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October 25, 1998 The scenery was quite beautiful here, and the fine camera caught the sparkly water and the luminous foliage in loving detail. My trip was mostly for scouting. I had not been on the West Fork, and I did not know what it would be like. The Internet river gages showed that there was not a lot of water (no more than a few feet), but I found the current to be moderate to fast and the channels to be more than adequate for the little kayak. I had to get out and pull the boat to deeper water a few times, but I learned to stay near shore and everything went fine. I average 4 mph, and the GPS worked like a charm, especially at night when I needed to find my campground (I was driving). I traveled all of the 60 or so miles from Estherville to Humboldt checking out the West Fork, and found 7 boat ramps, most with camping, and some with amenities (like a toilet). I paddled about 13 miles the first day, then scouted north. On the second day, I scouted the dam at Rutland, which is a hydro dam that has not been used to generate power for some 40 years. It is very picturesque, and I sent several photos of the area. The water rushes over the dam with considerable velocity, and I found 2 ways to portage around. The camping was fine. The first night was at a state park, so I had my own spot and serious amenities, like hot water. The second night was at a county access point, River Runner, which was quite primitive. Once the grain dryer stopped drying, it was very still, and I could hear the deer rustling in the woods by the river. So, I'm 330 miles done and 70 miles to go to complete the Des Moines River journey. I got a good cold weather sleeping bag today, and I hope to get done before really cooold weather sets in. Then I can start lobbying for the Des Moines River Canoe and Kayak trail, to make this wonderful trip more accessible to the general public. |