Kayaking from Canton to Quincy
Much wildlife was seen along the way, including Bald Eagles, egrets and Great Blue Herons. A red-shouldered hawk was spotted by young birding enthusiast Zita Robertson, along with a Mississippi Kite, which is an extremely rare sight in this area. She also pointed out a flock of American White Pelicans soaring high above the river. One bald eagle was seen swooping down and catching a live fish. This behavior is commonly observed during the winter, but a rare treat in the summer.
The group was passed by two barge tows heading upstream, including the one that had been seen from the bridge in Quincy. Asian carp were seen jumping in the wake behind it. The kayakers explored the mouth of the Wyaconda River briefly, and stopped in La Grange for a bathroom break and food, though most had brought their own snacks along.
As the group approached their destination in Quincy, they decided to cut through the Canton Chute above Quinsippi Island. Several of them went past the opening and had to fight against the strong flow to make it east around the point of the island. Joe Coelho exclaimed, "It was about like trying to round the Horn of Africa!" Once in the chute, the current propelled them rapidly to their destination at the Quincy waterfront. The whole trip was 16 miles and completed in 3 hours and 41 minutes at an average speed of 4.4 mph. This rapid completion was in large part because of the strong current of the river at its relatively high stage. Years ago, the same trip with very little current took Coelho 8 hours.
At the end, participants were awarded commemorative wooden medallions for completion of the adventure. The kayakers included Cindy Kell, Joe Coelho, Jacob Zimmerman, and Zita, Zalán, & Nellie Robertson.
