Posts Tagged ‘Alligators’

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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