Rice Creek

Last night I was invited to go kayaking after work.  We're trying to get ready to participate in the Mississippi River Challenge, a 2 day paddle from Coon Rapids to Cottage Grove.  We set the kayaks in the waters of Rice Creek north of County Road I - just east of Highway 35W.  I'm not sure if that area is Arden Hills or Shoreview.  We were north of the ammunition plant.  The water was fairly swift.  Tall grasses covered the banks on both sides.  Earlier higher water had cut some of the banks down to the bare earth.  The creek was quite curvy and the water flow gets disrupted.  Some of the curves were sharp "S" shaped curves and we had to be careful or the water would pin us against a bank.  We went underneath County Road I and the top of my head almost touched the roof of the bridge.  Some trees had fallen into the water and we had to navigate around those.  I've had experience in kayaks before but those were sea kayaks which have a rudder.  I steered this little kayak with the paddle only and it was surprisingly easy to do.  Heavy rains were predicted for Monday but actually the weather was perfect for being on the water. We had a comfortable breeze and the air was pleasantly warm.  We saw red winged blackbirds, catbirds, goldfinches, orioles, grackles, mallards, robins and one osprey.  We paddled through a portion of the ammo plant.  Towards the end we could see some very old and deserted ammunition buildings. Rice Creek flows under 35W.  The creek is split into three sections as it flows under the highway and there is concrete below us.  The distance is so long it feels like you are going into a tunnel. Of course, as in all tunnels, I start making noises to get the echo effect.  First a Tarzan yell and then ululations.  You can't take me anywhere without getting embarrassed. As you come out of the tunnel, the cement underneath us ends and the water levels drops down a foot or more all at once. The water is turbulent as it drops and the current goes all wicky wacky.  It felt like a mini-rapid and being so low in the kayak made it even more fun.  It's strange because you eyes see only grassy banks and water but your ears are filled with the sound of rush hour traffic.  Next we went under Highway 10 near the Mermaid Supper Club.  Again we had a long tunnel and turbulence.  You had to prepare for these bridges way ahead of time because you do not want to be caught in the current sideways against a cement wall.  So we would look ahead, choose which way to go and try to get to that spot turned straight ahead.  Once in these tunnels the space is too narrow to paddle.  You can correct your course a little bit by using your paddle as a rudder.  We just had to be sure we went in as straight as we could.  We went under at least a dozen bridges.  Besides the deserted ammunition buildings, we didn't see any other houses or building for the first 90 minutes of the trip. It was only when we got close to Long Lake in New Brighton that we saw a house.  Two men were standing in the creek fishing for northern pike. They claimed to catch one every fifth cast.  On Long Lake we encountered other watercraft - jet ski's, pontoons, and a speed boat.  The kayak handles the waves really well.  We paddled across the lake to the landing next to the sound barrier on Highway 694.  Our trip took almost two hours.  I had so much fun I wasn't ready for it to be over yet.