Kayaking 10.5 mile stretch between Route 66 SP and Castlewood SP, Meremac River Missouri

Great 10.5 mile paddle between the Route 66 State park and Castlewood State Park in St. Louis County, Missouri.  The weather was semi-cool and cloudy, but not too awful.  Weather like this really helps you to appreciate a spray skirt.  I had it strapped to the kayak for about 1/2 of the trip.

 Came up on some trapped raccoons close to shore.  Missouri has a season for this, however, I find it to be incredibly inhuman and just down right mean.  I am not "anti hunting" or anything.  But I think in todays world, there are other methods other than trapping.  I had thought about trying to help release them, but they probably would have tried to tear my arm off.  It had looked like a couple of them (still alive) had been trapped for days (that part is not legal).  In a kayak, I was really inequipped to handle it.  If I had a 9mm or something, I probably would have put them out of their misery...one more reason to pack when you kayak.

Sorry to be a buzz-kill......

Other than that, it was an awesome trip with my friends Ray Schroeder and Dan Main.  I think everyone really enjoyed the fellowship and kayaking.  We had a couple of rapids that were semi-challenging (the colder the water gets, the more challenging, at least in my book).

It really has been awhile since I have been out....I think it was like therapy or something

Paddle ON!

Mike

Kayaking the Meremac River from Route 66 SP to Castlewood SP, Missouri

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Missouri

6.8 mile Kayak Trip on the Meremac and Big Rivers, St. Louis County, Missouri, August 7th, 2011

Kayaking the Meremac and Big Rivers, Missouri

This was just what the doctor had ordered!  It had been a couple of weeks since I have paddled due to pulling a muscle in my back and the crazy schedule...this was excellent!  It was super hot, so I took my time in the initial put in.  I put in at the Route 66 State park ramp and went upstream.  Caught a medium sized largemouth on a Chomper Hula Grub with a stand up jig in some structure and shade.  I did not have a lot of fishing success the rest of the day.

It is amazing how much the gravel bar at the Big River confluence point has changed.  The heavy current comes a lot further and has some weird undertows.
I took a quick break and did a quick swim....that is the greatest thing about kayaking in the summer time on river.  No matter how hot it gets, as long as you can bring some water and can get in it, you really never have to worry about overheating.

I paddled up the Big River to the bridge.  I got on film these huge carp that were laying in the sun.  I was able to sneak up on them and scare them a bit.  I stopped at the bridge due to an old rock dam/levee.  I could have portaged around it, but I figured it would be good to get back (glad I did- about 15 min after I got out of the water, we had a thunderstorm).

Quick note: the real shame of the Big River is how much man made debris is on the bottom of the river (i.e pieces of metal, concrete stuff, etc).  You can tell it has been like this for awhile.  I would image it got there from attempts by people up river to keep the banks from eroding....at least I would like to think that is why.

Paddle ON!

Mike

Meremac River at the confluence of the Big River- border STL and Jefferson County, MO. November 21st, 2010

This was the maiden voyage of the new Feelfree Atlantis 14 sea kayak.  The temperatures were in the 50's and very windy.  We paddled from the Route 66 State Park ramp to the confluence point of the Big River.  This was a "getting to know you" paddle for me and the kayak.  We had a few challenges getting the rudder controls adjusted, but other than that, it was a magnificent paddle

Flow (CFS): 700
Gauge Height (ft): 2.2

MLT