midwest sea kayak & tour co

Neither I, nor my husband had ever even touched a kayak before our journey on the Mississippi. We met at the shore, got into the kayak and took a 45 minute lesson with the instructor. We discovered that keeping the kayak afloat is easier than we thought (they look tippy) and to a large extent, balance involves the knees. We also learned that getting back into the kayak, should you fall over, is also much easier than it looks. The instructor indicated that he instructs all skill and physical fitness levels, but we would recommend that, to really enjoy this activity, the student should be able to comfortably fit in the kayak and should be in reasonably good physical condition. The instructor does not paddle at an Olympic pace, and he even towed one of us when we got behind, but this activity still requires some exertion. The best part of this trip was paddling in the middle of the grand Mississippi with the verdant bluffs at our side, curious birds swooping overhead and fish jumping into the air. We took the trip on a hot, hot, hot summer day and it felt so good to have The Big Drink splash back at us and cool us down. From the center, the river is much bigger than it appears from the shores or bluffs, and being on the river offers an unanticipated perspective…massive, independent, very powerful, quiet, soothing…The Miss is a confident river that gets its way when it wants it. The instructor was very knowledgeable about the river, towns and rules of navigation on the river. The instructor told us stories about the history of the light keepers, fishermen and the Mississippi as a major commercial highway. The price was reasonable and well worth the adventure!