Gliding down the Illinois River
July 3, 2008 | daily ramblings, family
Richard and I bought a raft. We live just a few miles from the Illinois River. Rafting and canoeing is big business, and at $20 a person (up to $100 per raft) it gets pricey. So we invested in our own raft, paddles and life jackets. It costs exactly $1 for a pass from the Scenic River Commission.
On Tuesday we made a trial run. We dropped off one vehicle at an exit point, and then traveled down the highway to find a public access.
“Hey babe, what’s the odometer say?” Richard asked from the back seat. (The canoe was tied on in a gotta-make-this-work fashion and somehow neither of our front doors opened because of it - I climbed in the window. Richard took the easy way in, opening the door and taking the back seat.)
“Two miles. No three. Oh, now we’re going on four,” I said.
It was 7:30 p.m. We left the house earlier, but the raft flew in the air four feet, causing quite a scare. Which is why we went back home, found some rope, and tied it inside and outside the car.
At the River, we untied the raft and set it in the water, threw the jackets in and jumped in. The river is high because Oklahoma has had a huge amount of rain. We floated away. The fun began!
An hour an a half later, we were having a blast. Large fish swam nearby. A large crane-like bird followed us. It was peaceful. No one, and I mean NO ONE was floating. A few people swam in public access areas. A few watched us from decks nestled at river camps.
“Where do you think that bridge is?” I asked. Sundown wasn’t far away. The night noises were humming and buzzing.
And then I saw it.
A river creature.
I saw three of them throughout the evening. Richard thought it was a beaver, but are beavers black and slimey and over three feet long? I don’t think so.
Actually, I think it was a ginormous black carp. Some call them the flying fish. They look eerie as the sun is going down. Spookeeeee.
I sat on the front of the raft, my feet hanging in the water. I felt fit, good, paddling through the currents and smooth water. But when I spotted the creature, it turned and swam quickly toward me, dipping in and out of the water.
“Ayee!” I screamed, falling back in the boat/I mean raft.
Richard laughed so hard, he couldn’t breathe.
“Where’s the bridge?” I asked again. “Baby, are you sure we didn’t miss it?”
Another half hour passed. I put my feet back in the water. The sun was dipping. I couldn’t imagine going through the water in the dark, trying to bypass the fallen trees, pokey branches, river creatures, high water current, and curves.
I shook my fist at any possible night creatures. Just to let them know who was boss.
And then I saw it. The bridge.
It was a beautiful sight.
It was a good test run, and we learned a couple of things. Start earlier. There’s less activity [aka creatures] in the river when there are other people. It takes a very long time to deflate the raft; it’s better to tie it back on top of the vehicle.
Just as we approached the sand bar, I felt a nibble. On my big toe. Once again I fell backwards, sticking my legs straight in the air with curled toes.
Once again Richard laughed until he cried.
It was a wonderful night.
We’ll be back out there this Friday, with all of our kids, with some friends, with the hundreds of people that will enjoy Independence Day. I can’t wait!
Happy 4th!
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That sounds like great fun! But had something been nibbling on my toes, I would have shreiked like a very girly-girl and struck fear into the hearts of anyone who heard me! EWWW!
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:15 amI’m not a girly-girl, but I don’t like anything nibbling on my toes in dark water. I did shriek, however. : )
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:18 pmIt’s been years since I’ve floated the Illinois River! You brought back some fun memories. I went a few years to college at NSU.
I get very freaked about things in the water. I would have definitely been screeching!!
July 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pm