Page 74 - "Mississippi in the 1st Person" - Michael James Stone (Demo/Free)

Eloquence had turned sideways and seemed to be lodged on the bank not too far ahead and the
tow line had snagged a branch and held Kayackanoe from going past Eloquence.

I was relieved because I still had not done a reset on my haphazard starting pack of the kayaks

and I knew I needed to repack the load and lower the center of gravity on the Sea Eagle be-
cause I could see it listing when I started and it had not changed since.

Sitting on my ole yeller kayak tube, the Kayackanoe. I pulled a pair of water shoes out and

emptied the rubber mudders and put them on top in the sun to dry.

Grabbing some water I drank a sizable amount and reached for my “deck compartment” I had
made on top a cargo box and pulled a length of rope out. Tying it to the bow(front) of the kay-

ak I next added a snap carabiner to the other end and snapped it to my waist.

Moving out of problem solve mode, I checked the cargo load next to see if anything shifted.
Seemed fine and I wanted to push on so I figured once I got to Wanagan I could stay a full day

and really get prepared for the rest of the trip.

I had begun to see some wildlife but nothing really significant yet. Late afternoon was shadow-
ing my steps and I wanted now to hurry to get to Wanagan. Breaking a rule the first day I had
set for myself about taking it slow and never hurrying.

Now I wanted to get somewhere before dark.

The majestic of greatness is often found in the silences of the soliloquy, and a long distance
paddler has to trust in his own decision making process and ability to adapt or he should re-
main in the company of others to work together as a team, because paddling alone is glorious

to no one else but you.

No one else except another person who travels alone can understand the strengths and weak-
ness of depending on none else but yourself. And if religious, then to experience God alone in

the steeple of the natural.

I WAS GOING TO WANAGAN.

I WOULD GET THERE BEFORE DARK.

Or so I kept telling myself …….