comrades, Monsta Movies crew. This update is about some stuff a few days ago. I am on limited time, as always, and so I will catch up to our location with the details tomorrow, hopefully.

First things first. Check out this on the Monsta Movies blog. quite amusing, and one that Big Muddy Adventures particularly relishes.

Now back to Natchez, MS and the rest of the story….

While I was up at the famous Under the Hill Saloon (using their wifi to post updates, emails, etc… and drinking coffee not whiskey unfortunately), John and crew off-loaded all of the film crew gear, bags and excess stuff from the Junebugs. According to the plan, the Monsta folks are land based for all but the final scene in New Orleans. We want the raft as light as possible to make the 350 miles of river in the eight days we have remaining.

We departed the Monsta Movies crew in a rush at the Natchez landing. A huge thunderstorm appeared across the river and seemed destined to hit us with full force. As we paddled away and under the bridge, I could see the disappointment in the eyes and waving arms of Patricia, Lutz and Volker. They have found something in their hearts on this river. I think that if they had it to do over again, they would have made the film entirely on the river and left all the quirky stories of the town folk along the way for some other project. Still, I can’t wait to see what they found in our river cities.

Somehow the foreboding thunder, lightening and sheets of rain that we could hear and see passed by us with nary a drop and only a short burst of wind. It seems that we are being watched by river angels as all of the potential threats are being dispersed, like Moses and the Red Sea. Knock on wood!

We are only a crew of seven now. There are no breaks from the rowing or tiller position. No one to spell you when your hands are cramped or your back and arms are screaming at you to stop. That is, no breaks until the river bends in an easterly direction. The winds are coming from the South/ Southwest. Until we get a tailwind, we have to lay our backs and arms into the work at all times. We are in good shape now, after 22 days on the river. Still the effort is strenuous. I can tell when the fatigue has set in. The Mighty Quapaws become silent. Their usual banter about girls and cars, or the incessant teasing of each other fades away into river time meditation.

I have been using my iPod as a stimulant to keep up a strong rowing stroke. I have never done that before… played recorded music while on river time. This time is different with good reason. I am seated backwards to the motion of the raft. It was disconcerting at first, not seeing what’s ahead, not catching the first glimpses of creatures in our path, or potential threats. So to counteract this, I decided to try and listen to some music and see how it blends with the passing of the river. It has worked well. But not well enough, I think, to continue this practice after the expedition. I prefer the the familiar position of the canoe and with that the natural sounds of the river.

So, what’s the playlist? It has been quite varied. In the early morning, I have listened to some Gregorian chant from a Benedictine monastic schola or some classical works by the British Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony. Later in the morning I have clicked on a selection of U2, some hill country Blues, i.e. Robert Belfour, the North Mississippi All Stars, Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcom. After lunch, Bob Dylan, the Police, and a new fave, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. When I need some extra energy for a particularly tough stretch, my boys, the Rolling Stones get turned up. Finally, everyday I have played a few selections from our beloved friend Wesley Jefferson, who was buried on Wednesday. One song in particular is on my mind. It is from a great CD called, “Meet Me in the Cotton Field” on Broke and Hungry Records (owned by a St. Louis native, Jeff Konkel). “Blues is Like the River” is a must listen. It has brought more than a few tears to the eyes on this journey. And it was co-written by my river compadre, John Ruskey.

Our routine, sans movie crew, has changed. We are now most interested in time saving and labor saving techniques. We are cooking with the Brunton stove instead of making campfire. We are getting on the raft at 6:30 AM and spending 12-13 hours moving downstream. The river is awesome, but the winds have made traveling tough at times. Each day we have been tortured by 20-25 mph in your face wind. The Mighty Quapaws, John and I are making the necessary miles despite the challenge. Our schedule is intact.

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Monsta Movies Expedition Update 8

Friday, July 31st, 2009

I have posted two updates, however due to a time constraint… only an hour on land in Baton Rouge, LA with internet access, I can’t post any photos with this update. See the previous Update #7 for photos.

