Our Schedule for the May 2007 Trip
May 2007
- 13th Leave Lake Itasca State Park, Minnesota at the headwaters of the Mississippi River.
- 18th Arrive in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
- 20th Arrive in Lake City, Minnesota
- 23rd Arrive in St. Louis, Missouri
- 26th Arrive in Memphis, Tennessee
- 27th & 28thArrive in Tunica, Mississippi and stay for Memorial Day
- 31st Arrive in Vicksburg, Mississippi
June 2007
- 2nd Arrive in Natchez, Mississippi
- 5th Arrive in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- 7th Arrive in New Orleans, Louisiana
- 9th Gulf of Mexico 10th New Orleans, Louisiana
- 11th Home; Amarillo, Texas
Starting at Lake Itasca, Minnesota we will be navigating through the headwaters of Mississippi River and continuing along the river to the end where he empties into the Gulf of Mexico south of Venice, Louisiana. The trip will be made in expedition grade kayaks and the River Team will be comprised of four individuals. The length of the trip is approx. 2,350 miles taking us through 10 states and we expect to complete the trip in 30 days or less.
Interesting to note is that rivers and bodies of waters are generally referred to as feminine; however the Mississippi River is referred to in a masculine gender as “Old Man River” or “Father of Waters”. The Mississippi River is the third largest river and second largest watershed area in the world and is the primary watershed for over 40% of the United States covering all or parts of 31 states including 2 Canadian Provinces and one eighth of North America. The river basin measures 4.76 million square kilometers. Mississippi is an Ojibwa (Chippewa) Indian word, which means “Great River” or “Gathering of Waters”.
Logistics
We will transport our crafts and gear to Lake Itasca, Minnesota; where we will ready ourselves of departure on May the 13th. A spring start should aid us by taking advantage of the spring thaw and rains, which in turn should increase the river level and speed. Paddling Days will be lengthy; we are hoping to paddle a minimum of 10 hours each day. Weather will still be somewhat unpredictable and we expect to encounter everything from cold temperatures, ice and snow, rain, sun, strong winds, and even hot temperatures. Our gear should help keep us comfortable in those weather changes.
Wildlife challenges will present a different concern altogether. Our major concern will come from Mosquitoes as we make our way southward so bug protection gear and repellants will be of utmost importance.
In
the extreme southern portion of this trip there have been documented cases
of dogs and other animals actually dying from loss of blood due to mosquito
bites.
Since our time
will be exclusively spent on the river and surrounded by swamps and floodplains,
we will be under constant threat of Mosquito attacks both day and night. Bear,
Rattlesnakes, Cottonmouth Moccasins, and Bobcats will be additional threats
to be reckoned with throughout the length of the trip.
Re-Supply will be accomplished by picking up food, water, and other expendable supplies at the various towns and cities along the way. Since we will re-supply often, our load will be lightened also allowing us to make the best of our paddling energy. We will be pitching camp along the river as we progress.
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