Best of 2022

Our Favorite Sights & Scenes from the Historic Low Water Year

Girlz Canoe Camp 2022

Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 896
"Voice of the Lower Mississippi River" 
Memphis, TN ~ Helena, AR ~  Clarksdale, MS ~ Vicksburg, MS
Photos & Text (c) 2023 John Ruskey

River Time: finally getting a chance to share the best of Quapaw Canoe Company 2022 scenes and sightings.  Many of these depict the historic low water year, the lowest water levels ever in some places.  Many come from when the water was high (although it never got to flood stage, or even near it).  Many come from our favorite sections of river including the Chickasaw Bluffs, and the wildest of the wild, the Muddy Waters Wilderness.  Many illustrate our favorite adventures, with old friends, and new friends made.  Many feature the creatures we saw, the insects, mammals, fish and birds --the precious sparkling variety of creation we visit with and live with during our river trips -- some in full color expression (like the katydids and kingfishers), others we know only for the footprints they leave in the sand (such as the bobcats and coyote).  We hope you enjoy the 2022 journey as much as we have enjoyed serving you, and simultaneously serving our queen Mother Mississippi and her multi-layered floodplain rainbow extravaganza of creation.  We continue doing the same in 2023.  Go here to visit new website for an incredible array of trip offerings!

Departing Helena Harbor, Girlz Canoe Camp

Evening Storytelling, Boyz Canoe Camp 2022

Unidentified Beatle, Helena Islands

Milky Way over Island 62 (by Walt Busby)

Mark River Loading Canoe into Helena Harbor

Baby Beaver, 2nd Chcickasaw Bluff

2nd Chcickasaw Bluff

Celebrating the Opening of QCC Memphis AKA Mississippi River Expeditions (l-r top to bottom: Jean Canôt, Dreamweaver, owner “Mississippi” Matthew Burdine, Mark River, and Drfitwood Johnnie) (photo by Dale Sanders)

Close Encounter with Harlequin Butterfly

Red River Otter canoe guide climbing trees in flooded forest of Is 63

Click Beatle on Mulberry Tree, Wild Grape Vine & Leaves Behind

Camp on Dog Frog Island, Atchafalaya River Basin

Unidentified Caterpillars, Atchafalaya River Basin

Katydid on Hat on Grasshopper Canoe

Forest floor in Willow Woods

Abandoned High Water Beaver Lodge in Willow Woods

Beaver-Cut Willow Tree

Sunrise, Girlz Canoe Camp

Baby Cottonmouth in Muddy Ravine, 2nd Chickasaw Bluff

Morning Nature Walk, Boyz Canoe Camp

Kayaking under Willow Tree, Red River Inlet

l-r from top: 1) Baby Cypress, 2) Cottonwood Borer Beatle, 3) Walt Busby Milky Way Dream Photo, 4) Mother & Child, 5) Old Towne Bend Sunset, 6) Parents & Child, 7) Atchafalaya Mollusk, 8) Sand Spider, 9) Swim Lessons during Boyz Canoe Camp