2025 June NARKSMO Kayaking Missouri

 After kayaking the buffalo River Nation scenic river in Arkansas. The WINs group headed over to Missouri for more kayaking on the Current River, part of the Ozark National Scenic River. This has really been a fun RV Circuit, good people who love to paddle, camping in our RV near the river. Glad to have electric now for it is quite warm!

Left to right is: Bill Back, Gregg Smith, Mike, JoAnn Hansen, me Tom, Rich Peterson, Jacki, Lois Salmon, Doug Hubbard. 

Potluck dinner

This is how we plan events for each day. Everyone inputs and we select by majority.

My new to me GPS, the turquois color is the route on the river that we paddled.

No photos available of the latest rescue I've performed, an party of 3 canoe's were going 50 miles in 5 days, very easy with the water flow we are having. The last canoe in line broadside a tree trunk in the stream and flipped. Fortunately no now went under the strainer. My part was, sounding alarm with whistle, beaching my kayak and throw the rope to the young girl who could not get her footing in the fast current. She lay on her back holding the rope until others were able to reach her. The used the rope to stabilize and pull upstream to land 

This made my 4th rescue in this trip. 

The WINs have a tradition to award a bobber for a rescue, a rubber duck for falling in. I have both!

Outside my RV this morning were wild horses.

Missouri springs 

I did not have reservations for the full time we were at Round Spring, 18 miles away is Alley Spring where they will join me next Tuesday. So for the next 3 days I will motor back to their campsite to begin each days adventures. One good thing about this is that I frequently take a day or two between Circuit Stops to have a little alone time and regenerate, this time it is built in!

2025 May NARKSMO Kayaking Arkansas

Visited my great niece and husband Jessica and Jake near St Louis, MO. It had been about 2 years since I had seen them. They have really started out life really well with good jobs. Bought their own home too!

We did a day trip to the Lewis and Clark museum and coincidentally there was a Cinco de Mayo celebration happening right there!

I had been invited by Christy a former WIN to visit her in Branson, MO. Saw quite a few shows on the locals rate! Fun!

 Joining the WINs in Arkansas and Missouri for some awesome kayaking. Hiking in Taylor campground,

The Buffalo River, National Park

WIN's gang after a paddle at the country store

Bill earns a rubber Ducky for falling in the river

This is where Bill fell in, fortunately he did not get caught in the strainer! The National Park team was here practicing and gave a hand or we would not have gotten the kayak out.

I had the kayak painted to match my truck in Mexico

Jo Ann, Me, Mary

Fish Tacos. Gregg had shuttled a 70' boat to Alaska, went fishing with the owner and brought back Halibut.

SOOO beautiful here in Arkansas

Another kayaking award to Bill for falling in at a strainer

A rescuer award to me for pulling Gregg out

So far we have had more no rain days and have been able to paddle quite a bit. The river is absolutely amazing, sometimes high limestone walls, sometimes just gravel bars. One day after a heavy rain we covered 6 miles in 1 1/2 hours just floating!

one of times someone fell in, I got 2 rescues today and during 1 rescue I fell in earning my own rubber ducky!

I tis such a beautiful place to paddle with high limestone walls, notice I am not using my usual black graphite paddle, it broke in two and floated so well no one found it.

Numerous waterfalls feed the river

My rubber ducky award! Little flags I made - because I could!

Gregg

This makes Bills 2nd rubber ducky this trip, never been paddling before, he has come a very long way!

Jacki

Jo Ann, never thought she would earn a rescuer award!

Blanchard Caverns, exceptional lighting

The creek comes out of the Caverns