Big Sioux River Through Sioux Falls: May 2012

The Big Sioux River between the canoe launch site off East 26^th Street and the bridge over the bicycle trail near the lift station is a great stretch for someone wanting to paddle an hour or so and just take in the foliage along the banks and the bird life in the trees and on the water. I live just off 26^th Street east of the river, and the drive from my home to the launching site is about five minutes. The cruise along the river up to the rapids under the bicycle trail bridge is about 2.2 miles round trip. 

I arrived at the launching site about 9:30 a.m. and found it deserted.  This, however, will change as soon as the day camp at Leif Erickson begins operation; the camp staff uses this area for parking during the weekdays.

Setting off upstream, I found that the water depth within a twisting channel to be from three to four feet deep.  The water is much shallower away from the channel.  The navigational challenge is to keep within that channel while avoiding shallow bars, rocks, and driftwood jams.

The current was moderate.  Failure to maintain some power ahead would quickly cause the kayak to drift back downstream.  Still, going upstream was not difficult.  I sometimes found myself practicing shallow water strokes where the paddle just breaks the surface.

There were lots of geese and ducks out on the water.  I saw pairs of geese and ducks with their goslings and ducklings.  Sometimes the adult birds would remain as they were when my kayak approached, giving the young a chance to fly off to safety. Waterfowl were the major point of my interest today during both legs of this short cruise.

There were a few turtles to be seen and the occasional heaving waters where spawning carp were caught up in shallow waters.

The feeling along this waterway is a combination of muted urban sounds with life on the river and along the shoreline. Sometimes the calling of geese was the dominant sound; and then, at times, the croaking of frogs would take over.

The bike trail runs along one side of river and Camp Leif Erickson is on the other.  Through the trees, occasional bike riders could be seen.  Sounds from the athletic fields just beyond the bike trail could, at times,  be faintly heard.  Cars along Southeast Avenue were sometimes heard through the trees. Today, SD Air National Guard fighter planes screamed overhead. Oftentimes, however, there was just the sound of the river life and the sight of large trees looming over the river.  There was often no sight or sound of city life to disturb the tranquility of a short cruise on an urban river.

On the way back downstream, I stopped to pick up my quota of floating trash, mostly plastic beverage bottles. This offers an opportunity to practice maneuvering skills while in the downstream current.

The take-out spot (the same as the put-in) is a little tricky.  There has been a good bit of sand used to create the launching area, but there is a steep drop-off into the stream, and that presents a challenge in getting the kayak off the river.  My experience is that the easiest time to capsize a kayak is in the exiting process. 

I enjoyed my cruise this morning, and I spent about one hour and twenty minutes on the roundtrip paddle.

For those interested in the complete set of photographs for this narrative, please see my Flickr collection at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayheath/sets/72157629600547808/detail/