Missouri Float Trips » Rivers http://www.floatmissouri.com Float Down Missouri's Rivers Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:58:38 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Eagle Watching in Missouri http://www.floatmissouri.com/eagle-watching/ http://www.floatmissouri.com/eagle-watching/#comments Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:56:40 +0000 admin http://www.floatmissouri.com/?p=941 If you are interested in watching some eagles in Missouri, then January and February are the best times of the year to do so. It is this time of the year when hundreds of these mighty, yet graceful, American Bald eagles come to the rivers of Missouri , as well as the mighty Mississippi, to feast on the fish and roost in the tall trees along the banks. There are several places in Missouri that offer a number of excellent viewing sites. To begin, The Confluence is a two hundred square mile conservation, tradition and recreation corridor along the two rivers. This is just one of the amazing places one could watch these intriguing birds.

Bald Eagle on Missouri RiverThe old Chain of Rocks Bridge has become quite the tourist attraction. This bridge has become a pedestrian and bicycling only bridge. This bridge is open daily from a half hour before sunrise and one half hour before sunset and is free. This bridge can offer a beautiful scene of many eagles in flight along the banks as well as above the river. You can join a special education class on January 14th and 15th that starts at 8:30 a.m. There will be plenty of experts on hand to answer any questions you want to ask. There will also be special scopes set up for visitors, so come join the fun.

The Missouri sanctuary’s River Project office is a sheltered and indoor location. This location offers the visitors the pleasure of viewing eagles as well as other river creatures. This office is open until February 5th everyday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

If you want to learn everything there is to know about eagles and other wild birds then you must visit the World Bird Sanctuary. This is one of the largest facilities to offer the conservation of this feathered friend. The World Bird Sanctuary is located twenty miles from downtown St. Louis off of the interstate 44, and is free of charge. This Sanctuary offers a lot of special events and some programs to teach about these great birds. They have many displays of many birds, small woodland creatures as well as many reptiles. They even have trails for bird watchers to take with feeding stations to observe many different species.

At the Forest Park visitors center you can pick up a free backpack filled with lots of bird information as well as guides and binoculars to help you discover the feathered friends living in the park. As you can see there are several places to go in Missouri to watch eagles and enjoy their beauty. These are just a few to mention and all offer a lot of information for any avid bird or eagle watcher.

]]> http://www.floatmissouri.com/eagle-watching/feed/ 1 What to Know about the International Scale of River Difficulty http://www.floatmissouri.com/international-scale-of-river-difficulty/ http://www.floatmissouri.com/international-scale-of-river-difficulty/#comments Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:39:09 +0000 admin http://www.floatmissouri.com/?p=751 Many people are confused when hearing the phrase “International Scale of River Difficulty,” which is a standard scale used to measure or rate the safety of any particular river or single rapid. The river grade reflects the technical difficulty and skill level required associated with any particular section of a river.

kayak on riverThere are six levels, classes or grades and then a number, the scale on which the river is graded is neither fixed nor linear. When a river or rapid is given a number grade and then a plus or minus sign, it is to denote if the section rates higher or lower on the scale of difficulty.

The class of a river or rapid is bound to change with the level of the water and higher water usually means rapids are more treacherous. However, there are some rapids which could be easy to maneuver at a high flow because there are some washed out areas. When a river is at flood stage, even rapids can contain highly dangerous or catastrophic materials which can be unpredictable. Some rivers with high volumes of fast moving water will need to have someone expert behind the wheel of the boat, if not it could mean the boat would capsize and people could possibly drown.

The specific river grading system in America is an expanded and more detailed version of the international one, which is typically used by floaters, white water organizations and others. In the US, classes include the following: (classes of water in Missouri only are the ones discussed here)

  • Class I: fast moving water with small waves and ripples, risk to swimmers is slight, being rescued is fairly easy. Few obstructions in the water, all are readily witnessed and easy to avoid with a bit of training.
  • Grade II: rapids with clear, wide channels, occasional maneuvering may be necessary. Swim with caution and rapids at the upper ends of the scale are considered to have a difficulty range of Class II+.
  • Class III: irregular waves on rapids could be difficult to avoid and could capsize and swamp an open canoe. Complex maneuvering in fast currents is necessary and large waves may be present, scouting is necessary for those individuals that have little to no experience. It is recommended to take a group along for people that are not strong swimmers to avoid these conditions.

When wanting to take a vacation on one of the many bodies of water in Missouri, it is always advisable to preplan. Having the right supplies, the best equipment and skilled help along the way is strongly encouraged, but should not deter anyone from making the most of the majestic beauty of Missouri’s lakes and rivers.

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