Our second day back with the Monsta Movies crew was a near repeat of the first. We traveled all morning with the threat of storms all around. Mid-afternoon a thunder and lightening and heavy rains appeared imminent so we decided once again to cut short a full day of raft travel and make camp. As we approached the entrance to Cole’s Creek, about 15 miles above Natchez, MS, John announced that the creek might be good gator habitat. Of course, the Monsta Movies crew jumped at the chance to repeat the hunt. And the hunting was good.

Within minutes of setting out in the same formation as the Yucatan Lake excursion, John’s hunch proved true. Cole’s Creek is home to a family of gators. Our first sighting were two young ones swimming along the bank and circling the edge of a large swath of “duck grits” as the Germans called the vibrant green pellets of algae floating in the creek. A little further up a much larger gator surfaced in the duck weed as we call it. She was in obvious protective mode as she swam away from us, probably trying to lead us away from the kids. Then, as she disappeared in that slow and ominous submersion that is distinct to the alligator, Big Papa appeared. At an estimated 4-5 meters long, he gave us all quite a show. His swimming motion parted the sea of green and he seemed quite confident that we would not dare approach, but we did, very cautiously. He watched and swam until enough was enough. In a startling, great explosion of water, the king of the swamp made his exit below the surface. We proceeded further up the creek but with very wary eyes and extreme nervousness. We hoped that he did not suspect us to be a band of wild gator killers. Apparently, he understood since we were able to complete our exploration unharmed and extremely thankful.

While John prepared another one of his magnificent river rat gourmet dinners, I returned back up the creek with Lutz, Marcus, Sabinne and the entire group of Mighty Quapaws to give them the thrill of gator presence. As dinner was consumed, the Monsta Movies crew lamented that it would be their last full night on the river. The mighty Mississippi has worked its magic to its full extent. The river time experience has gone deep into the soul of our German comrades. They now know what John and I know. A Mississippi River expedition is a life changer, a connection to the true heart of America. Our bet is that they will find a way to rejoin us on the raft as we propel it from our present location just below Natchez to our destination and the final scene at New Orleans.

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Monsta Movies Expedition Update 7

Friday, July 31st, 2009

The comaraderie of the entire crew on the expedition has been surprisingly good. Sixteen people joined together on the Junebugs. It is not as crowded as one would think. And the professionalism of the film crew, combined with their now full understanding of what navigation of the greatest river requires, has made this journey much more enjoyable and successful so far. They pitch in and row with gusto, cook and clean, set tents, gather firewood and enjoy a good laugh and an end of the day cold beer.

At sixteen feet by 30 feet, the Junebug raft provides space for all to find a place to do work, row or just sit and contemplate the majesty of this beautiful river. Most of the gear gets packed in the “hold”, that is, inside the Junebugs canoes upon which the deck is securely bolted. Junebug 1 (the Cypress strip canoe) and Junebug 2 (the Redwood strip canoe) are water tight with a layer of marine plywood glued and screwed to temporary gunnels. To make them storage, we enter through a double hatch set just aft of the center line. The top hatch is in effect a part of the deck as it is flush. The second hatch is just below and is made water tight.

On deck, square in the middle of the raft is a combination of kitchen and storage with a large cooler, a kitchen box and assorted bags and boxes of film gear neatly organized. A one meter cleared walkway is achieved on each side of the raft. Occasionally it acts as a nap area. Each of the rowing stations also double as water tight storage boxes. The front two hold Monsta Movies gear and Mighty Quapaws dirty laundry, (John and I just throw their stuff in the box as we find it strewn about on the deck or on land- a housekeeping trick we probably learned from our own mothers.) The middle two boxes hold the non-perishable foods- mostly chips, organic cereal and cookies which the MQ’s consume at an impressive, or rather worrisome rate. The back two are John and mine, where our tools of the trade are stored- maps, emergency gadgets, radios, the laptop I use, and other assorted personal equipment. Huck and Jim would be most jealous of our river craft. Most folks who witness it are impressed and quite willing to say so.

