Mississippi & Arkansas
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Mississippi River canoeing
We met our guides from Quapaw Canoe Company in the morning, then set off for the Mississippi. We paddled in the big canoe with one guide; two other guides paddled another canoe, and a father and son paddled their own canoe. Evan didn't really paddle, but loved jumping into the water at every stop. We paddled down a side channel where we saw several snakes and giant fish jumping in the shallow water. We stopped for the night on a sand dune near where the White River used to join the Mississippi. There were lots of toads around, and Evan had fun chasing them and picking them up.
The second day, we paddled past a really big island for most of the day, and briefly went north as the river twisted and turned. We saw only a couple of small boats and a bunch of giant towboats. We paddled past the White River confluence, saw the remains of a sunken steamboat, and explored the mouth of the Arkansas River. The Cat Island campsite was formerly underwater; the ground was dried and cracked mud. It had a great view of both rivers and nice shade from some trees.
The third day we got an early start because the river was rising and a storm was coming. We stopped around lunch to wait out the storm, then paddled a little while to our takeout point near Arkansas City.
behind the Quapaw Canoe office, getting the canoes ready to go
at the put in south of Clarksdale
our starting point on the river
backing into the river
one of the smaller tow boats we saw on the river
our canoe with a tow boat in the background -- each of those barges is 200 feet long
Evan and Paul in the middle seat
stopping for a snack and swim break
Evan loved playing in the water at every stop
this game is "run until you fall down"
we saw several big fish jump out of the water in this back channel
this water snake was resting on the bank
almost to the end
approaching our first night's campsite
Evan chasing a toad
the super moon coming up over our camp
there were lots of prints outside our tent the next morning; mostly from toads
underway the morning of the second day
the remains of the steamboat Victory, revealed by last year's flood
Evan running into the water
cruising under a tree to our lunch stop
Evan and Jordan playing in the water at lunch time
Evan really liked playing our guide's drum
Evan collapsing the steep sand bank at our afternoon rest stop
throwing sand into the water
it was really hot at this stop
we paddled through shallow water toward the Arkansas River
we paddled into a narrow side channel near the Arkansas
we saw a deer disappear into the trees
the second night we camped near the confluence of the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers
the Arkansas was moving fast here
Evan liked the bubbles and kicking down the steep bank
our camp site, looking toward the main Mississippi channel
our camp on Cat Island
Evan loved throwing sticks into the fire
we saw several whole trees come shooting out of the Arkansas on the fast current
we tried to go for a walk but didn't get very far since Evan wanted to hit all of the bushes with his stick
the brown area to the left was underwater the next morning
our second campsite was on dry, cracked mud
walking across the island
Evan and Jordan climbed a tree
sunset over the Arkansas River
Evan and Jordan could not resist pushing the steep sand bank into the river
playing by the river at sunset
the main Mississippi channel is ahead and to the left
the river came up overnight and there was water not far from our tents
there were big fish flopping around on the new bank
caught one!
getting a boost from the fast-moving Arkansas
the towboats look small next to their cargo but they're actually pretty big
we stopped because of an oncoming storm
we looked for trees for shelter from the wind
we had lunch under the shelter while it rained a little
Paul modeling Kimberly's sparkly lip balm (his got packed in a dry bag)
Evan and Jordan watching a turtle found by one of the guides
it walked right into the river, chased by two boys
our lunch camp
the Coast Guard boat came by and picked up an out of position buoy
Evan napped in the canoe after lunch
swirling waters
we stopped on this beach after lunch; Evan slept through the whole stop
We loved these maps of the former Mississippi courses. This is just north of Clarksdale to the White River confluence.
This shows the White River confluence to Lake Chicot. We got out at Arkansas City (near the left side legend) and drove to Lake Chicot.