Canoe Tripping

It has been a long long time since I have packed everything I needed for a few days and pushed off in a canoe. Too long. Getting back out there has whet my whistle for more. But I am definitely a river gal. I'll do the Boundary Waters because you can't say no to that- but the Namekagon has many attributes that should not be overlooked- the first and foremost being a rip roaring current. When your bowsmen are in the single digits age-wise and more prone to resting their paddles on their knees while they study the stunning dragonfly than giving you a little muscle power- currents keep you moving. The Nam is moving along so quickly that when the boys jumped ship to float alongside they were whisked along at such a clip that it elicited whoops and hollers that were 45% glee/55% panic.

I know that the BWCA has crystal clear waters, but so does the Nam. During our two sunny days I could not pull my eyes from watching the river bottom float by- I was enraptured with the sight of the mighty sturgeon that would coast by- prehistoric in appearance and beyond belief in size. I promised myself that if I saw one while the boys were in swimming I would not say anything until they were back in the canoe. But then a fish glided by right below Eli and I swear that they were precisely the same length and I bellowed "Oh!!!!! Look!!!!! There's a sturgeon as big as Eli!!!! Right BELOW him!!!!" Eli kicked it into high gear downstream while the sturgeon, unruffled, continued up the river. To Eli's credit, he remained in the water for atleast another hour. I would have leaped into the canoe in a single bound. Eagles often soared overhead and we saw some amazingly large turtles. Sure they were snappers. They looked like they could have snapped a child's leg right off. Luckily, despite much time in the river instead of on it, none of the boys came to any harm.

We started off with two days of the best weather you could hope for- sunny skies, light winds, warmth that got you in the river, but didn't roast you when you were in the canoe. After two days of this we were hit by rain. We were lucky enough to get everything packed up before the first drops, but the second we got in the canoes it started to drizzle. This turned in to an all day rain. After a drizzly lunch on the river bank I watched Eli climb back into the duffer's seat. He, who does not like even one grain of sand in his shoes, had done a fabulous job of wearing wet, sandy shoes each day in the canoe. But I saw his distaste as he looked down into the gritty sandy wet bottom and contemplated sitting in it. As we paddled away I saw him shivering and asked, "Eli- are you doing ok? Are you cold?" His answer, delivered matter-of-factly: "Mom, my present state leaves MUCH to be desired." I had a hearty laugh- of relief as much as humor. This rain had been getting me down and I worried if it was going to ruin the trip for the boys. But no, they seemed to be getting through it just fine- granted, there was much to be desired- but they were not complaining. We drifted downstream through the pouring rain trying to solve two-minute mysteries and before we got to the end of the second one the sun was trying to peep through. Later we did have to weather two pretty stunning storms, but by then we were in our nice little tent reading Huck Finn and delighting in being in out of the rain- even if our protection was only whisper thin- it was enough.