Finally, I got to share my discoveries at Odessa with some other paddlers. A group of girl scouts spent a few days at Snively Campground with the sole purpose of spending time on the water. They didn't know their way around so I offered to be their guide for the day.
We put in right next to their camp site and went south toward Sand Run. The girls - ages 11-13 - were not experienced paddlers but they were enthusiastic and with a few paddling tips we were on our way. There was lots of chatter and questions as we made our way down the length of the Main Lake.
After about a half hour I heard the first "are we almost there yet" and "can we take a break." My goal was to get to the old pumping station on Blackhawk where I knew we could get out on the "beach" and also take a look at the Mississippi River. It was another 3-4 miles one way but we decided to go for it. With a few breaks for tired arms, a floating lunch, and a look at the snakes on the beaver lodge we arrived there in about 3 hours.
It was fun to watch the girls venture out to the mud flats and explore. They picked up mussel shells, looked at the dead shad along the shore, poked in the mud and admired the blooming marsh mallows. When it was time to go, I sensed that we were going to have some trouble with motivation.
Knowing that the girls were tired and that the trip back could go even slower, I knew I would have to come up with something to get them moving. A challenge was issued: if we got back in two hours I would take them out for ice cream. I could hardly keep up with them for awhile! Of course they couldn't keep up that pace - in fact the last mile was pretty grueling - but they did a great job.
Those girls ended up paddling around 10 miles - the second half in exactly two hours. And after being revived with showers and ice cream, I think they all agreed that it had been a great day on the water.
Thanks to the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois for providing these kind of outdoor adventures for girls.