A month or so before the expedition, John received an email from Monsta Movies which had an unusual and comedic request. For sure, it contained a sincere idea for the movie, but in email format, it was obviously a silliness derived from a language barrier. “Can you find us some friendly alligators to play with?” We had a good laugh. “alligators to play with?”

Late Sunday afternoon, we set out from our camp at the entrance to a channel leading to Yucatan Lake. We embarked in the two Bell Northshore four seater canoes leaving our beloved Junebugs behind. John took the stern in one with the three in the cast- Patricia and Volker (“Mister and Missus Sippi””, and the talented artist, Mattias. I took the other with the film crew- Sabinne, the lady through whose keen eye the movie will be seen, and Mark, the man who captures all of the sounds, from dialogue to wind and thunder and flowing waters, and Heiko, the quiet and diligent assistant. Meanwhile the MQs, as well as Monsta Movies crew mates, Lutz and Marcus, remained behind at the camp to set it up, cook dinner and batten down the hatches if the forecasted storm was to hit.

The first half hour of our paddle was quiet, beautiful, but relatively uneventful. We enjoyed a great many sightings of fine birds, egret and green herons sitting on logs or tree branches along the bank. It seemed that alligators were either too shy to appear or deeper into the swamp which lay further upstream. John and I decided to change our luck, stir the waters a little bit, act as bait maybe. We jumped out of the canoes for a swim as the Monsta folks gasped at our bravado. We swam, dove and cavorted around for a few minutes then re-entered the canoes, cooled and refreshed and with a gleam in our eye. Swimming in alligator country is a special thrill.

Remarkably, our team of eight remained patient and silent for another ten minutes of paddling until all of a sudden, Mark the audio man pointed excitedly about 10 meters upstream. There it was, a small alligator swimming perpendicular to the channel, only his eyes protruding above the murky green waters. We approached quietly, film rolling, cameras snapping and looks of awe on each of the Germans faces. Soon thereafter another gator slipped into the channel and began a slow meander in front of us. John and I took turns in the lead for the camera and cast to get different looks. To find even better habitat and hopefully more and bigger gators, we cut back off the channel and into the swamp. We wove our way between the flooded trees and logs of the swamp, wary of hanging snakes and vigilant for our “prey”. We struck gold. A large gator appeared sunning himself on a log. For almost three hours, we were able to witness the magic of the swamp and its kings as the gators actually did come out to “play.”

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Monsta Movie Expedition Update 6

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

With great thanks and relief we returned to river time on Saturday at noon. The Junebug raft made a nervous but very successful land movement from Clarksdale to Vicksburg, MS. The Quapaw Canoe Company shuttle crew performed their jobs with the usual great skill and dependability. Melvin Carpenter, Ellis Coleman and John Fewkes created a three vehicle caravan to deliver the Junebugs back to their natural habitat.

Once on the water the muscle memory kicked in for John, the Mighty Quapaws and myself. We were joined for the first day by “Missus Sippi”, the enigmatic and multi talented Patricia Schaffer, as well as one of the unsung heros of Monsta Movies, Producer’s assistant Jodwiga Wenke. Two gorgeous ladies and a crew of river rats. Needless to say, the tow boat captains were all on the binoculars outside the pilot house as we passed by. Their commentary on the radio was much more animated than their usual response to a Quapaw Canoe or Big Muddy Adventures sighting.

Through clear blues skies and pleasant river conditions we rowed and paddled twenty five miles to Middle Ground Island just above Port Gibson, MS. This place holds special relevance for Wanblee John Ruskey. It was his honeymoon suite with his beautiful wife Sarah in May 2003. Yes, indeed, John and Sarah paddled away from their great wedding reception in a canoe to spend their honeymoon on the river.

