Canoeing the St. Croix

We decided to band together and rest for a while the river took us to our destination.

Here we are all done canoeing and waiting for the shuttle bus.  No one has much energy except for the shorter one in the front who still wants to hike, swim, and have a bonfire.

We had a pretty nice day for our annual canoe trip.  The weather was cool and the dew point was low.  We ran into a few seconds of rain twice on our trip but it wasn't enough to bother us.  We put in the canoes at Interstate Park near Taylors Falls.  The water was high.  Our usual lunch spot was under water. All the sand bars were under water so we had limited opportunities to get out and stretch.  The high water made for a speedy trip.  For a few minutes, the wind whipped up white caps on the river and we really had to push against it.  Lucky for us the wind calmed down and sometimes was even at our backs.  We saw two painted turtles on a log facing each other. I had read about hieroglyphics on the cliff walls past Taylors Falls. Try as I might I could not find them.  I was searching on the Wisconsin side of the river. Next year I will look on the Minnesota side.  We found a boat landing where we could get out and have some lunch.  We stopped again to rest and use the bathrooms at the park near Osceola.  As we took off again I saw several Wilderness Inquiry Voyageur canoes.  As I paddled near, I saw one of the WI guides was the same guide that I traveled in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in early July.  I said hi and she remembered my name. How bizarre to meet up again like that!  We saw eagles and vultures, goldfinches, tree swallows, a kingfisher and crows.  As we approached the railroad swing bridge we could see the osprey nest.  Just as we went under the bridge, the osprey was flying around with a big branch in it's mouth.  We turned to watch the osprey swoop and swoop around in circles until finally landing in the nest with the branch.  I find it so relaxing to be on the water.  All worries, problems and troubles fade away as we travel over the water imagining the 60 inch sturgeon that might be swimming below us.  Sooner than I thought we were at our destination of William O'Brien State Park.  One paddler wanted to have a bonfire, swim and hike.  I had brought along some kindling wood, some dryer lint, a lighter, forks, marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate.  That wood was so dry an amazing flame came up and consumed the wood in minutes.  We toasted the marshmallows and ate the s'mores.  Some of us went hiking and some of us went swimming.  We had to wait until the 5:30 shuttle bus arrived to take us back to Taylors Falls.  Then we had to drive back again to load up the canoe.  I got home too late to go to book club.  Although I was a little disappointed not to be there to discuss Gone With The Wind, I can't say I regretted this beautiful day on the river.