Float trippin' (St. Louis, Niangua: home, live in, land)

[ShadowCaver]

Years ago, some college buddies and I entered the Meramec River "River Raft Race". One of the rules of the contest was that ya had to build your own raft... lets just say that between 5 of us engineers, some duct tape, baling twine, 5 55-gallon drums, plywood, and couple kegs/cases of various alcoholic beverages to help lubricate our endeavor, we finished,,, well, lets just say that somehow, praising Acheron [the god of the River of Pain in the Underworld - kinda fitting for our efforts we thought... ] we did finish. Was quite and fun.

[Inoxkeeper]

Here is the list of Missouri Rivers that I have floated at least once.

Castor, St. Francis, Little St. Francis, Jack's Fork, Current, Huzzah, Black River, Meramec, North Fork of the White, 11 Point, Big Piney...that's all I think. Toss in the Buffalo in Arkansas for fun and I have white water rafted on the Ocoee in TN, the American in Northern CA and the Arkansas in
CO.

My favorite Missouri rivers? The upper Jack's because of Hospital & Jam Up caves and Alley Spring and the bluffs. North Fork & 11 point for the fishing. And I have to give a nod to the Buffalo because of hemmed in hollow's 300' water fall and the wild rides when the river is up.

[MoNative34]

I've never heard much about the Castor. I used to deer hunt at a friend's place near Marquand and always wondered why it wasn't a floating destination. Are there canoe rental places, Inox?? Another river that is even more a mystery to me is the Whitwater River further east. I can't find any info on that stream.

Streams I want to float, but never have... Osage Fork of Gasconade, Bryant Creek, Beaver Creek, and Castor.


Hey shaowcaver, Where did that Meramec race begin and end? I remember radio advertisements for it when I was a kid in St. Louis. I'm not sure that happens anymore.

[Ozark Nana]

Originally Posted by Northwoods Voyager

Central Missouri is well known for the many float trips, organized and spur of the moment type. We have floated the Bourbeuse, Gasconade and the Missouri at one time or another. Some very long floats with a variety of floating materials and a few just for a coupla hours.

I remember one float trip that about 8 couples took on the Gasconade River many years ago. We parked out trucks and cars and all piled into as few vehicles as possible to drive to our starting point. We had a couple of coolers full of beverages (read beer, soda, beer, water, beer, tea, beer)...fried chicken, sliced ham, turkey, venison sausage, all kinds of cheese, eggs, and tomatoes. Had bread, crackers, chips, Fritos and the like.

Got underway at daybreak and floated for an hour, then pulled onto a gravel bar and had some chicken and a beer. Yep, beer at 7-7:30 A.M.!!! We had all been up since about 4A.M. Back to the floating and just played around for awhile. Some tried their hand at fishing, yep, 'hand'. Guy could reach under a log or outcropping and reach in/under and sometimes come up w/a fish.!!!

Ever onward, we floated and paddled and swam and rested for a few hours and enjoyed the cold beverages and snacks at the next sand/gravel bar. By now, 2 couples dropped out and went home...the rest of us hardy and thirsty souls carried on. Still had a cooler or two to go.

Stopped again and ate lunch/dinner and by now our cool beverage supply was being drastically depleted to the point that we began 'rationing' ourselves. Only a mishap or two the whole day, with one overturned canoe. Darn glad the beverage cooler was NOT in that floater's care. another small boat hit an overhanging branch that a (oh do not go on reading this is you are squeamish) loverly water moccasin was dozing on. Well, of course, said critter fell down and the floaters pushed off before they had an unwelcome hitchhiker.

A few with sunburned thighs and arms. The balding guys had a new red patch on their noggins if no hats had been worn. No serious damage to these water explorers or to their respective crafts. Luckily most had had the foresight to put the days necessities in zippered and plastic containers.

At the end of the day we gathered at the truck/car park and had a bonfire and decided to empty as much as we could out of the coolers. Great day, exchanged a few stories and relaxed and of course some had to change out of wet garments. Doused the fire with river water, cleaned up any mess and tossed it into our vehicles, hugged and said goodnight and drove our weary but contented souls home until the next trip. Ahhhhh. Sure miss those days.

That sure put a smile on my face reading your story! Thanks so much for sharing that with me...it reminds me of such simpler times and lots of peace and tranquility.....thank you again N.W. Voyager I would of given you 100 rep points for this one...but alas, I'm still a jailbird

O.Nana

[Inoxkeeper]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

I've never heard much about the Castor. I used to deer hunt at a friend's place near Marquand and always wondered why it wasn't a floating destination. Are there canoe rental places, Inox?? Another river that is even more a mystery to me is the Whitwater River further east. I can't find any info on that stream.

Streams I want to float, but never have... Osage Fork of Gasconade, Bryant Creek, Beaver Creek, and Castor.


Hey shaowcaver, Where did that Meramec race begin and end? I remember radio advertisements for it when I was a kid in St. Louis. I'm not sure that happens anymore.

The Castor doesn't have any outfitters that I know of, we have a canoe and
did our own put in and take out hauling. It's really just a big creek but very clear...

[turtle8789]

OMG, I'm sitting here telling my boyfriend about my dad, his friends along w/the bar they hung out in made a Salloon Raft one year for that float and won 2nd Place. They shoulda won 1st because the salloon was so realistic. I was only about 8 or 9 but I remember. That was the proudest I ever was at my dad and his buddies. They even had an outhouse on that raft behind the Salloon w/the old fashioned underwear men used to wear w/the flap on the butt. I seen my first concert at that event. It was Ronnie Milsap and he kissed my hand. I wish this event was still going on but this isn't those days either so I guess it would get to commercialized if it were now.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Portaboats are a great little toys. I would highly recommend one over the cheap inflatables that may last a few months. You see a lot in Southern California being used as shore tenders on the smaller sailboats.

You can even get inexpensive canoes at Sam's Club for under 450. If you wait till the end of the season, there are all kinds of deals in sporting goods stores, and places like West Marine, Overton's and Bass Pro.

[rgb123]

great thread! Does "floating" mean canoeing or just ...floating any way you manage to get down the river?

Here in Texas floating means Tubing (on an intertube, of course)

[firebll31]

Canoes, kayaks, rafts, tubes, whatever gets you down the cool, clear river on a hot summer day, preferably with some cold drinks and a few buddies.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by rgb123

great thread! Does "floating" mean canoeing or just ...floating any way you manage to get down the river?

Here in Texas floating means Tubing (on an intertube, of course)

It usually means canoes. Years ago, it meant johnboats. In the past few decades it has mainly been canoes, although rafts and kayaks become more and more popular every year.

Tubing in Central Texas is fun, no doubt. I'm especially fond of the San Marcos River. The streams up here are somewhat similar, but the water is clearer and they are often much colder (even the Guadalupe is warm compared to the Current or North Fork). Many of the rivers are also protected, so you don't have multimillion-dollar homes butting up against the bank like you do in Texas. A few of the Missouri streams have party atmospheres every bit as wild as the Guadalupe and Comal, although local law enforcement has been cracking down more on that type of behavior in the past few years.

I went on the upper Current yesterday. Very few people were on the river, which was quite surprising for a Saturday in August. We saw a lot of wildlife and beautiful scenery, and had a all-around great time.