Yankton SD (Mile 805 to Lexington MO (Mile 316)

I was really looking forward to the last 800 miles of river with no dams or lakes and strong current all the way to the confluence with the Mississippi River, but as I write this in Lexington, Missouri over 500 miles downstream, I have to report that I've had headwinds everyday but one.

I enjoyed the town of Yankton though with its well kept riverside park, character architecture, easy walking to town and plenty of places with free wifi access. 

I arrived at the town boat dock to find TnT's canoe tied up. I  met up with them at a bar advertising a $5 all-you-can-eat lunch special. I don't think the bar will do that again without checking upstream to see if paddlers are in the area; I thought I was hungry but TnT must have hollow legs as they certainly packed it in.

No rain around so we didn't bother to put up the tents and slept on the floating dock in town. As usual I left early while the boys slept in; they caught up with me around lunch time, we paddled seperately all afternoon and ended up sharing the same campground that night up river from Sioux City. The day was spent navigating sandbars and mudflats, occasionally bottoming-out and having to walk the boat into deeper water; it's not too easy identifying the main channel when so low in the water.

Remind me again why Barbara didn't want to come - there's plenty of room!

The 2011 floods caused major problems along this section of the river. Nearly all the marinas, restaurants and campgrounds mentioned in David Millers excellent guide - The Complete Paddler are closed/silted-up with no sign of re-opening.

Flat and dry overlooking my kayak is always a good campsite

Would have been the ideal stop in 2010

Typical of what last years floods have done to the marinas below Yankton SD

I was looking forward to arriving in Sioux City but found no access to a campground or a ramp where it was safe to leave my kayak.

The best accommodation I was offered on the river in Sioux City ($25 rusty cabin with no water or power and a wooden platform to put my mattress on)  - I paddled on.

Not far down river was Dakota City that had a great riverside park with hot showers, I stayed there.

Next day I did find Pop n' Docs riverside bar and marina (re-built/opened after the flood) and spent the night camped there  (a recommended 'must stop').

Couldn't get motivated the next day and paddled on and off hoping for a tailwind when Steve Stodola came along side in his fishing boat. Not fishing though, just drifting and enjoying a few beers with the intention of camping up overnight; it was Friday afternoon and he'd taken the day off. We floated with the current for an hour or so and talked about our experiences on the river.

Steve Stodola in relaxation mode - is he the coolest guy on the river or what?

Steve playing Spielberg ..................

Steve phoned his wife and asked her to meet me at the Blair ramp and drive me to the grocery store which is a bit more than an easy stroll from the river. I'm not sure what's in that Mountain Dew he gave me but I paddled non-stop for 13 miles. 

Steve's wife Caroline sending me off at Blair Park ramp fully re-supplied compliments of the Stodolas.

I received a good luck email/comment from Mike Swenson and his wife who were on the River City Star that I passed right in the heart of Omaha city; I've no idea who they are but I hope they can see themselves if they zoom in on this photo - very thoughtful of them and much appreciated.

River boat in Omaha, Nebraska

"Where you going?" St Louis, "where did you start?" at the headwaters Montana,"where are you from?" Australia"here, have some beer" - you gotta love these Americans.

Invited over for drinks and snacks with these fine people just downstream of Omaha

From a distance and the noise they made I thought it was a barge coming down the river.

Omaha social boaters tied together and just floating/drinking there way down the river

I was hoping to stay longer in Omaha and meet up with Doug Jasa, Jim Keen, Lance and Bill that I'd met up on Lake Oahe but it's not the easiest place to moor up and leave the boat safely. I hope they are reading this and know that I'll be in touch.

I called in to the town of Plattsmouth, Nebraska for breakfast and walked past this place just up from the ramp. Obviously somebody with too much time on their hands.

What can I say!

Lots of rusty vintage cars on display.

One of many

Great advertising

I met Dale, one of the Sharpe Brothers River Rats, who offered to take me into town in his 1925 Studebaker. He doesn't seem to do much with the bodywork but the engine sounded just great.

With Dale Sharpe in his 1925 Studebaker - Plattsmouth, Nebraska

A chance encounter while looking for a place to camp got me talking to Brad Krauth as he was filleting his days catch. Brad owns a property right on the river with a private ramp where he said I could camp the night. I did, but also got invited up to meet his family and friends and have a shower and a meal in their wonderful home overlooking a bend in the river.

With the Krauth family and friends - Justin and Kerry, and Staci and Brad (does he look a bit like Keith Urban?) and their boys Garrett and Hayden

Justin and Kerry are visiting from Illinois with their twin boys (not in the photo).

I have been amazed at the solitude of this last 500 mile section of river. Out of the cities there's hardly anyone to be seen. I had expected it to be more populated with trophy homes built along stretches of river taking advantage of the beautiful views - not the case at all. A few retirees fishing from the bank or in aluminium dinghies and the occasional row of holiday cabins and not much else.

No not me - it's retiree Paul, "all about grandkids and fishing now"!

Another chance encounter as I was pulling in to a public ramp to camp the night when I got talking to Mike and his son Drake. They invited me to stay up at their cabin 4 miles further on; I paddled there in record time as the sun went down. They weren't staying overnight and they gave the use of their RV/caravan (a hot shower two nights in a row - luxury) and their cabin kitchen. Mike set the coffee pot up so that I'd have a hot cuppa before leaving in the morning. 

Mike and son Drake - couldn't be more generous, welcoming and friendly

I paddled through the city of St Josephs as there was no place at all I could moore up in the city. I stopped at what I thought was a public ramp that turned out to be private and owned by Bud and Teri Lemmon. I explained what I was about and asked if it would be OK to camp near my kayak on their property, no problems at all and they made their workshop bathroom available to me. Teri bought me out a piece of lime pie that was fantastic (like what we would call a cheesecake in Australia), Bud gave me some beer and Teri made me up a lunch bag to take with me the following day - wonderful, wonderful people.

I called in to the town of Atchison and was pleased to find everything within walking distance from the town ramp. Got my laundry done and then had a $1 shower at the YMCA over the road, shopped next door and checked emails in the bar on the next corner - what a place.

I asked "county" Deputy Sheriff Tim Miller if it would be alright to camp on the grass alongside the ramp, he made a phone call to his "city police" counterparts and got the OK. 

With Deputy Sheriff Tim Miller - Atchison, Kansas

Camping above the ramp - Atchison, Kansas

Morning visitors - Deputy Sheriffs Ken Price, and Tim Miller with a coffee for me - amazing

One that didn't get away 50 pound+ blue catfish

I was awoken from my midday sleep in the woods near a remote boat ramp by a "G'day, I thought you'd like to hear an Aussie accent".  Jim, a soldier based in Brisbane and over here for a wedding, saw the flag on my kayak and came over for a chat. He was travelling with his friend Craig and about to fly to Yosemite CA before heading home.

With Aussie Jim from Brisbane

Always the best time of day on the river

Sit back and enjoy an early morning paddle on the Missouri River, I'll do all the work ...........

I have these last two weeks been alternately camping in five states - South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri - as the river defines their borders. It's Missouri on both sides of the river from now on.

"Barbara May, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more"

It's Sunday 19 August (my daughter Kelly's birthday) and I'm in Lexington, Missouri with only 316 miles to go. Haven't seen TnT for nearly 2 weeks but I suspect they are within hours of getting here and Mark Kalch the Australian adventurer is sure to come through at a great rate of knots and capsize me in his wake.

I paddle on, happy that all's well at home and with the news that I'm going to be a grandfather again.