#4 Take me to the Water

final series of photos from 2024

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Last a four newsletters illustrating 2024: in which we share some of the enchantment, the wonder, the exploration, and the engagement that results when you jump in big canoes (or kayaks or paddle boards) and set out on big river adventures.

I am a water baby.  My mother used to call me "Water John."  My nose always leads me to the bottomlands, the wetlands, the deltas, the floodplains. 

Clean Water, Clean Sand: I've traveled to a lot of places in this world, but nowhere have I found such a balanced mix of clean water, clean sand, and vibrant forests as here on the Lower Mississippi River. 

Perfection: Confluencing with the Missouri River, and then the Ohio River, the biggest river in North America gathers together all of the waters in between Appalachia and the Rockies, and swirls them together, and then curls & meanders 954 miles down to the Gulf of Mexico in a perfection of water, sky, islands and woods.  Here the lands and waters seem to achieve an ideal blend of stasis and flux.  Of flow and ebb.  Of solid and liquid.  Of light and dark.  Of earth and heaven.

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Upcoming 2025 Adventures:

~~~Quapaw Canoe Company 2025 Adventures~~~ 

Tributary Rivers of the South: top-to-bottom expeditions down the length of the Ouachita River, and one down the length of the Buffalo River, to follow the White River to its confluence with the Mississippi at Big Island.  Red River Expedition TBA later this year.  Connecting Shreveport and Clarksdale.  Sign up for a section, or join in for entirety.

1154 Miles of Free-Flowing Water: 6 weeks July-August.  Middle & Lower Mississippi from St. Louis to the Gulf of Mexico, in part to update the Rivergator: Paddler's Guide to the Lower Mississippi River.  (I am working on a hard copy publication of Rivertgator, which will become available in single volume print form, with maps, in 2026).

Magic on the Mississippi: Our annual collaboration adventure with Dave & Emma Cornthwaite is on the calendar two times in October.  Magic on the Mississippi is life changing!  If you are at a crossroads, and don't see a clear path forward, Magic on the Mississippi will help illuminate the way!   Magic #1 Oct 19-26 and Magic #1 is 26-Nov 2.  

Adventures with Huck, James & Mary Jane: Wilderness Expedition with St. John's type Great Books seminars on the Lower Mississippi River, Oct 11-19 from Clarksdale, MS, 4 days on land 5 days on the river.  Customized for St. Johnnies near & far.  Led by St. John's College alums Jim Bailey (A83) and John Ruskey (SF90), for St. Johnnie's, but open to all.

Popular Public Trips

~~~2025 Popular Trips Open to All~~~  

Full Moon Trips, New Moon All-Nighter Trips: We will continue our popular Full Moon adventures in 2025.  Go to online calendar and pick one out!  In the summer months we will offer all-night paddles during the new moon, for experience of the heavens (some with Delta Astrophotography (Walt Busby) on board).  

Monthly Community Canoes are scheduled on our online calendar.  One Saturday per month 1-6pm.  First one is Sat March 8th from Clarksdale.  April 5th is from Greenwood.  May 10 is Helena.  Scroll through the months and pick one out!  Community canoe is for youth, families, and teachers.  And anyone else who wants to paddle the big river, but never had the opportunity.  Can't beat the pricing!  Free for youth under 18 accompanied by parent or guardian.  1/4 price for educators.  1/2 price everyone else.   Made possible by the Lower Mississippi River Foundation.  

Summer Camp: May/June: One Week for Boys, One Week for Girls

~~~2025 Summer Camp~~~ 

Overseen by Lower Mississippi River Foundation.  One week for high school boys, one week for high school girls.  Scheduled for May and June.  Designed to foster long-term stewardship of the river amongst Delta youth. Students learn to canoe and camp, as well as the history and ecology of the Mississippi. Each day during the week, participants take on more responsibility as they learn the skills necessary for survival -- on the river -- and in their lives.  

Our Youth: Our youth will inherit the earth -- and the river; we want to make sure they have a deep and heartfelt relationship with their river! 

River Art:

Fundraiser Extravaganza Thursday May 15th:

Upcoming: Thursday, May 15th -- special once in a decade -- Artists Fundraiser for the Lower Mississipi River Foundation at the Cutrer Higher Education Center in Clarksdale, MS.  Featuring Robin Whitfield, Thad Lee, Rory Doyle, Lisa Webb, John Ruskey, and maybe a few others.  Author Boyce Upholt will sign Great River books.  Gallery talks, food and music.  More later -- gators!