River Tubing

This year I took the Laurels (young women, 16 and up) that I work with at church on a tubing trip down the Maquoketa River in Iowa.  Another ward was planning the trip and invited our Priests and Laurels to go with them.  We had never done anything like this before, but knew it would be a lot of fun so we decided to go for it.

It was a three hour drive to the river and because of so little rainfall this year the river level was pretty low.  Fortunately, conditions were still good enough to tube and canoe but the low level made for a very slow moving river.  It took us 5 hours to float down the 8 mile section of river, about twice the usual time.  We were supposed to get home at 6pm but ended up dropping kids off around 10pm instead!

I think everyone had a pretty good time, even if we kept wondering when the end would come.  Thank goodness we rented some canoes.  They came in handy when we formed long trains with the canoes pulling the tubes in an effort to get things moving along.  By the time we got out of the water, everyone's feet were very pruney, we had been wet so long, but the setting was very naturesque.  We saw lots of birds, including eagles flying overhead.  The weather was also pretty nice, warm but overcast, so we were more protected from the direct sun.  I'd like to do it again with my own family sometime.

I also got to develop my rowing and balance skills as I used my super-talent to single-handedly save a canoe from capsizing after my rowing partner decided to jump off the side without any warning!  It happened to be the YM President from our ward doing this shenannigan.  You should have seen the faces of the kids when they saw the canoe going over with me still in it!  I don't think anyone could believe I saved it.  That was my big adventure for the day!

I'm in this picture, but I like to think I can get away
with looking like one of the kids ;)