Des Plaines River Canoe Marathon

Today was the 51st annual Des Plaines River Canoe Marathon and Ellen, and I paddled the 19 mile course - my fourth time and her first. Over 600 boats entered this year and started in groups of 8 at 2 minute intervals, though delays at the start line put us 36 minutes behind schedule. Here is the organized chaos at the staging area...


After a lengthy wait just to launch, boats were stacked up on the river awaiting revised start times for their groups of 8 boats....



... but despite the crowd of paddlers, we still found sections offering solitude. The scenic beauty of this river continued for most of its length because something like 85% of the shoreline in Lake County is owned by the Lake County Forest Preserve District, and 50% of the shoreline in the Cook County segment of the river is forest preserve.



Six dams are on this section of river. The first 2 were under water, the second 2 had V-shaped notches to allow us to paddle over them, but the final pair required portaging -- first at Ryerson Dam and second at Dam #1 seen below...



Nineteen miles is a long paddle on a river with little current, and everyone was happy to see the finish line pennant over the river at Dam #2 Woods.


Then it was onto the shuttle bus for the ride back to the start in Libertyville. A wonderful day despite the cool 55 degree temps and uncooperative sun.