Possum's Log
Quapaw Vicksburg -- Delta Point Islands Community Overnight
~~~River Time ~ Sunday, Dec 12, 2021~~~
~~Quapaw Canoe Company ~LMRD #852~~
Clarksdale, MS ~ Memphis, TN ~ Vicksburg, MS
Quapaw Canoe Company - Vicksburg Outpost
Community Paddle & Camping Trip on the Mississippi River — Photos and Text by the “Water Possum,” Capt. Layne Logue, leader of Quapaw Vicksburg…. Thanks to Water Possum for writing — and a very special thank-you to Captains Kelly McGinnis, Laura Callaway and Scott Sones! Whooo-whooooop!
Dec 4-5, 2021, Saturday to Sunday
I am Layne “Water Opossum” Logue. (I’m very rarely on the River Dispatch… so I thought a proper introduction was needed).
I am a professional Lower Mississippi River guide. I’ve got 8 years and 4,500 miles on her (but still learning). And like most of us Big River Guides… we learned from the great teacher… John “Driftwood” Ruskey! John’s been giving Community Paddle Day Trips ever since I met him. And I wanted to give back to my community and open some eyes to the beautiful river that I am lucky to call home. So, I organized my first Overnight canoe camping trip on the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Mississippi. Since this was my first… I decided to make it free to the paddlers. I used my truck & trailer, the two big Voyageur canoes, paddles and PFDs… they brought everything else they needed (tent, meals, water…etc).
I had eleven people sign up with me (& my wife)… so Lucky 13 was us.
They came from all over the state and even one from Arkansas. Little Rock, Oxford, Bentonia, Madison, Brandon and Vicksburg. I only knew personally 3 of the 11.
Saturday launch at the Vicksburg Cityfront boat ramp at 1:00pm on the Yazoo River. Two big canoes (one with 5 paddlers and the other with 6) and 2 solo kayaks. Seven people had never paddled on the Mighty Mississippi, and nine had never camped on one of her islands. So many first-timers! Which is the goal of Community Canoe, to introduce people who might not otherwise have the opportunity.
As we got closer to the MS River… the fog appeared and was on the river during most the day. The fog went from river bank tree line to the other side. Kinda like the trees were the sides of a swimming pool and it was holding the fog there. The fog was around 8 feet high… and definitely impacted our vision at times (waves of thick to thin fog passed through us). We paddled downstream the Yazoo River for 1 mile and had to paddle upstream the Mississippi River for 3 miles (with a break/stop at a sandbar cove).
The fog was starting to clear a little and luckily we approached some parked Towboats waiting on crew change/groceries/parts from Ergon Marine & Industrial Supply… so, I got to talk to the Captain the M/V MYRA ECKSTEIN (of Marquette Transportation) on my VHF Marine radio. The Captain said it was all clear… and also the fog was even better by 3pm. So we crossed the channel to our campsite on the Delta Point Island. The Corps Vicksburg Gauge river level is very low at 12 feet… so, there are sandbars everywhere.
This island is 2 miles long … roughly 400 acres and broke up into 3 pieces. We had plenty of animal tracks already on it (whitetail deer, beavers, coyotes and birds (herons, egrets). And the trees were 90% willow trees. A few months ago… Scott Shirey & David Hill camped and watched and videoed a freshwater otter walking across the sandbar here. So, although close to Vicksburg… it is full of wildlife.
Todays high temp is 74 and we actually got a little sunshine a few hours before sunset. Light & variable wind. Luckily the mosquitoes were absent. I think they’re gone for the season.
We all walked around the big sandbar island and island woods … and each claimed our own tent home.
My wife and I were next to the willow trees and had a driftwood big sycamore tree laying down that the river brought here in flood water. I setup my “relaxing” hammock in the tree limbs and it worked good … as my wife quickly jumped in and was happy to watch me setup our tent and everything in it.
The campfire was lit when the sun set at 5pm. Whiskey & beer definitely broke the ice and we all got to know each other quickly. I’ve noticed over the years… that the people that come paddling with me…. they might not be paddlers… but they are outdoor & nature lovers and do things like hike, backpack, birding, truck or trailer camp, fish, hunt, motor boat..etc. They love learning about the outdoors & nature and the Mississippi River… and ask a lot of questions. And I love talking about the river. It’s a quick and easy new friendship for all of us… that really didn’t even require the whiskey & beer! And after an hour around the campfire… you’d thought we were best friends. Campfires have a way of doing that. They bring back great family and childhood memories and make us warm and fuzzy on the inside … and outside.
Since I didn’t provide meals… which I normally do… the new friends got out their jetboils & butane cookers and cooked them up some small meals. Food was shared … and Dan’s wife made and packed him extra brownies. So… he became pretty popular. And they were good! Dan was the eldest at 73 and retired from his job… but not his life!
The fog came back at 8pm and brought a heavy dew too. But didn’t stop us from learning about each other and the outdoor activities we all liked and have some. From 9-10pm… one by one would retreat into the fog headed to their tent. The laughter eventually turned to crickets & grasshoppers chirping. And the occasional train horn and Towboat passing by… which also brought crashing waves on the beach. A few coyotes howled & barked occasionally.
The low temp at night was 56 F and it was perfect! I love it in the 50s!
Half got up for the early morning and half slept in. I slept in! It was rare for me because of my guides and I took advantage of the peaceful bird singing morning.
Today (Sunday Dec. 5, 2021) was full sun and the high temp predicted to be 79. The south wind was nice with 5-10 mph. Something that people don’t think about… but the breeze that comes off the river … especially a long stretch of river surface… is a cool temp breeze! The river water temp is probably in the 50-60 range… so, the river breeze is the same temp too. It definitely feels good today!
Paddling back downstream, we had to wait for the M/V CRIMSON GEM (fyi… M/V stands for Motor Vessel) to pass by before we could cross the MS River channel to get into the Yazoo River. I talked to the Captain and he helped us as much as he could by throttling down a little… which gave us 4-5 foot waves. These big 29 foot Voyageur canoes are built for big waves and open water. So they make easy work in these waves. And then up the Yazoo River back at the Vicksburg Cityfront boat ramp.
Unpacked the canoes and packed our vehicles (which we left parked overnight at the boat ramp) and said goodbyes like family at an airport. We bonded a river friendship out there forged by sand, mud, river water and campfire smoke & ash …that will never break… and will always bring back smiles when we remember… or be reminded on Facebook.
Thank you to the 12 Community EXPLORERS that made us the Lucky 13. I will always treasure that trip!
Lastly… I’ll leave you with my three favorite river quotes that inspire me to get outside my box & comfort zone, meet new people and never stop exploring…
Many Blessings From the Big River,
~Captain Water Opossum
“The Mississippi River Connects Us All”
- John “Driftwood” Ruskey
“Calm Seas Never Made a Skilled Sailor”
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
-Mark Twain
Layne Logue
Quapaw Canoe Vicksburg, LLC
(601) 529-7354 iphone
laynelogue@bellsouth.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/QuapawCanoeCompanyVicksburgOutpost
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quapaw_canoe_vicksburg
Website: island63.com
Nice work Capt. Possum! Very cool read!
Whooo-whoop! Nice job brother!