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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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