Skipper and Flipper

9/13/2016 It’s about 9:30 and we are on day 29 of our venture south. My nose is sniffly from the cold I am fighting and my coffee mug is warm in my hands. On the left side of the river the sky is covered with light clouds and the sun is trying to poke through.… Continue reading Stillness

9/11/2016 Well I guess I spoke too soon yesterday! Right after I finished my journal entry the waves got much larger and we decided to turn back. It is always such a tough decision to turn back and head north, but the waves were just too big and the wind too strong to be comfortable.… Continue reading A Day Full of Kindness

9/7/2016 Raindrops fall heavy and consistent against our rainfly. The wind brings gusts that fill the rainfly and tent, causing it to temporarily cave in a bit on the windward side. I peek through the air vent within the vestibule at Solvi. Her boom tent is experiencing a similar sensation as our rainfly, but no… Continue reading Thunderstorms on Islands and Head Winds

Sunday PM 9/4/2016 Around me I hear a consistent symphony of crickets and sequaidas with a random note thrown in by the splash of a fish or the call of a barn owl. Every once in a while I hear a sound such as a train or a boat passing by that remind me that… Continue reading Slough Exploring, Vivid Colors, and Windy Days

Saturday AM 9/3/2016 As I write I am sitting in my camp chair with my feet in the sand. We are on an island about 23 miles South of Prairie du Chien. We were initially planning on leaving yesterday morning to head south, but after a night full of new friends, laughter, and an awesome… Continue reading Town Days and New Friends

I have mentioned this here and there in various blog posts, but I decided it was time to really delve into it for a moment. Since the day Kyle and I decided to take this journey- to build the boat and take it down the river and beyond- we have received endless support and encouragement.… Continue reading The People Along the Way

8/28/16 As the ink stains my waterproof journal pages I see endless fog rolling over the river water. Almost as though it is trapped between the land on both sides. The fog creates a tranquil feeling on this Sunday morning. Kyle and I both are a bit slow moving and contemplative. Yesterday we awoke on… Continue reading Two Weeks, a New State, and Calm Waters

  Journal Entry Written 8/24/16 on Lake Pepin: 10am: Lake Pepin couldn’t be calmer and more serene for us. We left early this AM and only had to row about ten minutes before we set the sail. Since then we have been running with the wind at a consistent 4 knots. It is so incredible… Continue reading Smooth sailing, Sandy beaches, and Town exploring!

Written on: 8/22/16 We are currently on day 7 of our adventure! The last few days have been filled with friends, learning, “open water”, barges, tugs, and our first lock and dam under oar. It has been quite the journey already and there have definitely been ups and downs, but fortunately as a whole we… Continue reading Barges, Tug Boats, Lock and Dam- Check!

Written on: 8/19/16 We are officially on the Mississippi River! Yesterday late afternoon we went under two bridges and just after coming out from the second one the water below us turned from a bluish green to a deep brown. The current picked up and within minutes we saw a large barge. It was clear… Continue reading Becoming One with the Mud