In yet another cruise led by Dave and Mary Finck and Larry Braatan (all SDCKA Board Members), ten paddlers and their kayaks assembled at the launch area near 57th and Western Avenue to head down the Big Sioux River through Sioux Falls. A November cruise is a delight that we can’t count on here on the northern plains, especially on rivers other than the Missouri River.
I dithered with a decision on whether or not to join the cruise today; there were lots of other things on my “to do” list, and this was a trip that I had taken several times over the years. But, I suspected that I would regret letting this opportunity slip by. As it happens, this was a wonderful day with a temperature of about 60 degrees, sunny, and with a wind at our back much of the trip. It was a great day for a paddle, and a good day for fellowship on the river.
We gathered at the put-in and arranged a shuttle. Actually, most of us drove our cars to the “take-out” at Fawick Park and rode back in Dave’s van. By 1:50 p.m. we had all launched and were underway down the river. One of the cruise participants brought a big container of homemade chocolate chip cookies and offered them around to us: I took three and then had another one at the take-out!
As we moved down the river, the group kept together, although people tended to move along chatting with a person alongside. The trees have lost nearly all their leaves, and visibility through the vegetation along the banks was good. Surprisingly, we came across three groups of deer at various points along the cruise. The first one was a large buck with a full set of antlers. We were moving fast on the stream, and by the time I fumbled my camera out, he had slipped away. Still, we all got a good look at him. Then, we came across a group of three more deer, and I was able to capture them with my camera. There were a few ducks along the way, ducks that may not have gotten the memo about departure from these northern climes.
There are two sets of rapids along the seven-mile stretch from 57th Street to Fawick Park, and we slipped through each of them without incident. The first is under the bridge connecting the bike trail, just downstream from Cliff Avenue. There were plenty of bicyclists out on the trail today, and a few watched us pass through this first set of rapids. The second set is near 26th Street; that one is a little less of a challenge, and again we made it through without incident.
We passed under several bridges as we made our way downstream. There were no navigation hazards along the route, apart from the two sets of rapids.
Many people were out on the bike trail, walking, riding, laughing in the sunshine. Lots of geese are still hanging out in the area between the 18th Street bridge and Fawick Park. The geese, at any rate, can just slip over to Arrowhead Park as the ice develops on the Big Sioux River.
We ended our cruise at Fawick Park, in sight of the statue of David. We had left our cars parked on the street at the park, and it was only a short “carry” from the river to the street. Our trip was about seven miles and took us just under two hours.
This was a fine trip, a great cruise in the fading days of fall. We just have to take advantage of opportunities for trips like this, and I am so glad that I overcame my lethargy: I could not in good conscience spend the day reading or doing home chores when a cruise down the river was offered.
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