With little fear and surprising skill, Patricia made her solo flight on the river in one of the Bell canoes that have been at times throughout the expedition, support craft, or trailing little doggies to the mother vessel. We watched as Patricia paddled at safe distance, exploring the wonders of the chaotic water which often at the wing dikes or in the wake of the massive line of barges moving up and down our nation’s first great super highway. Meanwhile, the MQ’s provided their usual strength at the six rowing stations.

Despite the onslaught of ferocious mosquitos which descend on us at the “mosquito hour”, dusk, I was able to sleep well once again outside of the protection of a tent. I zipped the sleeping bag tight, laid down close to our fire, wore a mosquito net on my head, and enjoyed the luster and magnificence of a Mississippi night sky, Scorpio rising, the Milky Way bathing me, and the new Moon quickly making its way to an early night exit on the western horizon.

We were rejoined on Sunday by the Monsta Movie crew at the Port Gibson State Park landing. Also there to greet us was one of the most interesting and enjoyable ladies of the South, Mrs. Emma Crisler. She is the editor, writer and publisher of the oldest family owned newspaper in Mississippi, printing the 133rd Volume of a classic small town newspaper. She also happens to be John’s mother-in-law. True to the gracious nature of a refined daughter of the South, she brought treats and a copy of her newspaper as well as the Jackson Clarion Ledger. We read hers of course, and I checked the box scores in the big city print to see how my Chicago White Sox have been doing.

Just after setting off, again at noon, a foreboding sky approached from the West. Instead of making our way downstream with the potential of some real dangerous conditions occurring, we decided to ferry cross the river to a sand bar at the entrance of a long channel leading to Yucatan Lake, a classic ox bow of the Mother River. Upon landing a plan was made to fulfill a promise. We would go alligator hunting with the actors and film crew. We would explore the channel leading to the lake and attempt to find the kings of the swamp.

Monsta Movie crew hunting alligators.

Monsta Movie crew hunting alligators.

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Monsta Movies Expedition Update 5

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

The Monsta Movies film crew is busy shooting in the great river city of Memphis. John Ruskey, the Mighty Quapaws and I are down in Clarksdale, MS, at the canoe shop, doing some raft repair (very little must be done actually, a real testament to the craftsmanship of this vessel) and preparing for the final two legs of this expedition which will begin on Thursday from Vicksburg, MS.

We have had time to read some of our personal journals, and in retrospect there is much that I have not posted here on the BMA blog. Maybe that’s a good thing so as to keep this more bloggish than a long narrative. One event which I did write about but did not have pictures of is the epic storm that blew our camp to shreds last week. Since it is true, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, the Monsta Movies folks captured the tempestuous sky and other moments with some of their personal cameras. Check it out at the Monsta Movies blog.

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Monsta Movies Expedition Update 4

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

As for expedition adventure, Wednesday had a chart topper.

The reunion of the German film crew and the raft crew at New Madrid. Loading the gear and supplies.

The reunion of the German film crew and the raft crew at New Madrid. Loading the gear and supplies.

We met the Monsta Movie crew at 8 AM at the New Madrid boat ramp and loaded the usual supplies of ice, food and water. Our friends, the Berliners stacked their mountain of film gear and personal gear on board the Junebug raft which seemed to groan under the weight of it all. John, the Quapaws and I had spent the early morning hours cleaning and repacking our own gear and the expedition gear in preparation. By the time we pushed off, the winds out of the South / Southwest had grown to about 20 miles per hour. The Mississippi River was frothy, swirling and capped in white. There was simply no way to move many miles downstream safely so we decided just to cross the channel and make our way to famous Island 10.

The Junebug raft moves steadily in a wind whipped Mississippi River.

The Junebug raft moves steadily in a wind whipped Mississippi River.

