Community Canoe to Buck Island
Saturday, Sept 23, 2023, 1-6pm
All Aboard! Community Canoe Saturday!
Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 918 "Voice of the Lower Mississippi River" Memphis, TN ~ Wilson, AR ~ Clarksdale, MS ~ Vicksburg, MS Quapaw Canoe Company ~ Celebrating 25 years in 2023! paintings, photos & text (c) John Ruskey except where otherwise noted
Buck Island Roundtrip Afternoon Adventure Saturday, Sept 23, 2023, 1-6pm
The Buck Island Adventure is a roundtrip voyageur canoe paddle on the biggest river in North America, the Mighty Mississippi, involving a tour of an archipelago of Mississippi River Islands with big beaches, swim holes, birds, turtles, and other Afternoon wildlife. This round trip paddle affords an incredible variety of giant sandbars, wetlands, gravel/fossil bars, deep willow forests, and miles of beaches to swim from or walk along. So — a little bit of everything! Meet at 1pm at the big boat ramp in the Helena Harbor, in downtown Helena. Round-trip paddle. Pack your own snacks and water. Dress for weather. Don’t forget sun protection. No previous experience necessary, all paddle together in our big canoes with guides. But must be willing to paddle — sometimes hard paddling necessary. Return to land between 5 and 6pm. Reservations and prepayment required! Charge: Free for youth under 18. 1/4 price for educators ($25). 1/2 price for adults ($50). See below for more details and payment instructions.
Itinerary: Meet: 1pm Big Boat Ramp in the Helena Harbor Park your car near Boardwalk (In the Helena River Park, over the levee from downtown Helena) 1pm: Helena Harbor Intro Talk, Safety Talk 2pm: Arrive Buck Island 3-5pm: Explore sandbar 5pm: board canoe to return to Helena 6pm: arrive back in Helena Harbor Quapaw Provides: Canoe, paddles, lifejackets and all necessary river gear, first aid kits, VHF Marine Radio, running lights, and all necessary emergency gear. We’ll pack group water in 5 gallon jugs Pack in Daypack or Drybag: -waterbottles -snacks -sun protection -bug protection -shoes that can get muddy and wet (or go barefoot) Optional: -cell phone -camera -bird book -binoculars -swim gear -towel Note: Pack any electronics in dry bag, dry box, or zip lock bags Water Bottle Refill: We’ll pack a 5-gal jug of water to refill your personal water bottles. Wear: Dress for weather. Wear shoes that can get muddy and wet (or go barefoot).
Charge: Free for youth under 18. 1/4 price for educators ($25). 1/2 price for adults ($50). Reservations required! You can use automatic online signup for making reservation. (Go to island63.com and click on "book my expedition" and then click on "community canoe" option, and then choose Sept 9th option.) Or Paypal (add 3% PP fee) paypal.me/quapawcanoecompany Or Venmo John-Ruskey-1 Call me 662-902-7841, or Mark River 662-902-6479, if you’d prefer to talk! Community Canoe is made possible by the Lower Mississippi River Foundation. Dedicated to fostering long-term stewardship of the big river through its youth.
Quapaw Canoe Company 2023/2024 Calendar ~~~Fall, 2023~~~ Sat Sept 9 Community Canoe 1-6pm Quapaw Landing Sat Sept 23 Community Canoe 1-5pm Helena Harbor Thursday, Sept 28 Full Harvest Moon, 2-10pm Sat Oct 14 Community Canoe 1-5pm Montezuma Landing Sun-Sun Oct 15-22 Magic on the Mississippi with Dave Cornthwaite Saturday, Oct 28 Full Hunter’s Moon, 2-10pm Fri-Sun Oct 27-29 Yoga Retreat with Erin Mulligan Mon - Wed Oct 29 – Nov 1 Marquette & Jolliet 350th Anniversary November 3 – 17 Group Art Exhibit Memphis Delta Chic: Robby Johnston, Anthony Biggers and Robby Johnston Off the Wall Arts, Memphis Opening Reception, Sat Nov 4, 6-9pm Fri, Nov 24 Don’t lose yourself in Black Friday, join us for Green Friday instead! “Green Friday” w/Miss River State Park Roundtrip Daytrip 9am-3pm from Helena Harbor Sat Nov 25 Community Canoe 1-5pm Monday, Nov 27 Full Cold Beaver Moon, 2-10pm Sat Dec 16 Community Canoe 1-5pm Tuesday, Dec 26 Full Frosty Beaver Moon, 2-10pm ~~~2024~~~ Thurs Mar 21 Spring Break Camp w/ Mississippi River State Park Roundtrip Daytrip 9am-3pm from Helena Harbor April 5 – 12 Total Solar Eclipse Complete Immersion Expedition Grand Tower, Tower Rock, Trail of Tears State Park Mon April 8 Mississippi River 95% Solar Eclipse Experience Helena, AR Mon April 8 Mississippi River 98% Solar Eclipse Experience Wilson, AR Sat May 25 Memorial Day Weekend w/ Mississippi River State Park Roundtrip Daytrip 9am-3pm from Helena Harbor June 3 – 6 Mississippi River Girlz Canoe Camp June 10 – 13 Mississippi River Boyz Canoe Camp July 14 – September 29 Wilson Fellows: Group Exhibition at Dixon Gallery & Gardens in Mallory and Wurtzburger Galleries with Danny Broadway, Thad Clark and Claire Hardy Shreveport Homecoming Expedition Down the Mississippi, Up the Red River October 4 – November 2, 2024
Thanks Jennifer! Happy Equinox to you. Sending a splashing dollop of some big river love!!!
❤️❤️❤️!