John Ruskey

Quapaw Canoe Company Offering the Total Mississippi River Experience By Mark Bird Dense green forests where abundant wildlife roams free. A wide, wild river meandering past magical islands and glistening sandbars, rarely encountering the sounds—or even the signs—of civilization. It’s the sort of escape which seems ever more appealing in troubled times, and we travel hundreds, or even thousands, of miles in a quest for these idyllic places. Yet a wilderness experience which easily rivals the Colorado River, Yellowstone, or the Great Smoky Mountains is available right here in the Delta—along the incomparable Mississippi River. Quapaw Canoe Company was founded in 1999 to provide access to the wild beauty of the Lower Mississippi, described by company founder John Ruskey as “America’s great forgotten wilderness”. A self-proclaimed river rat, who has spent much of his life on the river, Ruskey says the Clarksdale-based firm provides more than just recreation. “We give access to the river to people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to see one of this country’s most wonderful natural resources,” he explains. “We also try to raise the level of awareness of the river—while there have been a lot of good conservation efforts elsewhere, people haven’t paid as much attention to the Mississippi River.”

Quapaw Canoe Company offers a variety of custom canoe or kayak expeditions along the Lower Mississippi, primarily in the section between Vicksburg and Memphis, one of its most remote stretches. Trips ranging in length from one day to a full week are available (overnights trips are the most popular), and Ruskey says he takes individuals or groups of up to ten or more. “We get a number of school groups and church groups,” he says, “and a lot of families. It’s a great family activity.” w The most popular wilderness experience offered by Quapaw is a float trip, where you put in at one place and float downstream to another point. “These trips require a little paddling,” says Ruskey, “but for the most part you go with the river and let it do most of the work—just like a typical river rat!” A more challenging option is a round trip excursion, which involves paddling upstream, usually around an island, and then floating back downstream to the point of origin. While considerably more demanding physically, this type of river trip offers its own rewards. “You get closer to the riverbank than on a float trip, so you get a better feel for the riverbank habitat,” Ruskey explains. Also available is a habitat trip, wherein a stationary camp is established at one specific habitat area, and smaller day trips are made from the camp. Ruskey is also an accomplished artist (he was curator of the Delta Blues Museum before starting Quapaw), and hopes to make a regular event of a special float trip–the Mississippi River Artist’s Float. Two of these have been offered to date, receiving an overwhelming response. In addition to the complete river experience, the artist’s float offers an artist-in-residence and an endless variety of landscapes for inspiration. Quapaw’s river trips are equally popular with men and women, and with all age groups, Ruskey reports. In fact, his oldest guest was a 76-year-old woman who had lived in the Delta her whole life and wanted to really see the river. She asked her children to give her a float trip as a Christmas gift. “Obviously, we get a lot of people from the Mid-South,” Ruskey comments, “but we’ve had people from places like New York City, and we get a lot of Europeans as well. People tend to want to see certain parts of the river, such as the area where they live or were raised. If they don’t have a preference, I take them to some of my favorite spots.” What is his favorite? A 30-mile stretch between Friar’s Point and Rosedale tops the list. “The river is very wide, and there’s no sign of civilization, except for the occasional tugboat. You have endless forests and beautiful sandbar camping.” Being a wilderness experience, a Quapaw river trip entails a fair amount of “roughing it”. However, one luxury you don’t have to leave behind is good food—Ruskey’s excursions include all-you-can-eat gourmet meals, cooked in cast-iron over an open fire. Examples of John Ruskey’s landscape paintings, and complete information about Quapaw Canoe Company river trips are available at their web site, www.island63.com., or they can be reached at 662-627-4070.   <...HOME...>