Who wants to float down the Mississippi this summer?

Matt Derrick

Matt Derrick

Retired Wanderer
Staff member
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images above borrowed from http://wewillnotdrown.blogspot.pt

Ok, so we've all heard about it, we all want to do it, but who's ready to make something like this happen?

I've been talking to some folks and the idea came up (again) and I'm thinking, "why not"? I mean, how much money would it take? If the budget was $3,000, that should be plenty enough to get all the materials needed to build a barge of some kind and we had 6 people covering that it would only be $500 bucks a person.

I figure the trip from Minneapolis to New Orleans would take about 2-3 months, and we could make any stops we wanted to along the way. There's a ton of logistics to work out, sure, but it sounds pretty doable, so I thought maybe we could make an StP crew out of it. So what I'm curious about right now is who would be interested in something like this?

I'm looking for people that are serious about making this happen. Please post your interest or questions about how we would make this work.
 

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Gawd that looks like a crap load of fun. Unfortunately I can only travel infrequently and love it - but that LOOKS AWESOME!!! Hopefully this gets off the ground!!
 
I'd like to go! I don't have much rafting experience, but have those other sought after abilities.
 
What are you looking for in a crew my friend? (I ask because I'm backpacking this summer, and I'd love doing something like this. One con though, I can't swim.)
 
Damn, I was planning on grabbing a cheap canoe and paddling down it this summer, but this looks sounds like a hell of a lot more fun. I have some experience sailing (lakes and bays, mainly) and probably 1000+ miles of canoeing experience from various trips around the Adirondacks, Vermont, and Verendrye (in Quebec)
 
Matt Derrick said:
what abilities might those be?
Click to expand...

I can swim! ...and even keep another afloat. I can hammer nails, am well-versed at teamwork, coachable, and can land an airplane. I also know how to cook and clean. I am very responsible.
 
This excites and terrifies me in equal measures. I can swim, I am very good at drinking rum and I can play drunken sailor on the guitar!

Does it have an engine or is powered by the wind?

Can you just sail a crazy looking vessel like that down a river without getting pulled over by the river police? (I am aware there might not actually be river police) What I mean is, do you need permits or licences or anything?

and how likely is death by drowning in this situation? Because although I've not been there I was under the impression the Mississippi was a big ass river.
 
Im also curious about permits and licensing stuff. I'm crafty as hell and can make all manner of things that can be useful. If i did tag along I'd probably cut out at some point to get back to my alter ego.

Is the raft pictured your vessel? Or do you need to make one from the ground up? what kind of supplies would be needed to build one?
 
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i would but as you know i have other plans for now. that has been an en devour i have that about for a while and even researched at times but never followed it through. post lot of pics and videos and let us know how it goes!!!!!!!
 
hahahahahahahahahaha

this is why i love you guys on sTp

this has been my life's dream ever since heading the doobies' black water..
lyric for lyrics, so
after this raft-building,
will there also be stops enough for time to dance some honky-tonk
buy everybody a round
and to take pretty mamas by the hand

yes BY'S!
 
This sounds awesome! I totally want in. I'm pretty good at building stuff and cooking and have a beard that looks vaguely nautical.
 
hell yea ive been talkin about doin that for years ... just had no idea anyone else had any interest in it id be down reguardless of the legality and permits hell ill take a log if I have to huck finn style all day
 
Did a little bit of Googling and found this FAQ:

"Can I make it down the river in a raft/pontoon/houseboat/sailboat?
If you're planning to sit back and just drift down the river, you're out of luck. Locks and dams on the Upper River, and frequent strong winds on the whole river make drifting with the current a rare occurrence. Even in the areas where you do find a strong favorable current, you need to be able to control your craft to keep out of the way of towboats and other hazards. Sailing is probably possible in some areas, but I would want to have my engine in good operating condition. "

Bummer.

EDIT: Conflicting opinions:
"Can anyone ‘boat, raft, canoe, or kayak’ the Mississippi River?
With good sense, yes. Recreational boating on the Mississippi is an everyday occurrence, yet be advised that the river from Minneapolis to the Gulf of Mexico is alive and active with large commercial barges maneuvered about by towboats – still, room remains for recreational vessels as well. Within the dynamics of the Mississippi challenges and hazards remain to contend – the weather, floating debris, commercial shipping, plus the ever tangible effects of mother nature’s wrath moving downstream can be contentious – or, it can be but a simple amusement."
 
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Well, shit! Still sounds doable for the determined.

How about an STP pirate ship? Couple metal detectors, snorkels and cannon and we could probably colonize an island in the South Atlantic.

I recall I do have some experience: I once sailed a log down the Willamette in Salem.
 
about 7 of us paddled a 20 or so foot log around in a lake in Tennessee for so long I got sun poisioning it was great the law couldn't figure out what we were riding cuz it was submerged between our legs
 
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