December 28, 2007 (last update) Camping on the Mississippi River

If you own a boat, and a tent, and a little willingness to rough it a bit, you can first hand live the river life. There is nothing that we enjoy more, than to spend a few relaxing days on the river camping, exploring, and maybe some fishing, if time permits.

 

Mississippi River Links
One of our favorite methods to get to a campsite is on Jet Skis, but a boat works fine also. The personal watercraft allows you to get right up on whatever it is that you wish to see, and touch it.
We fist found this small marker in the fall of 2001. On our next visit in the spring of 2002, while we had went back to the marker to see if it had survived the high water. While we were there, a small boat approached, and stopped to see us. One of the occupants was the brother-in-law of Jerry Zabran. He told us that Jerry always enjoyed visiting this place to camp, and fish, He had unfortunately passed away from stomach cancer, and his family and friends erected this small monument to him. His brother-in-law explained that Jerry's granddaughter heard about it and wanted them to put her barbie doll on it as her contribution to it. As you can see other folks have left fishing tackle as time passes. This shot was taken in July of 2003
This is the most common sight you will see while on the river. Please give these slow giants as much room and distance as you can. A typical BargeTow will have around 25,000 ton of cargo, and gear. It can take the Captain upto a mile and one half to come to a stop. The Tow can have as much as 6000 horse power to drive these heavy loads up the river, and the water can be very hazardous, and turbulent a half mile behind the Tow.

A gentle dance of two Titans as these BargeTows pass one another on the river. You can see the one that is headed up the river, has really given it a shot of coals (the black cloud of smoke) to position and let the Tow headed down river to easily pass by.

 

 

 
 
"A gentle dance of two river Titans"
   
   
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