Just like surfing last summer was a dream come true for Alyssa, this canoeing trip was a little dream realized for Rebekah. She has long had a fascination with small, human arm powered watercraft, she even has a favorite blue kayak that sits out front of Dunham's Sporting Goods store that she has been asking for as a gift on her next birthday for the last two years. I can imagine her going to college in some mountain town where she can spend her weekends hiking and canoeing. She will of course first have to learn that hiking is not sitting on Grandpa or Daddy's shoulders as they do the hiking, but once she gets there, I am convinced she will be the outdoorsiest girl we know. She was upset in this picture that the sun was shining right in her eyes.
The scenic Green River gets it's green color, and name from the great depths of the water. We did go through many shallow areas and the water was crystal clear and so pretty, despite the green name.
The girls took turns with Emma and Rebekah first going along in my parents canoe while Alyssa was with me and Dave, then they flip flopped. Alyssa was initially nervous to go with my parents because of a close call they had in almost tipping, but she actually did a great job rowing their canoe for a while.
We packed a picnic lunch that we ate on one of the many small islands we came across on our trip down river.
During lunch, Emma found the tiniest frog I have ever seen. Can you spot it on the rock near her left hand?
Enjoying their time in the canoe, we could hardly get them to come out, even just to eat. This picture also shows how the clear water is when looking at it up close versus the green hue it takes on when seeing it from farther away.
Demonstrating her powerful canoeing stroke.
Happily relaxing in the canoe.
Victory after she safely parked the canoe on the side of an island.
It was such a perfect afternoon, we could not have asked for better weather or more beautiful scenery. This stretch of the Green River has some of the most diverse wildlife that can be found in all of the Ohio River tributaries, we saw mostly turtles {probably 100 or more} and a few oddly colored ducks.
For as relaxing as it was to float down the river in the canoe, I was surprised at how sore my arm muscles were a few hours later. The canoeing was so much fun though, and the girls enjoyed it so much, that come Spring, we will have to find a closer to home place to go again!
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