Saturday I made a quick run in my favorite boating area with my camera and a friend to drive the boat. I planned to get photos of the beautiful area to entice some of you northern/grumpy old men to trailer to Wabasha. The public boat landing is 4 wide and almost no wait to launch. At times you do have to park your vehicle blokes away and walk. The beauty of this area is the sand bars; the army core of engineers constantly dredges the channel below Lake Pepin. Left from Wabasha and it?s a short ride to Lake Pepin. My boat is too small for Pepin but the trip is miles of sand taller than I could climb. Turn right from Wabasha and the no wake zone passes Slipery?s a large restaurant with a large boat dock. Outside on the patio offers burgers, brots, and drink. A little farther down and the Eagle museum also has a large boat dock and is nice to walk threw for something different. The trip down to Alma is sand bar heaven, on the Minnesota side sand with trees for shade, on the Wisconsin side miles of mountains of sand. Like most of the river there are obvious party beaches and family beaches. Alma marina is beautiful. The marina is privately owned but it is also a large city owned park, swimming beach, clean restrooms and showers, tennis courts, volley ball, and baseball diamonds.
I am happy to trailer an hour north to boat with you all but I would love to show some of you the beautiful area I boat. It?s nice for a day trip or tent camping. I will try to post some pictures.
Now for the bad. The river was 3 to 4 foot lower than normal. I could see the wing dams; I know they were there but have a new respect for them when you actually see a big pile of rooks.
As other boater noted the wind was a problem on the Mississippi this weekend. I had never seen that on the river just Pepin. The current flowing south, the wind blowing north, and the combination causing rough water, white caps at times. Slow boating and not good for pictures.
But as we all know any day on the water is a good day!!!
Laine