I have had my canoe for nearly four years now and have had numerous adventures with it. I remember my first two outings with a special fondness, both the test run in Pelahatchie Creek and my first trip on the Pearl. On the latter, we underestimated the amount of time it would take to get from the Reservoir spillway to the low head damn just South of Lefleur's Bluff and ended up arriving at our destination in the dark. We had to use the water structure as our lighthouse to avoid the water roaring over the spillway. And on top of it all, we had to painfully tote the canoe the quarter mile to our ride, a difficulty exacerbated by the fact that I had not learned the value of the yoke on my canoe. (On a later trip, I used the yoke and was able to carry the canoe solo at the same location.)
 |
| Our "lighthouse" on the Pearl |
Since then I have gained a lot more experience, but I must confess that at this point my canoeing has been limited to mostly central Mississippi. This is partly a matter of time and expense, but it is also due to a love and appreciation for my home state and its own beautiful and often neglected rivers. Whether canoeing a scenic river like the Chunky in the East, or wilder and less traveled rivers like the Big Black in the West, I have not ceased to marvel at the beauty of Mississippi's own rivers. Why go anywhere else when I have yet to experience all that my own state has to offer? I am not saying I would not relish the opportunity to go and canoe in other states where the rivers or the scenery might vary, but first and foremost I want to enjoy the rivers and waterways to which I am privileged to have access.
