Memorial Day was here again and Lea and I were itching to get out on the kayaks. A lot has happened since my last post. We got married, bought a house, and traveled to Hawaii. Needless to say our blog unfortunately has taken a back seat. Nevertheless we are back and hope to continue to update regularly. Our goal is to hit 100 miles kayaking this summer.
So what would a normal person do who hasn’t kayaked since August of last year? The normal answer would be pick a short stretch of the river to get back in the swing of things. Lea and I are far from normal or sane apparently and decided to kayak over 26 miles. The route was from Redhorse Access to Robertsville State Park. It was a challenging trip for several reasons which we will get into shortly.
I have never been on most of the portion of the Meramec. When planning a trip I like to have some idea of the mileage so I know what time I need to get there and how many miles per hour we need to do to complete before it gets dark. Also not knowing anything about this section of the river we had no clue of public access or put in spots. The Paddler‘s Guide to Missouri is a godsend. It breaks down the mileage by landmarks or access points. It has most of the major rivers and streams in the state and breaks it down by region. It is very accurate and a must have for anyone who wants to get into kayaking on Missouri rivers. If you don’t have a copy I highly recommend getting one.
I was a bit nervous with all the recent rain we have got and river levels. We were actually planning an overnight trip but as of Saturday and Sunday levels seemed a bit to high for that. Also was a bit concerned about how fast the river might be going along with any left over debris. We downloaded a new app called RiverApp which was very helpful and gave us to the hour river conditions. It was very helpful in planning this trip.
The area around Redhorse access is very scenic. Roads are a bit windy but the views are great. Cell phone service is spotty so its important to plan your route prior to going. Also for whatever reason it doesn’t show up on Apple Maps but did show up on Google Maps.
We arrived at the ramp at around 1030 am. Redhorse access is similar to most conservation areas we have been to. A large gravel parking lot and a boat access ramp down to the water. There also looked like it had a trail going into the woods that I saw someone walking on but I didn’t have time to check it out.
The river was a normal stage but she was a moving. Lea and I have sit on top kayaks and the seats don’t provide much back support. We had bought some foldable seats a while back and figured we would try them out. They offered a lot more support but unfortunately made the kayak top heavy. I was afraid it was going to make me flip so after about a half a mile we removed the seats and continued on.
As I said earlier the river was really moving. Our first few miles we were averaging about 13 minutes or so with minimal effort in paddling. The water was still pretty cold but the temperature was perfect with little humidity. The only issue was the wind. With the wind and the fast moving water in some parts the river got a little choppy. A few waves came over and got the inside of my kayak a little wet. Also depending on where we were in the river the wind was either an ally or foe. When it was at our back it was smooth sailing. However there were a few times when it was directly in our face and it made it really tough to paddle. Fortunately that only happened a few times and overall it was a perfect day to be in the river.
With it being a holiday I knew it would be crowded. I guess I wasn’t expecting the number of boats we encountered on this trip. It seemed like every minute of two we would hear a boat. We kept to the sides for the most part but we still had to be extra vigilant with all the traffic. Most boaters were courteous and some even slowed down a bit when they saw us but navigating their wakes all day made Lea and I pretty exhausted by the end of the trip. Our last 25+ mile trip we may have encountered 10-15 boats all day. I lost count but I am pretty sure we passed that number within the first few hours.
We did try to fish but with how fast the water was moving it made it pretty hard. That, the boats, and how far we had to go I gave up the fishing idea pretty quick. I also need to do more research on what to use or what works out there. We were using a plastic worm with no luck.
This stretch of river does provide many spectacular sights and sounds. There were a few sections where there weren’t any noises from boats. I was able to lay back, and take in all the scenery. Also just sitting there and letting the current take me and to hear the sounds of the water was very therapeutic. Around the 10 mile mark of the trip there is a really nice gravel bar on one side of the river and the opposite side has a rock formation that jutts out over the water. We really enjoyed that spot. Other notable landmarks or sites of interest were: Bruns Bridge, St Louis-San Francisco Railroad Bridge, confluence of the Bourbeuse into the Meramec.
One thing I was worried about was missing the Robertsville State Park boat ramp. With the speed of the water, our fatigue at that point of the trip and the time of day I really didnt want to pass it because I don’t think we would have been able to paddle upstream to get back. After we passed the Hwy O Bridge we got all the way over to the right so we wouldn’t miss it. It’s not very big and with the vegetation I almost missed it. Luckily Lea and I spotted it at the last minute and already being on the correct bank it was pretty easy to get there.
Overall it was a good day on the water. There were the challenges of the holiday traffic, river speed and wind. But any day on the water is a win for us. With COVID restrictions easing we have gotten back into the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Having 5 kids, sporting events can sometimes rule our lives. We love doing that but needed a pause. The river for us is that pause. It’s nice not to be on a schedule or backed up against a timeline. Just getting out there and soaking in nature is very therapeutic and recharging for the mind and spirit. Can’t wait for our next float!
Helpful sites: https://riverweather.com/riverstages/meramec/
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