Mississippi anybody?

[Cheesewhiz]

Just throwing it out there, an invitation that is. I told myself in 2006 after the completion of my AT thru hike that I would do a life trip every 5 years. So on that note, By or at the latest 2011 I am planning to Kayak the mighty Mississippi River from Lake Itasca, MN to New Orleans. I hiked the AT for myself and now It is time to do something for someone special to me. That person currently does not know so I can not reveal the name. I am currently planning a solo trip but the invitation is open to the open minded.

Thinking a Sept. 1ish +/- start date and shooting for a 2-3 month tripish, I have only been doin' homework on road maps

MN,WI,IO,IL,MO,KT,TN,AK,MS,LO 2340 Miles

[minnesotasmith]

Kayaked from MN to New Orleans. He did this in his early 60s, I think. His wife drove an RV on highways parallel to the river and met him at prearranged points every so often. He also made a yoke for portaging his kayak up to a mile. I understand that he had multiple close calls with barges on the lower Mississippi, while in MN getting over beaver dams was his top PITA. He was also wet a LOT.

The book he self-published about this experience is called "Odds One Never Quit". His name is Gene Osmondson. I think he has cancer, so if you want to talk to him, I'd hurry.

[hammer]

When I was 15 I went down the Mississippi in the 1960's in a small boat from Memphis to New Orleans. A friend went in a canoe from MN to Natchez a few years later.

I strongly suggest that you order a set of navigation maps of the river. I think I got mine from the Corp. of Engineers. The maps were in book form and rather large. Unlike the AT there are no white blazes (the buoys are few and markers on the bank are not much better) and in places there are multiple channels. If you get in the wrong channel it may go for miles before a dead end. You would think it would be simple to follow the current but it is not. Also in the lower Mississippi there are deep bends in the river. You will be going downstream but headed north for 10 miles at times. It can be confusing. You probably know all this--but your comment about the road map concerned me.

[max patch]

I thot about doing this after my hike also, but after a bit of research I decided that dealing with the barges, the locks, etc that the trip would not be as much fun or as "Tom Sawerish" as I had envisoned. I read an interesting book written by someone who canoed that whole way; don't remember the name.

[Marta]

Whiteblaze's own Johnny Swank knows a few things about making this trip.

http://www.sourcetosea.net/

[Cheesewhiz]

I certainly planned on using the corp. maps but not until closer to the trip departure. I also have been using the source to sea website but thank you for the info none the less!

[jesse]

I spent most of my youth working on towboats. It is a dangerous proposition. Not so much from getting run over, but the huge wake produced by the barges. I would be afraid of geting swamped. Also kkep in mind those boats, cannot maneuver quickly. It also takes miles for a SOBO tow to stop. You will have to miss them. They are not going to run over you on purpose, but they will not wreck or run aground to miss you. You will be hard to spot.
The Fall is generaly the low water season, the channel could get crowded. The Lower Mississippi looks like a big wid river, but in low water the channel can be quite narrow, with one way barge traffic in some places.
Sounds like a fun trip, As many trips as I made up and down that river, I think it would be fun. Just be careful!!

[leeki pole]

Growing up around St. Louis, we canoed and water skiied around the Big Muddy. Be careful, it's a tricky river, lots of current, eddies and believe it or not, easy to get turned around. I think an earlier poster made this point as well.
When you get down around Memphis, Tunica or Helena, give me a shout out. We'll hit a casino AYCE buffet! Good luck!

[Jim Adams]

Cheesewiz,
Definitely buy your Corps. of Engineer Books just before you leave. They are updated and re-published every year. It is amazing how accurate they are. You will be able to tell exactly where you are within about 100' at any time.
The boat wakes won't be that much of a problem but you MUST keep your eyes open constantly because when those boats are coming at you, you can not hear them! Also, you do not show up on their radar as you are too small and close to the water. Once you get out there, they all tend to take an interest in your trip and watch where you've been / are every day. They talk about you to each other on their radios as to how far you've made it each day and they tend to know the "area" you may be in but usually the only way that they "find" you is seeing your wet paddle flash in the sun light ahead. The big boats and big ships rock...too cool!
The locks are cool! When you are in those large 1,600' chambers, you feel like you are sitting on a toothpick! There are 2 locks on the Tenessee River that let you down 50' and 1 that lets you down 100'. I want to do them someday!
I started on a class III, class IV white water river in Pa. but the biggest white water that I was on was on the lower Mississippi during storms. Weird currents, jagged shoreline and high speed currents can produce some wild water. I was 4' off shore one day and couldn't get there! I also ran out of cigarettes and due to 3 days of rain and rising water I was able to paddle 32 miles in 2 1/2 hours into Greenville just to get cigs. WAY more adventure than the AT but I think about the AT everyday...I only think about the river when someone reminds me.
Hammer, who was your buddy who stopped in Natches? I think I heard stories about him. He was a real character if it is the same guy.
Leeki, Helena was GREAT! Spent 10 days there over Christmas and New Years due to the river FREEZING over. Does Pug and Peggy Hanson still live there? Incredible people!!!!!!

geek

Sorry for rambling.....GOOD MEMORIES!

[MyName1sMud]

Nice! I gotta try that sometime! Get in touch!

[hammock engineer]

I clicked on this thinking I may find some hiking in MS.

I live in NOLA now and will probably still be there with my job when you come through. Keep me in mind for when you come through to help you out. I think the river is only a couple miles from where I live now and within 20 minutes of the areas I will probably be living in then.

BTW the river down here is nasty. I want no part of touching any of it. In addition to all the polution and everthing from the storms, last month one barge carrying fuel hit another barge carrying fuel. Spilling thousands of gallons into the river. I went down to the river walk a couple weeks ago and the river smells nasty. I don't think much will change with that in the next couple years.