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Scott,
Since Debbie can’t do this weekend coming up (Halloween), lets plan on November 7-9 (Friday – Sunday).
Starting text group now.
Eileen
Scott
Let me know when you have your work schedule confirmed. Long range forecast shows no rain over the next two weekends. What size boat would you bring?
Scott and Debbie, are you interested in coming down on Friday afternoon or early Saturday morning? It takes 2 1/2 – 3 hours to get there and I think we should launch no later than 4pm in order to get camp setup by sundown — approximately 6pm.
Once we have the weekend confirmed, I’ll start a text group and send details.
Eileen
Doesn’t look like there is even any interest in this trip so I’m going to stop checking for updates by other people.
Yes, if we went it will probably be cold, but I’ve been on late Winter/early Spring river trips where we woke up to frost on the boats. This would be a good trip to check out your winter gear — including hammocks as there are a lot of trees. And, unlike a river, on this island, you are only about 2 miles from your car so you can cut your trip short if desired.
I’m probably going to go on one of the weekends if there is no rain. I don’t mind cold temps but draw the line at cold rain.
Please let me know via text if you are even interested.
Thank you
Eileen
636-922-3663Obviously this trip is going to be very weather dependent, but these island sites are rarely booked so you don’t have to make reservations until a few days before. Please do let me know which weekend you prefer or if you can make either.
Dennis
I don’t have a problem with the ticketing process used by members to sign up for trips.
I do have a problem with Trips Leaders not being allowed to create and manage their trips. But for me, that is easily solved.
I personally believe that getting rid of Common Adventure trips or drastically changing them is detrimental to the club. If Club members vote to stop using it or change it, I will abide by that decision but whether or not I personally follow the new process is up to me as it was for those people who elected not to lead Common Adventure trips.
I really don’t have anything more to say about this so I will let it rest now.
Dennis,
Your proposal is still a major change to the Common Adventure model which club membership voted to accept two years ago.
I believe any change to the current system has to be voted on again.
Carolyn
I would support a general club waiver that said something like
The St Louis Canoe & Kayak Club” is hosting the Common Adventure forum as a courtesy to it’s members. These trips are not sanctioned by the club or ACA.
By signing below, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood the Common Adventure model provisions (insert link) and that when you participated in a Common Adventure trip, you are assuming all risk for yourself and your party.
I would also volunteer to manage and track the waivers.
Dennis, I apologize. I said what I did because I was thinking about how those individuals who didn’t like the Common Adventure model just chose not to lead them. Not quite the same thing, so again, I am sorry.
Eileen
I would like to correct something I said in my original post about the Common Adventure trips.
When I volunteered for the Vice President role, Dave Hassig and other outgoing officers did tell me that I could be sued. It was part of the job and one of the reasons Board positions were hard to fill. We had quite the discussion in the meeting but I still agreed to do the job. I don’t recall any mention of ACA insurance coverage although there might have been. Again, at that time, I think all the officers believed popups were covered.
Eileen
Scott,
If no one else has scheduled a trip while I’m gone, I’ll schedule one in October, weather permitting.
Eieen.
P.S. Do you have a sea kayak? If not, what kind of kayak/canoe?
Oh, and forgot to mention. In the Fall when the trees have turned color, the views from the islands and while padding will be awesome! That would be one trip where I’d bring my Nikon camera and accessories.
Seven members participated in this event. It’s July in Missouri so we had some very hot temperatures, humidity and thunderstorms, but also blue skies, fluffy white clouds and an amazingly almost continuous cool breeze in the morning, evening and night. Several people went out for a relaxing evening paddle on Friday evening, then the group went out on Saturday to inspect some islands on which we could primitive camp. We all agreed that this was this thing to do. They are forested so there are plenty of trees from which people can hang hammocks. They are about a mile from the nearest ramp and looked really nice. With those as a base camp, people could explore the island, kayak around the island and nearby shore, or go on longer paddles.
This is a BIG lake and you can have the corresponding big waves and wind. 14′ kayaks are the minimum recommended and while you can easily get to the islands with those, you need to be honest with your paddling strength and stamina if you want to go further. Two of us paddled a ten mile round trip on Sunday and while we did it, we both wishes many times we had our sea kayaks. It was still a beautiful day, even though we encountered some periods of heavy rain and wind. I did discover that the area we camped in this weekend around Lake Wappapello State Park was called the “Chocolate Drop” and I am pretty sure it was because of the muddy water. I think other areas of the lake are better and we saw people swimming everywhere.
We also went to the St. Francis River Visitor Center which was very interesting. I knew about the Mississippi River Flood of 1927 but did not know that there were also major floods on the Black and the St Francis (which flows into the Mississippi) at the same time. That I believe resulted in the creation of the dam and lake although there were several other floods. We explored a BEAUTIFUL campsite east of the dam called People’s Creek. Spread out, deeply shaded sites, most with at least water and many with water and electricity. There were a couple sites along the lake but actually the others looked better. There was a paved pedestrian/bike trail that ran along this part of the lake across the dam to the Visitor Center. There were also close by gas stations, convenience stores and a seafood restaurant. I’d recommend this if we were to come back and camp on the lakeshore.
Everyone agreed that the island campsites looked appealing so I would like to schedule another trip in the Fall or Spring (although I will be gone all of September.) It would be great for first time hammock users. I would recommend sea kayaks and again, while people can bring 14′ kayaks, they need to be realistic about paddling those on a BIG lake. This weekend, one woman had a 10′ boat and while she performed amazingly, she’d be the first to say, “You need a bigger boat”. Let me know if you have any questions. If anyone is interested in taking a group in September, contact me and I’ll forward all the information I have.
HI Gary,
Would LOVE to do it, but I’ll be coming back from Lake Wappapello on Monday. Have a great time if you go but if you reschedule, will try to do it with you then.
Eileen
Looks like we’re going to have a great time! Forecast is for thunderstorms in the area Saturday and Sunday afternoon but we’ll adjust. Could end up paddling on the lake Saturday morning and evening.
Here is everyone I know who is coming
me
Matt Miller
Karla & Gary
Debbie
Kathy (Friday/Saturday only)
MauraPlan on touching base with me at Asher #80
I have everyone’s phone number, so I am going to start a group text later this afternoon. I am pretty sure that we’ll have cell phone access at the campsite and maybe the lake.
For Saturday night, there is an alternative camping option: primitive camping on an island in the lake. For safety’s sake, I think at least two people minimum should do it, even if you have solo camped itself. No storms forecasted for overnight.