Our plan was to land at the large sand bar on the island, an ideal spot to stop and enjoy the pleasures of a full day of exploring and filming, life on a river island camp. The Junebug raft made the short trip without trouble. The paddling crew was strong- Matthias Seiffert, Monsta Movies resident artist for the trip, Lutz Neumann, the good natured production manager, Marcus Hanish, the efficient assistant producer, Mark Meusinger, the very cool sound technician, Heiko Kohler, the quiet and friendly assistant cameraman, Volker and Patricia, the funny, bright and good natured “movie stars”, Sabinne, the uber talented camerawoman, and of course, John and two of the Mighty Quapaws, MQ Lil Jer and MQ Dinky. I took my place in one of the canoes with MQ Mike while MQ Popeye and MQ Darius crewed the other.

Filming the landing of Junebug raft on Island 10 just below New Madrid MO.

Filming the landing of Junebug raft on Island 10 just below New Madrid MO.

We landed the Junebug raft in a pocket of deep water on the island bank, then pushed off to do it over so that it could be filmed from shore. As we unloaded the raft and canoes and brought the kitchen, tents and all gear to the willow forest, the sand scorched everyone’s bare feet. It was quite humorous to watch the crew bolt across the sand and dive into the protected waters behind the wing dike after each 200 yard trip to the trees. “Oooh! Oooh! Ow! Ow!” then “Ahhhh!” as the cool waters provided relief. The blazing hot afternoon was spent napping beneath the willows, eating a great lunch, taking cool dips in the river, writing, drawing and listening to John play his guitar. A film session was planned for the late afternoon.

Mr. and Mrs. Sippi, Volker and Patricia, plant our American and German flags in the sand on Island 10 marking our camp site for the day.

Mr. and Mrs. Sippi, Volker and Patricia, plant our American and German flags in the sand on Island 10 marking our camp site for the day.

Our marine radio weather station had been warning of a storm all day. Still no sign of the bad weather at the time John, Volker, Patricia and the film crew set off for a hike in the woods, but soon thereafter I spotted a super cell rolling towards us from across the boot heel of Missouri. If you have ever been down that way, you know that these storms are often ferocious with tornados or straight line winds preceding the downpour. The Mighty Quapaws and I had started the cooking fire and were preparing a rain fly to sit under when I realized that this was going to be a real bad blow. We hurried to secure all loose gear in camp, on the raft and to try and secure all of the tents with stakes and guide lines. I had just finished tying off the last of the Germans’ tents when it hit. 60 mile an hour winds rushed across the river and began a 30 minute onslaught.

I heard one of the Mighty Quapaws yell that my own tent had blown away. I ran towards it only to witness our cooking fire actually lift off the ground. The wind had shifted just enough that my supposed safe tent site was now in the path of pieces of burning wood. A few began to land on it. “Poof”, the rain fly burned. Lil Jer, Popeye and I rushed to grab the rest of the tent and succeeded in disassembling it while we were pinned against some willows. The other Quapaws began a frantic and heroic effort at catching all of the tents of the camp which had uprooted their stakes, broken the guide lines and had begun blowing away, gear and all. They miraculously saved every tent and all gear while being pounded by the wind and heavy rain. We were all oblivious to the huge lightning strikes and booming thunder all around.

Matthias Seiffert, the Berlin artist, at work on the Monsta Movies Expedition.

Matthias Seiffert, the Berlin artist, at work on the Monsta Movies Expedition.

Meanwhile, the only member of the German crew not on the hiking film session, Matthias the artist, made a run for the raft where he retrieved the second camera from its hold and ran it back to what was our blown apart camp. He stuck it under a kitchen box and saved it from ruin. As I watched him, I realized that something must have happened to the raft for the camera to be exposed. I immediately rushed to it and found that Junebug had been turned sideways along the bank and that the tops of the dry boxes had blown off. They were scattered about on the sand and two were actually under the raft in the water. I grabbed them one by one and like a sailor in a North Atlantic storm, I leaned forward into the winds to make it across the raft and secure them back on board using a rope tied along the length of the Junebug thus lashing them down. The thunder and lightening flashed and boomed all around. My next move was to try and get a dry bag to our hiking film crew to cover the big camera. I began a mad dash through the woods yelling and looking for them. As it turned out, John had tucked them in beneath a sand berm somewhere near the camp and they were safe and sound. Whew! as the storm front passed, I made it back to camp and began to hear all of the versions of what happened in that 30 minutes of Mississippi River Valley fury. And then a rainbow appeared as we repositioned the raft and began the task of fixing our camp. John got a roaring fire started and despite the frazzled state of things, he somehow managed to cook one of the best meals of the trip, a delicious pork roast with corn on the cob and baked potatoes. We all ate and laughed and relished the good fortune and great efforts of all to safely survive the big event.

