Anchored boat overnight

[bobby b.]

Woodland,

Here is the trip you need to take since you clearly like this kind of thing - I use to think I did too until I did this.  I read about this trip - it being one of the most remote places left in North America.

Drive to Armstrong Station (a small Indian Village) in Ontario.  Get aboard a freight train that delivers supplies to Indian Villages across northern Ontario all the way up to Hudson Bay.  Tell the Conductor to stop the train at Allan Water River Bridge and unload there.  From there you can travel by canoe or kajak for 150 miles north and east and then back south making a big circle and end up at a big lake about 30 miles northeast of Armstrong Station.  From there thumb a ride back to Armstrong Station to get the truck.  You can travel from river to lake to river, catching lots of northern and walleye.  

I did this with my boys some years ago before satellite phones and beacon lifesavers.  I was told in Armstrong that a group had attempted it the year before but did not make it.  I only have a couple pics because the camera was lost when I tried to run a rapid that was above my skill level.  Looking back it was probably the most irresponsible thing I did as a parent to take my kids such a place.  In one of the pics you can see one of my kids looking very unhappy.  He had just had a scolding for messing with the ax and horsing around near the waterfall.

allenwater1_resized.BMP allenwater3_resized.BMP canoe2_resized.bmp

[Devan S.]

2 hours ago, Woodland Artisan said:

 

Where you able to make the trip?  I'm not planning to start quite so far as Beaver Dam but at Beaver, a couple of miles North of there.  Then going past Table Rock Dam a bit to the Ark 311 bridge.  I'm figuring about 75+/- miles.  Stockton was ~40 so this should be a good test to see if I want to tackle Stage 3 (circumnavigate Stockton) next.  I'm wanting to do this end-to-end of Table Rock in early May and well before Memorial Day; before it gets too crazy on the lake.  Campgrounds just aren't for me.  Too loud and too much of a hassle just to find a spot to pull up the kayak, string the hammock, eat a bit and then leave in 4 or 5 hours.  Loved saying on the island!  When planning for the Stockton end-to-end, I expected to do 10 miles a day (about 4 days) with no fishing.  After the 2nd day, I borrowed rod/tackle and still did 10 miles.  But, I had good weather and favorable winds for each leg.  Won't expect that on Table Rock in May, though.

I did not. Did the MR340 and it has for better or worse cured me of about every non-stop paddle trip desire other than the buffalo complete. 

My goal was to start in late October/early November. COE campgrounds would mostly be closed and camping only by real campers not the weekend warriors. Even in early May you will likely run into a few people and a real high risk of high water/flooding and/or severe weather. All can be worked through with proper planning obviously but I'd rather minimize pain/misery from external sources.

Starting at Beaver Dam vs. Beaver is really only about 12-15 miles added and it will likely be the only sections where you have any current(if you time it right with generation). 

My plan was something along the following:

Day 1-Beaver Dam to Eagle Rock COE- 20-25 miles

Day 2- Eagle Rock COE to Campbell Point COE-20-25 miles

Day 3- Campbell Point COE to Kimberling City Bridge- 15-20 miles

Day 4- Kimberling City to the Table Rock Dam- 10-15 miles

I had the added benefit of having 2 people in a canoe which means you can take some breaks and move non-stop. We tried to limit it to as short as possible as we wanted to minimize vacation. It was less about seeing and experiencing and more about doing it. 

[Woodland Artisan]

4 hours ago, bobby b. said:

Woodland,

Here is the trip you need to take since you clearly like this kind of thing - I use to think I did too until I did this.  I read about this trip - it being one of the most remote places left in North America.

 

That would be outstanding.  All except for the rapids.  I'm not one for any serious rapids.  Remote / Waves / Open water I love. Any more rapids than the Ozarks can dish out isn't for me.  With all of those rivers and small lakes up there, a nice long trip in the (true) wilderness would be possible and I'd love going from river to lake to river, etc.

Another trip I've been recommended is along Thunder Bay on Lake Superior.  Probably my first extended "open water" kayak trip would be along the coast of British Columbia, though.  Early last year, I did some proper sea kayaking off of Vancouver Island and that got me back into thinking more seriously about longer paddling trips.

[rps]

10 hours ago, Woodland Artisan said:

That would be outstanding.  All except for the rapids.  I'm not one for any serious rapids.  Remote / Waves / Open water I love. Any more rapids than the Ozarks can dish out isn't for me.  With all of those rivers and small lakes up there, a nice long trip in the (true) wilderness would be possible and I'd love going from river to lake to river, etc.

Another trip I've been recommended is along Thunder Bay on Lake Superior.  Probably my first extended "open water" kayak trip would be along the coast of British Columbia, though.  Early last year, I did some proper sea kayaking off of Vancouver Island and that got me back into thinking more seriously about longer paddling trips.

