Posts in Mississippi Stories
Day 57 Mississippi River
Day 57 Mississippi River

The old time trappers/commercial fisherman were up and at it around sunrise. I laid in the tent, listening to them bark and banter with each other about the most efficient way to get the net in. The wench the crew used to hoist in the net full of fish made a loud chugging noise.

By the time I got up the net was about halfway in. I made breakfast and coffee before waltzing over to the fellas to see how the haul faired. To me, it looked like a decent load, but as I got closer and started chatting with them it was clear they were not impressed.

"They all got out overnight. 2 days worth of work for nothing...."

Spirits were low. The night before the guys had hoped to take home 30 to 40 thousand pounds, which by their estimation would take two full days of loading fishing into the boat, hauling them to the boat ramp and coming back for another load. By the time the net came in not even half of one boat was fully loaded.

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Missouri, Mississippi Stories, Good PeopleWill CollinsClarksville, Asian CarpComment
Day 56 Mississippi River - Flying Fish & Old Time Trappers
Day 56 Mississippi River - Flying Fish & Old Time Trappers

Camping on the Eastern shore, a crisp shade covered camp in the morning. Despite the chill I took time to make coffee and do a bit of reading from the new book gifted to me by Jane in Quincy, IL, Mark Twains "Life on the Mississippi". 

I broke camp and hit the water, ready to make my way into the sunshine that had taunted me while reading in the shade. 

A beautiful, cloudless day on the water warranted a few layers of sunscreen throughout the afternoon. 

Sometime around 5pm I spotted a large sandbar in the distance- the perfect spot to stop and set up shop for the night. As I pulled up to the edge, a silver, flat bottom boat came flying to the inside portion of the sandbar, which was shaped like a horseshoe. Three fellas in waiters began running the course of the sandbar, from one point of the horseshoe to the other, dropping a large net. As they worked, hundreds if not thousands of fish began jumping out of the water, covering the inside of the bay with a wall of flying fish. 

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Good People, Illinois, Mississippi Stories, VideoWill CollinsAsian CarpComment
Day 52 Mississippi River - The Warsaw Brewing Company
Day 52 Mississippi River - The Warsaw Brewing Company

With sunny skies and a slight breeze I did my best to dry out wet gear.

As I paddled through the day my solar charger replenished both my phone and speaker battery, meaning music was rolling in the boat.

The river hard turned into what for all intense purpose was a massive lake. Extremely wide with no islands to duck behind for wind cover, I paddled into a slight headwind. Passing Fort Maddison, IA and Nauvoo, IL the river was at its widest point to date. A beautiful, large white church peered out towards the water from a hill near Nauvoo.

Around 5pm I pulled up to lock 19 near Keokuk, IA. As I entered what is the longest lock on the Mississippi, I asked the Lock master if he knew of a good spot to pitch a tent for the night. First, he recommended some of the islands down river, then he told me of a restaurant just down the way, the Warsaw Brewing Company.

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Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Good People, Mississippi StoriesWill CollinsNauvoo, Keokuk, Fort MadisonComment
Day 50 Mississippi River
Day 50 Mississippi River

I wasn't able to get much shut eye through the night due to a litany of events caused by rising water levels. By the time morning rolled around I had a few hours of on and off again dozing under my belt.

By morning I laid in the tent and tried my best to catch up on some writing. Halfway through finishing a journal entry I heard the sound of small rolling waves uncomfortably close to tent. I opened up the vestibule to see that once again, the water had nearly surrounded my shelter. At a moments notice I sprung into action, packing up the tent and all my gear, racing against the clock before the water completely engulfed the sand bar I was camping on. Less than 12 hours prior the sand bar occupied the space of about half a football field.

I got the boat loaded and pushed off, paddling over the area that only last night I had pitched my tent on. As the water forced my hand, I left camp earlier than normal, and without time to make breakfast.

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Hard times, Mississippi Stories, StormsWill CollinsComment
Day 49 Mississippi River
Day 49 Mississippi River

The morning sky was painted with a blanket of dark grey clouds. The forecast called for rain and wind today, and based off the cool air and uninviting cloud cover it looked as though the prediction was spot on.

After a quick breakfast I broke camp and hit the water at a decent hour. Much of the morning consisted of on and off again rain showers. By noon the rain fell consistently, with a fair headwind chipping in as well. In my rain jacket, pants and boots I continued to paddle, and by mid afternoon arrived at lock 16, just above Muscatine, IA. As I entered the chamber I asked the Lock master if there was a good place in town to stop and dry off at. He recommend the Mississippi Brewing Company, and with that I heeded his advice.

As the wind picked up and the rain rolled on I ferried across the river to the local marina. Pulling up to a public dock, I unloaded the boat and lifted the empty canoe up onto the floating walkway. A short jaunt across a railroad track and down a few blocks of downtown Muscatine put me outside the neon lights of the Mississippi Brewing Co.

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Good People, Iowa, Storms, Hard times, Mississippi StoriesWill CollinsMuscatineComment
Day 5 Mississippi River
Day 5 Mississippi River

People are good.

Today was by far the best day on the river yet. It started out early, once again, with rain. I had made contact the night before via Facebook with a fellow named Barry, who offered to make me hot breakfast and help with a resupply should I be able to make it to his house ("in the wooded area before Bemidji. Look for the Minnesota state flag") in the AM. It was about a 2 1/2 hour paddle from my campsite. I broke camp and got on the water around 7:30AM, not wanting to miss the opportunity, and boy was I glad I did.

I pulled up to the Minnesota State flag with a light drizzle in the air and Barry walking out on his dock barefoot to meet me.

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Good People, Mississippi Stories, MinnesotaWill CollinsBemidji Comment