In the aftermath of the super cell storm, a rainbow appeared over our scattered camp.

In the aftermath of the super cell storm, a rainbow appeared over our scattered camp.

I left the expedition yesterday night at Caruthersville, MO to grab a Greyhound bus back to St. Louis. I arrived around 1 AM. No I am not sick nor have I been banished by the crew. I have returned home for two days to fulfill a long standing river trip booking this weekend here in the Great Rivers region. This trip was planned and booked back in early May before I got the Monsta Movies Expedition gig. I really hated to leave, but the biz of Big Muddy Adventures and the policy of first come, first serve is very important to me. So I will get a chance to see my wife and boys for a day and then lead a family group on a tour of the Confluence area. I will return on Sunday to Memphis where the Monsta crew and the Quapaws will be arriving. From there it is a few weeks more of expedition life and river time to New Orleans.

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Monsta Movies Expedition Update 3

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

If you have read the last two posts on the Big Muddy Adventures blog, then you know that I’m on a long distance expedition with my compadre, the Riverman John Ruskey and the Quapaw Canoe Company. Once again, the expedition life has solidified our respect for each other, and has brought us to the places that make our occupational choice such a joy.

River Rat bath at the Confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi

River Rat bath at the Confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi

Since the last update, we have rowed / paddled through the Confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The heat has been intense and a typical southeastern Missouri thunderstorm struck while we were camped at Grand Tower directly across from the ancient navigational marker, the Tower Rock. At that point our clients, the Monsta Movies film crew left to do their land based filming in Cairo, IL. This left John, the Mighty Quapaws, Seth Barger and I to move on our own. In some ways this is a relief. We are now able to really move on our version of river time, but it has also been fun to share the magic of the river with the good natured and talented folks from East Berlin.

The raft is safe at land as dusk comes upon us.

The raft is safe at land as dusk comes upon us.

Our camp tonight is set on a sand bar just across from New Madrid, MO. We have entered town to resupply, to meet our clients tomorrow morning for more raft action for them, and to drop off our buddy Seth who has succumbed to a debilitating ear infection. He is heading back to Clarksdale MS to recuperate and hopefully rejoin us when we reach Memphis in a week. Seth’s talent as a carpenter has really been proven in the great stability of the raft. It is actually a great example of genius. He, with the guidance of John, has built a craft like no other. It even has waterproof hatches which drop down into the interior of the Junebug canoes where we store much of the supplies and equipment. The deck of the raft is equipped with six water tight boxes made of marine plywood which were hand crafted by John’s step daddy, Gary. These have been really excellent as both storage and seats from which to lay into the oars. As a water craft, the raft has made the six to eight foot tow boat wakes look easy to handle as it rises in one piece up and over each successive wave, not a drop on the deck. And it moves extraordinarily well, not fast, as no raft should move fast on the river, but still, about 5 mph when there are six of us plying the oars.

John Ruskey navigates while Seth Barger rows.

John Ruskey navigates while Seth Barger rows.

While there are a number of personal stories accumulating, the real story for John and I is the magic of this beautiful river. John last passed through Big Muddy Adventures’ guiding territory, the Middle Mississippi, in 1982 on his own raft trip. I have enjoyed listening to him recount stories of that trip which eventually deposited him in his present and longstanding home of Clarksdale. His memory is keen and he notices many of the river sights, geological and man-made, while I notice new things myself, despite having traveled this section many times as part of my Big Muddy Adventures endeavor.