I taught across the hall from a Marshfield native named Hassel Bell. Every summer during school vacation, he and a group of friends from Marshfield went to the Boundary Waters and traveled in by canoe for a week of fishing. Just a thought.

[bobby b.]

1 hour ago, rps said:

I taught across the hall from a Marshfield native named Hassel Bell. Every summer during school vacation, he and a group of friends from Marshfield went to the Boundary Waters and traveled in by canoe for a week of fishing. Just a thought.

Randy,

That's how my boys and I started - first the Boundary Waters, then Quetico (Canada's boundary waters) and then the trip I detailed above. 

How are you doing - still missing TR?

Bobby

[rps]

11 minutes ago, bobby b. said:

Randy,

That's how my boys and I started - first the Boundary Waters, then Quetico (Canada's boundary waters) and then the trip I detailed above. 

How are you doing - still missing TR?

Bobby

You have no idea. I will not list the problems I have encountered. That would be whining. I will simply quote Joni Mitchell in The Big Yellow Taxi, "You don't know what you've got.  Til it's gone."

[bobby b.]

40 minutes ago, rps said:

You have no idea. I will not list the problems I have encountered. That would be whining. I will simply quote Joni Mitchell in The Big Yellow Taxi, "You don't know what you've got.  Til it's gone."

Yep your input to OAF is missed and I sure could use another lesson on walleye fishing.  I recently told my wife that unless I get dementia so bad that I don't even know where I am at, I am not leaving TR.  You can roll me down to the dock in a wheel chair and leave me there all day while I fill my drawers and that would be better than the big city.  

[Woodland Artisan]

10 hours ago, rps said:

I taught across the hall from a Marshfield native named Hassel Bell. Every summer during school vacation, he and a group of friends from Marshfield went to the Boundary Waters and traveled in by canoe for a week of fishing. Just a thought.

Looks like a person could spend a lifetime on the trails (paddling and otherwise) up in that area.  Too bad about the blow-downs and fires over the years, though.  But, sounds like they've cleaned up some of those trails pretty well now.  I like path-making but it's hard on the land so a good trail is what I try to stick to.  Thanks, rps.

[Bgctrading]

Would that be coach Bell?

[rps]

42 minutes ago, Bgctrading said:

Would that be coach Bell?

YES! He retired in Missouri, came down to Arkansas and put in 10 years to qualify for a second pension and social security. One of the finest men I have had the pleasure to know. When I began teaching, my second career, he was assigned as my mentor. How lucky was I?

I wrote this for his memorial but a snow and ice storm prevented me from attending. I sent it to Lavon (sic) for the service.

Good Morning.

 

My name is Randy Stainer and some time ago, Hassell asked me to talk about his years teaching in Eureka Springs. It would have been my honor my honor to do so. Sometimes life gets in the way.

 

When I began second career teaching, Hassell was assigned as my mentor. He became my friend. He taught me much about the art and modeled it for me and others.

 

·      Trust your instincts; the kids recognize fake.

·      Don’t try to fit the teacher model they tell you; it does not always work.

·      You are not their friend, you are their teacher because that is what they need the most.

·      Love ALL of them, but some need watching.

·      Don’t worry about the latest and greatest new way to teach – it will pass.

·      Never provide them a weapon.

·      Show no fear.

 

I, and all of Eureka, learned more about him as well. You know him better than we do, but he had several endearing traits we came to love.

 

·      His love for fast cars and how he would drive 20 mph faster than mere mortals.

·      His old school manners and mores.

·      His voracious reading.

·      His stories, most of which were true.

·      His awe-inspiring sweet tooth. We would make bets on how long he would stir his tea to dissolve the sugar he added. We all learned not to get between him and Kristi Drebenstedt’s banana pudding.

 

 

We also learned of his gifts.

 

In the 80’s and 90’s Eureka Springs dominated Arkansas cross country and track. Banners from District and State titles hang in the gym. By the time Hassel arrived that program had diminished. He revived it. Within a couple of years, the boys and girls teams won consecutive District and State titles. Now banners hang in the gym with Hassell’s name.

 

He had a special gift with the students. They trusted him and loved him, even when he told them they were wrong and needed to change.

 

He always had an eye out for the “different or challenged” students. When he was around, they would light up because of him.

 

Last of all, while I know many of you do not use social media, when he passed, the district web site and several individuals posted pictures and memories of him. Hundreds - literally hundreds – of people reacted to and commented on those posts. Former students, parents, school administrators, bus drivers, food service people – all of them spoke of his love and kindness. I had thought to read several of the comments to you, but, if I did that, I could not finish.

 

In the end, I believe a man's measure comes from the answer to a

simple question. Is this world a better place and more alive for his having been born? If so, there was a man.

 

There was a man we knew. His name was Hassel.