The Junebugs raft passing below the Trail of Tears State Park and the magnificent bluffs.

The Junebugs raft passing below the Trail of Tears State Park and the magnificent bluffs.

From St. Gen to Cape Girardeau the bluffs along the Missouri side bathed us in their beauty. I particularly enjoyed the stretch along the Trail of Tears State Park. We were hailed from high above at the lookout inside the park by a group of hiking sightseers. We responded with a six oar salute and the owl hoot which is our signature call of acknowledgement. At the Cape, where we camped directly across the river from town, we were visited by a group of men and women on a pontoon boat. As they approached, we gave them an owl hoot acknowledgement. One of the ladies responded by dropping her bikini top. Such is the way of the river rat, never quite knowing what to expect. Of course, the Mighty Quapaws have been talking about that encounter ever since.

At Thebes we passed under the old railroad bridge with its Roman arches and watched as a coal train passed, one of many that roll over each day. If you are wondering what the tow boats are hauling these days, it is empties on the way back upstream, most likely preparing for the harvest. And coal. Lots of coal. There are other boats out here, a few pleasure craft with curious folks speeding past, but mostly it is just us and the tow boats. Nothing unusual there for Big Muddy Mike and Driftwood Johnny.

Mike's tent on Wolf Island, Lower Mississippi River.

Mike's tent on Wolf Island, Lower Mississippi River.

Our camps during this stretch have been on pristine sand bars which offer some of the finest camping in the country. The sunsets and sunrises are better than any paintings I’ve seen in art museums, and the night sky is filled with the treasures of stars, Jupiter and Venus, and the waning moon. I sleep with no rain fly in order to watch the heavens pass over as I fall asleep and awake. Each day we trade off between hours of hard rowing, with the sun taking its toll, followed by refreshing swims in the river and some true Huck Finn raft time, just sitting, writing, eating snacks and watching as the Bald Eagles, Blue Herons, Terns, Crows and Swallows do their thing.

US Coast Guard buoy tender passing raft at mile 945 Lower Miss.

US Coast Guard buoy tender passing raft at mile 945 Lower Miss.

The tow boats have been as busy as ever and they are astounded at our presence. We listen to the marine radio and laugh at their chatter about us. One had a bit of a snide bit, “Now that’s “natural selection” at work,” as if to say we are some gross abnormality of humanity. Of course, he was worried that we were a navigational hazard, but later we were gratified to hear many others comment about our ability to safely and efficiently navigate the river, moving from one side to the other, catching the fast water and avoiding the monster tows pushing 24-40 barges. This is the river we know and we are working it well. And the US Coast Guard is impressed which is the real test.

One last bit… John and I have taken to calling the raft the roffice, that is “raft office”, as we both try and conduct our business from on board. The cell phones are working and there are many of you folks who are ready to get out here with us, and we are excited about that. We ask your patience as we try and do the office stuff, i.e. email, bookings, info transfer, etc… while we are on our way to New Orleans. There’s no time like river time!

For more great photos, check out the Monsta Movies blog here.

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Mr. and Mrs. Sippi Expedition Update 2

Sunday, July 12th, 2009

Whew! The whirlwind of activity on this expedition is exhilarating, exhausting, and as always, a breathtaking big muddy adventure. We have traveled 160 miles downstream on the Mother River, the Mighty Mississippi, aboard the awesome Junebug raft. The genius of John Ruskey has never been more apparent.


On Day 2 of the expedition we caused quite a commotion as we passed the McKinley Bridge in St. Louis. A full compliment of law enforcement and fire rescue folks commanded us to land. Of course, we were in no position to do so as the anchored barges and swift current of the river made it unsafe. The raft crew waved and continued on to the Arch. I, however, was able to paddle one of the two canoes in our flotilla to the bank and meet our concerned members of St. Louis’ finest. After a brief conversation and recognition that the Rivermen, Wanblee John and Wamblee Mike, were in command, they called off the responders and informed all that this group was both safe and travelling aboard a vessel that was uniquely designed to fulfill its multiple functions on the Great River.

After landing at the Arch, the US Coast Guard entered the scene to inspect the raft. With detailed due diligence, they combed the deck, the safety equipment and the crew until finally USCG Captain Bill declared it the first raft in 15 years that was safe to continue a journey beyond the Eads Bridge. Our German film team went about their business with little recognition of this important hurdle overcome. However, as the days have progressed, their respect for the expertise of their guides and crew has grown. And their willingness to work with us and river time has grown. We are a true team of international adventurers, going about our business with great professionalism and with a great sense of humor. Mr. and Mrs. Sippi, Volker Strubing and Patricia Schaffer, have even discovered the great fun of a muddy scene.

Day 3 and 4 brought us downstream along the magnificent bluffs of the Middle Mississippi, past St. Genevieve, Kaskaskia and Chester. Tower Rock and the Devils Backbone provided a fine backdrop to our camp on Friday, but the intense storm that arrived just before dawn yesterday left the camp in a state of disarray, folks scurrying about to batten down hatches. The hot sun has taken its toll on all, but a constant ritual of swimming and water fights have made the tough conditions bearable. Our night camps have been typically exquisite… beautiful sand bars with glorious sunsets, full moon rising, and delightful river rat gourmet dinners. The mosquitos have had their feast as well, but all have become river rat tough.


After the storm yesterday, our German friends departed for their appointed film session in Cairo IL, leaving just the Mighty Quapaws, John, Seth and I to move downstream. We endured a very tough day with a headwind causing our muscles to ache as we rowed continuously for six hours. At sunset we approached the Cape Girardeau riverfront. Our bodies and minds spent from the arduous work, we maneuvered through the chaotic waters and fearsome boils and whirlpools finally passing under the beautiful bridge to the sandbar on Marquette Island where our camp is currently at rest for a few hours. We set tents as a magnificent lightning display filled the sky. And now after a quick visit to the Cape, it is time to move on, film schedule and river time making for a dichotomy of stress and pleasure. Prost!!

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Mr. and Mrs. Sippi Expedition

Monday, July 6th, 2009

John Ruskey tightens the raft bolts which secure it to Junebug 1 and 2.

John Ruskey tightens the raft bolts which secure it to Junebug 1 and 2.

For the past three days, our camp at Piasa Harbor has been a beehive of activity. We have been hard at work assembling the raft for an expedition to New Orleans. Our clients are Monsta Movies Film productions from Berlin Germany. Their movie is called “Mr. and Mrs. Sippi.” The journey began months ago for all involved. The movie crew has been writing and researching, traveling and preparing for their parts. We have been building the canoes and the raft which is now secured on top of Junebug 1 and 2.

Patricia and Volker, aka Mr. and Mrs. Sippi, row Angela's Ark in preparation for the expedition and movie roles.

Patricia and Volken, aka Mr. and Mrs. Sippi, row Angela's Ark in preparation for the expedition and movie roles.

Today, the lead actors, Patricia Schafer and Volker Strubing, Mr. and Mrs. Sippi, came to Piasa to do some shooting on Angela’s Ark. Angela’s Ark is an authentic 19th century replica flat boat which BMA has been helping to crew and prepare for its own journey in September. The flat boat has been written into the story as a connection to our good friend and BMA colleague, Scott Mandrell, who has filled a big role as the St. Louis / Alton IL host to the movie team. While John Ruskey, Seth Barger, the Mighty Quapaws and I worked hard putting the finishing touches on the Junebugs and raft, the Ark rowed past. As a measure of great fortune, John Cooper, the builder of Angela’s Ark, was also present and lent a master’s hand as we put the oar locks, railings, and cleats on the deck.

The real adventure begins tomorrow when we untether the craft and begin our journey to New Orleans. The “Monsta” folks are excited as are we. It should be a grand endeavor, made especially cool by the brilliance of the raft.

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